Week 3 Reflection Blog

This week we read Chapters 3, 11, 12, 16, 17, and 20. We learned how to analyze audience and purpose, how to draft and revise documents, how design print and online documents, how to create graphics that is effective and appropriate, how to develop proposals, directives, field and status reports, and how to write definitions, descriptions, and instructions. We also drafted and posted our genre analyses charts and Project 2 draft memos for peer review. My partner, Jon, has been extremely patient, helpful, and constructive.

Of all the readings, I found the discussion of a status report, found in Chapter 17, especially helpful for my Project 2 assignment. Although a status report and white paper have different audiences and purposes, the discussion itself provided glimpses into the organization and content of any report of this kind: the organization, style and tone, and formatting requirements are equally applicable to any kind of report. The status report analysis activity also helped me better understand what a status report is all about.

I also liked the Morain and Swarts reading. Their survey report on how to evaluate online instructional videos is very insightful and informative. Being an avid YouTube user myself, both for consumer and professional purposes, I think that after reading the article I will be able to judge the qualities of online instructional videos more professionally, from the technical communication point of view.