My views on technical writing have changed a lot since the beginning of the semester. Before I began this class I was not sure what kinds of documents were considered technical writing. The word technical gave me a fear of the class. My thinking of the class was very limited – I thought only of instruction manuals or written procedures. It did not take long to realize that technical writing included much more than that.

After taking this class I now realize that technical writing is a part of many different types of documents that I encounter on a daily basis. Technical writing can be included in documents including memos, e-mails, letters, resumes, and instruction sets and many others. This semester we have been given the opportunity to write many different types of documents. On a personal note, following the recent death of my grandfather, my grandmother asked me to help her write the obituary. This class helped me in putting the information together in an orderly manner.

In my career I think I will be preparing many different types of documents such as memos and emails. One career I am very interested in is early childhood intervention specialist. An ECI specialist visits families and pre-school children who need special help before entering the public school system. In this career I would be writing observations, evaluations and many other types of reports in addition to letters and emails. These reports and evaluations will be presented to my supervisor who coordinates the care for each child and family I am assigned. My supervisor will use these documents in working alongside of physical therapists, occupational therapists and others who are working with the client family.

I expect to encounter many types of multicultural audiences in my career. The United States is truly a melting pot of many nationalities and cultures. Families from every part of the world can now be found living in Texas. The families will require care and intervention for their children with special needs. This course has given me the tools to effectively communicate in writing to people of different cultures, races and nationalities.

As I near graduation in May of 2007 I will be sending out many resumes and filling out job applications. I am grateful to this class for demonstrating how to write a good resume and how to sell yourself in your resume. I am certain I will use this particular type of technical writing throughout my working career.

With the knowledge I’ve learned in this class I will be able to write technical documents which will be clear, concise and understandable. I will always take into consideration the audience to whom I am writing and the multi-cultural aspect of the audience. I no longer fear technical writing and I appreciate very much the knowledge you have shared with me this semester.

When writing a proposal it’s important to have an effective plan. The plan describes the problem and how it should be solved. The plan should first explain the proposed procedure and then certain steps which should be clearly labeled and easy to understand. There should also be a timeline chart that explains the plan. The chart should have effective labels and graphics to appeal to the audience. It is important for the plan to be consistent throughout the proposal. In the following paragraphs I will describe and critique the different research plans and focus on the strengths and weaknesses of each.

            The first research plan is proposing for a renovation of the recreational intramural fields. In my opinion this is a good concept, but this plan did not explain the importance of the renovation or why it was needed. This plan was difficult to understand. I think it could be improved by using more everyday terms that the average person can understand. The time periods for this project seem unrealistic to me. I think it will take longer than the time shown.  The strengths of this plan are that the six steps are labeled and in a consistent order with one another. The timeline chart for this plan is color coded and labeled according to the steps previously described. The timeline also keeps record of the dates in which the steps are to be completed.

            The next plan is proposing changes to be made to the health code in all
Lubbock area restaurants.  I found this plan to be very effective. The proposed procedure is clearly stated and easy to understand. Like the first proposal the steps are labeled and in a consistent order. Bullets are also used which makes information stand out.  The time period for this proposal is realistic. Another strength in this plan is the timeline chart. It is clearly labeled and color coded. The only thing I would add to this plan is a budget section.

            The last research plan is describing a proposed plan for an underground pedestrian tunnel. I thought this plan was effective and well written. The procedure is clearly stated. It explains the possible benefits of having a tunnel and why one is needed.  This plan also included research from other universities with pedestrian tunnels. Another strength was the budget was included in the plan. The steps are clearly labeled and easy to identify and the timeline chart is color coded and labeled accordingly. Overall, this plan was very consistent throughout; the only thing I might change would be to add bullets so that important information can be viewed easily.

            After doing this reader response, I now have a better understanding of what to include in a research plan, as well as what to leave out. This assignment will help when we are drafting our group proposal. I will be sure to include all of the correct information in order to have a good research plan.

          Gestalt’s five document design principles are balance, alignment, grouping, consistency and contrast. These principles are used to help grab the readers’ attention and to make the document easier to read and understand. The bulletin used for this assignment includes some of these principles but not all of them. The following will explain the design principles found in this bulletin and suggest areas where I think they can be improved.                   

 Balance is important because it creates a stable feeling in the text. The bulletin has three columns so the text appears balanced. However, the green line at the bottom of the page is not equally balanced with the large graphic at the top. I think the balance would be more even if the size of the graphic was decreased because it would allow more attention to focus on the actual text of the document and not  be so over powering. The “Message from the CIO” is lost in the clutter of the graphics. An important message such as this should have been placed more appropriately. To create more balance within the bulletin it might be helpful to add a sidebar or margin comments.           

The next design principle is alignment. Images and text in a document should be alligned to show the document’s structure or hierarchy. The bulletin shows a hierarchy by using lists throughout the document. It has a horizontal alignment. To improve the alignment of the bulletin I would allign the graphics and the text that goes with it so it will be easier to read. Again, the top “Message from the CIO” is not aligned with the graphics. Neither complements the other.           

The next design principle is grouping. Grouping seperates the text using headings, rules and borders to make words and images stand out and easier to read. The bulletin does have a few headings but I would also add sub-headings to separate the text. It does a good job on using white space, it is evenly distributed throughout the document. In the banner space at the top I would not have put the red “Special Edition” graphic or “IT Spring Cleaning”. Those two headlines would have been more appropriately grouped over the clothesline graphic.           

   Consistency is the next design principle. It makes documents more accessible. Inconsistent documents are more difficult to read and interpret. The bulletin is consistent in the font for the most part and it uses lists consistently within it. I would add explanations with the graphics to fully explain them and create more consistency. The font in the Message from the CIO is too small and hard to read. An important message such as this should have been placed in the body of the text  set apart by a border. The text of this bulletin is fairly consistent, but I find the headline graphics and text inconsistent.          

The last design principle is contrast. Contrast is used to make text and other features stand out. One should be careful when using contrast because when you have too much contrast it can make the elements compete with each other. The background color and border of the document show contrast and make the text easy to read. Using a green font for the headings and also bolding and italicizing the text creates contrast. Again, this is where the headline has a few problems. There is too much contrast. The text, font sizes, and graphics all compete with one another.

Reader Response #2 

Webster defines ethics as the study of standards of conduct and moral judgment. Morals and values are things that I have been taught since childhood. From the time I was old enough to have memories my parents placed a high value on teaching me right from wrong. I was taught these values not only in my home, but they were reinforced by the religious teachings I was taught in my local church. My parents’ values which they passed down to me are based on Biblical principles which they learned from their parents.

My moral foundation is and will continue to be the basis for my ethical principles as I complete my college education and move into the work force. As we have recently discussed in class, ethical verbal and written communication will be important as I begin searching for my first job. My moral foundation has given me a clear understanding of what is right and wrong. My personal code of ethics will not allow for any “gray areas” as I prepare resumes and cover letters. It seems the lines of ethical and unethical behavior have been blurred when it comes to embellishing ones education, qualifications and even prior work experience. All too often we read or hear of professors, executives or government officials who have been fired for lying on a resume or job application. Because of the competitive nature of business, people are tempted to embellish or outright lie to make their resumes more impressive.   How many times have we heard our elementary school teachers say “keep your eyes on your own paper.” The temptation to cheat begins early for school children. It may seem innocent enough in elementary school, but once an unethical pattern of behavior starts, it’s like a snowball going downhill. The more one cheats the easier it gets until it becomes the standard for one’s behavior.  As a college student, it is easy to be sucked in to unethical behavior and practices. There are entire web businesses devoted to unethical behavior. They make their profits off of students with no moral compass when it comes to their education. I have observed many students who have been tempted to use websites to purchase essays or research papers. Many of these web-based businesses “guarantee” the cheater will not be found guilty of plagiarism. This type of behavior is sure to translate itself when the person becomes an employee. Someone who practices unethical behavior consistently will rationalize this behavior as acceptable. These types of people make terrible employees and we have seen examples where they have actually destroyed companies, i.e. Enron. It seems pretty simple to me. A person with a high moral standard will not be enticed to lie or cheat by embellishment or lying when communicating either in writing or verbally. The lines of ethical and unethical behavior are clearly marked in my mind. It will serve all of us well to remember the teaching of our youth that honesty is the best policy.  

My primary genre preference is romantic comedy. Whether reading books or watching movies, for me, there is no better way to “escape” life than a good romantic comedy. There are many reasons why I believe romantic comedies are the best fit for me

My preference for this genre stems from the fact that I love to “pretend” when I read a book or watch a movie. Pretending was fun when I was a child and now I can still pretend through books and movies. Romantic comedies appeal to me because it is fun to experience both the emotional ups and downs of the story as well as the comic relief. I have always had an interest in this genre. Even as a small child I would always choose to watch Cinderella or Beauty and the Beast instead of other animated movies.

The “Cinderella story” theme has been used by many books and popular movies, including one of my favorites Pretty Woman. This popular theme of “girl from the wrong side of the tracks who ultimately gets her prince charming” is every little girl’s dream. Another favorite, Wedding Planner, portrays a young woman who, in the opening scene, is rescued from certain injury or death by a man who will eventually become her husband. Pretty Woman and Wedding Planner both have the underlying theme of “rescuing the damsel in distress” as part of their plot line.

My preference for this genre stems from the common themes of falling in love and overcoming adversity. In most situations, the couple will have to face almost insurmountable obstacles before they are ultimately brought together near the end of the book or movie. Whether it is a “wicked stepmother” or an old girlfriend, there is usually something or someone standing in the way of true love and happiness. While participating in this “fairy tale” genre you get to step out of reality and experience something that wouldn’t normally happen because life certainly is not a fairy tale.

For this assignment, I chose to read the article by Phyllis Taylor Pianka, “Before You Begin.” How to Write Romances. If I were writing a book or screenplay in the romance genre, I would use many of the suggestions Ms. Pianka makes. I would try to create situations that people could relate to. My book and movie would include a believable hero and heroine who reflect men and women living in the 21^st century. It would also allow fantasy and imagination to evoke the emotions of the reader. According to this article there are many specific elements which are always found in a romance novel including the hero and heroine, a critical situation, conflict, romantic encounters, a resolution to the conflict and a happy ending. The happy ending usually includes the main characters making an emotional commitment to each other. These characteristics along with humor, excitement, and believability will satisfy and entertain the reader. I think it is beneficial to know the history of this genre for the writer as well as the reader. It allows you to research different time periods and settings to have a better understanding of the novel.