From Schoolroom to Workroom

Over the course of the semester, you will submit 600 – 800 word contributions to the Pitt State Technical / Professional Writing Internship site (pittstatetechwritinginterns.blogspot.com) using the Blogger online publishing tool.  The site will serve as a resource for future interns, other technical / professional writers at large, and students contemplating technical / professional writing as a major as well as as preparation for you as you enter the job market.  Keep these audiences in mind as you complete your contributions.  Each contribution focuses on one of four goals:  defining technical / professional writing for yourself and for others outside the field (future coworkers in other departments, for example); exploring how genre works in technical / professional contexts; understanding the workplace; and preparing for the job market.  If you have questions about these assignments, contact me, Jamie McDaniel, not your internship supervisor.

3)      From Schoolroom to Workroom

Readings

Linda Driskill, “Understanding the Writing Contexts in Organizations”

Chris Anson and Lee Forsberg, “Moving Beyond the Academic Community:  Transitional Stages in Professional Writing”

Susan Katz, “A Newcomer Gains Power:  An Analysis of the Role of Rhetorical Expertise”

Assignment

Authors Linda Driskill, Chris Anson, Lee Forsberg, and Susan Katz have approached you to contribute to an anthology that offers descriptions of internship experiences in various areas. The audiences for the anthology are students who are considering a career in technical / professional writing or students who are already technical / professional writing majors but need to decide on a specific area in which to do an internship.  At the very least, your contribution to the anthology should include

·         your job title,

·         a description of your responsibilities,

·         a list of what you would say are required qualifications and preferred qualifications for this position,

·         the abilities and skills you have learned / practiced during your internship,

·         the abilities and skills you thought you would learn / practice but have not,

·         a description of the ways that writing and working with your internship differs from writing and working at school, and

·         an analysis of the writing context, work atmosphere, and organizational hierarchy (use the readings to help you accomplish this task). 

You can also include any other information that you deem important.  Think of your contribution in this way:  If you knew who was taking over your position after you leave, what would you tell them about the job and about your internship location and why?

In order to increase the persuasiveness of your contribution, the book editor has asked you to include appropriate research from specialists in the field.