Archives: Wikis

In Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace, Joseph M. Williams and Joseph Bizup discussed methods for motivating coherence, arguing that we read not just about an interesting topic, but about a problem that is important to us. They say, “don’t imagine your task as just writing about a topic, passing on information that happens to interest you. See yourself as posing a problem that your readers want to see solved” (p. 165).

In the chapter, they identified three elements to motivate coherence within the introduction:

Shared context statement. Open with a seeming truth or an idea shared by your and your audience to establish a common ground. For example, you might say something like, “In our field, many have defined plain language as social justice.” As this example shows, shared context statements establish a common ground between you and your audience.
Problem statement. Here is where you imagine your readers responding to your shared context statement: So what?. Here is where you ask a question. And to ask a question is to pose a problem that you are going to solve for your readers. Signal to your readers that you are stating the problem with a “but” — “But [ask your question, state a problem here].” For example, “But, how does plain language embody social justice”
Solution. Conclude your introduction with your main point and a road map for the rest of the report. In other words, tell your reader where you are taking them and why. “In this paper, I analyze how [state your main point or thesis].”

On your draft, identify these elements:

Shared context statement:

Video games tutorials are meant to teach vai x, y, and Z to meet the challenge the developer has set out for their audience

Technology is closely connected to PC field and has consequences

Crisis in universities are common and are left to TCers to handle

The political movement in the US has built power via consitutive rhetoirc and a shared identity

In defining PC and audience, human centered design has emerged as a means of success

Problem statement:

But, through the internet some people struggle to meet the challenges despite the instructions

BUT, people tend to comfort themselves with an all or nothing mindset. What are the consequences? What is the dynamic?

BUT, communication within universities lack in their effectiveness

BUT, how have recent policy maneuvers such as education legislation in FL have been targeted at undermnining education of oppressed people's history

BUT how can HCD and PL center marginalized groups?

 

3. Solution

In this paper, I examine how we as tech communicators apply our knowledge to tutorial design, particularly how aural and visual rhetoric can meet the challenge

In this paper, I examine how we cannot escage the dynamic and exercise caution

TC can take a variety of steps to improve crisis communication (so many problems and so many solutions)

In this paper, I analyze how these legislation are a product of constitute rhetoric and identity based to shape or constitute preserve the community that was established through conflict and scapegoating.

In this paper, I share examples to argue that planin language and HCD are necessary..... essential measures for PCers.  PL is more than that.

ExAMPle

An example can ground the paper

Profile of Dara Grant; Grant Writer and Technical Writing Coach. Based on LinkedIn and Upwork freelance profile. 

• The implicit boundaries: Focusing on various forms of nonprofits that work directly with things such as arts, criminal legal reform, education, environmental/wildlife conservation, health, LGBTQ+, people with disabilities, racial justice, social justice, STEM, Veterans, women, etc. Focuses on identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding local, national, and international funders, including foundations, corporations, and government. Works with clients primarily on a long-term basis. Meeting with those who are looking to jump into the nonprofit grant funding field.
• Explicit boundaries: Ability to write functional proposals for companies to obtain funding in attempts to amplify various nonprofit organization's impact. General operational support such as research and coaching support.
• The artifacts these professionals reference: Nonprofit work such as grant writing, operational support, grant research support, grant coaching. Meetings with companies and with students/new perspective writers in a similar field.
• The identities these professionals assume: Grant Writer, Technical Communicator, Coach.

Profile of Speech Writer John Favreau

John Favreau's career started as a speech writer for the Kerry campaign in 2004. During that campaign Favreau met Senator Obama and was hired as his speech writer. In 2008 Favreau would go on to work for Obama's campaign and following their electoral victory he was named the White House's Director of Speech Writing.

Boundaries

Explicit: As a professional Favreau was responsible for the writing of the words the President was going to speak. If President Obama was giving any sort of address the responsibility to craft those words fell to Favreau. This did not extend to other communication based texts such as written letters and other press based activities. Additionally, he is constrained by the political moment and policies goals of the administration.

Implicit: This job requires the writer to develop a close personal relationship for the person they are choosing to speak for. Obama refered to Favreau as his "mind reader" because he could put to words the thoughts and motivations of the President. A speech writer isn't writing their own ideas so this job includes building relationships with the speaker to tailor your writing to their needs and styles.

Artifacts: Any speech that President Obama gave is an artifact of Favreau's professional identity. The artifacts that he called upon when writing are incredibly vast and and varied. President's reference past Presidents, historical events, personal anecdotes, policy proposals, economic statistics, and much more.

Identities: This type of professional Favreau included assume an identity that is linked with the figure they write for. Their identity reflects the positions of their subject. Favreau became a public figure and part of the administration and needed to reflect those values and expectations.

Profile of Casey Yang - Copywriter and Analyst at Catapult, Boston                        Based on a conversation with Yang, as well as his and Catapult's LinkedIn

Yang is involved with (mainly entertainment) brand copywriting and analysis of qualitative information for brand products

Explicit Boundaries:

• Exceptional writer with the ability to write multiple ads a day for different companies
• Ability to quickly determine each brand's voice, and be able to switch smoothly between them every day

Implicit Boundaries:

• Ability to create an interest for various brands that you may have had no interest in before in order to be able to embody and understand the writing that their audience is looking for
• Open to extensive research of clients and their competitors to determine the "leg-up" in writing for the product

Artifacts:

• The artifacts that Yang described for this profession are press releases, emails, and many other forms of communication that help track the progress of writing and design for any given product. Further, powerpoints allow for easy navigation of audience personas, brand voice, breakdowns of competitors, and outlining a plan. In-person meetings with a company's c-suite, and virtual interviews of potential and current consumers of a product. Visual aids (literally just a LOT of paper and sticky notes) to see every draft of copy throughout the process for each product.

Identities:

• Interviewer
• Writer
• Creative

Profile of Ben Burke, reporter at The Public's Radio 89.3 FM based on in person meeting and his LinkedIn

The field of audio journalism

• The implicit and explicit boundaries
  • Implicit (implied) boundaries:
    • Genre constraints and requirements
    • Ability to socialize (with strangers) and chase a story in unknown territory
    • Ability to "catch the story"--not sure how to explain it but he trusts he always will
  • Explicit (obvious) boundaries:
    • Team resources and finance
    • The state of the world (economically, if there is a pandemic, etc).
    • If your skills match up with the job's requirements
• The artifacts these professionals reference

In his LinkedIn, which acts as a professional profile for many people, Ben Burke refers to his own stories he creates, along with the first-account resources that provided the information for the stories (documents, interviews, etc.). This is shown in post examples such as:

• • "Fall River's seen more evictions executed in the past 10 months than Boston, a city six times its size. I spent the summer asking why one court in Massachusetts evicted so many more tenants than the others."
  • "I worked very hard reporting this story about suicides in the Bristol County jail. Balancing allegations about miserable jail conditions with denials from the sheriff's office is a struggle. These reports often turn into a 'he said, she said' dialogue, which only reaffirms what people on each side of the issue are already thinking. This story, I believe, gets past that by assembling facts from a diverse set of sources that haven't been reported yet"
  • "I got a tip that New Bedford was losing its ferry to Martha's Vineyard. I checked it out, and learned this was a scare tactic politicians were using in a fight with much lower stakes. If nothing else, this story was a window into the realpolitik of New Bedford's waterfront."
  • "Two cops told one story. Six eyewitnesses told another. What really happened to 19-year-old Larry Ruiz Barreto? This is my latest investigative piece"
• The identities these professionals assume
  • reporter
  • interviewer
  • investigator
  • spokesperson for people
  • entertainer (sometimes

What is a wiki?

 

What rhetorical moves are part of this genre? 

 

What style of writing characterizes this genre?

 

The Association for Business Communication defines itself as seeking "to become the foremost authority in the field of business communication by promoting excellence in teaching, increasing knowledge within the discipline, enriching business communication classes to better prepare students, and improving the quality of communication in the workplace." Their mission is to be "an international, interdisciplinary organization committed to advancing business communication, research, education, and practice."

Boundaries: The ABC serves paying members only, their bylaws clearly state what kinds of membership there are. Sustaining members pay the membership fee decided on by the Board of Directors, corporate sponsors are Board-approved companies that pay membership dues (academic institutions do not qualify as corporate sponsors), student members are members that pay a reduced fee, as well as retired members who are no longer employed by a university or academic institution. There are also honorary members that are nominated by a paying member so that they get free membership for a year. Aspects of the association such as their priorities are outlined in the strategic plan, and are not available to the public. Access to such information is only granted upon obtaining a member status.

Artifacts: A list of publications including Business and Professional Communication Quarterly, International Journal of Business Communication, and the ABC Newsletter. There is a link to the ABC YouTube channel as well as resources for Video Conference Tips, links to relevant blogs, articles, and other online resources related to business communication, and notes from ABC Conference Proceedings.

Identities: The ABC is virtually open to anyone, but they seek out those involved in management, English, speech communication, and the like. The association is spread internationally and they are able to hold various annual conferences to allow for networking among members and the sharing of valuable knowledge.