ENGL 3553: Writing for the Workplace: Digital Tools & Practice

ENGL 3553:Writing for the Workplace:Digital Tools & Practice Frederic Murray, M.L.I.S. Reference Librarian Al Harris Library 580 774 7113

NEA Study 2007:To Read or Not To Read • Americans are spending less time reading • Reading comprehension skills are eroding • These declines have serious civic, social, cultural and economic implications

To Read or Not To Read • More than 60% of employed Proficient readers have jobs in management or in the business, financial, professional and related sectors • Only 18% of Basic reader are employed in those fields • Proficient readers are 2.5 times as likely as Basic readers to be earning $850 or more a week -U.S. Dept. of Ed: Nat. Center for Education Statistics 2005

Employers now rank reading and writing as top deficiencies in new hires. • “Written communication” tops the list of applied skills found lacking in high school and college graduates alike. • 38% of employers find high school graduates “deficient” in reading comprehension… • One in five U.S. workers read at a lower skill level than their job requires. • Remedial writing courses are estimated to cost more than $3.1 billion for large corporate employers and $221 million for state employers.

To Read or Not To Read • Employers now rank reading and writing as top deficiencies in new hires

Writing Process Invent Compose Revise

Writing Process • Invent: Brainstorm • Compose: Who Is Your Audience • Revise: Writing is….Rewriting

Focus and Purpose • Business writing is action-oriented and user-centered. It aims to effect positive change, through both persuasive and informative strategies. • It is essential that you have a clear understanding of the purpose of your document.

Class Activities • Break into groups with an assigned site…critically deconstruct a job website • Use bubbl.us concept mapping software • What is the company looking for? • what skills, qualifications etc…are needed? • Brainstorm ideas & create a cover letter, present cover letter, create resume using e-murse

Decoding a Web Site: eurasia group • Evidence • Viewpoint, biases, insights • Audience

Evidence • What is the subtitle of the site? • What is the stated goal? • Skim the front page and the site map to determine the topics covered by this site.

Information about people associated with a site is usually contained in a section called "About." Who might be interested in the information on this site? Look for the Career link Audience Viewpoint, biases, insights

Decoding a Web Site: eurasia group • Evidence • Viewpoint, biases, insights • Audience

Mind Mapping: bubbl.us • Concept mapping is a brainstorming strategy to help you generate ideas, visually organize information, and make connections between different concepts. • Decode a website

Class Activity • Break into groups with assigned websites…deconstruct a job website • Worksheet • Use bubbl.us concept mapping software • What is the company looking for? • what skills, qualifications etc…are needed?

Company Assignments • Alaska Airlines • Integris Health • CIA • Dillards • Google • UMaine

bubbl.us • Company • What they do • Why do I want a job there? • How do I get a job there?

The Cover Letter • "I expect the position to pay commissary to that of its value, as well as to the performance completed." Or, decode this: • "It is my desire to develop and generate the revolving scheme to filter to the consuming public in."

Cover Letters • Imagine, if you will, two roommates at Thesaurus U.:"I aspire to obtain a beverage. The vending machine is where my path leads.""I wish to accompany you, since I have assembled a myriad of coins.""I possess coins, as well. Let's embark."

Clean Prose!

Higher Order Concerns • What is your purpose in writing the document? • What purpose should the document serve for your reader? • Is your main point stated early in the document? • What do you want your reader to do when s/he finishes reading the document?

Audience • Have you done enough research about your audience and the organization to which they belong? • Is your document tailored to the needs of a specific audience (user-centered)? • Are your tone and language appropriate for your audience? • Will you have persuaded your reader by the end of the document?

Creating a Mock Cover Letter • Open up Word-download template • Use Decoding Worksheet & bubbl.us • 10-15 minutes • Present to the Class

Creating an Online Resume • E-murse • http://www.emurse.com/ • store up to two Emurse resumes, pick from two professional templates, and host one resume on the web.

Research: Web 2.0 • My Yahoo • I–Google • RSS • Indeed.com

RSS • A web application used to publish frequently updated content such as news headlines, podcasts, or job search. • RSS content can be read using software called an "RSS reader", "feed reader" or an "aggregator"

Indeed.com • Job Search Engine

Digital Tools & Practice • Decode a Website • bubbl.us • Emurse.com • My Yahoo/I-Google • RSS • Indeed.com

Thank You Frederic Murray, M.L.I.S. Reference Librarian 580 774 7113 frederic.murray@swosu.edu

ENGL 3553: Writing for the Workplace: Digital Tools & Practice