Category Archives: Reflection Prompts

Blog Project Prompts, Reflection Prompts, What is technical communication?

Blog Post #10 (Revisited for Portfolio Use Only)

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Technical communication has interested me for several years; mainly due to supporting my father in the review of technical communication as part of his work.  Enrolling in this class has further increased my level of interest on the subject and has certainly made me appreciate its existence and those who shape it. Originally, I held a very simple understanding of technical communication; that it basically dealt with instruction manuals and scientific discourse.  Although still true, that is only a minor aspect in the intricate understanding of technical communication that I have amassed.

The most important aspect I learned this semester is understanding your audience.  The first step to successfully conveying a message is targeting an audience and catering to their needs.  If you fail to attract an audience and keep them attentive, your message has already failed.  I have also learned that technical communication is everywhere: from instruction manuals to road signs to government contracts.  An influential figure in the field of technical communication, Katherine T. Durack makes this observation about the subject in a study for Technical Communication Quarterly:

“Technical writing exists within government and industry, as well as in the intersection between private and public spheres…This action can originate in a variety of settings and for many purposes; such action may occur as part of one’s work for hire or arise from personal interaction with organizations.”

From these statements, it is clear that technical communication is relevant and available to assist with any number of tasks.  There will always be a need for knowledge and no matter the subject; technical communication will effectively convey it.  Furthermore, Durack looks to expand my understanding of technical communication with two more observations from her study.

Her following observation refers to the close relationship between technical communication and technology.  Since technical communication “exists to accomplish something” (Durack), it is logical to assume that technical communicators stay up-to-date on the latest technologies.  For example, a communicator looking to assist users in the installation of a new computer program must himself understand the program before instructing others.  Not only that, Durack states “as Wajcman points out, technology is more than just the latest computer hardware or software on the market.”  Technology also refers to the ways we move forward in life and continue surviving.  Any new technique or skill that benefits an individual is a form of technology and to educate others, technical communication is necessary.

technology

Durack’s last observation focuses on the importance of making “tacit knowledge explicit” in technical communication.  While this characteristic is no surprise, the different approaches to creating and presenting explicit knowledge was new and exciting to learn throughout the semester.  The various design choices including font size, font color, spacing, colors, images, and other aesthetic features greatly influence the effectiveness of technical communication.  These features need to appeal to the audience while keeping them interested yet properly informed.  Plain language should be applied when necessary to make the message clear for the audience.

Overall this class has taught me many different examples of effective technical communication based on audience. In addition, the complexity of technical communication has revealed itself through hands on work and from class readings, including those of Katherine T. Durack.  The small but important details that help harmonize effective technical communication, along with a strong audience connection, has given me a broader understanding and appreciation for technical communication.

Source Cited:

Durack, Katherine T. (1997). Gender, Technology, and the History of Technical Communication. Technical Communication Quarterly, 6(3): 249-60.

 

Project 3: Professional Development/Training Modules, Reflection Prompts

Project 3: Professional Development/Training Module Reflection Prompt

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The Course Overview says the following about reflection and role it plays in this course, your learning, and your communication process:

Reflection: You will need to maintain a work log for each of the projects you complete for two reasons:

  1. A mark of a professional is the ability to accurately judge how long a project takes to complete. Maintaining a work log lets you assess whether your predictions about the time and efforts needed are accurate and to examine your work patterns. For collaborative projects, the work log lets you determine if the work load has been equitably shared.
  2. Many studies about the relationship between learning and reflection indicate that long-term learning takes place during reflection about the work rather than simply in doing the work itself. Thus, following each of your projects, you’ll submit a reflection memo that will include excerpts from your work log and include the entire work log as an appendix.

On Wednesday, 3 December, you will submit your reflection for Project #3: Professional Development/Training Modules. Your reflection should be submitted in PDF form, using the format of a memorandum, on Marca, under Projects > Professional Development/Training Modules > Reflection, with the title “[Lastname] Reflection” (so, for example, the title for my reflection would look like this, “Wharton Reflection.”) You should include your work log in the PDF of your reflection or upload it as a separate file under Projects > Professional Development/Training Modules > Reflection, with the title “[Lastname] Work Log.” You must submit a reflection to avoid receiving an incomplete on the project.

As you complete your reflection memo for this project, make sure that your memo includes information that responds to the following questions:

  1. How would you describe the rhetorical situation for this project (purpose, audience, context, author), and how did the rhetorical context influence your decisions about the content and design of the module?
  2. Which of the readings from our textbooks or the supplemental articles proved to be most useful in your work on this project? How did you apply the information you learned from these readings in your design, drafting, or revision process for the module?
  3. Which of the professional development training modules proved to be most useful in your work on this project? How did you apply the information you learned from the module(s) in your design, drafting, or revision process for the module?
  4. Discuss how your module evolved from one draft to the next in response to in-class workshops, conferences, class presentations, or conversations about the readings.
  5. How would you rate your overall performance and contributions  on this project (fair, good, excellent, needs improvement, etc.)? And why?

You may adapt the format of your reflection memorandum to present your responses clearly, completely, and concisely. For example, you might use a table to rate yourself on specific aspects of work. Similarly, you might use a table to identify information learned from the reading, or the professional development/training modules and how it applied to your work on this project.

Featured Image Credit: Back in reality by MorBCN on Flickr.

Project 4: Service Learning, Reflection Prompts

Project 4: Service Learning–Reflection Prompt

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The Course Overview says the following about reflection and role it plays in this course, your learning, and your communication process:

Reflection: You will need to maintain a work log for each of the projects you complete for two reasons:

  1. A mark of a professional is the ability to accurately judge how long a project takes to complete. Maintaining a work log lets you assess whether your predictions about the time and efforts needed are accurate and to examine your work patterns. For collaborative projects, the work log lets you determine if the work load has been equitably shared.
  2. Many studies about the relationship between learning and reflection indicate that long-term learning takes place during reflection about the work rather than simply in doing the work itself. Thus, following each of your projects, you’ll submit a reflection memo that will include excerpts from your work log and include the entire work log as an appendix.

On Monday, 1 December, you will submit your reflection for Project #4: Service Learning. Your reflection should be submitted in PDF form, using the format of a memorandum, on Marca, under Projects > Service Learning Project > Reflection, with the title “[Lastname] Reflection” (so, for example, the title for my reflection would look like this, “Wharton Reflection.”) You should include your work log in the PDF of your reflection or upload it as a separate file under Projects > Online Professional Profile > Reflection, with the title “[Lastname] Work Log.” You must submit a reflection to avoid receiving an incomplete on the project.

As you complete your reflection memo for this project, make sure that your memo includes information that responds to the following questions:

  1. How would you describe the rhetorical situation for this project (purpose, audience, context, author), and how did the rhetorical context influence your decisions about the content and design of the deliverables for this project?
  2. Which of the readings from our textbooks or the supplemental articles proved to be most useful in your work on this project? How did you apply the information you learned from these readings in your design, drafting, or revision process for the project deliverables?
  3. Which of the professional development training modules proved to be most useful in your work on this project? How did you apply the information you learned from the module(s) in your design, drafting, or revision process for the project deliverables?
  4. Discuss how at least two of the deliverables (MoU, brochure, cover letter, client-specific deliverable) evolved from one draft to the next in response to in-class workshops, conferences, client presentations, or conversations about the readings.
  5. How would you rate the overall performance and contributions of each of team member, including yourself, on this project (fair, good, excellent, needs improvement, etc.)? And why?

You may adapt the format of your reflection memorandum to present your responses clearly, completely, and concisely. For example, you might use a table to rate yourself and your teammates on specific aspects of work. Similarly, you might use a table to identify information learned from the reading, or the professional development/training modules and how it applied to work on particular artifacts for this project.

Featured Image Credit: reflections (A) by Camil Tulcan on Flickr.

Project 2: Online Professional Profile, Reflection Prompts, Uncategorized

Project 2: Online Professional Profile–Reflection Prompt

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The Course Overview says the following about reflection and role it plays in this course, your learning, and your communication process:

Reflection: You will need to maintain a work log for each of the projects you complete for two reasons:

  1. A mark of a professional is the ability to accurately judge how long a project takes to complete. Maintaining a work log lets you assess whether your predictions about the time and efforts needed are accurate and to examine your work patterns. For collaborative projects, the work log lets you determine if the work load has been equitably shared.
  2. Many studies about the relationship between learning and reflection indicate that long-term learning takes place during reflection about the work rather than simply in doing the work itself. Thus, following each of your projects, you’ll submit a reflection memo that will include excerpts from your work log and include the entire work log as an appendix.

On Monday, 6 October, you will submit your reflection for Project #2: Online Professional Profile. Your reflection should be submitted in PDF form, using the format of a memorandum, on Marca, under Projects > Online Professional Profile > Reflection, with the title “[Lastname] Reflection” (so, for example, the title for my reflection would look like this, “Wharton Reflection.”) You should include your work log in the PDF of your reflection or upload it as a separate file under Projects > Online Professional Profile > Reflection, with the title “[Lastname] Work Log.” You must submit a reflection to avoid receiving an incomplete on the project.

As you complete your reflection memo for this project, make sure that your memo includes information that responds to the following questions:

  1. How would you describe the rhetorical situation for this project (purpose, audience, context, author), and how did the rhetorical context influence your decisions about the content and design of your online profile?
  2. Which of the readings from our textbooks or the supplemental articles proved to be most useful in your work on this project? How did you apply the information you learned from these readings in your design, drafting, or revision process for your resume, website, social media profile, etc.?
  3. Which of the professional development training modules proved to be most useful in your work on this project? How did you apply the information you learned from the module(s) in your design, drafting, or revision process for your resume, website, social media profile, etc.?
  4. Discuss how your online professional profile (or resume, or social media profile) evolved from one draft to the next in response to in-class workshops or conversations about the readings.
  5. How would you rate your overall performance and contributions on this project (fair, good, excellent, needs improvement, etc.)? And why?

You may adapt the format of your reflection memorandum to present your responses clearly, completely, and concisely. For example, you might use a table to rate yourself on specific aspects of work. Similarly, you might use a table to identify information learned from the reading, or the professional development/training modules and how it applied to your work on particular artifacts for this project.

Dr. Robin Wharton | 25 Park Place #2434 | Office Hours: M/W 9:30 to 10:30, T/Th 2:30 to 3:30