From Schoolroom to Workroom

Krimson Kuluur is a non-profit business that is run by Pittsburg State University Enactus students.  I am interning as a Technical Writer and perform a wide range of responsibilities such as copyediting, document/website design, and revision.

Skills required to be successful in this position is flexibility, efficiency, and passion. I currently collaborate with other interns that come from different backgrounds, from Finance to Fashion Merchandising majors. As Chris Anson and Lee Forsberg puts it, being flexible is a "...matter of developing strategies for social and intellectual adaptions to different professional communities" (p 203). Efficiency comes in because, in the business world, time is money. I have had produced many documents in a fast pace, small tight frame, and not jeopardizing the quality of the work. Having an authentic passion for English is needed because there is always room to improve on, especially in the Technical field. I recall having to research outside of what I have learned because my task in a project deemed it necessary. Having an interest in the subject made the learning easier.

In the beginning of my internship, I had the notion that I would mainly be creating manuals for the store's daily operations. My experience has led me to work on projects that require more creativity on my part. An example of this is creating the flyers for a big event held this past March. This was tricky because, in the classroom, a future technical writer is taught to know their audience. However, when making the flyer, I had more than one audience in mind: the community, the students, and people who do not know much about fair trade. Chris Anson and Lee Forsberg talk about this when they say that a strong Technical Writer, "...meet the demands of multiple readers whose status, power, and professional orientations vary..." (p 201). This has allowed me to tailor my skills to the appropriate social setting needed. The work atmosphere is very organic and requires constant feedback. I have sharpened the skills gained in the classroom and continue to expand my knowledge as I apply real-world concepts to the field. Technical Writing carries a professional advantage as the field is able to apply well in the business world. It has continuously proven to show my co-workers of my competency in my work. Writing is needed everywhere and it is a discipline I believe everyone needs that will most certainly give them a competitive edge in the workforce.

Sources:
Chris Anson and Lee Forsberg. "Moving Beyond the Academic Community: Transitional Stages in Professional Writing."

From Schoolroom to Workroom

My internship is with Dr. Jamie McDaniel, the director of Technical/Professional Writing program at Pittsburg State University. So far, my internship has provided a variety of opportunities that aid in developing a full skill set. These skills range anywhere from editing copy for department documents to web and graphic design for the website and social media pages. The main project I am completing for Dr. McDaniel is revamping the Technical/Professional Writing program. I'm completing this project in the form of  two websites: the department page for the Pitt State website and a supplemental website for aspiring professional writers and students. The websites will have copy that has been transformed and re-communicated, a promotional video that outlines the purpose of the program, and social media pages that will draw students in. The main goal is to promote the program to the extent where students are drawn in. In the past, the department has found that many students attach negative connotations to technical. The goal of the project is to eliminate the word completely and introduce the program as Professional Writing. Part of my responsibilities include effectively communicating to students about the change in this program and what it can offer them. With this goal, I have sharpened and developed skills in rhetorical and persuasive writing, graphic design, web design, videography, editing, and marketing tactics such as promotional appeal. I thought I would do a lot more writing and a lot less filmmaking, editing, and designing, but I enjoy these new skills I have acquired.

Many of the web design skills I have acquired differ from many of the academic writing I've done previously. As a literature major, a lot of my work consists of analysis of literature. Although my papers should be persuasive and rhetorical, I am only appealing to a single or limited audience. In writing for the new program, my audience is vast--therefore, my writing habits have to be altered. Additionally, the audience members I'm mainly appealing to fall in the 18-25 range--so, my tone, graphics, and overall message has to alter to their individual culture. As Linda Driskill states in her article, "Understanding the Writing Contexts in Organizations," "Culture is a powerful determinant of the definition and situation of rituals and procedures" (64). In my implementation and writing, I had to analyze these cultural norms and nuisances so that I could appeal to the specified audiences.

The internship with Dr. McDaniel is very relaxed and informal. Although he provides me with the proper guidance, most of the work comes from me. Every week we meet in his office to discuss the work that he assigns or the progress I've made on the project as a whole. I show my work to him and he critiques it as he pleases. I like this dynamic and I think it's helpful in creating and maintaining healthy and professional collaborations. The work I've completed so far has been challenging yet rewarding. I am sharpening already developed skills in classes I've taken previously as well as developing new ones. If you're ever thinking about going the academic route for a career, I would consider and internship or research project with a professor. It really gives you a detailed look at the academic work, field, and relationships you'll encounter.

From Schoolroom to Workroom

The Writers’ Slate is an online publication that promotes reading and writing in children and young adults. As the intern for The Writers’ Slate my responsibilities are pretty vast because it is only me and the Editor, Professor Franklin. Professor Franklin only has one intern for the whole year. So, that one intern is going to be working on all three of those issues. During the year I am given the tasks of working as the assistant editor, corresponding with the writers and designing the layout/format.

To be a positive influence and contributor to The Writers’ Slate, intern candidates should have a natural love for reading, an appreciation for the art of writing and have creative influence. They should also have organizational skills and be punctual with meeting the deadlines required for the internship. Between all of the emails, timeline meetings and the overall deadline an intern needs to be able to pass themselves in their work and not wait until the last minute to complete the Issue. Another skill that a future intern should encompass is communication skills, face to face, over the phone, and email. They should also be able to keep themselves on track and use problem solving skills, but never afraid to ask for help. Quite a bit of the work they will be doing is on their own time away from Slate meetings, so by them having some of these basic working skills they should be more than ready/prepared for the work they are being asked to complete.

Intern candidates should be able to communicate clearly through a variety of situations. As the Slate intern you will most likely be communicating with a student writer constantly through the process of preparing an Issue and publishing their work. These communications need to be seen as professional and easily understood by someone of any age and someone whose first language might not be English. In Linda Driskill’s article “Understanding the Writing Contexts in Organizations” she talks about how the advances in technology and the expanding of intercultural population causes the need for understanding, empathy, and the ability to adapt while communicating to become more prevalent in today’s society. At The Writers’ Slate we receive submissions from a wide age range of students. When communicating with these students (“Congratulations” email or asking about spelling/minor improvements) you need to show patience and understanding. We want to encourage them to continue in their writing and creative dreams without squashing their ideas.

Something that an intern candidate should also keep in mind is that even though The Writers’ Slate team is small there is still a work hierarchy to follow. In Chris Anson and Lee Forsbergs article “Moving Beyond the Academic Community: Transitional Stages in Professional Writing” they address the need for balance between the informal and professional in the work environment. Some of the tasks that will be asked of the intern are comparative to the assignments given in some of the Technical Writing classes. However, different from those assignments these tasks need to be handled in a professional manor because they are someone’s work being published in a respectable online forum. This should carry more weight for the intern and help them develop their professional self and their professional writing.

Finally, something else that would be beneficial to a Slate intern is some experience with both Adobe Photoshop and Adobe InDesign. It is okay if they are not overly proficient using it but should have a basic knowledge from previous classes.  The Writers’ Slate is very understanding and likes to foster new ideas for design and creativity, which an intern is able to showcase in the final contest Issue. So, if you are someone who has the ideas but are not very comfortable using these two Adobe tools do not let it hold you back. A lot can be learned from trial and error.

Sources:

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

Driskill, Linda. “Understanding the Writing Contexts in Organizations.”

From Schoolroom to Workroom

My internship is with Dr. McDaniel.  I am creating a user guide for a program called Scalar, which is used by authors to publish their writing.  With this program, authors can easily combine media from multiple sources with their own writing. My internship is pretty informal because it is not with an actual organization, so there was not really a list of qualifications that I had to meet.  However, I would consider being a student in the Technical and Professional Writing program a pretty important qualification.  By taking all of the classes in this emphasis, I learned the necessary writing skills that I used in my internship.  I also learned how to create a meaningful learning experience, which is very important considering that I am creating a user guide for students.

For my internship, I did not have to learn any new writing styles or abilities. However, I did have to learn how to use a new program called Scalar.  Before my internship, I had never heard of this program, so at first it was intimidating trying to learn this new program.  But, because I had to learn how to use it, I will be able to create a better user guide because I know what was challenging for me.  During my internship, I also used my ability to create a meaningful learning experience.  I knew that I needed to incorporate aspects that will keep users interested.  I am also applying the skills that I learned to write and format the user guide correctly. 

Going into this internship I didn’t really have any expectations as to what skills I would learn.  If I had stuck with my original internship with the Humane Society, I would have become more proficient in grant writing.  With my new internship, there have not been any skills that I have not learned or practiced yet that I thought I would have.

Since my internship is with Dr. McDaniel and not with a professional organization, the writing is not different.  The project that I am working on is for the Technical and Professional Writing emphasis at Pittsburg State University, so I do not have to change anything that I learned in class to fit meet the requirements of my internship.  As Linda Driskill states in her article, “Understanding the Writing Contexts in Organizations,” “Culture is a powerful determinant of the definition of situation and of rituals and procedures” (64).  I did not have to learn a new culture or change my writing style because I am completing my internship with my own university and with a professor with which I took a multiple classes.

My internship is pretty informal.  I meet with Dr. McDaniel every week to discuss the work that I have done and need to complete.  The hierarchy is very simple because there is just the two of us meeting to talk about this project.  There really is not a work environment because I do all of the work on my on time, usually at my house or the library.  When Dr. McDaniel and I meet, we meet in his office.  The writing context is no different than what I did in my classes. 

Overall, this internship is helpful because I am learning how to use a program that I had never even heard of before.  Even though I did not have to learn a new writing context and culture, I am still developing my skills as a writer. 

Genres in Technical/Professional Writing

In my internship with Dr. Jamie McDaniel at Pittsburg State University I have done a fair amount of writing for the program website and social media sites. However, writing for a professional writing program is seemingly different than writing about PW. It's like the difference between coaching and playing in sports--coaching is a form of interaction from an outside and external perspective, whereas playing a sport is internal and centered around each individual player involved. Although I enjoy the work I have done for my internship so far, the writing is more geared towards a perspective that is centered on providing advice and helpful tips for other PW majors. I stand from an outside perspective looking in to solve problems. 

In my professional experience (I worked with a nonprofit organization), the daily writing tasks I completed showed how I was a more interactive player in that kind of writing--even if it was daily emails, manual revisions, or statement letters. The fact that they were daily shows the internal processes that are tied to each set of writing. Professionals in the field like Carolyn Miller  and Anis Bawarshi consider this genre writing--a style of writing, rather than copy about a specific topic. In Miller's piece, "Genre as Social Action," genre is defined as something that is "rhetorically sound" and "must not be centered on the substance or the form of the discourse, but on the action it uses to accomplish." In other words, writing technical copy involves explaining the actions and the processes involved in constructing such copy. It may seem confusing (trust me I know), but technical copy is not necessarily about the style of PW (although this knowledge is important), it's about the processes that go into such. Let me give an example:

The Department of Homeland Security has recently posted a job listing for a technical writer who has the ability to communicate effectively for incoming immigrants of various nationalities. Now, one would expect this  kind of writing to encircle various languages; instead, this kind of job applicant would need to demonstrate how to speak "globally"-- that is, in a type of style and word choice that any nationality coming into the English language can feasibly comprehend. This kind of writing deflects any kind of phrases, coined terms, or idioms. Further, and more importantly, this type of writing will show what it means to be mindful of others and how other people interpret certain kinds of copy. 

In such instance, Bawarshi and Reiff's explanation in "Rhetorical Genre Studies" that genre is limited to it's most common and everyday uses is exemplified by the demands of that job listing--the job listing shows that everyday communication, is not only essential in technical copy, but an effective part of any human-to-human interaction. These kinds of writing ensure that the writer is a central player--an internal force, rather than just an outside hand with a specialized perspective. 

Genres in Technical and Professional Writing

My internship with Krimson Kultuur has introduced me to many genres within the Technical field. Carolyn Miller mentions that the, "definition of a genre must be centered not on the substance or the form of discourse but on the action it is used to accomplish" (Miller 151).  I noticed that the main thing I find myself doing in this internship involves many document design projects. Being the only technical writer in my work environment, I find most need in marketing efforts. Technical and Professional Writing allows me to focus on my audience, which would be the businesses' targeted demographic: young adult to middle aged women. A lot of my efforts involves out-of-house activity more so than internal matters such as communication channels. Everything that I work on will eventually end up being seen by the public. This makes me more cautious in every piece that I produce. I double check every project before it goes off to printing or social media.

In the article, "Genre As Social Action", it mentions that a genre "must involve situation and motive" (151).  This could not be more true. Krimson Kultuur is currently planning a fashion show later this month. The root of this large event is to increase awareness within the City of Pittsburg about our fashionable products and the social benefits it brings to people in developing countries. The first task I had to do was create a flyer that would increase awareness about the event. Now, I am assigned the responsibility of making flyers for every vendor that we will end up showcasing. This flyer will be used in multiple ways: each vendor will have a table with the flyer displayed along with the products we currently own, it will be a visual and informative piece for customers, and it will give the intern a synopsis of our product so they can better explain the story behind the product when selling the items. When piecing these flyers together, I must constantly be thinking of my targeted audience. Our story is what sells the products.

The genre that I find present in the field is adaptability. In order to perform certain tasks flexibility is a necessary component. In a business, customer's opinions about products change all the time. In order to understand the audience, one must also understand their motive. Genre can be applied here because everything that is written must be revised and made sure that it appeals to the audience. It is a process of researching and applying knowledge into the message the business is trying to convey to their market. It almost acts as a constant way of communicating with the seller and buyer and using Technical Writing to clear up any barriers that may block that message. It seems very small in the larger picture but is actually a critical tool to use for a successful marketing campaign.

Miller, Carolyn Genre As Social Action

Genres in Technical / Professional Writing

            My original internship experience could be considered unsuccessful.   It did not really go as planned. Originally, my internship was with the Southeast Kansas Humane Society of Crawford County.  My role was to find grants and then apply for them by filling out the applications and writing grant proposals, which is a specific genre within itself.  Unfortunately, I was unable to do my job because of ineffective communication.  I found multiple grants for which I thought we could apply, but it was extremely difficult for me to get the information that I needed.  Because of that, I did not complete and submit one grant application in the 6 or 7 weeks that I was working with them. 

            Since my internship with the Humane Society was unsuccessful, I was told to stop working with them and I started a new internship with Dr. McDaniel.  Now, I will be working on an instructional design project for a program called Scalar.  This is a program that will be used in the new Professional Writing program. It is a publishing platform that is also very interactive.  I just started working on this new internship this week, so I do not really know what genre I will be using to complete this project. 

            From what I know about this new project and what I have learned about Scalar, I can assume that I will be writing in an academic and professional genre.  This is something that will be used by a diverse group of students, so it needs to be applicable to a wide variety of individuals.  Since my project will be used as an introduction to this program, it also needs to be easy to use and understandable. 

            This genre that I will be writing in could change depending on the situation.  If I was writing for a very specific group of people instead of a diverse group of students, then I could use a genre more related to their field.  For example, if I was creating this project for a group of sociology students, then I could pick a topic and genre that is connected to their interests.  By writing in a general, academic, and professional genre, multiple people will be able to benefit from my project. 

            As I get started and actually get some writing done, I may realize that I need to do this project in a completely different genre.  I think this new internship will be a trial and error experience until figure out exactly how I want to tackle it.