Wednesday, December 10, 2008
What I've Learned This Semester...
So much can be taken from our class this semester. We have learned and read much information about a variety of technical documents that will certainly be useful in the future. We have discussed such documents as resumes, cover letters, and emails. We discussed the importance of any type of informative writing, no matter the level of formality. We also investigated many ethical cases and considerations. It could be seen that many crises involving business affairs and technical writing samples could have been avoided by simply following ethical principles. The project was also a very beneficial experience. It was refreshing to work on a project for an entire semester and see an impressive final product. I learned many useful skills involving website creation and multimedia applications. I also learned about myself as a leader and how to better work with others. It was also interesting to listen to the input of so many intelligent people in class twice a week!
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Ethics 5: Dombrowski pp 152-233
Tobacco and Death: When is a Cause Not a Cause?
- millions of people have died from diseases specifically caused by smoking
- think about differences between this incident and the accidental death of seven astronauts
- both technical and scientific information are specialized, usually quantitative knowledge, that were used for personal and cooperate gain
Cause
- statistical causation- probability of what will happen in a population or group but says nothing about individual cases
- useful for health issues such as infectious diseases
- also public safety
sophists are known for eristics- arguing for the sake of defending the opponent, rather than for the sake of society
- relates to tobacco industry because the tobacco industry defended itself by going on the offensive using doctors and scientists who were willing to oppose the representation of the connection as casual
- documents outline struggle between tobacco industry and various public and private groups
1950s- tobacco industry wanted to assure public that there was "no proof that cigarette smoking was a cause of lung cancer"
- used misrepresentations- referred to reports linking smoking to cancer as theories or experiments
1960s- U.S. Surgeon General appointed an advisory committee to investigate the health effects of smoking
- nicotine was addictive
1970s- filtered cigarettes
- still using the term "perception"
1990s- public and private outcries, governmental inquiries
- "believe"
Aristotle- truth as a virtue- there is no doubt that smoking is harmful
Kant- act in such a manner that you wish your actions could become universal
utilitarian- cost vs. benefits
Star Wars
- claims made about the ability of the proposed software to operate the Star Wars system were exaggerated/selectively represented
- millions of people have died from diseases specifically caused by smoking
- think about differences between this incident and the accidental death of seven astronauts
- both technical and scientific information are specialized, usually quantitative knowledge, that were used for personal and cooperate gain
Cause
- statistical causation- probability of what will happen in a population or group but says nothing about individual cases
- useful for health issues such as infectious diseases
- also public safety
sophists are known for eristics- arguing for the sake of defending the opponent, rather than for the sake of society
- relates to tobacco industry because the tobacco industry defended itself by going on the offensive using doctors and scientists who were willing to oppose the representation of the connection as casual
- documents outline struggle between tobacco industry and various public and private groups
1950s- tobacco industry wanted to assure public that there was "no proof that cigarette smoking was a cause of lung cancer"
- used misrepresentations- referred to reports linking smoking to cancer as theories or experiments
1960s- U.S. Surgeon General appointed an advisory committee to investigate the health effects of smoking
- nicotine was addictive
1970s- filtered cigarettes
- still using the term "perception"
1990s- public and private outcries, governmental inquiries
- "believe"
Aristotle- truth as a virtue- there is no doubt that smoking is harmful
Kant- act in such a manner that you wish your actions could become universal
utilitarian- cost vs. benefits
Star Wars
- claims made about the ability of the proposed software to operate the Star Wars system were exaggerated/selectively represented
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Harty 347-381
And Now a Word (or Two or Three About Ethics)
- All business and technical writing must not only meet the needs of its intended audiences and follow a process approach, but it must also adhere to the strictest ethical and legal standards.
Communication Failures Contributing to the Challenger Accident: An Example for Technical Communicators
Challenger- Why did those who knew the problem not convince those in power to stop the launch?
1) managers and engineers viewing the same facts from different perspectives
2) the general difficulty of either sending or receiving bad news when it must be passed to superiors or outsiders
- communication is shared interpretation not facts
Physical cause of the accident
- failure of a rubber seal in the solid rocket booster
- failure should not have been unexpected
Early Responses to Bad News: Disbelief and Failure to Send Upward
- could admit that there was a problem, as long as it could be blame on someone else
- early signs of O-ring problems were pass relayed to NASA
Continued Bad News Rejection Despite Contradictory Evidence
- optimistic view persisted
- July 1985- no other flights would take place until O-ring erosion at the nozzle joint had been fixed or shown not to be a problem
The Split between Managers and Engineers
- information was not communicated and launch was scheduled anyway
- it was rescheduled a day later and temp was 17 degrees below any other launch
Conclusion
- no one at MTI or Marshall wanted to believe the growing evidence of O-ring problems
- even when MTI engineers came to believe that a problem existed, they had a difficult time convincing their management, with its different perspective on operations, to interpret the facts in the same light
- both engineers and managers at MTU were especially reluctant to communicate bad news to those outside the company
How to Lie with Statistics
- used to sensationalize
- You can prove about anything you want to by letting your sample bias itself
Truncated graphs- you can chop off the bottom or other data to deceive people
well-chosen average- mean vs. median
The insignificant Difference or the elusive error- ignoring the error in a sample study can lead to all kinds of silly conclusions
- when you use decimals, it sounds like you know the exact number for sure
- unwarranted assumptions: smoking produces dull minds; not actually related
Determining the Ethics of Style-
- Ethics is the study of right and wrong conduct
- guiding philosophy
Ethics and The Professions
Computer Ethics
1) Thou shalt not use a computer to harm other people.
2) Thou shalt not interfere with other people's computer work.
3) Thou shalt not snoop around in other people's computer files.
4) Thou shalt not use a computer to steal.
5) Thou shalt not use a computer to bear false witness.
6) Thou shalt not copy or use proprietary software for which you have not paid
7) Thou shalt not use other people's computer resources without authorization or proper compensation.
8) Thou shalt not appropriate other people's intellectual output.
9) Thou shalt think about the social consequences of the program you are writing or the system you are designing.
10) Thou shalt always use a computer in ways that insure consideration and respect for fellow humans.
Legal and Ethical Issues in Editing
- verify permission to reprint
- use symbols
- one can own intellectual property
Copyright- original work of authorship
- copyright is automatic as soon as a work exists in fixed form and protectino does not require a notice or registration
libel- defamatory statement without basis in fact that shames or lowers the public reputation of an identifiable person
- All business and technical writing must not only meet the needs of its intended audiences and follow a process approach, but it must also adhere to the strictest ethical and legal standards.
Communication Failures Contributing to the Challenger Accident: An Example for Technical Communicators
Challenger- Why did those who knew the problem not convince those in power to stop the launch?
1) managers and engineers viewing the same facts from different perspectives
2) the general difficulty of either sending or receiving bad news when it must be passed to superiors or outsiders
- communication is shared interpretation not facts
Physical cause of the accident
- failure of a rubber seal in the solid rocket booster
- failure should not have been unexpected
Early Responses to Bad News: Disbelief and Failure to Send Upward
- could admit that there was a problem, as long as it could be blame on someone else
- early signs of O-ring problems were pass relayed to NASA
Continued Bad News Rejection Despite Contradictory Evidence
- optimistic view persisted
- July 1985- no other flights would take place until O-ring erosion at the nozzle joint had been fixed or shown not to be a problem
The Split between Managers and Engineers
- information was not communicated and launch was scheduled anyway
- it was rescheduled a day later and temp was 17 degrees below any other launch
Conclusion
- no one at MTI or Marshall wanted to believe the growing evidence of O-ring problems
- even when MTI engineers came to believe that a problem existed, they had a difficult time convincing their management, with its different perspective on operations, to interpret the facts in the same light
- both engineers and managers at MTU were especially reluctant to communicate bad news to those outside the company
How to Lie with Statistics
- used to sensationalize
- You can prove about anything you want to by letting your sample bias itself
Truncated graphs- you can chop off the bottom or other data to deceive people
well-chosen average- mean vs. median
The insignificant Difference or the elusive error- ignoring the error in a sample study can lead to all kinds of silly conclusions
- when you use decimals, it sounds like you know the exact number for sure
- unwarranted assumptions: smoking produces dull minds; not actually related
Determining the Ethics of Style-
- Ethics is the study of right and wrong conduct
- guiding philosophy
Ethics and The Professions
Computer Ethics
1) Thou shalt not use a computer to harm other people.
2) Thou shalt not interfere with other people's computer work.
3) Thou shalt not snoop around in other people's computer files.
4) Thou shalt not use a computer to steal.
5) Thou shalt not use a computer to bear false witness.
6) Thou shalt not copy or use proprietary software for which you have not paid
7) Thou shalt not use other people's computer resources without authorization or proper compensation.
8) Thou shalt not appropriate other people's intellectual output.
9) Thou shalt think about the social consequences of the program you are writing or the system you are designing.
10) Thou shalt always use a computer in ways that insure consideration and respect for fellow humans.
Legal and Ethical Issues in Editing
- verify permission to reprint
- use symbols
- one can own intellectual property
Copyright- original work of authorship
- copyright is automatic as soon as a work exists in fixed form and protectino does not require a notice or registration
libel- defamatory statement without basis in fact that shames or lowers the public reputation of an identifiable person
Monday, November 10, 2008
Harty pg 306-344
The Basics of a Cover Letter
- marketing tool
- highlight most attractive features
Format
- employer assessed your organizational skills and attention to detail
The Part of the Letter
- proper format is necessary to be a credible candidate
Business Style vs. Personal Style
- in business style, elements begin at left margin
- in personal style, return address and complimentary close begin at centerline of page and paragraphs are indented
Return Address- top margin, without name
- no abbrevs.
Date- two lines below return address, left or centered
Inside Address- four lines beneath date
- addressee's full name
Salutation- two lines beneath company's address
- never first name, "Dear Mr./Ms."
Length- 3/4 short paragraphs on one page
Enclosure- formal/official correspondence
Paper Size- smaller=more personal
Paper Quality and Color- white/ivory
Typing and Printing- word processing program on computer
- not handwritten
Envelope- business-sized envelope, type envelopes
Content
- Personalize Each Letter
- Mapping It Out- highlight one/two accomplishments/abilities
- why do you have an interest in the company?
1st para- state position, mention source
2nd para- contributions to company
3rd- show how you exceed requirements,
4th- say you look forward to hearing from them
Complimentary Close- 2 lines beneath body of letter, "Sincerely,"
Tips for Successful Cover Letters
What Writing Style is Appropriate?- polite, formal, clear, objective, persuasive
Tone:Reserved Confidence is Always in Style- how to sell, enthusiastic but not melodramatic
Emphasize Concrete Examples
Use Powerful Language- hard-hitting, yet easy to understand
Avoid Catchphrases- list details
Mention Personal Preferences?- refrain from offering salary info
Proof With Care- mistakes are embarrassing and can remove you from consideration
Cover Letter Blunders to Avoid
- Unrelated Career Goals
- Comparisons and Cliches, ex: "people person"
- Wasted Space- every word of every sentence should be directly related to purpose
- Form Letters- mass mailings=bad
- Inappropriate Stationery- no graphics, neutral colors
- "Amusing" Anecdotes- determine appropriate demeanor
- Erroneous Company Information- don't confuse company with others
- Desperation- sound determined, not desperate
- Personal Photos- NONE
- Confessed Shortcomings
- Misrepresentation- could be grounds for dismissal
- Demanding Statements- demonstrate what you can do for employer, not what employer can do for you
- Missing Resume- don't leave out any materials, you will never know they weren't there
- Personal Info- no age/health/marital status/political views/religion
- Choice of Pronouns- limit 3rd person
- Tone Trouble- subtle, "Does this statements enhance my candidacy?"
- Gimmicks- stick to qualifications
- Typographical Errors
- Messy Corrections- retype if you forget something
- Omitted Signature
Cover Letters for Special Institutuions
- highlight strengths, not weaknesses
Response to a "Blind" Advertisement- tailor your letter to any information given even though you don't know employer
Cold Letters- writing an employer without previous correspondence or referral
Broadcast Letters- reflect experience knowledge, and confidence in his/her abilities
- used by exectives
Letter to an Employment Agency- who you are, type of position, type of industry
Letter to an Executive Search Firm- briefly highlight most impressive accomplishments, even though they actively recruit candidates for client companies
Networking Letters- third-party industry contact to garner the reader's attention and induce him/her to help you in your job search
Thank You Letters- can be handwritten, not on postcard, check spelling of names, send promptly
Your Resume on the Internet
- distributing a resume is the least effective activity
The Myth about the Internet Resume
- need only one resume
Need:
1) a designed or hard-copy version
2) a scannable version
3) a plain-text version
4) an e-mail version
- also maybe HTML
Rules for Responding Online
- Format your resume correctly for email.
- Send your resume int he body of the e-mail message
- Attachments include cover letter
- Use the advertised job title or job code in the subject line of your e-mail message
- read the application instructions included in the job announcement and follow them exactly
E-Resumes are not just for E-Mail
- Don't recommend creating your resume on a website because it is easy to have typos and the form may not be completely correct, you cannot easily save it
Preparing a Perfect Plain-Text Resume
- Use Word
1) Check Keywords.
2) Save your resume as a Text Only document.
3) Delete any page numbers.
4) Use all CAPS for words that need special emphasis
5) Replace each bullet point with a standard keyboard symbol
6) Use straight quotes in place of curly quotes
7) Rearrange text if necessary
8) Limit line lengths.
9) Save as Text Only with line breaks
10) Copy the entire text in your ResTextBreak.txt document that you've opened in Notepad, and paste it in the body of the e-mail message.
Where, oh, Where Should That Resume Go?
- Post on 1-2 large online databases.
- Post on 1-2 targeted resume databases specific to your industry
Protect Yourself Online
1) Does the site have a comprehensive privacy policy?
2) Do you hav eto register a profile or resume before you can search through the jobs?
3) Are most of the jobs posted by employers or by agencies on behalf of employers?
4) Can you set up one or more "e-mail agents" that will send matching jobs to you when you are not at the site?
5) Who has access to the database resumes?
6) Can you limit access to your personal contact information?
7) Can you store more than one version of your resume so that you can customize it for different type of opportunities?
8) Will you be able to edit your resume once you have posted it?
9) Will you be able to delete your resume after you have found a job?
Before you Post, Something to Think About
1) Do you want your resume public?
2) Are you prepared for the consequences should an electronic resume come back to haunt you?
Resume Blasters: The Wave of the Future or a new form of Spam?
- sometimes resumes are accurately distributed once money has been collected
- or sent when employer didn't request them- with low success rate
Help with Resume and Cover Letters
- list books/internet sources on page 332-333
Follow-Up Letters
Networking Interview Follow-Up Letters
- thank someone for taking time out of their schedule to talk to you
- reminds the reader who you are and the fact that you're looking for a job
- opening, your comments on the meeting, closing
Opening- brief, thank reader for their time
Comment- say something positive about the meeting
Closing- promise of getting in touch and request to keep you in mind
Job Interview Follow-Up Letters- more important
- more clearly remember those applicants that send thank-you notes
- remind of your skills/experiences
- tailor to job, include a pitch (why me and why you)
Job Acceptance Follow-Up Letter
- don't include any type of sales pitch
- be enthusiastic
Job Turndown Follow-Up Letters
- turn down over phone
- industries are small world- may see/work with them again
- be courteous and gracious
Job Rejection Follow-Up Letters
- will bear fruit at a later date
- may have been second choice
- thanks for consideration
Follow-Up Letters to Networking Contacts
- remind contacts you're looking for a job
- marketing tool
- highlight most attractive features
Format
- employer assessed your organizational skills and attention to detail
The Part of the Letter
- proper format is necessary to be a credible candidate
Business Style vs. Personal Style
- in business style, elements begin at left margin
- in personal style, return address and complimentary close begin at centerline of page and paragraphs are indented
Return Address- top margin, without name
- no abbrevs.
Date- two lines below return address, left or centered
Inside Address- four lines beneath date
- addressee's full name
Salutation- two lines beneath company's address
- never first name, "Dear Mr./Ms."
Length- 3/4 short paragraphs on one page
Enclosure- formal/official correspondence
Paper Size- smaller=more personal
Paper Quality and Color- white/ivory
Typing and Printing- word processing program on computer
- not handwritten
Envelope- business-sized envelope, type envelopes
Content
- Personalize Each Letter
- Mapping It Out- highlight one/two accomplishments/abilities
- why do you have an interest in the company?
1st para- state position, mention source
2nd para- contributions to company
3rd- show how you exceed requirements,
4th- say you look forward to hearing from them
Complimentary Close- 2 lines beneath body of letter, "Sincerely,"
Tips for Successful Cover Letters
What Writing Style is Appropriate?- polite, formal, clear, objective, persuasive
Tone:Reserved Confidence is Always in Style- how to sell, enthusiastic but not melodramatic
Emphasize Concrete Examples
Use Powerful Language- hard-hitting, yet easy to understand
Avoid Catchphrases- list details
Mention Personal Preferences?- refrain from offering salary info
Proof With Care- mistakes are embarrassing and can remove you from consideration
Cover Letter Blunders to Avoid
- Unrelated Career Goals
- Comparisons and Cliches, ex: "people person"
- Wasted Space- every word of every sentence should be directly related to purpose
- Form Letters- mass mailings=bad
- Inappropriate Stationery- no graphics, neutral colors
- "Amusing" Anecdotes- determine appropriate demeanor
- Erroneous Company Information- don't confuse company with others
- Desperation- sound determined, not desperate
- Personal Photos- NONE
- Confessed Shortcomings
- Misrepresentation- could be grounds for dismissal
- Demanding Statements- demonstrate what you can do for employer, not what employer can do for you
- Missing Resume- don't leave out any materials, you will never know they weren't there
- Personal Info- no age/health/marital status/political views/religion
- Choice of Pronouns- limit 3rd person
- Tone Trouble- subtle, "Does this statements enhance my candidacy?"
- Gimmicks- stick to qualifications
- Typographical Errors
- Messy Corrections- retype if you forget something
- Omitted Signature
Cover Letters for Special Institutuions
- highlight strengths, not weaknesses
Response to a "Blind" Advertisement- tailor your letter to any information given even though you don't know employer
Cold Letters- writing an employer without previous correspondence or referral
Broadcast Letters- reflect experience knowledge, and confidence in his/her abilities
- used by exectives
Letter to an Employment Agency- who you are, type of position, type of industry
Letter to an Executive Search Firm- briefly highlight most impressive accomplishments, even though they actively recruit candidates for client companies
Networking Letters- third-party industry contact to garner the reader's attention and induce him/her to help you in your job search
Thank You Letters- can be handwritten, not on postcard, check spelling of names, send promptly
Your Resume on the Internet
- distributing a resume is the least effective activity
The Myth about the Internet Resume
- need only one resume
Need:
1) a designed or hard-copy version
2) a scannable version
3) a plain-text version
4) an e-mail version
- also maybe HTML
Rules for Responding Online
- Format your resume correctly for email.
- Send your resume int he body of the e-mail message
- Attachments include cover letter
- Use the advertised job title or job code in the subject line of your e-mail message
- read the application instructions included in the job announcement and follow them exactly
E-Resumes are not just for E-Mail
- Don't recommend creating your resume on a website because it is easy to have typos and the form may not be completely correct, you cannot easily save it
Preparing a Perfect Plain-Text Resume
- Use Word
1) Check Keywords.
2) Save your resume as a Text Only document.
3) Delete any page numbers.
4) Use all CAPS for words that need special emphasis
5) Replace each bullet point with a standard keyboard symbol
6) Use straight quotes in place of curly quotes
7) Rearrange text if necessary
8) Limit line lengths.
9) Save as Text Only with line breaks
10) Copy the entire text in your ResTextBreak.txt document that you've opened in Notepad, and paste it in the body of the e-mail message.
Where, oh, Where Should That Resume Go?
- Post on 1-2 large online databases.
- Post on 1-2 targeted resume databases specific to your industry
Protect Yourself Online
1) Does the site have a comprehensive privacy policy?
2) Do you hav eto register a profile or resume before you can search through the jobs?
3) Are most of the jobs posted by employers or by agencies on behalf of employers?
4) Can you set up one or more "e-mail agents" that will send matching jobs to you when you are not at the site?
5) Who has access to the database resumes?
6) Can you limit access to your personal contact information?
7) Can you store more than one version of your resume so that you can customize it for different type of opportunities?
8) Will you be able to edit your resume once you have posted it?
9) Will you be able to delete your resume after you have found a job?
Before you Post, Something to Think About
1) Do you want your resume public?
2) Are you prepared for the consequences should an electronic resume come back to haunt you?
Resume Blasters: The Wave of the Future or a new form of Spam?
- sometimes resumes are accurately distributed once money has been collected
- or sent when employer didn't request them- with low success rate
Help with Resume and Cover Letters
- list books/internet sources on page 332-333
Follow-Up Letters
Networking Interview Follow-Up Letters
- thank someone for taking time out of their schedule to talk to you
- reminds the reader who you are and the fact that you're looking for a job
- opening, your comments on the meeting, closing
Opening- brief, thank reader for their time
Comment- say something positive about the meeting
Closing- promise of getting in touch and request to keep you in mind
Job Interview Follow-Up Letters- more important
- more clearly remember those applicants that send thank-you notes
- remind of your skills/experiences
- tailor to job, include a pitch (why me and why you)
Job Acceptance Follow-Up Letter
- don't include any type of sales pitch
- be enthusiastic
Job Turndown Follow-Up Letters
- turn down over phone
- industries are small world- may see/work with them again
- be courteous and gracious
Job Rejection Follow-Up Letters
- will bear fruit at a later date
- may have been second choice
- thanks for consideration
Follow-Up Letters to Networking Contacts
- remind contacts you're looking for a job
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Harty pg 275-306
Part 5- Resumes and Other Written Materials for a Job Search
difficult audience- experienced recruiting managers
-There is no one way to write a resume or cover letter.
- purpose of writing resume/cover letter: to get an interview
Managers look for:
- written and oral communication skills
- computer skills
- interpersonal skills- as demonstrated by the ability to work as a member of a team
- self-reliance and initiative, as demonstrated by the ability to work alone
- a sense of what the world demands in terms of professionalism and deadlines
- specific skills in at least one business or technical area supplemented by secondary skills in a variety of related areas
- a sense of business and personal ethics
- the ability to manage time, set priorities, and work under stress
Munschauer- Writing Resumes and Letters in the Language of Employers
Why use a resume?
- the convey a message, a way to court employers
- Don't confuse customers by flaunting things that don't speak to their needs
Giving your Message
- example of two letters written by job applicant; "I"
The Importance of Knowing What the Job is All About
- it is important to determine the best way to get a message across
- sometimes there is no substitute for a resume
Letters of Application
- if work history and activities don't support the job that you want, a letter is necessary to get the job
Hard Work and Attention to Detail Make for a Good Letter
- write a letter that sets you apart and is organized, not a literary masterpiece
Don't Delegate the Job of Letter Writing
Resume Preparation
- job objective should not be long-winded
- the reader should be able to take a great deal in with one look
- do not feature information that is not of primary interest
- list skills related to the job
- waitress example
Janet Smith- Proper Use of Headlines
- sometimes description of activity is needed
- Beware of misleading headlines; church example
- highlight names of impressive companies
Mark Meyers- The Functional Resume
- described function of the job wanted and things he had done that pertained to these functions
Preparing a Resume for a Specific Job
- take cues from employer
- use job description
Bruce Gregory Robertson- A Resume Reflecting an Active Mind and Body
- employers are interested in candidates for what they can learn
- high energy level
Michelle Trio- The Curriculum Vitae
-C.V.- course of life
- resume for academic positions
- not just abilities, but prestige
- can be long
The Job Objective
- Career Interest headline
One Page or Two?
- length depends on message
- don't sacrifice headings and white space
difficult audience- experienced recruiting managers
-There is no one way to write a resume or cover letter.
- purpose of writing resume/cover letter: to get an interview
Managers look for:
- written and oral communication skills
- computer skills
- interpersonal skills- as demonstrated by the ability to work as a member of a team
- self-reliance and initiative, as demonstrated by the ability to work alone
- a sense of what the world demands in terms of professionalism and deadlines
- specific skills in at least one business or technical area supplemented by secondary skills in a variety of related areas
- a sense of business and personal ethics
- the ability to manage time, set priorities, and work under stress
Munschauer- Writing Resumes and Letters in the Language of Employers
Why use a resume?
- the convey a message, a way to court employers
- Don't confuse customers by flaunting things that don't speak to their needs
Giving your Message
- example of two letters written by job applicant; "I"
The Importance of Knowing What the Job is All About
- it is important to determine the best way to get a message across
- sometimes there is no substitute for a resume
Letters of Application
- if work history and activities don't support the job that you want, a letter is necessary to get the job
Hard Work and Attention to Detail Make for a Good Letter
- write a letter that sets you apart and is organized, not a literary masterpiece
Don't Delegate the Job of Letter Writing
Resume Preparation
- job objective should not be long-winded
- the reader should be able to take a great deal in with one look
- do not feature information that is not of primary interest
- list skills related to the job
- waitress example
Janet Smith- Proper Use of Headlines
- sometimes description of activity is needed
- Beware of misleading headlines; church example
- highlight names of impressive companies
Mark Meyers- The Functional Resume
- described function of the job wanted and things he had done that pertained to these functions
Preparing a Resume for a Specific Job
- take cues from employer
- use job description
Bruce Gregory Robertson- A Resume Reflecting an Active Mind and Body
- employers are interested in candidates for what they can learn
- high energy level
Michelle Trio- The Curriculum Vitae
-C.V.- course of life
- resume for academic positions
- not just abilities, but prestige
- can be long
The Job Objective
- Career Interest headline
One Page or Two?
- length depends on message
- don't sacrifice headings and white space
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Multimedia component
We are considering a variety of video projects for our restaurant database project. We will not be in the videos, as we are to remain anonymous reviewers. We will interview restaurant customers, employees, and managers. Managers may be able to provide additional information about why customers should visit their restaurant over others. We may also interview people that go to the restaurants with us. We have yet to begin filming. We will interview managers, customers, and employees after our reviews are complete so that our ratings will not be swayed by any new information or others' opinions.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Ethics 3: pg 81-121
Nazi Records: The Origin and Use of Information
- will illustrate potential ethical pitfalls
- distinguishing feature of humankind: language and a sense of ethical responsibility
- technical documents are not ethically neutral
1st example: whether information obtained illegally and unethically by Nazi "researchers" should be disseminated and used
2nd example: examine a specific Nazi technical document- illustrates interplay between values and language
Origination, Dissemination, and Use of Information
- purpose: to show that ethical considerations apply not only to the document itself or its content but also to how the informational content was obtained and how it likely will be used
Nazi Past
Nuremberg Trials- held after WWII involving Nazi leaders for war crimes against civilians and soldiers
new term- genocide- Nazi crimes against humanity and Jewish people
concentration camps- meant to isolate undesirables from general populace
Controversy in the Present
- controversy about Nazi "scientific" information collected unethically
- ex: medical specimens of human organs
Medical Specimens
- some skeletons used in universities in Germany had been gathered from Nazi camps
- there was no informed consent
"Research" Information
ex: hypothermia experiment information being used now to develop survival equipment
NEMJ decided to not use any information gathered unethically
- some proposed that the research be used to give meaning to the victims suffering
Values in Nazi Medical "Science"
Traditional View-
- there were 7X more physicians in Nazi party than other professions
in reference to this: Robert Jay Lifton- "The healer became the killer, and healing became killing."
- masked language played an important role in communication about medical killing
- "Euthanasia"(mercy killing) and "special treatment" (medical killing)
Nazi Antiscience
- beyond racism- some believe that the horrible activities can be explained through inhumaneness and unethicalness of science itself
"objectivization"- treating people as objects
Research in the United States
-if evidence was illegally obtained, it cannot be used
- Miranda rights- without proper awareness of one's rigthts so as to allow informed consert to obtaint he evidence, the evidence is deemed inadmissible
Tuskegee syphilis experiment- 1920s- African American patients were given placebos as an experiment
- many tech. communicators will not be involved in Nazi/Tuskegee research projects, but many situations involve the means and ends ethical tainting technical information
- this information should not be communicated
Nazi Technical Memorandum
memo from death camp
- talk about people using impersonal, technical language
ex: 97,000..., subjects, cargo area, load, reduction of volume
- technically excellent
Nazi Germany- distinction between means and ends became blurred and they tried to do anything that was technically possible
- modern high technology is being consumed for its own sake
- documents are written in passive voice, no compassion
- emotional and ethical distance from writer and subject
Graphical Images
- racial purity
- studied facial features of Jews
Ethical Appraisal
- inadequate to call Nazi actions "unethical"
Aristotle- condemn Nazi regime, goodness and doing the right thing; use info- could achieve greater good
Kant- assumes equivalence of all people; not sure about using info
Utilitarianism- seeks greatest good, would use info- communicating to others would only yield positive benefits
Feminist, Ethics of Care- Authoritarianism (Nazi regime is example) is criticized by feminists; also Nazi showed uncaring attitude; Use information because this would display caring concern for those now living
- will illustrate potential ethical pitfalls
- distinguishing feature of humankind: language and a sense of ethical responsibility
- technical documents are not ethically neutral
1st example: whether information obtained illegally and unethically by Nazi "researchers" should be disseminated and used
2nd example: examine a specific Nazi technical document- illustrates interplay between values and language
Origination, Dissemination, and Use of Information
- purpose: to show that ethical considerations apply not only to the document itself or its content but also to how the informational content was obtained and how it likely will be used
Nazi Past
Nuremberg Trials- held after WWII involving Nazi leaders for war crimes against civilians and soldiers
new term- genocide- Nazi crimes against humanity and Jewish people
concentration camps- meant to isolate undesirables from general populace
Controversy in the Present
- controversy about Nazi "scientific" information collected unethically
- ex: medical specimens of human organs
Medical Specimens
- some skeletons used in universities in Germany had been gathered from Nazi camps
- there was no informed consent
"Research" Information
ex: hypothermia experiment information being used now to develop survival equipment
NEMJ decided to not use any information gathered unethically
- some proposed that the research be used to give meaning to the victims suffering
Values in Nazi Medical "Science"
Traditional View-
- there were 7X more physicians in Nazi party than other professions
in reference to this: Robert Jay Lifton- "The healer became the killer, and healing became killing."
- masked language played an important role in communication about medical killing
- "Euthanasia"(mercy killing) and "special treatment" (medical killing)
Nazi Antiscience
- beyond racism- some believe that the horrible activities can be explained through inhumaneness and unethicalness of science itself
"objectivization"- treating people as objects
Research in the United States
-if evidence was illegally obtained, it cannot be used
- Miranda rights- without proper awareness of one's rigthts so as to allow informed consert to obtaint he evidence, the evidence is deemed inadmissible
Tuskegee syphilis experiment- 1920s- African American patients were given placebos as an experiment
- many tech. communicators will not be involved in Nazi/Tuskegee research projects, but many situations involve the means and ends ethical tainting technical information
- this information should not be communicated
Nazi Technical Memorandum
memo from death camp
- talk about people using impersonal, technical language
ex: 97,000..., subjects, cargo area, load, reduction of volume
- technically excellent
Nazi Germany- distinction between means and ends became blurred and they tried to do anything that was technically possible
- modern high technology is being consumed for its own sake
- documents are written in passive voice, no compassion
- emotional and ethical distance from writer and subject
Graphical Images
- racial purity
- studied facial features of Jews
Ethical Appraisal
- inadequate to call Nazi actions "unethical"
Aristotle- condemn Nazi regime, goodness and doing the right thing; use info- could achieve greater good
Kant- assumes equivalence of all people; not sure about using info
Utilitarianism- seeks greatest good, would use info- communicating to others would only yield positive benefits
Feminist, Ethics of Care- Authoritarianism (Nazi regime is example) is criticized by feminists; also Nazi showed uncaring attitude; Use information because this would display caring concern for those now living
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Monday, October 13, 2008
Ethics Reading #2 pg 38-81
The Ethics Tradition
3 Theories:
1) Confucianism
2) Emmanuel Levinas
3) Bernard Gert
Aristotle- virtue, personal character
Kant- duty or obligation based on a fundamental universal principle
utilitarianism- weigh consequences of costs of action against benefits
ethic of care- new, nontraditional way, gender-sensitive
Aristotle
- reflective reasoning, prudent judgment, deliberate choice, conscious application of the will, and practical action are all involved
- made Plato's thinking concrete and abstract
- ethics= study of what is involved in good actions
- what is sought for its own sake, not for money or success
- assertion that each person is responsible for his or her own character
- a person is only ethical if they perform ethical behavior for a period of time
- moral wisdom must be combined with practical wisdom to yield ethical action
Kant
- most important European philosopher of period from classical Greece to twentieth century
- based on sense of duty (deontology)
- distinguishing feature as human beings- ability to reason
- categorical imperative: "act in a way that if you had your way, the principle guiding your actions would become a universally binding law that everyone must act in accordance with "
- Kant's theory is duty based in reason
- each person is a rational being that should devise their own rules about how to behave
Kant's theory:
1) emphasizes a sense of duty, doing what is right regardless of competing interests or eventual outcomes
2) it conceptualizes ethics as bot han individual and a social matter
3) amounts for all practical purposes to the Golden Rule
- relevance to technical communication- in order to put this metaphysical principle, the categorical imperative, into practical realization, it must be based on something "the existence of which of itself has an absolute value, which serves as and end in itself."
Utilitarianism
- emphasizes usefulness in the same way that technical comm. does
- highly scientific, can calculate what to do ethically using numbers
- useful in medical field: ex: rank and explain choices
- do benefits outweigh drawbacks of actions?
Feminist and Care Perspectives
-modernism: traditions of rationalism, individualism, logic, analytical thinking, advancement of science and tech., the view that knowledge is single and positive
- postmodernism: challenges authority, challenges what has been taken for granted
Feminist Perspectives on Science as a Value System
- science and tech. constitute value systems in themselves
- critics appreciate essentialism and biological determinism assumed when one says that something is characteristic of one gender
Applied to tech writing:
- terminology
- hierarchal organization- masculine view of society
- feminism: system of values, an ethic
- reveal bias against women and womens' work in much technical communication
- most importantly, it requires that we critically examine roots of ethics and whether men are valued over women
Ethics of Care
- form of feminist ethics
- Nel Noddings perspective used
Carol Gilligan
- focuses on role of language in communication between and about men and women
- women value relationships more
- men base decisions on justice
- if a decision of ethics were determined for women, it would confirm stereotypes
Other Views
Confucian Ethics
- has influenced all of eastern Asia
- immediate realities rather than immutable, timeless absolutes
- human responsibilities constituted in relationships
- also, ignore egos for the sake of social harmony
- ren, li, yi- constitute general ethical virtuousness (te)
- cultivation of morality- paramount importance
- participate in activities that compose "way of virtue- Tao"
- many Asian societies are in a state of change- still, confucianism play important role in shaping relations and communications throughout Chinese society
- tech. comm. between US and China have clash of cultural values
- in China- tradition is prized
- Chinese business- modeled after parent-son relationship
Levinas
- most highly regarded postmodernist ethicists
- challenges powers of language to articulate feelings and thoughts
- ethics is about human nature in relation with others
- cannot be universal or generalizations
Gert
- focuses on morality
- actions rather than feelings, social relations vs. relations with God,
- focuses on avoiding evil rather than searching for good
1) Don't kill
2) Don't cause pain.
3) Don't disable.
4) Don't deprive of freedom.
5) Don't deprive of pleasure.
6) Don't lie.
7) Keep your promises.
8) Don't cheat.
9) Don't committ adultery.
10) Don't steal.
Questions to find morally relevant features of a situation
1) What moral rules are being violated?
2) What evils arebeing avoided? prevented? caused?
3) What are the relevant desires of the people affected by the violation?
4) What are the relevant rational beliefs of the people affected by the violation?
5) Does one have a duty to violate moral rules with regard to the person, and it one in a unique position in this regard?
6) What goods are being promoted?
7) Is an unjustified or weakly justified violation of a moral rule being prevented?
8) Is an unjustitied or weakly justified violation of a moral rule being punished?
3 Theories:
1) Confucianism
2) Emmanuel Levinas
3) Bernard Gert
Aristotle- virtue, personal character
Kant- duty or obligation based on a fundamental universal principle
utilitarianism- weigh consequences of costs of action against benefits
ethic of care- new, nontraditional way, gender-sensitive
Aristotle
- reflective reasoning, prudent judgment, deliberate choice, conscious application of the will, and practical action are all involved
- made Plato's thinking concrete and abstract
- ethics= study of what is involved in good actions
- what is sought for its own sake, not for money or success
- assertion that each person is responsible for his or her own character
- a person is only ethical if they perform ethical behavior for a period of time
- moral wisdom must be combined with practical wisdom to yield ethical action
Kant
- most important European philosopher of period from classical Greece to twentieth century
- based on sense of duty (deontology)
- distinguishing feature as human beings- ability to reason
- categorical imperative: "act in a way that if you had your way, the principle guiding your actions would become a universally binding law that everyone must act in accordance with "
- Kant's theory is duty based in reason
- each person is a rational being that should devise their own rules about how to behave
Kant's theory:
1) emphasizes a sense of duty, doing what is right regardless of competing interests or eventual outcomes
2) it conceptualizes ethics as bot han individual and a social matter
3) amounts for all practical purposes to the Golden Rule
- relevance to technical communication- in order to put this metaphysical principle, the categorical imperative, into practical realization, it must be based on something "the existence of which of itself has an absolute value, which serves as and end in itself."
Utilitarianism
- emphasizes usefulness in the same way that technical comm. does
- highly scientific, can calculate what to do ethically using numbers
- useful in medical field: ex: rank and explain choices
- do benefits outweigh drawbacks of actions?
Feminist and Care Perspectives
-modernism: traditions of rationalism, individualism, logic, analytical thinking, advancement of science and tech., the view that knowledge is single and positive
- postmodernism: challenges authority, challenges what has been taken for granted
Feminist Perspectives on Science as a Value System
- science and tech. constitute value systems in themselves
- critics appreciate essentialism and biological determinism assumed when one says that something is characteristic of one gender
Applied to tech writing:
- terminology
- hierarchal organization- masculine view of society
- feminism: system of values, an ethic
- reveal bias against women and womens' work in much technical communication
- most importantly, it requires that we critically examine roots of ethics and whether men are valued over women
Ethics of Care
- form of feminist ethics
- Nel Noddings perspective used
Carol Gilligan
- focuses on role of language in communication between and about men and women
- women value relationships more
- men base decisions on justice
- if a decision of ethics were determined for women, it would confirm stereotypes
Other Views
Confucian Ethics
- has influenced all of eastern Asia
- immediate realities rather than immutable, timeless absolutes
- human responsibilities constituted in relationships
- also, ignore egos for the sake of social harmony
- ren, li, yi- constitute general ethical virtuousness (te)
- cultivation of morality- paramount importance
- participate in activities that compose "way of virtue- Tao"
- many Asian societies are in a state of change- still, confucianism play important role in shaping relations and communications throughout Chinese society
- tech. comm. between US and China have clash of cultural values
- in China- tradition is prized
- Chinese business- modeled after parent-son relationship
Levinas
- most highly regarded postmodernist ethicists
- challenges powers of language to articulate feelings and thoughts
- ethics is about human nature in relation with others
- cannot be universal or generalizations
Gert
- focuses on morality
- actions rather than feelings, social relations vs. relations with God,
- focuses on avoiding evil rather than searching for good
1) Don't kill
2) Don't cause pain.
3) Don't disable.
4) Don't deprive of freedom.
5) Don't deprive of pleasure.
6) Don't lie.
7) Keep your promises.
8) Don't cheat.
9) Don't committ adultery.
10) Don't steal.
Questions to find morally relevant features of a situation
1) What moral rules are being violated?
2) What evils arebeing avoided? prevented? caused?
3) What are the relevant desires of the people affected by the violation?
4) What are the relevant rational beliefs of the people affected by the violation?
5) Does one have a duty to violate moral rules with regard to the person, and it one in a unique position in this regard?
6) What goods are being promoted?
7) Is an unjustified or weakly justified violation of a moral rule being prevented?
8) Is an unjustitied or weakly justified violation of a moral rule being punished?
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Harty pg 207-275
Creating Visuals
Designing and Integrating Visuals with Text
- consider graphics before you begin to write
Ask:
- Why include you visual?- explain why you've included visuals in the text
- Is the information in your visual accurate?- gather info from reliable sources
- Is your visual focused?- eliminate unnecessary labels, arrows, boxes, lines
- Are terms and symbols in your visual defined and consistent?- define anything that is not self-explanatory
- Does your visual specify measurements and distances?
- Is the lettering readable? - position labels.
- Is the caption clear?
- Is there a figure or table number?- Ex: Figure 1. Projected Sales for 2007-2010
- Is there a list of figures or tables needed?-
- Are figure or table numbers referred to in your text?
- Are visuals appropriately placed?- Place illustrations as close as possible and following the text where they are discussed.
- Do visuals stand out from surrounding text? Allow adequate white space.
Tables
- numerical or verbal
- Table number.
- Table title.
- Boxhead. (beneath title) column headings that are brief/descriptive
- Stub. (left-hand vertical column of a table) list all items to be shown in the body of the table
- Body.
- Rules. (lines) used to separate various parts of table
- Source line. (below the table) identify where you obtained data
- Footnotes. (to explain items in table)
- Continuing Tables. repeat column headings when you need to divide table onto multiple pages
Graphs
- numerical data in visual form
- less accurate than tables, usually accompanied by tables
Line Graphs
- relationship between two or more sets of figures
- include enough points to accurately depict the data
- present horizontally if possible
Bar Graphs
- show:
- different types of info during different periods of time
- quantities of the same kind of info a diff periods of time
- quantities of diff kinds of info during a fixed period of time
- quantities of the different parts that make up a whole
Ethics Note: Do not distort or omit the data in your visuals
Pie Graphs
-wedges represent various parts into which the whole is divided
- usually general information, so often accompanied by table
- begin at 12:00 position
- sequence wedges largest to smallest
- labels should be horizontal
- if more than5/6 wedges, looks crowded
Picture Graphs
- Use simple symbols
- Show larger quantities by increasing number of symbols rather than creating a larger symbol
Dimensional-Column Graph
- depict columns a 3D pillars
- clear visual
Drawings
- when reader needs impression of object's general appearance
Maps
- show geographic features of an area
- clearly identify boundaries
- include scale
Strategies of Persuasion
1) Consider whether your views will make problems for readers.
2) Don't offer new ideas, directives, or recommendations for change until your readers are prepared for them.
- more change- slower you should proceed
- if of little personal interest to boss, proceed
- use common sense
3) Your credibility with readers affects your strategy
- communicator's authority with readers determines chance for opinion change
- insert a few lines of biographical data
given credibility- result from position in an organization
acquired credibility- earned through thoughts and facts in the written message
4) If your audience disagrees with your ideas or is uncertain about them, present both sides of the argument
5) Win respect by making your opinion or recommendation clear.
- set clear proposals and conclusions
6) Put your strongest points last if the audience is very interested in the argument, first if it is not so interested.
- if disinterested audience, put strongest point first to draw them in
7) Don't count on changing attitudes by offering information alone
- if viewers already agree, strictly facts can reassure them
8)"Testimonials" are most likely to be persuasive if drawn from people with whom readers associate.
- people's opinions are influenced by the groups they belong to
9) Be wary of using extreme or "sensational"claims and facts.
- only works in journalism- not business
10) Tailor your presentation to the reasons for readers' attitudes if you know them.
11) Never mention other people without considering the possible effect on the reader.
- people's opinions of the other people mentioned can shape their opinion about your proposal
Sizing Up Your Readers
Are they?
- deeply or only mildly interested in the subject?
- familiar or unfamiliar with your views, competence, and feelings about them?
- knowledgeable or ignorant of your authority in the area discussed, your status, and your associations of possible importance to them?
- committed or uncommitted to a viewpoint, opinion, or course of action other than the one you favor in your letter, etc?
- likely or unlikely to find your proposal, idea,finding, or conclusion threatening or requireing considerable change in their thought or behavior?
- included or uninclined to think and feel the way they do about the subject because of identifiable reasons, prejudices, or experiences?
- associated formally or informally with groups or organizations involved in some way with the idea or proposal you deal with?
Proposals
1) Approach writing a proposal as a problem-solving activity.
2) Regard your audience as skeptical readers.
3) Research your proposal carefully.
4) Prove that your proposal is workable.
5) Be sure that your proposal is financially realistic.
6) Package your proposal attractively.
Internal Proposal
- offer realistic/constructive plan to help company
- informal, brief
- be aware of/sensitive to office politics
Organization
-introduction
-background of problem
-solution or plan
-conclusion
Sales Proposals
1) how well it meets audience's needs
2) how well it compares with proposals submitted by competitors
Organization
Intro
1) statement of purpose and subject of proposal
2) background of the problem you propose to solve
Description of Proposed Product or Service
1)Carefully show your potential customers that your product or service is right for them
2) Describe your work in suitable detail- what it looks like, what it does, and how consistently and well it will perform in the readers' office, plant, hospital, or agency.
3) Stress any special features, maintenance advantages, warranties, or service benefits.
Timetable
Costs
Qualification of Your Company
Conclusion
Writing Proposals With Style
What is Style?
- makes is easier to read/more persuasive
Writing plain sentences
1) The subject should be what the sentence is about.
2) Make the "doer" the subject.
3) State the action of the verb.
4) Put the subject early in the sentence.
5) Eliminate nominalizations.
nominalizations- perfectly good verbs and adjectives that have been turned into awkward nouns
6) Avoid excessive prepositional phrases.
7) Eliminate redundancy.
8) Make sentences "breathing length"
Six Steps to Writing Plainer Sentences
1) Identify who or what the sentence is about.
2) Turn that who or what into the subject, and then move the subject to an early place in the sentence.
3) Identify what the subject is doing, and move that action into the verb slot.
4) Eliminate prepositional phrases, where appropriate, by turning them into adjectives.
5) Eliminate unnecessary nominalizations and redundancies.
6) Shorten, lengthen, combine, or divide sentences to make them breathing length.
Writing Plainer Paragraphs
The Elements of a Paragraph (4 Kinds of Sentences)
Transition Sentence- make smooth bridge
Topic Sentence- claim or statement that the rest of the paragraph is going to prove or support
Support Sentence- in body of paragraph, many forms
Point Sentences- restate topic sentence
Designing and Integrating Visuals with Text
- consider graphics before you begin to write
Ask:
- Why include you visual?- explain why you've included visuals in the text
- Is the information in your visual accurate?- gather info from reliable sources
- Is your visual focused?- eliminate unnecessary labels, arrows, boxes, lines
- Are terms and symbols in your visual defined and consistent?- define anything that is not self-explanatory
- Does your visual specify measurements and distances?
- Is the lettering readable? - position labels.
- Is the caption clear?
- Is there a figure or table number?- Ex: Figure 1. Projected Sales for 2007-2010
- Is there a list of figures or tables needed?-
- Are figure or table numbers referred to in your text?
- Are visuals appropriately placed?- Place illustrations as close as possible and following the text where they are discussed.
- Do visuals stand out from surrounding text? Allow adequate white space.
Tables
- numerical or verbal
- Table number.
- Table title.
- Boxhead. (beneath title) column headings that are brief/descriptive
- Stub. (left-hand vertical column of a table) list all items to be shown in the body of the table
- Body.
- Rules. (lines) used to separate various parts of table
- Source line. (below the table) identify where you obtained data
- Footnotes. (to explain items in table)
- Continuing Tables. repeat column headings when you need to divide table onto multiple pages
Graphs
- numerical data in visual form
- less accurate than tables, usually accompanied by tables
Line Graphs
- relationship between two or more sets of figures
- include enough points to accurately depict the data
- present horizontally if possible
Bar Graphs
- show:
- different types of info during different periods of time
- quantities of the same kind of info a diff periods of time
- quantities of diff kinds of info during a fixed period of time
- quantities of the different parts that make up a whole
Ethics Note: Do not distort or omit the data in your visuals
Pie Graphs
-wedges represent various parts into which the whole is divided
- usually general information, so often accompanied by table
- begin at 12:00 position
- sequence wedges largest to smallest
- labels should be horizontal
- if more than5/6 wedges, looks crowded
Picture Graphs
- Use simple symbols
- Show larger quantities by increasing number of symbols rather than creating a larger symbol
Dimensional-Column Graph
- depict columns a 3D pillars
- clear visual
Drawings
- when reader needs impression of object's general appearance
Maps
- show geographic features of an area
- clearly identify boundaries
- include scale
Strategies of Persuasion
1) Consider whether your views will make problems for readers.
2) Don't offer new ideas, directives, or recommendations for change until your readers are prepared for them.
- more change- slower you should proceed
- if of little personal interest to boss, proceed
- use common sense
3) Your credibility with readers affects your strategy
- communicator's authority with readers determines chance for opinion change
- insert a few lines of biographical data
given credibility- result from position in an organization
acquired credibility- earned through thoughts and facts in the written message
4) If your audience disagrees with your ideas or is uncertain about them, present both sides of the argument
5) Win respect by making your opinion or recommendation clear.
- set clear proposals and conclusions
6) Put your strongest points last if the audience is very interested in the argument, first if it is not so interested.
- if disinterested audience, put strongest point first to draw them in
7) Don't count on changing attitudes by offering information alone
- if viewers already agree, strictly facts can reassure them
8)"Testimonials" are most likely to be persuasive if drawn from people with whom readers associate.
- people's opinions are influenced by the groups they belong to
9) Be wary of using extreme or "sensational"claims and facts.
- only works in journalism- not business
10) Tailor your presentation to the reasons for readers' attitudes if you know them.
11) Never mention other people without considering the possible effect on the reader.
- people's opinions of the other people mentioned can shape their opinion about your proposal
Sizing Up Your Readers
Are they?
- deeply or only mildly interested in the subject?
- familiar or unfamiliar with your views, competence, and feelings about them?
- knowledgeable or ignorant of your authority in the area discussed, your status, and your associations of possible importance to them?
- committed or uncommitted to a viewpoint, opinion, or course of action other than the one you favor in your letter, etc?
- likely or unlikely to find your proposal, idea,finding, or conclusion threatening or requireing considerable change in their thought or behavior?
- included or uninclined to think and feel the way they do about the subject because of identifiable reasons, prejudices, or experiences?
- associated formally or informally with groups or organizations involved in some way with the idea or proposal you deal with?
Proposals
1) Approach writing a proposal as a problem-solving activity.
2) Regard your audience as skeptical readers.
3) Research your proposal carefully.
4) Prove that your proposal is workable.
5) Be sure that your proposal is financially realistic.
6) Package your proposal attractively.
Internal Proposal
- offer realistic/constructive plan to help company
- informal, brief
- be aware of/sensitive to office politics
Organization
-introduction
-background of problem
-solution or plan
-conclusion
Sales Proposals
1) how well it meets audience's needs
2) how well it compares with proposals submitted by competitors
Organization
Intro
1) statement of purpose and subject of proposal
2) background of the problem you propose to solve
Description of Proposed Product or Service
1)Carefully show your potential customers that your product or service is right for them
2) Describe your work in suitable detail- what it looks like, what it does, and how consistently and well it will perform in the readers' office, plant, hospital, or agency.
3) Stress any special features, maintenance advantages, warranties, or service benefits.
Timetable
Costs
Qualification of Your Company
Conclusion
Writing Proposals With Style
What is Style?
- makes is easier to read/more persuasive
Writing plain sentences
1) The subject should be what the sentence is about.
2) Make the "doer" the subject.
3) State the action of the verb.
4) Put the subject early in the sentence.
5) Eliminate nominalizations.
nominalizations- perfectly good verbs and adjectives that have been turned into awkward nouns
6) Avoid excessive prepositional phrases.
7) Eliminate redundancy.
8) Make sentences "breathing length"
Six Steps to Writing Plainer Sentences
1) Identify who or what the sentence is about.
2) Turn that who or what into the subject, and then move the subject to an early place in the sentence.
3) Identify what the subject is doing, and move that action into the verb slot.
4) Eliminate prepositional phrases, where appropriate, by turning them into adjectives.
5) Eliminate unnecessary nominalizations and redundancies.
6) Shorten, lengthen, combine, or divide sentences to make them breathing length.
Writing Plainer Paragraphs
The Elements of a Paragraph (4 Kinds of Sentences)
Transition Sentence- make smooth bridge
Topic Sentence- claim or statement that the rest of the paragraph is going to prove or support
Support Sentence- in body of paragraph, many forms
Point Sentences- restate topic sentence
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Harty pg 167-207
Part 4
Reports and Other Long Documents
report- variety of documents that vary in form and purpose
Formal reports- multi-part format, used to present the results of a detailed project (cover letter, abstract, table of contents, glosary, introduction, discussion, conclusions and recommendations, attachments)
informal reports- shorter, consist of essential items (introduction, discussion, conclusions, recommendations)
- reports are action-oriented based on audience
Types-
1)layperson
2)executive
3)expert
4)technician
5)operator
Audience Analysis: The Problem and a Solution
communication situation- involves writer, message, audience
- many writers ignore the audience component
false assumption- that the person addressed is the audience
Audience Components and Problems They Pose
- must understand how your audience poses a problem
- analyze audience- design report structure
3 types of Audiences:
- horizontal- exist on each level
- vertical- between levels
- external- exists when any unit interacts with a separate organization
A Method for Systematic Audience Analysis
- audiences derived from organization charts is abstract/unspecific
3 Steps of Audience Analysis:
1) Prepare an Egocentric Organization Chart
- identifies specific individuals rather than complex organizational units
- categorizes people in terms of their proximity to the report writer rather than in terms of their hierarchical relationship to the report writer (picture page 177)
- this step must be particularized for each report
2) Characterize the Individual Report Readers
- in terms of operational, objective, and personal characteristics
- operational- identify significant differences between his or her role and yours; how will your report affect his/her role?
- objective- specific, relevant, background data about the person, ex: educational background
- personal- taking name of role and age into consideration
3) Classify Audiences in Terms of How They Will Use Your Report
- trace communication routes on your egocentric organization chart, add other routes not on the chart
- think about the consequences of the report
Assign priorities to your audiences:
Primary- who make decisions or act on the basis of the information a report contains
Secondary- who are affected by the decisions and actions
Immediate- who route the report or transmit the information it contains
What to Report
- technical reports can aid in decisions-making
What Management Looks for In Engineering Reports
- pertinent facts and competent opinions that will aid him in decision making
- summary should convey 3 kinds of facts:
1) what the report is about;
- define the problem
- set forth objectives
- reasons for doing the work
- conclusions and recommendations
2) the significance and implications of the work
3) the action called for
Subject Matter Interest
Managers are interested in:
1) Technical problems
2) New projects and products
3) Experiments and tests
4) matierals and processes
5) field troubles
Level of Presentation
- technical and detail level depends on the reader and his use of the material
- management never has the same knowledge of and familiarity with the specific problem being report that the writer has
- therefore, write at a technical level suitable for a reader whose educational and experience background is in a field different from his own
Management Responsibilities
1) Define the project and the required reports
2) Provide proper perspective for the project and the required reporting
3) See that effective reports are submitted on time
4) See that the reports are properly distributed
The Writing of Abstracts
- most important section, two purposes:
1) provides the specialist in the field with enough information about the report to permit him to decide whether he could read it with profit
2) provides the administrator or executive with enough knowledge about what has been done in the study or project and with what results to satisfy most of his administrative needs
- descriptive abstract and informative abstract respectively
Guidelines for effective abstract:
1) Your abstract must include enough specific information about the project or study to satisfy most of the administrative needs of a busy executive.
2) Your abstract must be a self-contained unit, a complete report-in-miniature.
3) Your abstract must be short. (Length defeats the purpose.)
4) Your abstract must be written in fluent, easy-to-read prose.
5) Your abstract must be consistent in tone and emphases with the report paper, but it does not need to follow the arrangement, wording, or proportion of the original.
6) Your abstract should make the widest possible use of abbreviations and numerals, but it must not contain any tables or illustrations.
Ten Report Writing Pitfalls: How to Avoid Them
1) Ignoring Your Audience
2) Writing to Impress
- Don't assume that words that are familiar to you are easily recognized by your readers.
- also includes unnecessary detail and technical trivia
3) Having More Than One Aim
4) Being Inconsistent
- Be very familiar with topic.
- includes style, formatting
5) Overqualifying
- using too many modifiers: adjectives, clauses, phrases, etc.
- avoid obscure facts
6) Not Defining
- Clarify words.
- Common words are used in science with other than their common meaning
- Terms needs to be defined.
7) Misintroducing
8) Dazzling with Data
- Know what to leave out.
- Evaluate relevancy of material.
9) Not Highlighting
- Accent only significant elements, findings, illustrations, data, tests, facts, trends, procedures, etc.
10) Not Rewriting
- Don't stop at draft.
-
Reports and Other Long Documents
report- variety of documents that vary in form and purpose
Formal reports- multi-part format, used to present the results of a detailed project (cover letter, abstract, table of contents, glosary, introduction, discussion, conclusions and recommendations, attachments)
informal reports- shorter, consist of essential items (introduction, discussion, conclusions, recommendations)
- reports are action-oriented based on audience
Types-
1)layperson
2)executive
3)expert
4)technician
5)operator
Audience Analysis: The Problem and a Solution
communication situation- involves writer, message, audience
- many writers ignore the audience component
false assumption- that the person addressed is the audience
Audience Components and Problems They Pose
- must understand how your audience poses a problem
- analyze audience- design report structure
3 types of Audiences:
- horizontal- exist on each level
- vertical- between levels
- external- exists when any unit interacts with a separate organization
A Method for Systematic Audience Analysis
- audiences derived from organization charts is abstract/unspecific
3 Steps of Audience Analysis:
1) Prepare an Egocentric Organization Chart
- identifies specific individuals rather than complex organizational units
- categorizes people in terms of their proximity to the report writer rather than in terms of their hierarchical relationship to the report writer (picture page 177)
- this step must be particularized for each report
2) Characterize the Individual Report Readers
- in terms of operational, objective, and personal characteristics
- operational- identify significant differences between his or her role and yours; how will your report affect his/her role?
- objective- specific, relevant, background data about the person, ex: educational background
- personal- taking name of role and age into consideration
3) Classify Audiences in Terms of How They Will Use Your Report
- trace communication routes on your egocentric organization chart, add other routes not on the chart
- think about the consequences of the report
Assign priorities to your audiences:
Primary- who make decisions or act on the basis of the information a report contains
Secondary- who are affected by the decisions and actions
Immediate- who route the report or transmit the information it contains
What to Report
- technical reports can aid in decisions-making
What Management Looks for In Engineering Reports
- pertinent facts and competent opinions that will aid him in decision making
- summary should convey 3 kinds of facts:
1) what the report is about;
- define the problem
- set forth objectives
- reasons for doing the work
- conclusions and recommendations
2) the significance and implications of the work
3) the action called for
Subject Matter Interest
Managers are interested in:
1) Technical problems
2) New projects and products
3) Experiments and tests
4) matierals and processes
5) field troubles
Level of Presentation
- technical and detail level depends on the reader and his use of the material
- management never has the same knowledge of and familiarity with the specific problem being report that the writer has
- therefore, write at a technical level suitable for a reader whose educational and experience background is in a field different from his own
Management Responsibilities
1) Define the project and the required reports
2) Provide proper perspective for the project and the required reporting
3) See that effective reports are submitted on time
4) See that the reports are properly distributed
The Writing of Abstracts
- most important section, two purposes:
1) provides the specialist in the field with enough information about the report to permit him to decide whether he could read it with profit
2) provides the administrator or executive with enough knowledge about what has been done in the study or project and with what results to satisfy most of his administrative needs
- descriptive abstract and informative abstract respectively
Guidelines for effective abstract:
1) Your abstract must include enough specific information about the project or study to satisfy most of the administrative needs of a busy executive.
2) Your abstract must be a self-contained unit, a complete report-in-miniature.
3) Your abstract must be short. (Length defeats the purpose.)
4) Your abstract must be written in fluent, easy-to-read prose.
5) Your abstract must be consistent in tone and emphases with the report paper, but it does not need to follow the arrangement, wording, or proportion of the original.
6) Your abstract should make the widest possible use of abbreviations and numerals, but it must not contain any tables or illustrations.
Ten Report Writing Pitfalls: How to Avoid Them
1) Ignoring Your Audience
2) Writing to Impress
- Don't assume that words that are familiar to you are easily recognized by your readers.
- also includes unnecessary detail and technical trivia
3) Having More Than One Aim
4) Being Inconsistent
- Be very familiar with topic.
- includes style, formatting
5) Overqualifying
- using too many modifiers: adjectives, clauses, phrases, etc.
- avoid obscure facts
6) Not Defining
- Clarify words.
- Common words are used in science with other than their common meaning
- Terms needs to be defined.
7) Misintroducing
8) Dazzling with Data
- Know what to leave out.
- Evaluate relevancy of material.
9) Not Highlighting
- Accent only significant elements, findings, illustrations, data, tests, facts, trends, procedures, etc.
10) Not Rewriting
- Don't stop at draft.
-
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Project Proposal
Executive Summary: Clemson students, residents, and visitors are unaware of the unique, local restaurants in the area. In order to inform them, we will create a restaurant database website. The website will include our standardized reviews of each restaurant. As a group of three college students from different backgrounds, our reviews will be diverse and offer different perspectives on the types and quality of food available at each restaurant. Our website will help the Clemson community become knowledgeable about their dining options and enhance the quality of their overall dining experience.
Although Clemson students, local residents, and visitors frequent restaurants in downtown Clemson, they are unaware of the remotely located, less commercial restaurants in the Clemson area. They need to know about these restaurants in order to make well informed, appropriate decisions when dining out. We will help them become ideal, knowledgeable consumers by creating a restaurant database website detailing locations, prices, and menu items of local restaurants. Students tend to pick the most convenient, closest restaurant without any regard to the cuisine. Due to the fast paced 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 audience, 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 important 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 become knowledgeable 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, nearly all students 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 sixteen 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 at Clemson Computing and Information Technology (CCIT) 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 and 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 before the completion of this project. We have already visited one restaurant, and we are 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 CCIT on Wednesday, October 1. 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 unknown eateries. 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.
Although Clemson students, local residents, and visitors frequent restaurants in downtown Clemson, they are unaware of the remotely located, less commercial restaurants in the Clemson area. They need to know about these restaurants in order to make well informed, appropriate decisions when dining out. We will help them become ideal, knowledgeable consumers by creating a restaurant database website detailing locations, prices, and menu items of local restaurants. Students tend to pick the most convenient, closest restaurant without any regard to the cuisine. Due to the fast paced 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 audience, 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 important 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 become knowledgeable 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, nearly all students 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 sixteen 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 at Clemson Computing and Information Technology (CCIT) 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 and 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 before the completion of this project. We have already visited one restaurant, and we are 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 CCIT on Wednesday, October 1. 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 unknown eateries. 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.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Reading Assignment 3- Harty pg. 115-167
Part 3- Business and Technical Correspondence
- the letter, the memo, the email
- correspondence should be appropriate to writing situation
disadvantage of email- mistakes or misstatements can quickly reach many people across the globe
Making Your Correspondence Get Results
- persuade readers by showing them it will be with their while to hold your point of view
- letters should appeal to emotions
- make letters as personal as possible
Mastering Tone- ex: rejection- "let the reader down gently" and leave the door open for future business
- many examples of negative and positive statements
- to make letters more conversational, rid the letter of worn-out business phrases
Ex: "At a later date" vs. "later"
"I Have Some Bad News for You"
1) remind you that the successful manager is people-sensitive, able to empathize with others
2) remember that bad news is best delivered face to face
- Indirect (reasons first) and Direct (reasons after) methods of conveying bad news
How to Write Better Memos
Functions:
- informing people of a problem pr situation
- nailing down responsibility for action, and a deadline for it
- establishing a file record of decisions, agreements, and policies
Organization
- What are the facts?
- What do they mean?
- What do we do now?
Important Literary Qualities: Clarity, human approach, reflect diplomacy (political savvy)
Format details- pg 134
How To Use Bottom-Line Writing in Corporate Communications
Bad Advice: "Be brief!"
- comprehension is key.
- use direct organizational pattern
- Social upbringing, educational programming, indoctrination into anxiety have lead to the backward approach that is commonly used in writing
What can be done differently?
- People recognize and refect their social and educational programming for being circuitous in all non-sensitive writing situations.
- People learn to write efficiently.
- People must develop the self-confidence necessaryt o send bottom-line message upward in nonsensitive (or slightly sensitive) messages.
E-Mail: Presenting a Professional Image
How to:
- Use active, concise, specific language and plain English that communicate clearly and accurately
- examples of passive and active, pg 147
- use plain English.
- use only one word for an idea and avoid unnecessary repetition
- Write grammatically correct sentences that convey complete thoughts and flow smoothly
- Use short, simple, focused sentences and good grammar
Problems with email messages:
- misused modifiers
- incomplete sentences
- awkward and overly long sentences
- incorrect subject-verb agreement
- incorrect and unclear use of pronouns
ex: that, which, who
- Use gender-neutral language when possible
ex: use he and she
- Avoid common errors of punctuation
ex: use commas, semicolons, etc.
- Use exclamation marks sparingly
ex: its vs. it's
- Don't overuse parentheses.
- the letter, the memo, the email
- correspondence should be appropriate to writing situation
disadvantage of email- mistakes or misstatements can quickly reach many people across the globe
Making Your Correspondence Get Results
- persuade readers by showing them it will be with their while to hold your point of view
- letters should appeal to emotions
- make letters as personal as possible
Mastering Tone- ex: rejection- "let the reader down gently" and leave the door open for future business
- many examples of negative and positive statements
- to make letters more conversational, rid the letter of worn-out business phrases
Ex: "At a later date" vs. "later"
"I Have Some Bad News for You"
1) remind you that the successful manager is people-sensitive, able to empathize with others
2) remember that bad news is best delivered face to face
- Indirect (reasons first) and Direct (reasons after) methods of conveying bad news
How to Write Better Memos
Functions:
- informing people of a problem pr situation
- nailing down responsibility for action, and a deadline for it
- establishing a file record of decisions, agreements, and policies
Organization
- What are the facts?
- What do they mean?
- What do we do now?
Important Literary Qualities: Clarity, human approach, reflect diplomacy (political savvy)
Format details- pg 134
How To Use Bottom-Line Writing in Corporate Communications
Bad Advice: "Be brief!"
- comprehension is key.
- use direct organizational pattern
- Social upbringing, educational programming, indoctrination into anxiety have lead to the backward approach that is commonly used in writing
What can be done differently?
- People recognize and refect their social and educational programming for being circuitous in all non-sensitive writing situations.
- People learn to write efficiently.
- People must develop the self-confidence necessaryt o send bottom-line message upward in nonsensitive (or slightly sensitive) messages.
E-Mail: Presenting a Professional Image
How to:
- Use active, concise, specific language and plain English that communicate clearly and accurately
- examples of passive and active, pg 147
- use plain English.
- use only one word for an idea and avoid unnecessary repetition
- Write grammatically correct sentences that convey complete thoughts and flow smoothly
- Use short, simple, focused sentences and good grammar
Problems with email messages:
- misused modifiers
- incomplete sentences
- awkward and overly long sentences
- incorrect subject-verb agreement
- incorrect and unclear use of pronouns
ex: that, which, who
- Use gender-neutral language when possible
ex: use he and she
- Avoid common errors of punctuation
ex: use commas, semicolons, etc.
- Use exclamation marks sparingly
ex: its vs. it's
- Don't overuse parentheses.
Thursday, September 18, 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 become
knowledgeable 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.
knowledgeable 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
Second Reading Assignment p1-38 in Ethics
Chapter 1- Nature of Ethics
- lists many examples of where ethics can be found in technical writing and in institutions
- Ethics- making judgments about values
- Values shape communication technology
- The World Wide Web treats all users equally.
- privacy, ownership of information, copyright, access, freedom of speech, personal and national security
- Ethical responsibilities involved in technical communication: relay faithfully information between transmitter and receiver (in the past)
- Ethics have changed in tech. writing:
- We have responsibility to: be familiar with and use latest technology of communication and understand broad influence of technology and science throughout society
Why Study Ethics?
- What is the right thing to do?
- Do we really know why we make the choices we do?
- Socrates, "The unexamined life is not worth living."
- self-awareness will lead to judgments that are more satisfying
What is Ethics?
- ethics is only about ourselves
- No experts. We are our own expert and authority on ethics.
Our Expectations
- Explain what ethics is not.
- cannot even be captured through personal responsibility- because we are influenced by others
Assumptions
1) Ethics is problematic. It is about problems whose solutions are unclear.
2) Ethics is individual and social.
3) Ethics is neither absolutely or relative entirely.
4) You should not blindly accept or reject authority of others in ethical matters.
5) No ethical approach is best for all situations.
Perspectives
Aristotle
Kant
Utilitarianism
Feminist/Care-based
Scope
narrow scope- how ethics relate to technical communication in ways that are not apparent or not obvious
Organization
Chapter 2- how ethics has been tied to communication and rhetoric throughout history
Chapter 3- principal ethical theories of European-American tradition, Kant, Aristotle, utilitarianism, etc.
Chapter 4-7- apply ethical ehtories to real major ethical dilemmas of recent times
Chapter 8- presents hypothetical cases
Terminology
- ethical will be used in place of ethical and moral
absolute- definite, unchanging, inflexible, applying to many situations in the same way
relative- changing in relation to circumstances
Chapter 2- Survey of Ethics in Communication and Rhetoric
We will explore:
- nature of right and wrong
- sources of our standards for ethical judgement (human, natural, metaphysical, or divine)
- individual vs. social interests
- significance of intent
- reasoned deliberateness vs. emotional impulsiveness
- the role of rhetoric and persuasion in the social negotiation of value judgements
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
Limitations of History
- historical discussions cannot resolve issues once and for all
- study of history of ethics cannot give us universal solutions for our ethical dilemmas
Ethics and Rhetoric Linked
- technical communication is rhetorical and always has to do with ethics and values
Classical Greece
- roots of rhetoric
for Plato- ethical values come before communication
for Aristotle- communication between competing sides on a controversial matter reveals the proper values and the right course of action
Plato and Socrates
Plato- founder of philosophy- matter of discovering and pursuing truth, goodness, and rightness
Plato- ethics are unchangable
Socrates- continued to conduct social criticism and was put on trial for it and condemned to deathed
Socrates is important for 3 reasons:
1) insisted on doing the right thing regardless of consequences
2) ethics is a matter of pleasing god
3) ethical behavior requires active social involvement
- Plato was Socrates pupil
- Plato's theory was religious and absolutist
most important contribution to the history of rhetoric- his insistence on the ethical goodness of the communicator
Aristotle
- Plato's student
- maintained that ethics stem from the divinely ordained nature of things
- "Rhetoric may be defined as the faculty of observing in any given case the available means of persuasion."
- viewed ethics as virtue, whether personal or corporate
Sophists
- most things written about them were critical and hostile
- claimed to have the power to make weaker case appear stronger and the worse case seem the better
- held cultural relativist position on ethical values- values are relative and depend on circumstances
Attributed to sophists- Gorgias- famous for his ability to persuade through communication
- For Plato- ethics and rhetoric are closely tied; ethics comes first; the purpose of rhetoric is to serve ethics
- For Sophists- also closely tied, but rhetoric comes first because it allows negotiation and persuasion that define social values
Recent Times
- Plato's views influenced the Christian Church
- ethics had to do with truths
- rhetoric had to do with false, insubstantial appearances
Hegel
- opposition to prevailing view that all knowledge, especially about values, was absolute and had to be arrived at by revelation to accepted authorities
Perleman
- explored social contigency of values and fundamental role of rhetoric in establishing values
Burke
- insisted on language use guided by carefully weighted judgement
- understood language to be a symbol system
Weaver
- known for his modern explanation of the role of ethics in communication
- value was foundation for rhetoric
Rhetoric, Knowledge, and Values
Gates- notion that values and rhetoric are related to power and social dominance within a culture
Foucault- centrality of discourse in society
discourse- broad collection of language use within a society
- he also said that power, language use, and knowledge are closely interconnected
ex: legal code
Keller- philosopher of science- pointed out how thoroughly the scientific frame of mind has pervaded our thoughts and values
Lyotard- considers science and technology as parallel pieces in a single grand story about hte way the world is and the way we should live in it
Topics for Papers and Discussion- see page 32
- lists many examples of where ethics can be found in technical writing and in institutions
- Ethics- making judgments about values
- Values shape communication technology
- The World Wide Web treats all users equally.
- privacy, ownership of information, copyright, access, freedom of speech, personal and national security
- Ethical responsibilities involved in technical communication: relay faithfully information between transmitter and receiver (in the past)
- Ethics have changed in tech. writing:
- We have responsibility to: be familiar with and use latest technology of communication and understand broad influence of technology and science throughout society
Why Study Ethics?
- What is the right thing to do?
- Do we really know why we make the choices we do?
- Socrates, "The unexamined life is not worth living."
- self-awareness will lead to judgments that are more satisfying
What is Ethics?
- ethics is only about ourselves
- No experts. We are our own expert and authority on ethics.
Our Expectations
- Explain what ethics is not.
- cannot even be captured through personal responsibility- because we are influenced by others
Assumptions
1) Ethics is problematic. It is about problems whose solutions are unclear.
2) Ethics is individual and social.
3) Ethics is neither absolutely or relative entirely.
4) You should not blindly accept or reject authority of others in ethical matters.
5) No ethical approach is best for all situations.
Perspectives
Aristotle
Kant
Utilitarianism
Feminist/Care-based
Scope
narrow scope- how ethics relate to technical communication in ways that are not apparent or not obvious
Organization
Chapter 2- how ethics has been tied to communication and rhetoric throughout history
Chapter 3- principal ethical theories of European-American tradition, Kant, Aristotle, utilitarianism, etc.
Chapter 4-7- apply ethical ehtories to real major ethical dilemmas of recent times
Chapter 8- presents hypothetical cases
Terminology
- ethical will be used in place of ethical and moral
absolute- definite, unchanging, inflexible, applying to many situations in the same way
relative- changing in relation to circumstances
Chapter 2- Survey of Ethics in Communication and Rhetoric
We will explore:
- nature of right and wrong
- sources of our standards for ethical judgement (human, natural, metaphysical, or divine)
- individual vs. social interests
- significance of intent
- reasoned deliberateness vs. emotional impulsiveness
- the role of rhetoric and persuasion in the social negotiation of value judgements
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
Limitations of History
- historical discussions cannot resolve issues once and for all
- study of history of ethics cannot give us universal solutions for our ethical dilemmas
Ethics and Rhetoric Linked
- technical communication is rhetorical and always has to do with ethics and values
Classical Greece
- roots of rhetoric
for Plato- ethical values come before communication
for Aristotle- communication between competing sides on a controversial matter reveals the proper values and the right course of action
Plato and Socrates
Plato- founder of philosophy- matter of discovering and pursuing truth, goodness, and rightness
Plato- ethics are unchangable
Socrates- continued to conduct social criticism and was put on trial for it and condemned to deathed
Socrates is important for 3 reasons:
1) insisted on doing the right thing regardless of consequences
2) ethics is a matter of pleasing god
3) ethical behavior requires active social involvement
- Plato was Socrates pupil
- Plato's theory was religious and absolutist
most important contribution to the history of rhetoric- his insistence on the ethical goodness of the communicator
Aristotle
- Plato's student
- maintained that ethics stem from the divinely ordained nature of things
- "Rhetoric may be defined as the faculty of observing in any given case the available means of persuasion."
- viewed ethics as virtue, whether personal or corporate
Sophists
- most things written about them were critical and hostile
- claimed to have the power to make weaker case appear stronger and the worse case seem the better
- held cultural relativist position on ethical values- values are relative and depend on circumstances
Attributed to sophists- Gorgias- famous for his ability to persuade through communication
- For Plato- ethics and rhetoric are closely tied; ethics comes first; the purpose of rhetoric is to serve ethics
- For Sophists- also closely tied, but rhetoric comes first because it allows negotiation and persuasion that define social values
Recent Times
- Plato's views influenced the Christian Church
- ethics had to do with truths
- rhetoric had to do with false, insubstantial appearances
Hegel
- opposition to prevailing view that all knowledge, especially about values, was absolute and had to be arrived at by revelation to accepted authorities
Perleman
- explored social contigency of values and fundamental role of rhetoric in establishing values
Burke
- insisted on language use guided by carefully weighted judgement
- understood language to be a symbol system
Weaver
- known for his modern explanation of the role of ethics in communication
- value was foundation for rhetoric
Rhetoric, Knowledge, and Values
Gates- notion that values and rhetoric are related to power and social dominance within a culture
Foucault- centrality of discourse in society
discourse- broad collection of language use within a society
- he also said that power, language use, and knowledge are closely interconnected
ex: legal code
Keller- philosopher of science- pointed out how thoroughly the scientific frame of mind has pervaded our thoughts and values
Lyotard- considers science and technology as parallel pieces in a single grand story about hte way the world is and the way we should live in it
Topics for Papers and Discussion- see page 32
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
First Reading Assignment- 3 Talking Points
Problems with Language
1) After reading Humpty Dumpty's quote- Do words mean only what we want them to mean? or do they always have concrete or implied meanings?
2) Technical writing- We are writing to inform rather than impress. Is this different from other types of writing? Should we always use this philosophy?
3) Gobbledygook can supposedly be found in government, legal talk, and academic talk. Are we guilty of gobbledygook? -using up to 10 words in place of 1?
4) Although we have talked about several lengthy forms of technical writing in class, we haven't discussed the simpler documents that can be found in every job that stem from technical writing. ex: memo, business letter, administrative report, financial analysis, marketing proposal, note to the boss, fax, and post-it. Can the ability to write execute these forms of technical writing help you advance in your field?
5) The book suggests that if you work for an institution, whatever your job or level, be yourself when you write. This will help you stand out. How can we accomplish that in college when most of our writing is very structured?
1) After reading Humpty Dumpty's quote- Do words mean only what we want them to mean? or do they always have concrete or implied meanings?
2) Technical writing- We are writing to inform rather than impress. Is this different from other types of writing? Should we always use this philosophy?
3) Gobbledygook can supposedly be found in government, legal talk, and academic talk. Are we guilty of gobbledygook? -using up to 10 words in place of 1?
4) Although we have talked about several lengthy forms of technical writing in class, we haven't discussed the simpler documents that can be found in every job that stem from technical writing. ex: memo, business letter, administrative report, financial analysis, marketing proposal, note to the boss, fax, and post-it. Can the ability to write execute these forms of technical writing help you advance in your field?
5) The book suggests that if you work for an institution, whatever your job or level, be yourself when you write. This will help you stand out. How can we accomplish that in college when most of our writing is very structured?
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Brainstorming Project Idea
Brittany Jones, Brennan Palazola, and I are planning on working together on the project that we are starting. Our favorite idea so far is a restaurant guide to Clemson, or a guide to stores and restaurants in Clemson. It would be technical because there will be a table of contents and the restaurants will be categorized and numerically rated. We could visit the restaurants and choose our favorite dishes to recommend, while rating the overall restaurants. We can also gather quotes from students and professors on campus as a part of our research. Many families do not know where to eat when they come to Clemson and new students do not know where to eat when they first arrive. A restaurant guide would also outline traditional places to eat that are "well-kept secrets," such as Paw's Diner, Mac's, and Sardi's Den. Because Brittany, Brennan, and I are all science majors, we were looking for a topic that is enjoyable and different from what we do in all of our other classes. We will continue to look into other ideas that are creative, useful, and different.
Brainstorming Notes 9/2
1) College Late Night Cookbook- limited ingredients; technical aspects--> table of contents, intro, technical book format
2) Gameday 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) Gameday 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
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
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