Brian G's What is the Problem Solving Approach

The problem solving approach is a detailed plan that allows professional writers to take their communication and write it through this five step approach. The main reason that someone would use the problem solving approach is to, “address the entire process of solving workplace problems through communication, from understanding the problem to releasing the document.” (Dobrin 14) The five main parts to the PSA are plan, research, draft, review, and distribute.
The first step in the PSA is to plan out what you are going to be writing. Some of the questions that you will be asking are:
“Establish a purpose for writing
Define the real problem or reason for writing
Consider the delivery of the information
Identify what information you have and what you will need” (Dobrin 14)
This is the very beginning of the problem solving approach. You are gathering base information to prepare to write your paper.

Research is the most important part to the PSA. It is where you will gather the bulk of the information that will be presented in the paper. Some of the things that you will do in the research phase are:
“Determine the information and how to get it
Organize the information that you gathered
Evaluate the information and see if you need more” (Dobrin 14)
At the end of this phase you will have the majority of your information and be able to begin the draft phase of the problem solving approach.

A draft is important because it allows you to see how the paper is coming together. It is the most common part of the PSA that is not done consistently. Most people do not write a draft before they begin to produce the final copy. The draft allows you to:
“Confirm your goals and purposes, document format, and delivery method
Draft the document
Arrange the document
Add information that might help present you information” (Dobrin 15)

After the draft you will begin the review phase of the PSA. This is the last check of how you are solving the problem and how the information is coming. This is where you will be getting feedback from people who have read the paper. You will also revise the paper based on the feedback that you are given. The most important part of the review is to “edit the document to ensure correctness.” (Dobrin 15)

The last part of the problem solving approach is the distribution of the information. This is when you present the information to the audience and get feedback from them on the effectiveness of the paper. You will need to follow up with the audience and make sure that they received the document. This is when you will find out if there is other information that needs to be presented in a later document.

The problem solving approach is an important tool when trying to solve a problem in the workplace. If you follow the PSA you will have a good set of tools that will allow you to provide the desired audience with a well written paper that solves the workplace problem.

References:
Dobrin, Sidney; Keller, Christopher; Weisser, Christian. “Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century” Second Edition. Published by Pearson Prentice Hall 2008

Al P. Writing effective e-mails

E-mail is one of today’s most important and frequently used means of communication. When writing an e-mail you must make sure that you are writing an effective e-mail and not a long over written message that loses focus and loses your readers interest. Most people today have plenty of e-mail experience in their personal lives, but when it comes to e-mail in the work place it’s a totally different story. The type of e-mail your writing should be represented by your “writer’s voice”, or in other words tone, choosing the right voice is extremely important if you want to compose a clear and concise message for your readers. According to an article written by Kathy Gentile, There are three types of voices that may be used when writing an e-mail:

· Casual Voice- This type of voice should be used in non-formal messages to friends or family members.
· Semi-Formal Voice- This type of writing style should be used in serious or less formal business e-mails. It can also be used between colleagues in work-related discussions. You should focus on the message you want to get across and keep the personal side out of it.
· Formal Voice- This is the strictest of the three voices. When using this voice; salutations, complete sentences, and correct grammar should all be taken into account. This style should be used on applications, e-mails to your superiors, and e-mails of introduction.

When writing an e-mail you need to keep it short and sweet, and get to the point as soon as possible. You should also always keep in mind what your reader may already know, there is no point in providing extra information if they already have it. You should also always remember to treat your e-mails as public documents. Here is the basic structure on how to write an e-mail, according to the book, Technical Communication in the twenty-first century.

· Subject line- keep it concise and specific
· Recipients- Make sure you choose your recipients wisely
· Salutations- start with dear, followed by recipients name or title
· Message Content- When writing a business e-mail it should only contain important information that pertains to the subject at hand.(All e-mails should start with background info, then important details, and lastly pertinent information.)
· Signature- Should include your name, and in formal situations, job title and phone number.
· Attachments- You can attach reports, proposals, and contracts to your e-mails.(reference attachments in your e-mails)

References:
Dorbin, Sidney I., Christopher J. Keller and Christian R. Weisser. Technical Communication: In the Twenty-First Century. Upper Sadle,NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2008.

Gentile, Kathy. "The Essentials of Writing Effective Emails ." 3 June 2005. Googobits.com. 8 November 2009.

Comma Usage

Comma's are one of the most basic, yet powerful tools when it comes to writing. Unfortunately they are also one of the most misplaced, misused and forgotten. As any writer will tell you, if you know how a properly use the comma, it can greatly improve your writing skills. However, this is easier said than done. Here are some basic rules to follow that could greatly improve your writing.

• Items in a series- a series is considered three or more items.

Example: My favorite flavors of ice cream are vanilla, chocolate chip cookie dough, and strawberry.

• Introductory elements- will join the first part of the sentence to the second

Example: After the Yankees won the World Series this year, I will never watch baseball again.

• Dates: essential for writing. misuse of commas here will greatly diminish a writers credibility

Example: Thanksgiving this year will be on November 26th, 2009.

• Creating compound sentences- be sure to use a conjunction along with the comma

Example: I would love to go out tonight, but I am currently blogging about comma usage.

• Parenthetical expressions- adding more information to the sentence

Example: Joe would like hotdogs, not hamburgers, at the barbeque tonight.

OR

Example: Ms. Bolduc-Simpson, our professor, is an amzaing teacher!

These are the basics of comma usage, and if you perfect these, you will be sure to see an improvement in your writing.

This is where I found most of my information.

http://iws.ccccd.edu/jmiller/a%20brief_%20no-nonsense%20guide%20to%20comma%20usage.htm

Jason K's Basic Elements of Letters

In the 21st century, communication methods have and still are drastically changing. Now with access to send emails, instant messages, and/or even text messages from a mobile device. People today are using easier and more convenient means of communicating, but it hasn’t always been this way. Before the creation of the internet and cell phones, people mainly communicated using what is still frequently used today, letters. According to the textbook, Technical Communication in the twenty-first century, letters can be written in various forms and include different stylistic and organizational features. The variations are often in relation to:

· Who is your audience

· The purpose for writing

· External problems a letter might address

· The rhetorical problems surrounding the writer

Due to variations, not every letter contains the same elements. Regardless, every letter should contain most if not all of the basic elements. You should begin a letter with a:

· Heading or Letterhead (usually appearing centered at the very top of the letter, and could include contact information from the writers such as the business’ name, address, and telephone number)

· Date (when the letter was sent, not made)

· Recipient’s Address (the name of the individual if possible, job title, and the recipient’s address)
· Salutation or Greeting (begins with Dear, followed by the recipient’s name ending with a colon)

Next, in a letter is the body. This is where any and all information that is written will go, It will reveal the overall purpose of the letter and ultimately what is trying to be accomplished by the writer. Elements in the body are:

· Introductory (provides the reader with any background information necessary to understand
the rest of the letter)

· Body (provides further details on the purpose/message for writing the letter)

· Concluding (provides information in which the letter sums up or reiterates the main point of the message)

· Closing Phrase (is basically a word or 2 words followed by a comma that appears right before the signature)

If you have followed the basics so far, you are very close to being done. The closing variations are:

· Signature (the writers signature going above the typed writers name and job title)

· Page Headers (If you have multiple pages then at the very top of the paper the writer includes information such as the date, the person receiving the letters name, and page number)

Reference:

Dobrin, S. I., Keller, C. J., & Weisser, C. R. (2002). .TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION: in the Tweny-First Century Upper Saddle River , NJ: Pearson Custom Publishing.

Anthony B Resume writing tips

One of the most important things to remember when writing a resume is to be truthful and accurate with your information. In order for your resume to be effective it must be clearly organized an filled with specific details. It also must be free from errors. Forfill the aforementioned requirements and you can prepare your resume in any way. The reason your resume should be error free is because it shows the reader that you are detailed oriented and that you are concerned with quality. Having an error on your resume is the most likely way to get yourself eleminated from a job oppertunity.





After you have completed an error free outline with truthful and accurate information you should try and decifer the information that is relivent to the job you are applying to. You should also consider who will be reading your resume.





There are alot of diffrent types of resumes one can write. You have Chronological, Skill, Entry-level, and online resumes.

• chronological resumes - are the most common types of resumes. This type summarizes your experience and training in the order in which it occured.




• skill resumes - emphasize the experience and skills that qualify the applicant for a position, rather than specific degrees, job titles, and dates.




• entry-level resumes - are used by people with no professional experience.




• online resumes- are the most broad catagory of resume. These resumes can be as simple as posting your existing resume to the web, or using word or wordperfect to create useful and intresting resumes. According to the book Technical communication in the twenty-first century "use caution when creating online resumes, if the job you are applying to requires the ability to code web pages don't create your online resume using Word." Online resumes give you the ability to use technology. You have the potential to use pictures, audio, and video to create an interactive document.

For a complete guide on how to write a resume one should refer back to Technical communication in the twenty-first century. One could also refer to google for a complete guide or could go to a career development center for personal assistance. Below I'm going to outline the basic elements of a resume. If you have any questions on formating, or the structure seek help from one of the above sources.

• Your resume should start with contact information. This includes name, phone number, address, and email.
• A career objective should follow your contact information. Keep the 5 C's in mind when writing this short paragraph. The following bullet points each get there own section and should come after the career objective.
• education
• experience
• honors and awards
• activities
• references

After your resume has been proof read it's now ready to get you a job.

References:

"Technical Communication in the twenty-first century"

Alexis B's Writing To Fit Your Audience

One of the most important steps in drafting your document or speech is identifying WHO you are writing to. Who is your audience?

According to writing.colostate.edu, there are three questions you can ask yourself to help analyze your audience.

• Who they are? (age, sex, education, economic status, political/social/religious beliefs);

• What level of knowledge do they have about the subject being discussed? (general reader, specialist or expert)

• In what context will they be reading the piece of writing or hearing the speech? (in a newspaper, textbook, popular magazine, on the Internet, etc.).

It is obvious that you would not speak to college students in the same manner that you would speak to a group of senior citizens. In the same way you do not want to offend your audience (or a group of your audience) by taking sides on touchy subjects such as politics and/or religious beliefs. Here it is important to Identify WHO you are speaking to.

The level of knowledge/information that your audience has is also a large factor in determining how you should compose your document. According to Michel Muraski from Colorado State University there are three types of audiences: lay, managerial, and expert.

• The “lay” audience has little or no knowledge on the addressed subject. Therefore it is essential to fill in all of the holes. They usually need background information and they expect more definitions and descriptions.

• The “managerial” audience has more knowledge than a lay audience, but not as much as an expert on the subject. They still need information to make a decision about the issue/subject.

• The "experts" may be the most demanding audience in terms of knowledge, presentation, and graphics or visuals.

References:

“Determining your Audience Type.” Colorado State University. Web. 2 November 2009. .

Hello!

I just wanted to let you all know I'm looking forward to reading all of your blogs this week and seeing what type of stuff you choose to write about! Have a good weekend!