What I have learned in this class . . .

This class has taught me how to be a better writer by avoiding gobbledygook and adapting to the audience. I have basically concluded that the technical writer depends more on the audience than initially apparent. Clarity is important since the subject matter maybe more difficult if it comes from scientists or engineers.



This class also underscored the importance of feedback and revision. Everything can be made better and my peers can help me understand what needs to be improved. Many of our readings addressed the revision and editing process which helped me edit more.



And finally the project was a learning experience for me; I had never worked with a client like this or composed a project proposal. I had some struggles with some of it but through feedback and revision I learned a lot and believe any client based projects in the future will be better.

The Ethic of Expediency

In Steven Katz’s “The Ethic of Expediency” Katz establishes early on that the Nazi memo, although morally shocking and seemingly cold, was “technically accurate and logically argued” (257). The memo discusses a problem inherent in technical writing that doesn’t seem apparent—ethics. Most industries and disciplines come with an ethical questions, but many are much more apparent. Medicine, academics, finance, all have an ethical question that is on the surface and the answer is always found or taught in the initial entrance into the field. Although some struggle to be ethically correct, there has never been a question of whether or not there is an ethical question. Because technical writing works with data sometimes from other fields, the ethical question is not always at the forefront.

One of the main tenets of Katz's article is that rhetoric should not only be concerned with end result but the way we arrive at the end. This relates to Quintilian's 'good man speaking well' and just about every other classic orator. Plato thoroughly discussed the pitfalls of rhetoric comparing it to drugs and a powerful lord among other things. Rhetoric can and has been used inappropriately, and that is why Katz's article is important to the field of technical communication and students learning the field.

I enjoy history and have always been interested in World War II. My Grandfather served in the navy and I grew up hearing his stories and watching documentaries. Just's memo is an example of the mind set of the Nazis during that time. Although they were concerned with the perfect race they neglected the aspect of humanity and committed the most unethical acts. The ethos and persuasion established by Hitler created a social situation that furthered the unethical acts and mindset. Technical writers should not be devoid of ethics or the sense of humanity when conveying technical data. There is always an ethical situation in every piece of communication produced.

Ethics

Huff's article about statistics points out a very important fact about statistics, "You can prove anything you want to by letting your sample bias itself" (362). Statistics can be biased in a number of ways. When I was on the Intercollegiate Debate Team we used a lot of statistics to prove our case. Many times we could call out the other team because of their use of statistics. Sometimes reading the very next line would show that the statistics were meant the opposite way they were being used. Ethics calls for fair use of the numbers in relation to the subject.

In Dan Jones' article on he says, "It seems as though almost everyone is concerned about ethics in one way or another" (371). To me this is the Golden Rule--do unto others as you would have them do to you--no one wants to be tricked or swindle. Everyone wants to be treated fairly and honestly. The Golden Rule could be altered to say--be ethical to others as you would want them to be ethical to you.

Social constructions fascinate me; the thought that ideas and beliefs are built and guided by a society is an interesting study. In Carolyn D. Rude's article Legal and Ethical Issues in Editing, she states, "They [ethics] derive from cultural values of right and wrong" (374). Society dictates what is ethical and what is not. We guide our writing and editing based upon what society tells us is okay. Plagarism is wrong because society has told us it is--it's wrong to take credit for someone else's work and study. But society has even directed us to the correct usage of materials on the web. Even this fair new source of work and study has a socially constructed set of rights and wrongs.

Technology Preview

The multimedia part of my project is a website for the Writing Center. Because it is for the University there are several guidelines and hoops to jump through. Mrs. Ramirez, the director of the Writing Center has been working on setting up the website for me to do the work. Since this is a one-time thing, I will be working with Stephanie since she works in the MATRF and has the cascade permission. Currently Mrs Rameriz is reviewing a draft of the content for the website and as soon as we get that nailed down I can begin to work with Stephanie on the implementation phase.

One aspect of this is the adherence to the visual standards of the University.
http://www.clemson.edu/guidelines/index.html

Websites-
http://www.clemson.edu/guidelines/web.html

This includes logo and wordmark usage-
http://www.clemson.edu/guidelines/download/index.html

And fonts and color choice-
http://www.clemson.edu/guidelines/type.html
http://www.clemson.edu/guidelines/colors.html


Example with correct colors-

Just a Few Things About Cover Letters

Steven Graber specifically states on page 309, "The idea of the cover letter is not to repeat what's in the resume. The idea is to give an overview if your capabilities." The cover letter is another way to advertise any abilities. I have never used a cover letter until recently. It's hard to boil yourself down to just one page, but the cover letter adds another way to show a potential employer what you're like and what you can do.

On page 312 in the section titled "Proof with Care" the very last line states, "If you find mistakes, do not fix them with pen, pencil, or white out! Make the changes on the computer and print out the letter with care." I have found that some people in business try to take the easy way out. You have to beg them to change it on the computer and reprint it. Employers appreciate professional documents that are created with care. They do not want to hire someone who will take the easy way out. There's enough of that surrounding them already.

Although I haven't witnessed it yet, the best way to get a job is to tailor all correspondence to each job application. Showing that the position is understood and that you have the specific qualifications for which the company is asking is the best way to get the resume noticed by the hiring manager. I've started thinking of it as an interview before the interview. They look at the cover letter and resume and most likely do a mental checklist. If you pass you get an interview; if you fail to answer all the questions well then you fail and get passed over.

Writing to Get a Job

In Munschauer's article--specifically the section titled "The Importance of Knowing What the job is All About"--he discusses active versus passive roles. I had never thought that learning was a passive act but when put in the workplace it definitely is. Instead of being able to conduct job duties immediately with a moderate amount of instruction, everything has to be told to the individual. And there is an attitude of wait. "Wait" till someone tells me what to do, instead of just doing it. This individual cannot contribute to the success of the company since they are using resources that could be directed elsewhere.

In the next section titled "Letters of Application" he discusses what the requirements are, one of those is "succinct." This made me question why there are length requirements in academics. If schools are preparing students for the workplace and the workplace wants succinct writing why do academics require length requirements for papers. Doesn't this teach students to fluff and create length? The editing on page 283 demonstrates the typical fluff found in academic writing. Shouldn't the emphasis be put on content and quality of argument than the word count?

Another section titled "Don't Delegate the Job of Letter Writing" is a little antiquated but still has a valid point. Tailor the letter or resume to the employer. A general resume isn't going to show the necessary skills that an employer is looking for in a specialized job. "Think about their needs" when composing correspondence for an employer. This allows for planning and it can include the specific skills that qualify the individual for the position or show the abilities of the employee.

Draft of Website Content

Home

Welcome to the Writing Center!
The Writing Center is a place that fosters learning. The Writing Center in the past has been a crucial part of the English Department. The Writing Center is embarking on a new goal that includes helping all students no matter the level or discipline. Tutors are available for all students of all disciplines.

Location
Daniel Hall 305 and 304

Hours
Mon 8-8pm, Tues-Fri 8-5pm

About Us
We provide a second audience and assist with additional instruction.
We are for everyone. We are not a remedial service.
We help with the finished product and we assist in brain storming, topics selection, theses arrangement, etc.

Appointments
Appointments give the students the opportunity to reserve a time during busy times of the semesters or reserve a certain tutor.

Students can either call or stop in and schedule an appointment.

Services
The Writing provides a number of services that include-
Tutoring
Peer review
Grammar practice
Brainstorming help
Aid for Eng 103 teachers
Informing Eng 103 classes of services
Speak Tests
Library of references

*** The Writing Center does not proofread documents. ***


Meet the Tutors

Amanda Gold
MAPC
Hometown- Largo, FL

Anthony De Clue
MA Lit
Hometown-

Ashley Crider
MAPC
Hometown- Columbia, SC

Beth Wilkerson
MAPC
Hometown- Laurens, SC

Derek Williams
MA Lit
Hometown- everywhere

Dustin Wilson
MAPC
Hometown- Ketchikan, AK

Erin Dalton
MAPC
Hometown-Guilford, CT

Glen Southergill
MAPC
Hometown- Glastonbury, CT

Heather Witmer
MAPC
Hometown- Watsonville, CA

Lisa Vandenbossche
MA Lit
Hometown- Harrison Twp., MI

Lydia Ferguson
MA Lit
Hometown- Upland, IN

Maggie McGill
MA Lit
Hometown- Kingstree, SC

Natalie Mahaffey
MA Lit
Hometown- Florence, SC

Steve Leech
MA Lit
Hometown- Stockport, England

Resources


Contact Us
Phone:
(864)656-3280

Website Outline

1. Home
   Welcome
   Location
   Hours
   About us
   
2. Appointments
   Call
   Walk-in
   
3. Services
   Tutoring
   No proofreading
   Peer review
   Brainstorming
   
4. Meet the tutors
   Pics of director, asst director and 14 tutors
   Bios of director, asst director and 14 tutors
   
5. Resources
   Library
   Writing guides
   Business communication
   MLA style guide
   
6. Online sources
   Purdue Owl
   Grammar Girl
   
7. Contact us

Visual and Verbal

The connection between the visual and verbal is crucial. Visuals without context can be meaningless. Charts, graphs and pictures unlabeled do not add anything to a document. They have to be put into context by adding the verbal description. The visual must be accompanied by the verbal. Kostelnick said, "By establishing correlations between the visual and the verbal, these approaches provide a theoretical background for understanding the rhetoric of design" (56). The verbal aspect to a visual changes the meaning of the visual and aids comprehension.

Visual aspects of a document can also include enlarging text, italicizing, underlining, etc. Enlarging text or making it bold can draw necessary attention to the text. But not all changes to text are necessary. It is important to interpret what the changes to do the intended message. "A cursory analysis of the context, then, tells us that visual heightening is not an appropriate rhetorical strategy here" (59). The changes can draw unnecessary attention to an aspect of the message that the author did not intend to highlight and take the attention from the point of the text.

Another aspect of the visual part of the document is style or supra-textual structuring. "Supra-textual cues create visual coherence among units of a document and, occasionally, among documents in a series" (61). Supra-textual structuring can be lines, page numbers, titles, etc. This signals the reader that new sections are coming, or that changes are occurring in the structure and direction of the document. In my project I am using supra-textual elements extensively. The guidebook has many sections and I signal each new segment with a heading and a line to signal to the reader that a new subject is going to be discussed.

Guidebook Draft

Table of Contents

Welcome 1
Academic Integrity Statement 2
Goal and Purpose 4
Hours and Appointments 6
Services 8
Tutor Duties and Conduct 10
Speak Test Assessments 12
Talking Points 17
Supportive Materials 18

Welcome

Welcome to the Writing Center! The Writing Center is a place that fosters learning. The Writing Center in the past has been a crucial part of the English Department. The Writing Center is embarking on a new goal that includes helping all students no matter the level or discipline.

Academic Integrity

Clemson University’s Academic Integrity Policy

Any breach of the principles outlined in the Academic Integrity Statement is considered an act of academic dishonesty.

Academic dishonesty is further defined as: 1. Giving, receiving, or using unauthorized aid on any academic work; 2. Plagiarism, which includes the intentional or unintentional copying of language, structure, or ideas of another and attributing the work to one's own efforts; 3. Attempts to copy, edit, or delete computer files that belong to another person or use of Computer Center account numbers that belong to another person without the permission of the file owner, account owner or file number owner;

All academic work submitted for grading contains an implicit pledge and may contain, at the request of an instructor, an explicit pledge by the student that no unauthorized aid has been given or received.

It is the responsibility of every member of the Clemson University community to enforce the Academic Integrity Policy.

http://www.clemson.edu/ugs/academic_integrity/index.html

The Writing Center’s Contribution to Academic Integrity

The Writing Center has a responsibility to uphold and maintain a level of academic integrity during tutoring sessions. Tutors should remain ethical in their tutoring sessions.

Writing Center tutors should not write on the students papers. This is to ensure that the student is making all the changes and improvements to their work and not depending on the tutor for changes and ideas.

Tutors should also avoid typing on the students’ computers. All freshmen are required to have a laptop computer and many will bring them in to the tutoring sessions. Academic integrity is hard to maintain with the rise of technology and the university requests that the tutors refrain from doing any work on the computers for another students.

Writing Center tutors should also be on the lookout for plagiarism. Please identify the errors with the students and take the opportunity to educate the student in the rules for citation. It is not plagiarism till the paper is turned in to the professor; this provides the Writing Center the opportunity to prevent plagiarism.

The Writing Center’s Purpose and Goal


Purpose:
- Provide a service that is helpful to the students
- Support the English 103 teachers
- Help students recognize their weaknesses in writing and teach them the necessary principles and techniques
- Provide feedback to all students including graduate students



Goals:
Clemson University is taking steps to become a top research university. That goal includes making the Writing Center reflect and aid to the research nature of the University. Tutors should strive to support this goal by provide excellent tutoring sessions for all students.




Writing Center Hours and Appointments



Tutors Hours
Tutors are required to work at least 15 hours each week and attend a staff meeting once a week. In the beginning on each semester please provide the Writing Center with your class schedule and hours you are available to work.


A Few Suggestions
- Please keep in mind that you should not be tutoring more than three hours at a time. Although it may seem easy in the beginning of each semester once the work load picks up you’ll be seeing students back to back and after three hours it is hard to tutor efficiently.
- Please allow for a couple hours in between the times you have to work.
- Allow time to get lunch or dinner before class times. This should be approximately an hour long.


Writing Center Hours
The Writing Center is open 8am-5pm four days a week and one day a week the center will be open late 8am-8pm. The late day is will be scheduled after all the tutors submit their schedules.

Appointments
Appointments give the students the opportunity to reserve a time during busy times of the semesters or reserve a certain tutor.

Students can either call or stop in and schedule an appointment. Appointments should be thirty minutes but the session can go on longer if necessary but only if there are no other students waiting.

Students who have made appointments are the priority. If a student walks in for a session please check the appointment book to see if there are in students coming in. Politely let the student know that if the appointment comes in the session will have to end.

Writing Center Services



Tutor Duties


- Please try to be on time and make all staff aware of any schedule changes.

- If you are sick please contact the assistant director and make plans to make up your time. Please try to get 15 hours each week.

- As a tutor you are responsible to maintain a professional attitude during the tutoring sessions. Tutors should try to build relationships with the students who come in. It is easier to help a student if you have seen them multiple times.

- If you run into a tough tutoring situation please ask other tutors for assistance or ask the assistant director for help.

- Tutors are required to attend a training meeting in the Studio once a week. This allows tutors to talk about the experiences they have had and raise any issues that need to be resolved.

- Tutors will be asked to speak in various classes in the beginning of each semester about the Writing Center. Please volunteer for at least one class. The speeches should only be a few minutes long and the Talking Points are located on page ?? for reference.

- Tutors will need to answer phone calls. Students will be calling to schedule appointments.

Speak Test Assessments







Talking Points



The Writing Center

Daniel 305

Hours: Mon 8am-8pm
Tues- Fri 8am-5pm

Ph: (864)656-3280

- We accept walk-ins and appointments
- Appointments can be made by phone or in person
- We provide a second audience and assist with additional instruction.
- We are for everyone. We are not a remedial service.
- We strongly recommend avoiding procrastination on assignments because more than one tutorial session is often needed.
- We help with the finished product and we assist in brain storming, topics selection, theses arrangement, etc.
- We will not grade or suggest a grade on assignments.
- We will make recommendations and provide an audience, but the instructor is the final authority.


Please note-

We are not a proofreading service.
We are not a computer lab.

Supportive Materials



- Please make use of the books located on the bookshelf. (Please do not let the student take them from the room).

- Many universities have online writing centers. Purdue has excellent resources for handouts, etc. http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/

- Grammar Girl is a source that some English 103 teachers like to use- http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/

- Here is a list of university writing centers that could be helpful-
http://writingcenter.gmu.edu/index.html
http://www.owl.neu.edu/
http://www.tc.edu/centers/writingcenter/

Writing Strategies

People have different learning styles. Adding a visual aspect to a piece of writing can aid in comprehension. I am a visual learner and appreciate visuals in a book, article, etc. Technical communicators should strive for clarity, and way to achieve that is to add a visual aspect. This also relates to audience adaptation. Realizing that not all audience members will comprehend the message right away will help in creating a message that appeals to all types of people in the audience--visual learners or not.

The article by Ewing states that the communicator should adapt his or her message to the hostile audience the same way they would to an uncertain listener. "Follow the same approach if the reader disagrees with you at the outset . . . [it] suggests to an uncertain or hostile audience that you possess objectivity" (236). This may seem odd but both groups are not predisposed to the topic or message and therefore a higher level of persuasion is necessary. Both groups need to be convinced that the message you are conveying is the correct method or plan.

In Kolin's article Proposals, he states that the conclusion should "select the most important benefits and emphasize them again" (251). This is the last thought with which your reader leaves. Ewing's article mentions something similar, "put the recommendation, facts, or arguments you most want the reader to remember first or last" (236). Each piece of writing will create a first and last impression. The introduction needs to grab the reader's attention and the conclusion needs to be the aspect of the piece that the reader will walk away with.

Give the Audience What They Want

The first article on Audience Analysis explains that there are three types of audiences for every message. I did not include an audience analysis to my project proposal and have included it below-

1. Primary Audience- this is the group that will act so this would be the tutors who will use the guidebook and the students who use the website

2. Secondary Audience- this is the group that is affected by my plan and this would be the director and assistant director of the Writing Center. The guidebook will aid the training process and hopefully increase the amount of students who use the the center.

3. Immediate Audience- this group transmits information so this would be the teachers and professors who send their students to the center.


In Dodge's article he discusses what should be included in professional reports. In the summary section he stated that the summary should include the subject, the significance and action called for or the solution. Most of the time I think that the summary is a condensed version of the report but it should specifically include those three items. Management needs the facts as quickly as possible and the summary is way to give it to them. But in order for the summary to be successful it needs to effectively state the facts. Ensuring that those three aspects are included is a way to ensure that the basics are included in the executive summary.



Vinci' s article on pitfalls is a basic guide for writing successfully. I mention only a few since there are ten. The first pitfalls emphasize remembering the Who, Why and How of the message being written- always keep the audience in mind. The second is to avoid writing to impress. I had a student in the Writing Center who apologized for using simple language in her paper and said she was going to 'beef it up'. I explained to her that it is more important to be clear than to sound smart and be confusing. The third pitfall stresses that the message should only have one goal. Multiple goals can confuse the reader and undermine the intent of the message. The sixth one is not defining your terms. This one is important--if the reader doesn't know what you're talking about how can they understand the conveyed message? When I was in intercollegiate debate one of the first things we put in our affirmative case was the definitions. Definitions provide a base to build the message on. The tenth one is not rewriting. This is the revision step we have read about and need to incorporate. The document can always be better.

Project Proposal

Executive Summary
Clemson University is taking steps to become a top research university. That goal includes making the Writing Center reflect and aid the research nature of the University. The Writing Center recently obtained a grant to update and improve the center. Previously the Writing Center had only four tutors and was aimed at helping freshmen English students. The Writing Center is currently in the expansion phase—adding more tutors and more space. The Writing Center is also broadening its base to include more than just freshman English students. As the Writing Center expands, informational materials will be crucial for tutors and students in order to create the Writing Center the University desires and needs.

Introduction
The Writing Center needs aids and promotional materials that will inform tutors of their duties and the students of the availability of the service. The Writing Center does not currently have aids and promotional materials. I will remedy this situation by creating aids to equip the tutors and promotional materials to inform the students. The Writing Center is a place that fosters learning. Up until this year the center has had a limited staff. This year begins the expansion process in the Writing Center. The staff has been increased, the space has been expanded and the space will be refined this coming summer. The materials I will provide will help the tutors as they receive students of all levels and disciplines. In anticipation of the bigger and better Writing Center, I will be providing materials that will help students of all levels know about the service and hopefully they will use this tool.

Current Situation
The Writing Center was operating with as few people and as little resources as possible in the past few years. As Clemson University increases the level of academia there is an apparent need for more tools for the students. The Writing Center has been focused on being a resource for the freshman English classes in the past. With the recent reformatting of the freshman classes, a stronger Writing Center is needed. A grant has been given to the center and attention has been turned to expanding the facility. The Writing Center has hired more tutors this year to accommodate the expansion plan. With the additional staff the lack of materials and structure is apparent. Without structure and a consistent message the goal cannot be obtained. Although the Writing Center has been in existence for many years, there are no guides for the tutors to follow in tutoring sessions.

In addition to the lack of material for the tutors, the students are unaware of the services that the Writing Center can provide. Many do not know that the Writing Center exists. Others believe that it is a remedial service or just for freshmen English students. The Writing Center is for all students no matter the level or the discipline. Part of the misconception is the lack of any web information. Just about everything on campus has a website or information on a webpage. The Writing Center has an outdated, single-paragraph little blurb on the library’s webpage. This does not provide the necessary information to the students.

Project Plan
The plan of this project includes a guidebook, website and flyer. The success of the Writing Center is dependent upon the tutors and the students. The tutors must know their duties in order to provide excellent tutoring sessions. The plan for revamping the Writing Center starts with creating an introductory guidebook for tutors.

i. The first aspect of this guidebook is to establish the standards of academic integrity.
ii. This guide will need to provide introductory material for new graduate students who get an assistantship in the Writing Center. They will need to be informed of the required hours, the undergraduate class set-up and other basic introductory information and rules.
iii. One of the duties of that the tutors have is to go to classes and talk about what the Writing Center is and what services it provides. A section will detail out all necessary information for the tutors to ensure a consistent message is portrayed in each class.
iv. The next goal of the guide is to introduce a plan the tutor can follow for any tutoring session. For those who have not tutored before, this will be a crucial aspect of the guidebook.
v. A duty that the Writing Center tutors have recently been given is the Speak Tests. Tutors will be responsible for assessing these tests and will be given extensive training and this will be an important part of the guidebook.

The next part of implementing the University’s research goal is to create several website pages that help expand the sphere of the knowledge of the Writing Center. The Writing Center cannot be successful without the students knowing of the services.

i. The website must include all basic information: location, hours, phone number
ii. The content that is given out in classes by the tutors will also be repeated on the website as part of the effort to create a unified message.
iii. The Writing Center wants the students to create relationships with the tutors so there will be a ‘meet the tutors’ section.

The final aspect of the plan includes a promotional flyer to help inform the students of the Writing Center.

i. This flyer will also repeat the basic information of the Writing Center. It is intended to be a quick reference more than a marketing tool.

Qualifications
Both the job of tutoring and the University are new experiences for me. As a new student to Clemson there are certain aspects about the university that would be helpful to know when tutoring the students. Many undergraduate students look to the graduate student tutors for guidance and help, but many of the graduate students do not know the basics of the University. Tutors would like to be able to help the students who come in as much as possible. Personally, I have been faced with certain situations and it would be helpful to know the correct protocol. What does the University and Writing Center expect? This question is what motivated me to take a look at the need and remedy it. My plan will fill the void of knowledge and allow the tutors to be more effective.

I also have experience in writing materials, especially manuals. Although this will be less formal than a manual, it follows the same idea— inform a new audience. My experience in business has also included maintaining a website. I am familiar with the basic concepts and skills that go along with designing and maintaining a website.

Cost and Benefit/Project Schedule
My plan for this project includes several deliverables. My goal is to start formatting them in the next week. I have met with the Writing Center Director and Assistant Director to get a feel for what they are looking for in this project. I plan on meeting with the director again to get more information about the Speak Tests. A major aspect of this for the client is the website and I hope to get started on that as soon as possible. The draft is due October 14th but I would like to have it completed by October 1st so I can have Barbara Ramirez review it for consistency in purpose and accomplishment of their goals.

Conclusion
My plan will aid in creating a Writing Center that adequately reflects the research nature of the university. It will increase the effectiveness of the tutors and allow for a smoother tutoring session. It will also foster relationships with students of all levels and disciplines and not just freshmen in English classes. The introductory materials for the tutors will equip them with tools that will allow them to effectively tutor all students. My plan will also aid in expanding the sphere of influence that the Writing Center has. The website will allow students everywhere to see the availability of the Writing Center hours and tutors. My plan should foster relationships between the student and tutor and increase the level of learning that is obtained.

Business Correspondence

In David V. Lewis's article, one of the most important statements about what to avoid is, "The letter is writer- rather than reader-oriented" (119). Obviously we write for an audience. If the letter is more for the writer than the reader it defeats the purpose of writing. As a reader, crucial information could be missing because the writer is writing based on his or her knowledge versus the knowledge that the recipient has. This idea hits on the idea of audience adaption again.

In Allan A. Gatthorn's article, he lays out strategies for delivering bad news. I appreciate that he stated there is no good way to deliver bad news, but an empathetic manager who delivers the message in person can alleviate some of the disappointment. The ideas behind the direct and indirect delivery are interesting. I originally thought that the indirect method would mention the 'sorry' aspect sooner than the direct, but then the direct method is called direct because it gets straight to the point.

In Harold K. Mintz's article, he provides methods to writing a memo. As with other technical writing articles we've read this one also states that clarity is most important. He lays out the format of the memo with the questions, "What are the facts? What do they mean? What do we do now?" A memo is written to inform and to direct. If the memo is not clear then the purpose of the memo is defeated--once again hitting on the concept of adapting to the audience. Mintz also mentions this but terms it the "human approach."

Problem Statements

1. The Writing Center knows that the center does not reflect the research nature of the university.

But the Writing Center doesn’t have aids and promotional materials. They need aids and promotional materials in order to equip the tutors and inform the students.

So I will create the aids and promotional materials that reflect the research nature of the university



2. The Writing Center would like to have aids and promotional materials that inform tutors of their duties and the students of the availability of the service.

But the Writing Center does not have aids and promotional materials

So I will make the real situation more ideal by creating aids to equip the tutors and promotional materials to inform the students of the service.



3. The situation the Writing Center is facing can be described as not sufficient to meet the need.

But the situation has negative consequences because the center does not reflect the research nature of the university and the tutors are ill equipped.

So I will alleviate the consequences by writing aids and promotional materials that changes the situation from not able to support the need to supporting the university’s research goals.

Project Proposal Outline

Executive summary- Clemson University is taking steps to become a top research university. That goal includes making the Writing Center reflect and aid to the research nature of the University. Previously the Writing Center had only four tutors and was aimed at helping freshman English students. The Writing Center is currently in the expansion phase, adding more tutors and more space. The Writing Center is also broadening its base to include more than just freshman English students. As the Writing Center expands, informational materials will be crucial for tutors and students.



Introduction- The Writing Center is a place that fosters learning. Up until this year the center has had a limited staff. This year begins the expansion process in the Writing Center. The staff has been increased, the space has been expanded and the space will be refined this coming summer. In anticipation of the new, bigger, better Writing Center I will be providing materials that will help students of all levels know about and hopefully use this tool. Also the materials I will provide will aid the tutors as the receive students of all levels and disciplines.

1. Current Situation— The Writing Center has hired more tutors this year to accommodate the expansion plan. However, no guides or promotional materials exist. Although the Writing Center has been in existence for many years, there is no information on the web about the center other than a paragraph of outdated information on the library’s website. The Writing Center has been focused on being a resource for the freshman English classes, however they goal of the Writing Center is to expand to students of all levels and disciplines.

2. Project Plan- The plan for revamping the Writing Center includes creating an introductory guidebook for tutors. Also, as part of the desire to expand the student audience, certain promotional materials will also be produced, such as a flyer and/or brochure. The final aspect of the plan includes setting up a few web pages to further expand the sphere of influence within the student body.

3. Qualifications- I currently have my assistantship in the Writing Center. As a new student to Clemson they are certain aspects about the university that would be helpful to know when tutoring the students. Using my personal situation along with the vision for the expanded center I hope to create something that will help create the ground work to bring the Writing Center to the forefront of the university.

4. Cost and Benefit/Project Schedule- My plan for this project includes several deliverables. My goal is to start formatting them in the next week. I have met with the Writing Center Director and Assistant Director to get a feel for what they are looking for. A major aspect of this for the client is the website and I hope to get started on that as soon as possible. The draft is due October 14th but I would like to have it completed by October 1st so I can have Barbara Ramirez review it for consistency in purpose.

Conclusion- My plan will aid in creating a Writing Center that adequately reflects the research nature of the university. It will also foster relationships with students of all levels and disciplines--not just freshmen english. The introductory materials for the tutors will equip them with tools that will allow them to effectively tutor all students. My plan will also aid in expanding the sphere of influence that the Writing Center has.

The Composing Process

In Jack Selzer's article I found it interesting that the subject, Kenneth Nelson, spends the least amount of time in the revision steps. "Revision takes up less than 5% of Nelson's time and consists of little more than superficial editing" (184). In other selections that we read, it is revision needing the most time. It does mention that the subject knows the audience and has become a confident writer. Although I agree that knowing the audience and being confident can help write a more effective piece, I think everything needs revision. Everything can be made better.


Also in Selzer, he writes that the Nelson always writes from an outline. I find it can guide the writer and helps with clarity. In the Writing Center, when I have a student whose thoughts and ideas are jumbled or they are repeating themselves, I suggest that they create a quick, simple outline. Basically just one key word for the points, omitting the introduction and conclusion. That way if they can look at the outline it will help them stay on track and support their thesis. I have always had the best intention of writing an outline myself, but rarely do it for short assignments. I tend to write down thoughts and points so I don't forget them, but I don't really organize them into an outline. On larger assignments I depend heavily on my outline. Although very simple, having an outline can help guide the process and prevent writer's block.





Finally, in Greg Myers' article the idea that they must persuade without appearing to be persuasive is a challenge. "Proposal format . . . do not allow for most types of rhetorical appeals; one must persuade without seeming to persuade" (220). Subtlety is hard to achieve on it's own but trying to apply it to a scientific memo or proposal where you're asking for something seems daunting. I think of technical writing to be objective and logical, but if given the task of writing a proposal then one must subtly persuade in order for the proposal to be granted, and the client to be happy. I didn't really think of technical writing as persuasive but given the right task, it can be very persuasive.

Short and Clear Writing

In the beginning of part two, the author sets down two principles; writing should be short and clear and it should be comfortable. In some areas such as engineering and other sciences this is hard to obtain. This industry is one of complex ideas and in-depth analysis. Can an industry that has complexity as an inherent value be reported in a clear and comfortable way? Many other industries and fields can more easily cut the jargon and gobbledygook. Overall, evaluating writing by those two criteria should create better writing.

In Stuart Chase's section on Gobbledygook he shows many examples of problems in language and how they can be cleaned up. I think the best way to characterize this is "over verbalized" language. I think in an academic setting many are trying to prove they are smart and have abilities. Students use so many big and complicated words in order to impress their professors and peers. I think it hides the true value of the work. There may be a flaw in the logic and argument but it may be hard to find if the work is full of gobbledygook. Eliminating gobbledygook allows the true value of the work to show.



William Zinsser's four articles of faith are ideals that should be kept in mind when writing anything, not just pieces for a job. The first one, clarity, is what Chase was aiming for in the Gobbledygook section and the next two, simplicity and brevity, go together. You can't have one without the other. The last one, humanity, goes along with knowing the audience. Realizing their humanity and comprehension allows the reader or listener to get the point with quickness and clarity.

PAFEO

Writing Center guidebook and website.


Purpose- To inform the tutors of the jobs and tasks of the Writing Center. To help students learn about the Writing Center and how they can improve their writing skills.

Audience- The graduate students who work in the Writing Center and the students who use it.

Format- Manual and website must be in line with Clemson and English Dept standards.

Evidence- New documents I'll create and existing documents and guidelines.

Organization- Guidebook/manual and a website.

The Process of Writing

The introduction and strategies for writing shows that there are various ways to go about technical writing. I think the first issue to address is the audience. If technical writing is bad, if it is unclear, then the basis for all writing should be to establish the level or understanding of the audience. How deep is their knowledge? For what are they going to use this information? How old, what gender and what social background are they? You would most likely present your information differently for a group of 5th graders and a group of college graduates. The level of understanding and ability to comprehend should guide the writer in technical writing.



I think organization is another initial issue. It's always good to see where you are and where you're trying to go. It's also very helpful to the audience to know where you're headed. Once you establish the audience type and their needs it's good to plan how to get there. I love to get into a rhythm when I'm writing but I understand that the organization is key to my effectiveness. The clues I give in writing can help the audience follow along and help aid in comprehension.



Revision is another area for focus. Sometimes I think we skip right to proof reading and assume we'll revise in the process. I thought it was interesting that Michael E. Adelstein separated revision and proofreading. The other authors tended to combine the two into one step. Writing should be complete before effective proofreading can be done. If you're rewriting sections or rearranging sentences, it's hard to ensure that everything is grammatically correct. Separating the two, aids in effective technical writing.

Brainstorming for topics

1. Procedures manual for Wholesale Mortgage Division at First National Bank of the South

2. Contact churches

3. Or nonprofits

- Proposals, manuals, reports, etc

My biggest challenge is finding a client and finding one who needs some aspect of technical writing. I could go with my my last boss but would like some exposure to other areas and businesses. I think a nonprofit or church would be an excellent client.

Challenger Disaster and Communication

D.A. Windsor's article on the failure of communication in regards to the Challenger disaster examines how the engineers and managers did not communicate effectively. In one of the beginning paragraphs Windsor defines communication as the ability to reach a common interpretation. Both engineers and managers read the same the data and reached entirely different conclusions. In the caucus before the launch all the engineers were against the launch and all the managers were for it. But R.K. Lund was against it and then when asked to "take off his 'engineering hat'" he changed his position and agreed to go ahead with the launch. I wonder how he could be against it and then for it? If he interpreted the data one way to agreed with the engineers, how could he make a 180 and then interpret the data to contradict his original conclusion?

Bad news is part of life. In science, I would think that bad news would be better accepted than in other fields. If something doesn't work, it doesn't work. The engineers didn't get the message across strong enough but the managers didn't believe what they were told. Was the contract with NASA so much more important than the lives of the Challenger crew? When lives are at stake, I think there should be even more conservatism in continuing on with the launch than ever.

Finally, there seemed not to be a consensus among the engineers that something needed to be said until the very end--right before the launch. The memos varied in degree of severity and information. Some were confusing and others used emotional appeals to get the message across. If the engineers would have formed a unified front they may have been more successful in obtaining effective communication by convincing the managers that there was a big problem with the O-rings.