Final Post

Whenever I am given the option to write about anything I want, I always have trouble deciding on a topic. So, I decided to just write about a few last thoughts I have about this semester.

First, I really enjoyed our group presentations. I noticed in other classes that people who present on the first night don't return on the second to listen to others. However, I think everyone in the class was genuinely interested in the other projects. It looked like all the teams put in a lot of work and effort into making their projects creative, yet thorough. I was really impressed with the groups that did the online task packages. This is probably because technical writing is not my strongest form of writing, even though I have developed my skills quite a bit.

Based on the blogs, it seems like everyone is ready for a break. I liked most of my classes this semester, but it will be nice to focus on something besides school. I am also looking forward to Christmas and spending time with my family. Between school, work, and other obligations, I usually don't have time to just hang out with my friends and family.

I am have also enjoyed applying what we learned in class. I noticed that when I write at work, I do focus more on the readers. I thought this would make writing more complicated, but it actually makes it more simple. Now, I can just get to my main points and say what I know will be useful to my readers. I don't waste time providing information they don't need.

Response to Melissa Bonneville

I agree with Melissa that the book was organized effectively and actually turned out to be quite useful. I think the book was easy to read and understand, I didn't feel that I was reading something that I couldn't apply in some form. I also liked that the book gave examples of memos, websites, and e-mails. It really helped to see how they should be organized and how to make them easier for readers to use.

Like Melissa, I also liked how the book always emphasized the importance of focusing on the reader. That way, we could learn how to take a reader-centered approach in different forms of writing. I actually realized how much more effective my writing is when I focus on the reader, so I think I will continue to apply the skills I learned.

Reflection on English 402

One of the things I enjoyed most about this class is the variety of the material we covered. When I registered for the class, I just assumed we would learn how to write memos or business letters. Instead, we applied our knowledge as we worked on our projects. As the weeks progressed, I found it easier to write a memo in a useful and concise way. I currently do a lot of writing at work, so it is a good chance to apply the new skills I developed in the class.

I also learned about other areas of writing, such as freelance and journalism. I never had the time to learn about these areas, so I am glad we got to cover them in class. For instance, I had no idea that so many magazines and journals used freelance writers regularly. There are so many opportunities to do writing if you have any interest in it.

Another important thing I learned is to focus on your readers. This is especially important in the business world because readers often depend on the information they receive to do their jobs. Communicating effectively is also important in business, so your writing needs to be easy to understand and use.

I also learned about rhetoric and how to identify where it is used and in which form. This will also help me use rhetoric effectively in order to persuade my readers. I think this will be very useful because we are constantly trying to persuade others.

Response to Melisa Dawson

I think Melisa made a good point about how some people read exactly what is on their slide during a presentation. When this happens, I lose interested quickly and become bored with the presentation. I have also seen presentations where each slide had several paragraphs of writing. In that case, I don't even bother to read everything, but I don't exactly listen to the presenters reading from the slides either. This is a case where the visual aids don't make the presentation more interesting. Instead, they take away from it. So, not only are the visual aids presented ineffectively, but there are too many ideas being presented at the same time. It is easier for the audience to listen and remember the presentation if there are only a few main ideas in focus.

Ch. 17/18 Reading

Chapter 17
Although I took a speech class several years ago, this chapter brought up some useful presentation tips. I liked the section about graphics and how to display them effectively. Although graphics can help a presentation, they can also cause a lot of distraction and take away from it if presented in the wrong way. I found it useful to have an example of how to prepare effective PowerPoint slides. I also found the section on team presentations useful because it seems like my classes require more team presentations than individual. However, I don't think most speech classes focus on team presentations.

Chapter 18
I have to admit that I have no experience creating web pages or websites. However, as technology advances, it is important to be at least a little familiar with them. First, it is important to design pages that are easy to use, but attractive to the users. Also, it is important to provide navigation aids so that users can quickly find the information they need. This chapter also reminded me of a few points that our first guest speaker made in her presentation. She also mentioned that it is important to make it easy for readers to find the site on the Internet.

Response to Todd Anderson

I think Todd made a good point about identifying which revisions are most important. I agree with Todd that this is useful in the workplace. I use written communication on a regular basis, so it is important to focus on the most important parts of my writing. I simply don't have the time to go through a full revision process, but it is still important to have at least some revision. I think this would help me communicate more effectively with clients and co-workers. Also, it is important to remember that revisions should be based on what would be most useful for readers.

Chapter 14/15 Reading

Chapter 14 provided some useful guidelines for revising drafts. I think these guidelines can be applied when we revise our individual research papers. Also, I found several points that I didn't consider much in the past. First, when revising my drafts, I used to focus on making sure that I was getting my point across. I wanted to make sure that I presented my points in a clear and concise manner. However, I would often forget to check my paper from the readers' point of view. I also liked the point about distancing yourself from your draft. I think it is important to let some time pass before revising again. This will make it easier to find out how your writing actually sounds.

Chapter 15 brought some ideas that I was mostly unaware of before. I never knew about tools that test for usability and persuasiveness. However, now that I understand how important it is to write something that is both useful to your readers and persuasive, I think these tools are vital. One of the points that caught my attention was that when evaluating persuasiveness, it is important to consider both the subject matter and the quality of the communication. This will allow me to understand how my writing will affect my readers and their attitudes.

Response to Amela Colakovic

I think Amela made a good point about how bias plays an important role in journalism. It is true that we expect the news to be objective, but this is not always the case. I have met people who often rely on news stories to form their opinions because they believe they are receiving only the facts of the stories. Unfortunately, no matter how hard they try, their is no guarantee that reporters will tell a story completely without bias. I think it would be difficult to report a story, especially one dealing with a controversial topic, without being influenced by personal opinions.

Journalism

I think the guest speaker was interesting because I didn't know much about what went into putting together a news broadcast. There were a few points that I found surprising.

First, I never considered how important ethics are in the news. Personally, this would be hard for me to balance because I would want to tell the story, but remain fair and considerate of the people involved. Doing this on a daily basis would be a lot of pressure and responsibility.

I was also surprised that the reporters didn't write a majority of the stories. I always assumed that it was part of their job. I guess they are mostly responsible for being on the scene of the story to report the events.

I was also interested in how Jesse was able to enjoy his job, even when he deals with so many tragic events. I would also like to be informed of what is going on in the world, and locally, before everyone else.

Response to Jeff Schafer

Jeff made an interesting point about how news stations try to make their broadcasts flashy to attract viewers. I remember a guest speaker we had in another class. He mentioned that news stations seem to broadcast entertainment more than the news. In fact, many journalists believe they will be reporting bold, straight-forward news, but end up doing stories on celebrities. This is mostly because this is what viewers will watch. News stations will broadcast whatever will bring in the highest ratings. I guess that is why most of the news are bad, people just wouldn't be as interested in good news all the time.

The News

Honestly, I don't make it a habit to watch the news, mostly because of my busy schedule. I do like to be informed of what is going on around me so I catch up by reading the news online. That way, I can read all the stories at any time. Plus, many sites now have videos, so its possible to see the news, not just read about them. I used to love watching the news with my family, especially the weather forecast. Then, I realized that the news were almost always bad. Eventually, it got a little depressing.

I wonder if people actually watch the news as much as before. It is now possible to have access to different news stations, papers, and journals at any time, without waiting for the news to come on. This seems more convenient for people with full schedules.

Response to Sergiy Kondrenko

While the rest of the class mostly focused on writing, I found it interesting that Sergiy focused on freelance photography. When we think of freelance work, we immediately think of writing, but forget that photography is also an option. Although I personally have no experience in professional photography, I wish I did just so I could do freelance work. I love traveling and being able to capture my experiences would be very exciting. Sergiy also made a good point about photographing and writing about remote regions. We are not always aware about what is going on in the rest of the world, but this would be a good way to find out.

Freelance Writing

Freelance writing is not something I considered doing in the past, mostly because I was unfamiliar with how freelance writing worked. I was surprised to find out that so many magazines use freelance writers and to such a great extent.

I always thought it would be interesting to get something published, assuming that my work was actually good enough for publication. However, it didn't seem at all possible because I didn't know how to contact magazines with a writing proposal. It was interesting to find out about books and websites that provide information about freelance writing for various publications. If there is a certain topic I would like to write about, I would now definitely consider sending in a proposal for publication. After all, if you are interested in writing, getting the piece published is worth a try.

I was also interested to find that there are so many possibilities in freelance writing. Even if you start with a smaller, less-known publication, you still get the opportunity to keep growing in your writing. Also, with so many possible topics, you can write about anything you choose. Freelance writing allows you to write about anything that interests you at the time, so writing will never get boring.

Response to Jeff Schafer

One of the points that I found interesting in Jeff's post was about varying sentence lengths. I have also tried to create variety in my writing, although I am not sure that I am always successful in it. I also liked that Jeff mentioned that sentences that vary in length actually allow ideas to be communicated in a more effective way. Sentence length is important not only to have variety in writing, but to express the relationship between ideas or to emphasize them. I also agree with Jeff about using plain, clear words instead of fancy ones. Since we are to take a reader-centered approach, we need to focus on what will be most useful for the readers, not just make the writer look intelligent. If the readers believe that a writer is just trying to show off, they create a negative attitude toward the writer and are less likely to be persuaded.

Ch. 8/19 Readings

I think chapter 8 was useful because having an effective style is necessary for a reader-centered approach. One of the points that I hadn't considered a lot is that it is important to simplify sentences. I noticed that sometimes in an attempt to establish authority, a writer may use difficult words and sentences. However, this decreases the usability for the readers. Instead, it is better to select strong words to stress what is important. There was also a section about using specialized terms. In my experience, I know how difficult it is to ask for help on a certain subject, only to receive a reply full of terms you don't understand. At the end, you end up exactly in the same place.

Chapter 19 focused on project management strategy. I don't have a lot of experience in this area, which is why I think this information will be useful. I think one of the most important points in this chapter was establishing a plan and schedule. I know that it is easier for me to complete any project when I have a plan. This will allow me to see what I need to do and how much time I have to do it.

Response to Rhiannon

I liked the examples Rhiannon provided on rhetoric, mostly because I can relate to them. People often use different forms of rhetoric on us and most of the time, I must admit, it does work. Of course, now I will be a little obsessive about trying to figure out how people are trying to persuade me to do what they want. On the other hand, it also works both ways. That means that the more I know about rhetoric, the more I will take advantage of that knowledge.

I think that understanding rhetoric will also make it easier to understand people and their actions. This is especially important when working with others closely because they will undoubtedly use rhetoric to achieve their goals.

Ch. 6/7 Reading

Chapter 6 has some very good guidelines to consider when doing research. They are particularly useful now that I have started the research for the research paper. One of the most important points to consider is that you must find information from sources that would persuade your audience to agree with you. Normally, I noticed that it is easier to just find information that will provide support for your arguments. However, now that we are taking a reader-centered approach, it is important to not only consider your readers when establishing your arguments, but also when presenting the sources to support those arguments.

One point that I liked from chapter 7 is that readers typically formulate generalizations that might not be the ones you intended. This is why it is so important to present your own generalizations before providing the details, leaving less room for the readers to do so. Another useful section from this chapter was designing headings and text. This will reveal organization, making it easier for the reader to follow each point.

Rhetoric

When I think of rhetoric, the most obvious idea come to mind-persuasion. Persuasion can have a very powerful effect on people. After all, you will be able to shape the way someone thinks or acts. It is important to remember that even though you may want to persuade somebody, you must never mislead or manipulate them.


After the discussion in class about rhetoric, I really started to think about which form of rhetoric is used on me daily. Every time I drive past a sign, rhetoric is at work. Every time I see an advertisement, rhetoric is at work. It is present when I communicate with people, even in simple situations when a friend asks for a favor.

Ch. 4,5,16, 23 Readings

One of the sections that I thought was important in chapter four is how to organize information. I currently have to communicate a lot of information to co-workers and clients and would like to organize it in a way that would be easy for them to find. Organization is also a key factor in the way readers will receive and react to my writing. I also liked the section about planning graphics. Graphics can be a very effective way to convey information and support arguments, but it is important to select the best type of graphic to make it useful.

Chapter five was useful to me because we use persuasion constantly, although the forms may vary. Once again, it is important to organize your points in a way that would elicit a favorable response from readers. It is also important to present yourself in a way that would bring the readers to believe and trust you. I also think it is important to keep in mind that, although we are trying to persuade our readers, it is wrong to mislead or manipulate them.

Chapter 16 focused on effectively communicating and working with a team. The guidelines presented in the chapter can be applied to both academic and professional teamwork. I think that many of the problems that teams encounter are due to lack of communication. AS a result, productivity is lowered significantly. Although I am used to having one designated leader, I liked the idea of sharing leadership responsibilities because then all team members assume equal responsibility.

Chapter 23 provided guidelines for writing instructions. I think one of the most important points was testing the instructions. There were several times when I had to prepare instructions for some of the processes at work. When I actually tried to follow my own instructions, I realized that I left out several steps because I thought they would be obvious and didn't need to be pointed out.

Response to Brandon Mitchell

One of the things I liked about this post is how Brandon was able to connect the current chapter to the previous chapters. As he mentioned, the previous chapters stressed the important of taking a reader-centered approach. Chapter 3 continued in the same direction by setting guidelines for finding out about the reader.

Brandon also commented that he believed some of the expectations were too high. This was an interesting thought because I also had one like it when reading the chapter. As I was reading all the different aspects I was supposed to consider about my readers, I really wondered how I was going to remember all of them. I imagined how difficult it would be to write an e-mail at work and not only focus on the task at hand, but also consider the fact that my e-mail could be handed down to "phantom" or "future" readers. It already seems difficult to focus on my present audience, but adding a yet unknown audience would make it much more complicated.

Chapter 3 Reading

It appears that taking a reader-centered approach is not as simple as following a few guidelines. As chapter 3 outlines, the writer must think in advance about the readers' tasks, goals, and characteristics. In some cases, the writer must even shape the attitudes of the readers on topics they have not yet considered. Failing to correctly define the readers' goals could result in unintended actions by the readers.

This chapter also pointed out the importance of keeping cultural differences in mind when writing because they can affect communication significantly. This is true not only when dealing with international companies but those in the United States as well. Even domestic businesses have people who belong to various subcultures. Therefore, their reactions are influenced by their cultural backgrounds.

The idea of "phantom readers" is not something I had met with before. In a professional environment, your writing may be handed down to people for whom it was not written. Writing may also be handed down to future readers, so communicating in a way that would be helpful and useful to these readers is vital.

Writing Freestyle

Although I generally enjoy writing, it has never been something that came to me easily. I always liked my English classes, but I preferred reading over writing. It would often take me a while to compose my thoughts and then get them down on paper. As I progress toward earning my degree, I know that writing will be an important part of my career. After speaking with others in the field of accounting, I discovered that they spend most of their day writing. This includes communicating with clients, co-workers, and managers. Obviously, I will need to improve my writing skills in order to be successful in my career.

Thoughts on chapters 1, 20, 22

Chapter 1
After reading the first chapter, I began to realize the importance of thinking about your readers. As mentioned in the book, the writer must establish a relationship with each individual in the group. This may be very difficult because each person could receive a different meaning from your writing. In the past, I was used to thinking only about what I would like to say, which points I wanted to make. Now, I must focus on the readers to make sure I provide them with the necessary information and help.

Chapter 20
I think this chapter provided clear guidelines for reader-centered correspondence. In particular, I found the guidelines for e-mail especially useful because I constantly communicate via e-mail with co-workers and clients. It is helpful to know the correct way to format my e-mails, as opposed to just going with what looks right.

Chapter 22
Although I have never been required to write a proposal, I think this chapter would be useful should I have the need to do so in the future. I like the way the contents of each section were described in detail. Also, the revision checklist would be useful in making sure that all the necessary elements are included.