Reflection Journal -

One of the most effective ways we can understand what it is we know, what we have learned, and what we still need to know is through reflective writing. While reflective writing is not, by definition, technical writing, this weekly exercise should help you to better assess your progress through the course and course concepts.

In addition to your participation in the discussions, your weekly writing, your reading, and other course requirements, you will be tasked with writing a short journal entry each week.

This Week's Journal Topic

While technical writing can differ greatly from academic writing, these styles share many of the same elements, specifically grammar, words usage, mechanics, and form.

For this week's journal entry, take some time to reflect on your previous writing experiences. Do you consider yourself to be a struggling writer, and average writer, a good writer, an excellent writer? What is your attitude toward writing? What three things would you like to improve about your writing? How might you go about making those improvements? How might this class help you in moving closer to your writing goals?

Your response should be narrative in style, be honest, and it should be from 150 - 250 words in length.

Reader Analysis Chart -

For this assignment, we will explore different types of readers, specifically in terms of their needs, values, and attitudes. You will need to identify/create three groups-a primary group, a secondary group, and a gatekeeper group. You can be creative in your group criteria, but your purpose should center on potential stakeholders for the mock business for your portfolio. The mock business is a calibration lab called "Precise is Nice Labs."

Once you have your groups, create a Reader Analysis Chart.

You can make up your own demographic groups; the following list may help you develop some ideas (they are listed in no particular order):

• Technical writing students in this class
• Your instructor
• A 90 year-old grandmother
• A military wife
• A local politician
• A girl still in high-school who is taking this class for college credit
• A Four-Star General
• A welder trying to get an education so he can get a better job
• An unemployed father
• A genius 12-year-old boy who finished school early
• A prison inmate taking online college courses while serving time
• A single mother
• The CEO of a company looking to improve his technical writing skills on the side
• A disabled veteran
• A shut-in who is obsessed with fresh-water fish
• A talking (and reading) dog named Foosball
• Jim, Sarah, and Dominique from Human Resources
• Clowns

Feel free to be creative. Remember, as it is with all technical writing tasks, you will need to take the time to edit and revise your work so it is clean, readable, informative, and attractive to your readers.