Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Monday, September 29, 2008
Reports and Other Long Documents (Harty)
-Reports can vary in formality, but the writer should always have a clear plan and purpose from the beginning so that they stick to the intended purpose. Analyzing the audience is essential. Audiences can include: laypersons, executives, experts, technicians, operators, etc.
Audience Analysis: The Problem and a Solution (J.C. Mathes and Dwight W. Stevenson)
-Every form of communicationm contains three components: the writer, the message, and the audience. However, the audience is often not conscidered. Sometimes this is because the writer writes to the person addressed and doesn't think about the bigger audience that could read the report. However, a report's worth is measured only by how much it helps the audience/organization, so they require significant conscideration in the writing process.
-False Assumptions
1. The person addressed is the audience. (Students learn this in college as they write to only one professor at a time, and then they carry it over into the workplace, only writing for supervisors.)
2. The audience is a group of specialists in the field.
3. The reports has a finite period of use.
4. The author and hte audience always will be available for reference.
5. The audience is familiar with the assignment.
6. The audience has been involved in daily disucsisions of the material.
7. the audience awaits the report.
8. The audienc has time to read the report.
Three types of audiences: vertical, horizontal, and external. Writers must clearly know which one they are writing to because they each have different backgrounds, expectations, etc. However, this is hard to define because the writer's position is always relative to where they are in relation to the audience. A three step approach was formulated:
1. Prepare an Egocentric Organization Chart (diagram pg. 177)
2. Characterize the Individual Report Readers- analyze orperational, objective, and personal characteristics.
3. Classify Audiences in Terms of How They Will Use Your Report: primary (make decisions based on your report), secondary (are affected by decisions made), immediate (transit the infromation)
What to Report (Richard W. Dodge)
The three things that managers look for first and foremost in a report are:
1. What the report is about
2. The significance and implications of the work
3. The action called for
The summary is read more than any other part of the report; then introduction, conclusion, body, and appendix. It is ironic that the shortest part of the report is often read the most. What does this tell the writer about the importance of writing clear concise and purposeful summaries?
The Writing of Abstracts (Christian K. Arnold)
-The abstract is the most important part of a report and yet it usually receives the least amount of attention.
-Two purposes of the abstract:
1. descriptive- provides the specialist in the field with enough information about the report to decide if he could read it with profit
2. informative- provides the administrator or ecutive with enough knowledge about what has been doesn in the study with what results to satify most of his administractive needs.
Ten Report Writing Pitfalls: How to Avoid Them (Vincent Vinci) pg. 203
1. Ignoring Your Audience
2. Writing to Impress
3. Having More than One Aim
4. Being Inconsistent
5. Overqualifying
6. Not Defining
7. Misintroducing
8. Dazzling with data
9. Not Highlighting
10. Not Rewriting
Audience Analysis: The Problem and a Solution (J.C. Mathes and Dwight W. Stevenson)
-Every form of communicationm contains three components: the writer, the message, and the audience. However, the audience is often not conscidered. Sometimes this is because the writer writes to the person addressed and doesn't think about the bigger audience that could read the report. However, a report's worth is measured only by how much it helps the audience/organization, so they require significant conscideration in the writing process.
-False Assumptions
1. The person addressed is the audience. (Students learn this in college as they write to only one professor at a time, and then they carry it over into the workplace, only writing for supervisors.)
2. The audience is a group of specialists in the field.
3. The reports has a finite period of use.
4. The author and hte audience always will be available for reference.
5. The audience is familiar with the assignment.
6. The audience has been involved in daily disucsisions of the material.
7. the audience awaits the report.
8. The audienc has time to read the report.
Three types of audiences: vertical, horizontal, and external. Writers must clearly know which one they are writing to because they each have different backgrounds, expectations, etc. However, this is hard to define because the writer's position is always relative to where they are in relation to the audience. A three step approach was formulated:
1. Prepare an Egocentric Organization Chart (diagram pg. 177)
2. Characterize the Individual Report Readers- analyze orperational, objective, and personal characteristics.
3. Classify Audiences in Terms of How They Will Use Your Report: primary (make decisions based on your report), secondary (are affected by decisions made), immediate (transit the infromation)
What to Report (Richard W. Dodge)
The three things that managers look for first and foremost in a report are:
1. What the report is about
2. The significance and implications of the work
3. The action called for
The summary is read more than any other part of the report; then introduction, conclusion, body, and appendix. It is ironic that the shortest part of the report is often read the most. What does this tell the writer about the importance of writing clear concise and purposeful summaries?
The Writing of Abstracts (Christian K. Arnold)
-The abstract is the most important part of a report and yet it usually receives the least amount of attention.
-Two purposes of the abstract:
1. descriptive- provides the specialist in the field with enough information about the report to decide if he could read it with profit
2. informative- provides the administrator or ecutive with enough knowledge about what has been doesn in the study with what results to satify most of his administractive needs.
Ten Report Writing Pitfalls: How to Avoid Them (Vincent Vinci) pg. 203
1. Ignoring Your Audience
2. Writing to Impress
3. Having More than One Aim
4. Being Inconsistent
5. Overqualifying
6. Not Defining
7. Misintroducing
8. Dazzling with data
9. Not Highlighting
10. Not Rewriting
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Business and Technical Correspondence (Harty)
-Use form letters sparingly and only when appropriate because you may have to end up sending several follow up letters
-Just because electronic communication is easier doesn't mean it should be careless and sloppy
-Remember that the audience of electronic communication can exceed the specific audience for which you intended the message
Making Your Correspondence Get Results (Lewis)
Write For Him, Not to Him
-Just because you are clear and concise, doesn't mean that you are interpreted well. Readers want to know what's in it for them.
-Persuade the audience that it is worth it to them to read and to believe your point of view.
Personalize You Letters
-Use conversational language
-Use "you" and "your" not "I" and "me"
Mastering Tone
-Shy away from negative words
-Shy away from impersonal, neutral words
How to Write the Way You Talk
-Don't use older sayings such as "at a later date" or "Attached herewith please find" , see complete list on pg. 125
-Use contractions where they would seem normal if you read it alound
"I Have Some Bad News for You" (Glatthorn)
3 Guidelines for Delivering Bad News:
1. Be sensitive and emathetic
2. Try to deliver news face to face
3. Be honest and forthright
Indirect Bad News Message
When:
1. You want further contact with the person
2. You want to seem caring
3. You bleive that hte person won't be able to handle direct message.
Format:
Thanks...Because...Sorry...Thanks
Direct Bad News Message
When:
1. You want to slam the door shut.
2. You want to be tough and direct.
3. You are addressing an individual who prefers for forthrightness
Format:
Thanks...Sorry...Because...Thanks
How to Write Better Memos (Mintz)
Memos and letters are a lot alike but some differences:
-memos remain in-house
-memos don't ususually "hook" the audience
-memos can skip background info if already known
Organization:
-What are the facts?
-What do they mean?
-What do we do now?
Caution:
-Don't baffle your audience, make it clear and concise.
-Don't send too many, especially to boss aka "memo-itis"
How to Use Bootom-Line Writing in Corporate Communications (Fielden & Dulek)
-Trouble in corporate writing lies not within the length but the organization of documents
-And organize their writing backwards, with the real purpose at the end.
-There is a high efficiency and production cost of the time it takes people to write and read messages that are hard to comprehend.
-People try to write sensitive circuitous organized messages when only 90% of business writing can be direct and straigtforward.
-Three things that program for inefficiency:
1. Social Upbringing- always better to be "polite"
2. Educational Programming- taught that "longer is better"
3.Indoctrination into Anxiety- young people in workplace
Email: Presenting a Professional Image (Chan)
-Use Active, Plain, Non-Inflated, Uncluttered Language
-Write grammatically correct sentences with complete thoughts
-Use gender neutral language
-Avoid punctuation errors
Three Discussion Topics:
1. What have been some times in recent history when electronic correspondence has been interpreted incorrectly and why? pg. 133
2. What are ways to master the tone of writing and "write for the audience, not the writer"?
3. When are the appropriate times to use indirect and direct bad new messages?
-Just because electronic communication is easier doesn't mean it should be careless and sloppy
-Remember that the audience of electronic communication can exceed the specific audience for which you intended the message
Making Your Correspondence Get Results (Lewis)
Write For Him, Not to Him
-Just because you are clear and concise, doesn't mean that you are interpreted well. Readers want to know what's in it for them.
-Persuade the audience that it is worth it to them to read and to believe your point of view.
Personalize You Letters
-Use conversational language
-Use "you" and "your" not "I" and "me"
Mastering Tone
-Shy away from negative words
-Shy away from impersonal, neutral words
How to Write the Way You Talk
-Don't use older sayings such as "at a later date" or "Attached herewith please find" , see complete list on pg. 125
-Use contractions where they would seem normal if you read it alound
"I Have Some Bad News for You" (Glatthorn)
3 Guidelines for Delivering Bad News:
1. Be sensitive and emathetic
2. Try to deliver news face to face
3. Be honest and forthright
Indirect Bad News Message
When:
1. You want further contact with the person
2. You want to seem caring
3. You bleive that hte person won't be able to handle direct message.
Format:
Thanks...Because...Sorry...Thanks
Direct Bad News Message
When:
1. You want to slam the door shut.
2. You want to be tough and direct.
3. You are addressing an individual who prefers for forthrightness
Format:
Thanks...Sorry...Because...Thanks
How to Write Better Memos (Mintz)
Memos and letters are a lot alike but some differences:
-memos remain in-house
-memos don't ususually "hook" the audience
-memos can skip background info if already known
Organization:
-What are the facts?
-What do they mean?
-What do we do now?
Caution:
-Don't baffle your audience, make it clear and concise.
-Don't send too many, especially to boss aka "memo-itis"
How to Use Bootom-Line Writing in Corporate Communications (Fielden & Dulek)
-Trouble in corporate writing lies not within the length but the organization of documents
-And organize their writing backwards, with the real purpose at the end.
-There is a high efficiency and production cost of the time it takes people to write and read messages that are hard to comprehend.
-People try to write sensitive circuitous organized messages when only 90% of business writing can be direct and straigtforward.
-Three things that program for inefficiency:
1. Social Upbringing- always better to be "polite"
2. Educational Programming- taught that "longer is better"
3.Indoctrination into Anxiety- young people in workplace
Email: Presenting a Professional Image (Chan)
-Use Active, Plain, Non-Inflated, Uncluttered Language
-Write grammatically correct sentences with complete thoughts
-Use gender neutral language
-Avoid punctuation errors
Three Discussion Topics:
1. What have been some times in recent history when electronic correspondence has been interpreted incorrectly and why? pg. 133
2. What are ways to master the tone of writing and "write for the audience, not the writer"?
3. When are the appropriate times to use indirect and direct bad new messages?
Problem Statements
3 Problem Statements:
1. Clemson students, local residents, and visitors know about a select few restaurants that are located in downtown Clemson. But, these consumers do not know about other restaurants in the surrounding areas as well as those less known local restaurants. They need to know about these restaurants in order to make well informed, appropriate decisions when dining out. We will inform them about these restaurants by creating a restaurant database website that will highlight each restaurant in its appropriate category.
2. Clemon students, local residents, and visitors would like to be well informed consumers who know all their restaurant options including price, location, and menu items. Actually, these consumers are unaware of the remotely located, less commercial restaurants in the Clemson area. We will help them become the ideal, well informed consumers by creating a restaurant database website detailing locations, prices, and menu items of local restaurants.
3. The situation that Clemson students, residents, and visitors are facing can be described as consumers who are not informed about their dining options. The situation has negative consequences including poor dining experience, unimpressive service, and uneconimcal prices. We will alleviate the consequences by creating a website that will generate informed consumers.
1. Clemson students, local residents, and visitors know about a select few restaurants that are located in downtown Clemson. But, these consumers do not know about other restaurants in the surrounding areas as well as those less known local restaurants. They need to know about these restaurants in order to make well informed, appropriate decisions when dining out. We will inform them about these restaurants by creating a restaurant database website that will highlight each restaurant in its appropriate category.
2. Clemon students, local residents, and visitors would like to be well informed consumers who know all their restaurant options including price, location, and menu items. Actually, these consumers are unaware of the remotely located, less commercial restaurants in the Clemson area. We will help them become the ideal, well informed consumers by creating a restaurant database website detailing locations, prices, and menu items of local restaurants.
3. The situation that Clemson students, residents, and visitors are facing can be described as consumers who are not informed about their dining options. The situation has negative consequences including poor dining experience, unimpressive service, and uneconimcal prices. We will alleviate the consequences by creating a website that will generate informed consumers.
Project Statement
Project Statements
1. Clemson students, local residents, and visitors know about ta select few restaurant that are located in downtown Clemson. But these consumers do not know about the other restaurants in the surrounding areas as well as those less known local restaurants. They need to know about these restaurants in order to make well-informed, appropriate decisions when dining. We will inform them about these restaurants by creating a restaurant database website that will highlight each restaurant in its appropriate category.
2. Clemson students, local residnets, and visitors would like to be well-informed consumers who know all their restaurant options including price, location, and menu items. Actually, these consumers are unaware of the remotely-located, less commercial restaurants in the Clemson area. We will help them become ideal, well-informed consumers by creating a restaurant database website detailing locations, prices, and menu items of local restaurants.
3. The situation that Clemson students, residnets, and visitors are facing can be described as consumers who are not informed about their dining options. The situation has negative consequences including poor dining experience,
1. Clemson students, local residents, and visitors know about ta select few restaurant that are located in downtown Clemson. But these consumers do not know about the other restaurants in the surrounding areas as well as those less known local restaurants. They need to know about these restaurants in order to make well-informed, appropriate decisions when dining. We will inform them about these restaurants by creating a restaurant database website that will highlight each restaurant in its appropriate category.
2. Clemson students, local residnets, and visitors would like to be well-informed consumers who know all their restaurant options including price, location, and menu items. Actually, these consumers are unaware of the remotely-located, less commercial restaurants in the Clemson area. We will help them become ideal, well-informed consumers by creating a restaurant database website detailing locations, prices, and menu items of local restaurants.
3. The situation that Clemson students, residnets, and visitors are facing can be described as consumers who are not informed about their dining options. The situation has negative consequences including poor dining experience,
Class Notes 09/18/08
Problem Statement:
1. What is the current situation/context?
2. What is the problem?
3. How are you going to solve the problem?
This should be in the first paragraph.
See handout from class for three types of project proposals.
1. What is the current situation/context?
2. What is the problem?
3. How are you going to solve the problem?
This should be in the first paragraph.
See handout from class for three types of project proposals.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Rough Draft- Project Proposal
Most college students, residents, and visitors to Clemson are unaware of the multitude of options that are open to them when it comes to dining. We tend to pick the most convenient, closet restaurant without any regard to the cuisine. Due to the fast pace culture of the college-based community, we seem to settle when it comes to meals. However, help is on the way. As three Clemson college students ourselves, we plan to provide a solution to this dining dilemma. In our project, we plan to visit a variety of restaurants all in different price ranges with various atmospheres. On our visits, the three of us will formulate separate ratings for each restaurant based on a standardized system. In order to make our views on each restaurant open to the public, we will create a website with menus of all of the restaurants as well as a write up of our reviews and ratings. The website will be a restaurant database. To add to the creative nature of our idea, we will include a multimedia presentation in the form of a video on the website. We feel as though we are qualified to present our ratings to our peers, because we are three different people with three different perspectives and backgrounds. We all have different tastes and will be sampling a variety of the cuisines offered in all of the restaurants. Most importantly of all we are all three Clemson college students ourselves; therefore, we understand the atmosphere of Clemson and the mindsets of our viewers when it comes to price, time, and distance. As typical college students, time is always an issue when it comes to projects. Therefore, in order to ensure that our project is organized, we developed a timeline to help guide us in our steps. The goal of our project is to help Clemson college students, residents, and visitors become aware of the many different options open to us when it comes to dining out and to help us becomeknowledgeable about the different types and quality of food available at these restaurants.Due to this lack of awareness in the Clemson community, there is a definite need for a restaurant database accessible to Clemson students, residents, and visitors. There are many restaurants in Clemson, Seneca, Anderson, and Central that are completely unknown to campus dwellers and alumni. In the small town atmosphere of Clemson, SC, restaurants are found in several remote locations. It could take years for a student to become aware of some of the most delectable restaurants in Clemson and the surrounding area. Since Clemson is a college-based town, most students tend to live on campus or close to campus. Therefore, most students tend to eat at nearby downtown restaurants very frequently because they are not aware of others. Some hidden treasures of ultimate cuisine are unknown to the majority of Clemson residents.Also, when people visit Clemson to tour the school, spend time with their children, or attend a sporting event, they are unsure of where to eat. Most people only eat in the most obvious restaurants downtown. Alumni also return to visit Clemson and are unaware of new restaurants that have recently opened or been renovated. Alumni and visitors are also interested in dining in restaurants that are unique to Clemson, not necessarily chains that they can find in their home towns. A website would be an ideal way to lead the consumer to the most appropriate restaurant for their dining occasion. Students are looking for economical, quick choices for their daily meals. An upscale restaurant may also be desired when students are going on dates or dining out with their relatives. This website would meet these needs by allowing students to navigate through our price range categories to find a restaurant that is delicious and appropriate for their occasion. Our rating system and reviews of the restaurants would also help students choose a restaurant that they know will be tasty, have great service, an enjoyable atmosphere, and appropriate formality for the occasion at hand.In order to achieve our goal of helping the Clemson community become knowledgeable and aware of different restaurants, we have laid out a developed plan. First, we will begin by visiting each of the 16 restaurants that we have selected to review in this project. These include: Goober's, Calhoun Corners, Sardi's, Pixie and Bill's, Paw's, Mac's, Monterrey's, Mellow Mushroom, Atami, Blue Heron, Friend's Cafe, Mainstreet Cafe, Seneca Family Restaurant, Ancheaux's, Tigertown Tavern, Copper River Grill. At the restaurants we will all order a different meal in order to get a good representation of the restaurant’s food. We will review each restaurant on the quality of food, wait time, service, etc. according to a pre-established rating system. We will choose a widely-used and accredited rating system before visiting the restaurants after much research. At the restaurant we will get a menu in order to scan and post on our website so that the audience has easy access to prices, location, and the type of food offered at each restaurant.In addition to our own opinions, we will get reviews from others who have eaten at each restaurant. In order to have a variety of reviews, we will collect information from on-campus and off-campus students, faculty and staff, alumni, and visitors. We will ask those that we encounter at the restaurant. We will combine our reviews as well as the reviews of others in order to give each restaurant an overall review.During this time of restaurant visiting, we will also be setting up the website to feature all of our gathered information. We will attend a website workshop on Wednesday, September 25 in order to learn how to set one up and how to add different components to it so that it will be professional. We will have a home page that describes exactly what our purpose is, who we are, who our target audience is, and how we went about obtaining our findings. There will also be a table of contents. The restaurants will be organized into price ranges because we figure that this is the best way to technically organize the types of restaurants and the most useful way for the audience to navigate the page. We will divide the restaurants into low, medium, and upper price ranges. Each restaurant will have its own link and page. Each page will have a written review by the three of us as well as the combined calculated rating of our scores and the scores of others. The pages will also feature quotes from customers, a copy of the menu, and pictures in order to make the page visually attractive and interesting.As we finish with the restaurant visits and continue to revise the website, we will also make a video highlighting the top five best-rated restaurants in order to incorporate a multimedia component. We will upload the videos onto the website for the audience to view. We will continue to revise the home page and each restaurant’s individual page until we are satisfied with the end product.As Clemson University students, Brittany Jones, Brennan Palazola, and I are qualified to prepare this end product of a restaurant database website, which will help others choose a great restaurant. Brittany is a South Carolina resident and her parents regularly visit Clemson. Brennan is from Tennessee and has two siblings that attended Clemson. I am from Tennessee and both of my parents are grandparents are Clemson alumni. As three students with different backgrounds and experiences, we can rate the restaurants objectively as they best suit our experiences and needs. Also, as third-year students, we are familiar with restaurants that may be well-kept secrets and student favorites. We also know which restaurants are great for game days, special occasions, and everyday dining on a student’s budget. Also, we have lived on-campus and off-campus and know which restaurants are convenient for both living styles.We are planning to visit and rate sixteen restaurants throughout before completion of this project. We have already visited one restaurant and our beginning to acquire menus and price lists. Our first step toward completion of our project will be to learn how to create a website by meeting with technicians at the campus technology center, CCIT. We will meet at 10:15 AM on Wednesday, September 24. We will have the website completely designed by October 16. Although we may not have dined in every restaurant at this point, we would like to have them all loaded on the website, with or without ratings. We will have all of our ratings completed by the end of October. We will spend the first week of November working on the multimedia aspect of our project. We will film, edit, and post videos from our top five restaurant picks. We would like to interview managers, customers, or employees if possible. We will spend the rest of November revising and tweaking our website to make it most convenient for users. Our project will be complete and refined by the final due date in early December.In early December, the Clemson community will have a great resource to help with all of our dining out decisions. Due to a lack of awareness and knowledge, Clemson students, residents, and visitors often have difficulty in making the best decision when it comes to a restaurant choice. However, our website will guide them to the best option reducing stress and opening eyes to hidden eateries before unknown. As three Clemson residents, we understand our community and hope to broaden its culinary outlook. Once our website is complete, Clemson students, residents, and visitors will never have to fret over where to eat again because the ultimate guide to quality and choice of restaurants in the immediate area will just be a click away.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Nature of Ethics (Dombrowski)
Ethics is becoming increasingly popular in all aspects of society: media, business, industries, technology and science, and as discussed in this work: technical communication.
In the past, technical communication was seen as black and white, mechanical writing. The writer was simply a liaison between the "transmitter and the receiver". Recently though it has been changing and this change has brought up the question of ethics. With this change, has come responsibilities:
1. uses to which the information will be put
2. the range of possible readings of the document
3. the consequences of the communications at all levels of society beyond immediate audience
4. consideration of what you are not writing
Grounds for ethical judgment: what makes a particular ethical judgment right for us
"The unexamined life is not worth living." Socrates- In the same way, there has to be guidelines by which ethical decisions are made in the workplace, or else you will be able to justify "wrong" decisions in the moment or even afterwards.
Ethics is not like science- there are no clear cut answers. We are each our own ethical expert, because in the end we decide what is right and wrong.
Ethics- the general field of study or the the theories of particular historical figures, value system that anyone might hold, value assumptions of an abstract principle or movement
Assumptions:
1. Ethics is problematic.
2. Ethics is both individual and social.
3. Ethics is neither an entirely absolute nor an entirely relative matter.
4. It would be irresponsible to blindly accept or blindly reject the authority of others in ethical matters.
5. No single ethical approach or theory is appropriate for all situations.
Perspectives in this work:
Aristotle, Kant, utilitarianism adn recent feminist theories, Levinas, Gert and Confucius
Scope:
How ethics relates to technical communications in ways that are not apparent or non-obvious but no less real and powerful. ex. how technical information is obtained not copyright laws
Rhetoric- the use of reasoned arguments based on socially accepted values and presented to inform and persuade in order to accomplish some socially desirable action such as a policy decision
Persuasion- the willing informed collective agreement of a critically thinking audience
Plato- ethical values come before any communication; ethics is absolute, unchanging and not subject to contingencies; ethics is not a matter of taking a vote; it is trying to understand the will of god
Socrates- first insisted on doing the right thing regardless of consequences, ethics is a matter of pleasing god, third ethical behavior requires active social involvement
Aristotle- communication between competing sides on a controversial matter reveals the proper values and the right course of action; more practical than Plato
sophists- communication act can alter our ethical values because there is no absolute for ethics; values are relative because they depend on circumstances; rhetoric and its techniques are separate from ethics
Hegel- values derive from social forces, not absolute ethics
Perelman- our language is our values
Burke- language use guided by carefully weighed judgment
Weaver- all language use (even technical writing) inescapably involves expressing some values
In the past, technical communication was seen as black and white, mechanical writing. The writer was simply a liaison between the "transmitter and the receiver". Recently though it has been changing and this change has brought up the question of ethics. With this change, has come responsibilities:
1. uses to which the information will be put
2. the range of possible readings of the document
3. the consequences of the communications at all levels of society beyond immediate audience
4. consideration of what you are not writing
Grounds for ethical judgment: what makes a particular ethical judgment right for us
"The unexamined life is not worth living." Socrates- In the same way, there has to be guidelines by which ethical decisions are made in the workplace, or else you will be able to justify "wrong" decisions in the moment or even afterwards.
Ethics is not like science- there are no clear cut answers. We are each our own ethical expert, because in the end we decide what is right and wrong.
Ethics- the general field of study or the the theories of particular historical figures, value system that anyone might hold, value assumptions of an abstract principle or movement
Assumptions:
1. Ethics is problematic.
2. Ethics is both individual and social.
3. Ethics is neither an entirely absolute nor an entirely relative matter.
4. It would be irresponsible to blindly accept or blindly reject the authority of others in ethical matters.
5. No single ethical approach or theory is appropriate for all situations.
Perspectives in this work:
Aristotle, Kant, utilitarianism adn recent feminist theories, Levinas, Gert and Confucius
Scope:
How ethics relates to technical communications in ways that are not apparent or non-obvious but no less real and powerful. ex. how technical information is obtained not copyright laws
Rhetoric- the use of reasoned arguments based on socially accepted values and presented to inform and persuade in order to accomplish some socially desirable action such as a policy decision
Persuasion- the willing informed collective agreement of a critically thinking audience
Plato- ethical values come before any communication; ethics is absolute, unchanging and not subject to contingencies; ethics is not a matter of taking a vote; it is trying to understand the will of god
Socrates- first insisted on doing the right thing regardless of consequences, ethics is a matter of pleasing god, third ethical behavior requires active social involvement
Aristotle- communication between competing sides on a controversial matter reveals the proper values and the right course of action; more practical than Plato
sophists- communication act can alter our ethical values because there is no absolute for ethics; values are relative because they depend on circumstances; rhetoric and its techniques are separate from ethics
Hegel- values derive from social forces, not absolute ethics
Perelman- our language is our values
Burke- language use guided by carefully weighed judgment
Weaver- all language use (even technical writing) inescapably involves expressing some values
First Proposal Workshop
A. All good ideas must be argued now so it is essential to have a good proposal in order to communicate our intentions.
B. Rhetoric is the ancient art of persuasion. It goes back to the ancient Greeks.
C. How to write a good proposal? There are three parts:
Executive Summary (100 words) - purpose: to get the audience interested in the entire proposal; similar to the abstract of a scientific experiment; highlights the main point in order to hook the audience without them having to read the entire report
Introduction- includes the thesis/problem statement; foreshadowing of the conclusion in order to reveal upfront what the benefits are/ what ending will be.
Body (4 parts)
Current Situation- frames the problem and increases your credibility because it shows you know what you are talking about
Project Plan (methodology)- detailed plan of how to go about attaining the solution
Qualification Section- why am I/we, the writer/s, uniquely qualified to do this.
Budget- includes a timeline/schedule for our proposal including already established deadlines and personal deadlines in order to reassure the audience that you not only have a plan to get there but also a timely delivery.
Conclusion- return to the beginning and is sometimes a mirror to the introduction; summarizes very briefly the problem, how you are going to get there, and that the solution is a good one.
B. Rhetoric is the ancient art of persuasion. It goes back to the ancient Greeks.
C. How to write a good proposal? There are three parts:
Executive Summary (100 words) - purpose: to get the audience interested in the entire proposal; similar to the abstract of a scientific experiment; highlights the main point in order to hook the audience without them having to read the entire report
Introduction- includes the thesis/problem statement; foreshadowing of the conclusion in order to reveal upfront what the benefits are/ what ending will be.
Body (4 parts)
Current Situation- frames the problem and increases your credibility because it shows you know what you are talking about
Project Plan (methodology)- detailed plan of how to go about attaining the solution
Qualification Section- why am I/we, the writer/s, uniquely qualified to do this.
Budget- includes a timeline/schedule for our proposal including already established deadlines and personal deadlines in order to reassure the audience that you not only have a plan to get there but also a timely delivery.
Conclusion- return to the beginning and is sometimes a mirror to the introduction; summarizes very briefly the problem, how you are going to get there, and that the solution is a good one.
Proposal Outline
1. Executive Statement: 100 word summary statement
2. Introduction: Thesis/problem statement; solution
3. Body: Current situation, Project Plan//Methodology, Qualification, Budget (timeline)
4. Conclusion: Benefits
Current Situtation: Lack of knowledge about local restaurants, restaurants aren't centralized, Price ranges aren't publicized, lack of transportation (students without cars don't know about off campus locations)
List of Restaurants: (20-25) Gober's, Callhoun Corners, Sardi's, Pixie and Bill's, Dyer's, Paw's, Osaka, Beef O Brady's, Mac's, Fiesta, Monterrey's, El Charo, Griffin's, Mellow Mushroom, Atami, Blue Heron, Friend's Cafe, Mainstreet Cafe, Farmer's Shed, Seneca Family Restaurant, Ancheaux's, Tigertown Tavern, 356, Spill the Beans, Ben & Jerry's, Jittery Joe's, 55 Exchange, Ruby Tuesday's, Cooper River Grill,
Project Plan: Visit each restaurant, follow standardized rating system, investigate prices and menus, develop webpage with results, and video for mulitmedia component
Qualification: 3 different people so 3 different perspectives, college students
Timeline: Start as soon possible, develop deadline for attending all restaurants
2. Introduction: Thesis/problem statement; solution
3. Body: Current situation, Project Plan//Methodology, Qualification, Budget (timeline)
4. Conclusion: Benefits
Current Situtation: Lack of knowledge about local restaurants, restaurants aren't centralized, Price ranges aren't publicized, lack of transportation (students without cars don't know about off campus locations)
List of Restaurants: (20-25) Gober's, Callhoun Corners, Sardi's, Pixie and Bill's, Dyer's, Paw's, Osaka, Beef O Brady's, Mac's, Fiesta, Monterrey's, El Charo, Griffin's, Mellow Mushroom, Atami, Blue Heron, Friend's Cafe, Mainstreet Cafe, Farmer's Shed, Seneca Family Restaurant, Ancheaux's, Tigertown Tavern, 356, Spill the Beans, Ben & Jerry's, Jittery Joe's, 55 Exchange, Ruby Tuesday's, Cooper River Grill,
Project Plan: Visit each restaurant, follow standardized rating system, investigate prices and menus, develop webpage with results, and video for mulitmedia component
Qualification: 3 different people so 3 different perspectives, college students
Timeline: Start as soon possible, develop deadline for attending all restaurants
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Harty pgs. 49-113
Topics of Discussion
-Bigger words are not always better unless it conveys meaning better.
-If you cannot speak the words, don't write them.
-"I" is legitamate but not "I believe." Instead use "In my research, I have found" (w/footnote)
-There is a movement away from complete objectivity in scientific writing.
-To make language more complicated does not mean to elevate it, and to simplify language does not me to bring it down.
-Be yourself when you write because this is what takes real self-confidence. We are taught to write according to guidelines of others- for instance, "What does the professor want?"
-Very important: "Content might defeat them, but the form will not." pg. 81 Even when the audience cannot understand the words of the writing because of lack of previous knowledge, they should be able to follow it. Otherwise, writing has no purpose.
-Your understanding of what you are writing is actually judged by how well you can make someone else understand.
-Email ediquette is very subjective because of lack of body language, tone, etc.
-Active language is much more suitable for arguing a case; passive does have its own place though.
-Don't get caught up in word counting- understanding should be the main objective.
-Bigger words are not always better unless it conveys meaning better.
-If you cannot speak the words, don't write them.
-"I" is legitamate but not "I believe." Instead use "In my research, I have found" (w/footnote)
-There is a movement away from complete objectivity in scientific writing.
-To make language more complicated does not mean to elevate it, and to simplify language does not me to bring it down.
-Be yourself when you write because this is what takes real self-confidence. We are taught to write according to guidelines of others- for instance, "What does the professor want?"
-Very important: "Content might defeat them, but the form will not." pg. 81 Even when the audience cannot understand the words of the writing because of lack of previous knowledge, they should be able to follow it. Otherwise, writing has no purpose.
-Your understanding of what you are writing is actually judged by how well you can make someone else understand.
-Email ediquette is very subjective because of lack of body language, tone, etc.
-Active language is much more suitable for arguing a case; passive does have its own place though.
-Don't get caught up in word counting- understanding should be the main objective.
Strategies for Business and Technical Writing (Harty) pg. 49-113
Topic 1: What are some of the reasons that companies do not want to adopt a system of Plain English.? Do these outweight the benefits associated with the change?
Topic 2: There is a widespread confusion between simplicity and simple mindedness regarding Plain English. What are the differences? And in what instances do they appear to overlap and cause controversy?
Topic 3: English is becoming the universal language. The benefits in communication are obvious, but what are the problems, even the more subtle ones?
Topic 2: There is a widespread confusion between simplicity and simple mindedness regarding Plain English. What are the differences? And in what instances do they appear to overlap and cause controversy?
Topic 3: English is becoming the universal language. The benefits in communication are obvious, but what are the problems, even the more subtle ones?
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Class Ideas for Our Project
Website portal
Tailgating food
Bar/Club reviews possibly
Use established newspaper/magazine review rating system
Incorporate surrounding areas- 30 mile radius
Organize according to price
Use quotes for support
Tailgating food
Bar/Club reviews possibly
Use established newspaper/magazine review rating system
Incorporate surrounding areas- 30 mile radius
Organize according to price
Use quotes for support
Project Idea
Brennan, Katie, and I would like to do our project on the restaurants in Clemson. The purpose of this technical document will be to help navigate through the great number of restaurants available in the Clemson area. The audience will be Clemson students, faculty and staff, visitors, and alumni. The format will consist of subheadings with logical categories such as reviews, costs, and appropriate occassions. We will provide evidence to show credibility through research of pre-existing reviews, gathering more reviews from restaurant-goers, as well as visiting the establishments ourselves in order to obtain prices, etc. This document will be well-organized by restaurant and previously stated categories in a table of contents. We hope that this will be very beneficial resource to all who choose to dine in the Clemson area.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Project Ideas
1) College Late Night Cookbook- limited ingredients; technical aspects--> table of contents, intro, technical book format
2) Game day Traditions in Clemson- insiders guide to being a fan, website directed to visitors and fans, pictures, ritualistic lists, from sunrise til sundown
3) Business Plan- annual report, contact small company volunteer some of their reports
4) Medical Procedures- type of writing they do in their everyday work, interview a physician, differences in fellowships and residency programs within the Medical profession, coswt analysis
5) Profession Guide- from an undergraduate perspective, how to jump through the correct "hoops" to get into graduate school or obtain a particular job out of college, road map of sorts, make a film or website
6) Technical Research Documents- medical journals, analysis, taxes, will, investment documents
7) Non-Profit Organization- what needs they may have, link up, some sort of survey report whether their information is being correctly communicated to their audience
8) "How to" document- any genre, sports, outdoor activities, depending on your interests, rules of Golf, how to read music, how to learn guitar, how to computer software, how to fly fish, incorporate a video, how to apply to Medical school and undergraduate programs, how to create a gaming comp., how to backpack through Europe, how to build an investment portfolio, good places to hike in and around Clemson, start off your finances after college, where and why to invest
9) Evaluations of Different Schools Admission Materials- from a student's perspectives
10) Legal Documentation- how to, process behind, talk to Lawyers
11) Resume Building- video resume, more than just a word document, taking advantage of media technology, broaden your appeal
12) Off Campus Housing Advertising- pros and cons, market analysis
13) Rate My Professor- more in depth, what professors to take in order to improve the students' learning
14) Medical Research- genetics
15) Evaluation of Medical Product Reviews-
16) Guide to Studying Abroad- different steps, etc. to making it work financially, academically and socially, create a website
2) Game day Traditions in Clemson- insiders guide to being a fan, website directed to visitors and fans, pictures, ritualistic lists, from sunrise til sundown
3) Business Plan- annual report, contact small company volunteer some of their reports
4) Medical Procedures- type of writing they do in their everyday work, interview a physician, differences in fellowships and residency programs within the Medical profession, coswt analysis
5) Profession Guide- from an undergraduate perspective, how to jump through the correct "hoops" to get into graduate school or obtain a particular job out of college, road map of sorts, make a film or website
6) Technical Research Documents- medical journals, analysis, taxes, will, investment documents
7) Non-Profit Organization- what needs they may have, link up, some sort of survey report whether their information is being correctly communicated to their audience
8) "How to" document- any genre, sports, outdoor activities, depending on your interests, rules of Golf, how to read music, how to learn guitar, how to computer software, how to fly fish, incorporate a video, how to apply to Medical school and undergraduate programs, how to create a gaming comp., how to backpack through Europe, how to build an investment portfolio, good places to hike in and around Clemson, start off your finances after college, where and why to invest
9) Evaluations of Different Schools Admission Materials- from a student's perspectives
10) Legal Documentation- how to, process behind, talk to Lawyers
11) Resume Building- video resume, more than just a word document, taking advantage of media technology, broaden your appeal
12) Off Campus Housing Advertising- pros and cons, market analysis
13) Rate My Professor- more in depth, what professors to take in order to improve the students' learning
14) Medical Research- genetics
15) Evaluation of Medical Product Reviews-
16) Guide to Studying Abroad- different steps, etc. to making it work financially, academically and socially, create a website
Class Blogs
http://clemsontechwriting.blogspot.com
http://sharkey314.blogspot.com
http://myenglish314.blogspot.com
http://brennan314.blogspot.com
http://techwriting314ryan.blogspot.com
http://english314annadimitri.blogspot.com
http://technicalwriting314.blogspot.com
http://minermementoes.blogspot.com
http://myENGLH314.blogspot.com
http://brittaj.blogspot.com
Monday, September 1, 2008
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