This discussion needs two paragraphs. (Material & exercise) Don’t need a lot of words for one paragraph, 1 page for total.
For this week’s discussion, I want everyone to think and talk about how we tailor writing to audiences. I have a few questions to get us started, but just like last week, ONLY CHOOSE ONE to answer or feel free to discuss other concepts from the readings this week along the same topic.
From the materials:
1, Your textbook asks you to “supplement the ideas in [the persuasion chapter] by exercising your powers of observation” (p. 125). See if you can find a piece of professional communication, advertising, or other media that seeks to change your opinion or convince you to take a course of action. What principles from our readings do they employ? Are their efforts effective?
2, A recent special issue of a journal in technical communication focused on the use of narratives in professional writing. Think about an instance where you’ve seen narratives or case studies used in professional writing and discuss why these are particularly effective.
3, We’ll talk about complaints more next week, but think about what you textbook gives you on the process of constructing an effective request. What approaches are essential to getting what you want? What do you think the most important aspect is of a request letter?
4, Flipping the tables, what are some particularly bad pieces of professional writing that you’ve encountered? What principles do they violate from the ACCRUE evaluative tool?
5, Your book singles out hyperbole and generalizations as problematic. Have you encountered either of those approaches in a piece of writing? How would you write the piece of communication instead?
From the practice exercise:
1, Were there any scenarios in particular that you found difficult to assign a medium to? What about the scenario makes choosing a method of communication challenging?
2, Did you find yourself over-relying on one type of medium? Is there a medium that we all collectively dread engaging with on a daily basis?
3, Are there any scenarios that you can think of from your own work experience that present a challenge with regard to choosing an appropriate medium? Elaborate and discuss.