Home Page Lecture 01A
(Week 01, Period A)
- Lecture.mp3
- Listen in iTunes
- Listen on Stitcher
-
I. Chapter 1
Chapter 1 talks about the basics of technical
writing. Technical writing involves both content,
format, and/or medium of the writing. It includes
sales brochures, assembly manuals, repair manuals, and many
other items that normal individuals get from business,
school, and government. Other technical documents may
be internal within an organization, from one expert to
another or from expert to non-expert.
Markel also talks about the characteristics of good
technical writing. Remember that you can accidentally
miss the mark and create bad technical writing, or you can
miss the mark on purpose and create evil technical writing.
II. Chapter 5
Audience and purpose. Your purpose is to give your
audience certain information and frequently to get a specific
action from the audience.
Also, whether technical writing is good or not can depend on
the audience. Look at two different sets of directions for
installing a hard drive:
One set of instructions is much more detailed than the other,
but that may be due to different audiences; the Samsung
instructions could be appropriate for a technician, while the
Seagate is better designed for an end user who is not an expert.
The text gives a form to help you determine who your audience
is and how you should relate to them. I've adapted the
textbook's audience analysis sheet for this class -- download
the pdf and turn it in (as a pdf is fine) when called for in the
assignment.
IV. Thesis exercises
During this part of the lecture, look at the thesis exercises.
The hardest thing you'll be doing with your thesis is getting it narrow enough.
V. Veal Calf ad
During this part of the lecture, look at the veal calf ad.
| Who? |
Veal consumer/ preparer |
Veal farmer |
Senator Vitter |
| Where? |
Goumet,/ Bon Appétit |
Progressive farmer |
Letter Petition Letter to editor of the Morning Advocate |
| So what? |
1. Pity for the calf 2. Personal health |
Lower income because of boycott |
1. Votes 2. Campaign $ |
| Thesis? |
1. Don't buy veal! 2. Send $ to the HFA |
Don't raise veal. |
Pass a law |
Home Page