Graduate Development
Research Writing
In this essay, I detail rhetorical solutions for various problems in technical communication through the lens and language of classical and contemporary rhetoricians. This essay advocates for the use of rhetorical judgment when writing and creating technical documentation and working in product development. I highlight the importance of rhetorical judgment focused on audience specifics, such as language, community, accessibility, culture, and cultural shifts. I adapted this writing from three short-form essays and then combined them to form this extensive work which includes examples of contemporary applications and case studies that demonstrate rhetorical judgment as an imperative for audience inclusivity, influence, and motivation. My essay also examines the educational and political climate and the importance of rhetorical language to power and power systems. Additionally, I examine how language can remove and reduce power from marginalized communities or provide power and access to marginalized communities.
In this work, I provide a comprehensive ethnographic report of The State of Eritrea (Eritrea) based on extensive research from African, Italian, and U.S. academic sources. My report examines The State of Eritrea's geography, history, peoples, languages, economy, politics, religion, education, liberal arts, visual arts, music, and social and familial traditions. Eritrea's colonial and historical political unrest made this report a difficult case study and extensive rhetorical judgment was taken to reach an unbiased and balanced approach to information sources and final inclusions. Since Eritrea's government controls and censors all information in and out of the country, I utilized various mediums to create the most comprehensive report possible, including government sources, foreign media productions, and Eritrean diaspora writers, artists, and journalists. I utilized effective headings and subheading hierarchies, accessibility, images, and indexing to effectively tell the story of The State of Eritrea. My goal for this report was to create an engaging, fair, unbiased, and easy-to-read report for the general and specialized reader.
In this essay, I highlight the interesting power dynamic between Reddit users and the financial industry after individual investors impacted the stock market by driving up the value of failing Game Stop (GME) stock. This work explores power and capital among Reddit users through the theoretical lens of Pierre Bourdieu and Anthony Giddens. This project was intended as a short practice in examining and applying theoretical concepts to real-world phenomena. It is written for readers familiar with Bourdieu and Gidden's writing as applied to the field of anthropology and ethnographic research. My goal in writing this piece was to highlight the way technology can allow groups to behave in new and interesting ways they wouldn't normally behave in.
In this essay, I again highlight the power dynamic between Reddit users and the financial industry but through a different theoretical lens. I again explore Reddit user behavior that involved individual investors who impacted the stock market by driving up the value of failing Game Stop (GME) stock, but from the vantage point of surveillance. In this work, I explore surveillance, power-knowledge relations, and the conscious collective among Reddit users through the theoretical lens of Michel Foucault and Emile Durkheim. This project was intended as a short practice in examining and applying theoretical concepts to real-world phenomena. It is written for readers familiar with Foucault and Durkheim's writing as applied to the field of anthropology and ethnographic research. My goal in writing this piece was to highlight the way technology can empower users through social interactions and roles they might not normally have access to.
Technical Writing
I created this proposal for a document design project that included the following projects, (1) the redesign of an existing document, (2) the creation of a 3-fold flyer, and (3) the creation of a branded T-shirt design. I created this proposal with the intent of providing a detailed overview of the project expectations, costs, and timeline. This proposal was intended for a business client, so I utilized a professional tone, and appropriate headers and hierarchies were created for ease of reading and accessibility. I included tables and lists in the document for browsability and to provide quick overviews of pertinent information, which is important for busy professionals.
The above document includes the deliverables I completed for the client, as outlined in the Document Design Proposal. In the file, I included a business memo listing the included works, their objectives, and an overview of any outcomes from user testing completed on the documents. I followed the memo with the three finished documents. The first document included is a Student Information Packet I redesigned. The redesign corrected for lack of headings and hierarchy, readability, and user navigation. My redesigned document now includes appropriate headers and hierarchies that allow for improved accessibility and functionality. I added tables and lists to the document to provide quick reference sections for important information that incoming students need. I also included a Table of Contents that links to sections in the document for increased searchability speed. The second document included consists of a 3-fold flyer I created with InDesign and was intended as a practice in utilizing Adobe Creative Suite software. I utilized print design best practices, such as font selection, size, color, and plain language for readability by a general audience. My design took into consideration Texas State University's marketing and accessibility guidelines. I created the 3-fold flyer with the intention of grabbing readers' attention by giving them a quick overview of the Texas State University MATC program without overwhelming them with information. The final document is a T-shirt logo and design I created with Adobe Illustrator and was intended as continued practice in utilizing Adobe Creative Suite software. My goal for this final document was to create a T-shirt image that was a conversation starter about what technical communicators do. I created this design with font and color best practices for printing on materials like fabric and at different sizes and scales.
I developed this document with the intent of creating a basic overview of Adobe XD Software for a novel user. I selected the tasks and general functions a new user needs to get started in creating designs and wire maps with Adobe XD. This tutorial was also an opportunity for me to gain personal skills in utilizing Adobe XD Software for design and user testing. I utilized software documentation best practices by taking a task-based approach comprised of short individual tasks. My tutorial can be read from start to finish as a guide to utilizing Adobe XD. However, I included a Table of Contents with links to tutorial sections and an Index which allows returning users to access only the parts they need for quick reference. The inclusion of these elements helps reduce reading and searching frustration for more advanced users who simply need a refresher while conducting their work.
I created the above technical writing compilation that demonstrates different short practices in technical writing genres. My compilation includes a Getting Started Guide, recipe, Quick Reference Guide, style guide, and tutorial. I created these works with the intention of demonstrating skills in writing under various technical genre conditions.
Media Writing and Production
I created this proposal for a Texas State University video tutorial production project that included the following, (1) one storyboard, (2) video script and captions, (3) audio and visual recording, and (4) video editing. I created this proposal with the intention of providing a detailed overview of the project expectations and timeline. This proposal was intended for a business client, so I utilized a professional tone, and appropriate headers and hierarchies were created for ease of readability and accessibility. I included tables and lists in the document for the browsability of pertinent information, which is important for busy professionals.
The above document demonstrates the video production storyboard process I utilized during the development of my Texas State University video tutorial. This process includes a quick sketch of the intended video shot, the associated audio effects, and the shot duration. The storyboard is an important step in the video production process and assists in creating the visual and audio design elements needed for effective videos. The storyboard document also allows the creator to make changes quickly and effectively before production on the actual video starts and keeps all individuals that work on the video up to date on changes. Any changes in the video were adopted and amended on this storyboard.
I created the above document to include the video transcript, captions, and production shot list. I developed this document from the storyboard so all visual and audio properties fit the overall vision for the video tutorial. This is the document I utilized during the filming and editing process to produce the final video. Any issues that arose during the filming, audio, or editing process were updated and adjusted for on this form. This document served as a guide to ensure the final video tutorial vision was accurately achieved. The final video production can be viewed under the Media tab.