English 421Y: Technical Writing Online

This weeks readings, including chapters 19 and 20 from TCT, discussed the various aspects of constructing a thoroughly developed instructional document. One of the most important parts analyzed was the research that should go into creating such a document, including a solid identification and awareness of all audiences involved. An understanding of the user and the context in which the instructions will be used allow for the writer to gain a strong understanding of the writer’s perspective and speak in an appropriate, fitting tone.

- Should I do my heading differently, or is this formal format better?
- Should it be longer, or is the length ok?

According to one of this week’s readings, specifically Junk Cover Letters Kill Good Resumes by Teena Rose, only approximately 40% of cover letters are actually ever read. Nonetheless, it is recommended that one always be included so as to best represent yourself in every possible circumstance. These readings also jump at the opportunity of bashing generically structured and impersonal cover letters. This is best summarized in the reading entitled Kairos and the Cover Letter, which simply states, “don’t spend too much time refining a hackneyed approach that you use invariably.

*attached (maybe)

In this week’s various readings on resume development, the main point pressed forth in every instance seems to be that resume writers must understand, and then reflect in writing, that they are in fact “selling” themselves to their potential employers. The idea is constantly stressed that your resume should not, as one might assume, be about you, but rather about the company. From their perspective it doesn’t matter what you’ve done or accomplished, but rather only what you can bring to the table and contribute to the growth of the business.

https://jobs.dynetics.com/job_view.php?job_pkid=956

The job that I have chosen to consider for this analysis is a mechanical engineering internship position for Dynetics. This internship would take place during the summer of 2009 at there headquarters location in Huntsville, Alabama.

This week’s reading from Technical Communications Today, entitled Organization and Drafting, focuses on the various aspects of organization that go into constructing a well-planned technical document. The author goes beyond the simple introduction, body, and conclusion layout and presents several genres available to the reader, each offering a different method of presenting information to an audience. In constructing large technical documents, the text makes the recommendation of creating an informal outline to guide one’s work. I found this section pretty interesting.

This chapter taken from Technical Communications Today, entitled Starting Your Career, focuses on the varying aspects of finding and landing the ideal job. According to the text, the most important step in this process begins before the actual search, and involves setting one’s goals via the “Five W and How Questions”. These questions, initially introduced in the previous chapter, work to clearly pinpoint a job seeker’s ambitions and point him or her in the proper direction.