The following learning outcomes were among those met during the course of completing the PTW Master's program.
Understanding the history and theory of the profession includes:
Analyzing a variety of rhetorical situations includes:
Conducting primary and secondary research includes:
Using ethical and appropriate rhetorical strategies to develop arguments
Exploring and experimenting with technologies includes:
Attending to editorial detail and citation includes:
Acting as professionals in and outside the classroom includes:
Participating in the profession outside the classroom includes:
Understanding the history and theory of the profession includes:
- Locating, analyzing, assessing, and synthesizing scholarly research
- The research paper written for RHET 7313-Theory of Technical Communication and included on this page uses scholarly research to examine the writing of several authors on the ethics of visual rhetoric and the ethical responsibilities that communicators have when selecting and creating visual rhetoric. I analyzed, compared and contrasted the opinions of authors from journal articles assigned as coursework as well as several located through library database searches.
Analyzing a variety of rhetorical situations includes:
- Writing for audiences and contexts other than teachers and classes
- This learning outcome is demonstrated in the professional writing samples displayed here, which are among hundreds of articles I have written for publication in print and online throughout my career. These audiences have included hospital supporters and donors; cancer patients; parents; high school students; tourists; and others. Writing for these audience varies from writing for an academic audience in several ways, including the use of a more casual tone; more commonly recognizable word choice; shorter paragraphs and overall article length; and nonacademic sources.
- Treating audience members ethically and civilly
- This learning outcome is demonstrated in the example titled "$1.8 Million Research Project Grant Marks Third Concurrent NIH Award by UAMS Scientist" by my ability to translate complex scientific information into language that is understandable and appropriate for a lay audience. In order to write ethically, a writer must tell the truth and present his or her unique viewpoint using language that is appropriate and understandable to each particular audience.
Conducting primary and secondary research includes:
- Primary Research Skills
- Writing effective survey and interview questions
- I am in the process of conducting multiple interviews with the four surviving Sisters of Charity in Hot Springs, who are the subjects of my thesis. The IRB required submission of interview questions that would be posed to the sisters. These questions are intended to cover subjects related to their childhood; entry into and life at the convent; their excommunication; and their current situation.
- Writing effective survey and interview questions
Using ethical and appropriate rhetorical strategies to develop arguments
- Developing evidence and appeals appropriate to specific audiences by analyzing and synthesizing research, experience, and other sources of knowledge
- This portfolio fulfills the above learning objective by analyzing the projects and materials completed during my time in the master's program. With the department leadership as its primary audience, the portfolio is not only an effective method to compile and display the work I completed, it more importantly provides me an opportunity to synthesize each assignments' connection to the course learning objectives and my achievements over the course of the program.
Exploring and experimenting with technologies includes:
- Using technology to invent, refine, and deliver a variety of texts
- The syllabus, schedule and course website produced for the OWI Certificate Program and used to teach RHET 1311 in fall 2017 utilized the website platform Weebly and Google Docs to effectively deliver required materials to students.
Attending to editorial detail and citation includes:
- Using multi-pass editing to produce consistently error-free documents for specific audiences, situations, and purposes
- The book proposal produced for Publishing Inside/Out is an excellent example of multi-pass editing, as it was written in multiple stage and required multiple revisions before being compiled into one cohesive document.
Acting as professionals in and outside the classroom includes:
- Working collaboratively and considerately with other writers as evidenced in drafts and final products
- The group project completed in RHET 7373 and included as examples #3 and #4 on this page demonstrates my experience of working collaboratively with fellow writers in drafts and final products. The position paper and annotated bibliography were produced entirely as an online collaborative project requiring input, revision and ultimately agreement from each team member.
Participating in the profession outside the classroom includes:
- Joining appropriate professional organizations
- As outlined on my CV, I have been a member of the International Association of Business Communicators for more than 10 years and served as president of the Arkansas chapter in 2014. Through membership in IABC, I have not only gained skills needed for success in my profession, but I have more importantly gotten to know many people who work in the same field and share common interests and abilities.