1. An Exercise in Evaluating Photo Backgrounds in Slides The Cain Project in Engineering and Professional Communication ENGINEERING SERIES

2. Instructions This exercise allows you to formulate some of your own “rules of thumb” for using photo backgrounds. Answer the questions on the yellow instructions slides. As your instructor directs, discuss your answers with another student. Try to develop a sense of standards for –What can happen between textual foregrounds and photo backgrounds? –When does the viewer notice the background more than the text message? –When does the photo compete with the information? –How and when do these photo backgrounds add emotional intensity or connotations to the textual claims?

3. Presenters’ names here Coal Plants, the EPA, and the Economic Impact

4. Overview Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) General Description of Process Clean Coal vs. Dirty Coal Applications

5. Environmental Protection Agency A LONG TERM COMMITMENT Branch of the Federal Government Instituted in 1970 for Protection of Human Health and the Environment Responsible for Implementing Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act, among others. Focuses on long-term benefits to society Often involves short-term costs

6. Environmental Protection Agency REGULATIONS In 1990, as part of an amendment to the Clean Air Act, SO2 emissions were significantly reduced 67% of all SO2 emissions are from fuel combustion Ill-effects of SO2 emissions Today, why two rules instead of one?

7. C Environmental Protection Agency RESULTS Between 1977 and 1996, concentrations of SO2 in the atmosphere dropped by 58% This reflects an emission drop of 39% for SO2 Between 1990 and 1997, the number of areas out of compliance with EPA standards was reduced by 42%

8. Instructions Which of the preceding slides did you think “worked best”? Under what conditions did the text and photo reinforce one another? What would have made these slides easier to read? How much did the squat, fat font (Arial Black) interfere with your reading? Did the big line spacing gaps help or hinder your memory of the message? Which colors were symbolic? Did you try to pair meanings with all the colors? Why or why not?

9. The Chemical Process HEAT GENERATION Furnace Boiler Coal Air Flue Gas Steam Bottom Ash Why 15% excess air? Rate of steam generation: 5% 707.63 kg/min 25% 665.49 kg/min 15% 685.45 kg/min

10. Instructions What is the relation between the photo and the other components of this slide? What is the main message or what might it have been? What changes might have made it easier to have recognized this message right away?

11. The Chemical Process POWER CYCLE Turbine System Condenser Steam (from Boiler) Condensate ( to Boiler)

12. The Chemical Process SCRUBBER TRAIN Scrubber Stack Splitter Blending Tank Filter Fresh Limestone Slurry Spent Slurry Flue Gas Wet Solids Cleaned Flue

13. Instructions What is the relation between the diagram and the photo? Would most viewers recognize this relationship? Which scrubber train is being discussed? What is the point of the slide?

14. Clean vs. Dirty Coal THE DIFFERENCE Clean coal has a higher HHV, lower sulfur content Clean coal is more expensive (by mass) Dirty coal is often more accessible, but requires more processing

15. Instructions Why is it important for the viewer to recognize the differences between the two kinds of coal? How do the photo and the reinforce one another (or not)? Does the photo itself or do the colors matter most here in conveying meaning?

16. Clean vs. Dirty Coal THE DIFFERENCE Cost Differences in Coal Coal Beulah-Zap (Dirty) Blind Canyon (Clean) Coal needed to produce 500 Mwe (ton/min)3.01167662.401910427 Distance to Transport1,687.501,723.30 Cost to Transport$101.64$82.78 Cost per ton at mine$12.05$14.41 Total Cost per min of Coal$113.69$97.20

17. Instructions Where did your eye go first, or what attracted your attention most strongly in the preceding slide? What is the table intended to prove? How could you change the slide to direct attention to this point? What should stand out most?

18. Applications UPDATE THE A/C In 2006, the Federal regulations will require a minimum SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) rating of 13 for newly installed air-conditioning units. Energy will be saved by this new regulation. Initially, more money is spent, but the SO2 emissions will be significantly reduced. In the long run, consumers save money. Everyone is better off!

19. Applications THE REPLACEMENT PROGRAM Cost of Replacement Program YearOperating Cost Replacement CostTotal Cost 1$318,826,666.67$250,000,000.00$568,826,666.67 2$297,920,000.00$250,000,000.00$547,920,000.00 3$277,013,333.33$250,000,000.00$527,013,333.33 4$256,106,666.67$250,000,000.00$506,106,666.67 5$235,200,000.00$250,000,000.00$485,200,000.00 Total Cost$1,385,066,666.67$1,250,000,000.00$2,635,066,666.67 Operating Cost of 500,000 SEER 9 Units for 5 years $1,698,666,666.67

20. Instructions The greyed-out air conditioner photo and the table are similar, but do they require different eye activity? Why and how do your eyes change in order to “take in” the two elements of background and foreground, respectively? What would you recommend about the use of zero in PPT tables? What is the main point of this slide? What other rules might you infer from your viewing of this slide?

21. Applications THE REPLACEMENT PROGRAM Efficiency of SEER 13 Units (Beulah-Zap) Total SO2 emission reduction over 5 years (tons) Cost per ton of SO2 saved ($/ton) 831.13$1,126,653.62 Efficiency of SEER 13 Units (Blind Canyon) Total SO2 emission reduction over 5 years (tons) Cost per ton of SO2 saved ($/ton) 378.18$2,476,041.35

22. Any Questions?

23. Instructions How did you react to the blue of the final slide? What did it suggest to you? What did you feel about the color when you saw it? It isn’t consistent with the earlier slides, so what did you make of it? What rule of thumb can you formulate to describe this relationship? What rules have you figured out for photos and text in slides?

24. More resources are available for you under “Engineering Communication” at Connexions at http://cnx.orghttp://cnx.org at the Cain Project site at http://www.owlnet.rice.edu/~cainproj http://www.owlnet.rice.edu/~cainproj in your course Communication Folder in OWLSPACE. Lead through Excellence in Engineering Communication