MEMORANDUM

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TO: Professor Jim Henry

FROM: Susan K. Ugoji

SUBJECT: Reflective Analysis

This course, Technical Writing/English 410, was a very enjoyable course. In it, we learned a great deal about how to compose documents technically, both written and on the internet. The new insights about writing and reading are as follows:

Þ I learned more about how to go into a job, whether I know anything about it or not, and was able to present the writing in an effective, efficient, and concise manner to my audience, whoever they may be.

Þ I learned how to present a document to my audience and be able to change the writing technically according to the audience’s own knowledge.

Þ I learned how to analyze a document, what the document was trying to communicate to the audience, and why it was done in that manner.

In my approach to writing/revising changes includes:

Þ When reading a document, I learned that one should ask questions about everything—not just about what one knows; but even about what one doesn’t know; because it, too, can be written improperly.

Þ When revising a document, I also learned that the document must be presented in an effective manner in which the author should know what they are talking about—the author has the say in what should and should not be changed.

Þ When writing in a group, it is necessary to be prepared to spend long hours with that group as there are so many differences of opinion. Much of the time we spent preparing our article for Elevator World was spend determining who should do what, when we should do it, and exactly what should be written down.

Writing Skills in other courses and settings:

Þ The ability to constantly go over a document and edit it sufficiently has assisted in my position as an Administrative Assistant. Editing document properly is a great asset when working in a Civil Engineering Division. Many of the Engineers have complemented me on my ability to recognize the proper use of words, proper punctuation, and proper grammar, when asked to do so. It is an asset that will be used for a long time from this course, even if I’m not a Technical Writer, per se.

Þ Additionally, the technical aspect of writing can be used in my other courses when writer papers. Looking at the specifics is a great asset when writing papers.

Insights on knowledge found through compiling this portfolio in electronic form:

Þ I’m not good with computer because I consider myself a writer; however, I found I was better at doing a computer exercise than I thought.

Þ I found I could write on the computer just as I could on a piece of paper, i.e., hard copy.

Þ My ethos, pathos, and logos improved and became more computer-friendly.

Best of luck in your future endeavors, Professor Henry.