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Release Notes: Welcome to the first issue of MEMORANDUM. Written and designed by students in the Professional Writing program at UAB, this issue focuses on two keys questions: “What is professional writing?” and “What does it mean to be, or to become, a practicing professional and technical communicator?” In addition, MEMORANDUM is intended to function as a way to advertise upcoming events PW (Professional Writing) & RC (Rhetoric and Composition) students might find interesting and inform them about upcoming PW & RC focused classes. Other UAB students should also find the publication useful, because it contains a lot of information about campus services that can help support the academic endeavours of any UAB student. To kick off our inaugural issue, I first need to provide a number of thank yous. First and foremost, thank you to the students who struggled through the steps necessary to make this publication a reality. Everything included in this issue - including the text, layout design, logos, and the advertisement designs - was student produced. As I always say, “Thank you for playing along and for trusting in the process.” The results of your efforts and long hours of work speaks volumes. Second, thank you to the UAB English Department and especially Dr. Bellis for supporting this wonderful opportunity. Last, but not least, thank you to Dr. McComiskey for letting the students in my Introduction to Digital Publishing class re-envision the “Write Now” newsletter. Without the foundation and tradition of student publishing he helped establish, this publication would not have been possible. In closing, keep your eyes open. Future issues of MEMORANDUM are already in the pipeline. In the Spring, the second student produced issue of MEMORANDUM - a completely digital, RSS Feed suported issue - will be released. So look for us online. Until then, ask one of the authors listed in the table of contents to describe their favorite font. Just be prepared to be in conversation with them for about an hour. And, when it comes to designing information, always follow the advice Robin Williams offers in her book The NonDesigner’s Design Book and “Don’t be a wimp.” Sincerely, Dr. Bacha
Contributors
Amy Roberts
Olalekan Dada
Ethan Gissendaner
Sarah Stasiak
Shelby Morris
Edward Ashton
UAB’s Professional Writing & Rhetoric and Composition Magazine IS PUBLISED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM PROFESSIONAL WRITING PROGRAM IN COOPERATION WITH THE UAB ENGLISH DEPARTMENT PLEASE DIRECT QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, AND SUGGESTIONS TO: Dr. Jeffrey A. Bacha Assistant Professor Department of English Phone: 205.996.5328 Fax: 205.975.8125 Email: jbacha@uab.edu Copyright © 2013 UAB English Department Publication Date - Dec. 6, 2013
Table of Contents Shelby Morris
8 Writing Resources Sarah Stasiak
10 What is Prof. Writing? Olalekan Dada
13 D.I.S.C.O. in Woodlawn Ethan Gissendaner
15 Insight from Alumni Amy Roberts
17 Putting PW to Work Edward Ashton
PWC f Alabama at Birming ham sity o iver Un
7 Internships in PW
NAL WRITING C LUB FESSIO PRO
The Professional Writing Club
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Printing on UAB’s Campus
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Technology Corner
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Meet the Faculty Dr. Jaclyn Wells
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Meet the Faculty Dr. Christopher Minnix
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Experience UAB Digital Media
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The Professional Writing Club at UAB
A group of Professional Writing (PW) majors have come together to form a club, which will be designed to provide extracurricular experience related to the subject. The club will be open to anyone who wishes to join. Faculty advisor Dr. Jeffrey Bacha will be available to assist the students, but this will be a student-run club, driven by student interest. PW is a concentration within the English department that is focused less on writing about literature and art and more on writing for the general business world. All industries need skilled writers to create internal documents as well as material to be released to the public. This is when professional writers are brought in. The club’s first order of business will be to get official recognition from the university, joining the list of over 150 different student organizations with a wide range of focuses. Official status boosts an organization’s credibility, which is essential for booking guest speakers, hold functions using UAB facilities, and so on. Steps in this process include electing officers, forming committees, and drafting a constitution, just to name a few. The club will aim to serve its members in a number of important areas related to life after graduation. Students will learn about writing good résumés, which is an important skill for absolutely anyone. Students will also gain experience with industry standard software, such as Photoshop and InDesign. Being able to present documents attractively can be as important as writing the articles themselves. Standing out from the crowd is important when trying to get a good job, and helping students stand out as much as possible will be one the club’s primary goals. Another way the club will benefit its members will be inviting guest speakers and industry experts to come and address the club. Learning from a current member of the professional workforce provides invaluable insight into the professional world after graduation. This is yet another way that the club will be of use to its members: providing experience that goes beyond what can be learned from classroom instruction alone. The members of the PW Club hope the organization will not only help people enhance their résumés and improve their prospects, but that it will also provide them with a more precise understanding of what professional writing is. And, perhaps more importantly, students will see why effective communication can be such a valuable tool to any aspiring professional. So please, try to come and see what the club may have to offer you. No matter how qualified you are, it can only be to your benefit to increase your desirability as a potential employee by learning effective communication skills. To get involved, or find out more about the club, contact Dr. Bacha at jbacha@uab.edu.
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Printing on UAB’s Campus
Printing is a crucial component of the professional writer’s process, but it is somehow one that gets overlooked quite often. Writers always remember spellcheck and page numbers, hyperlinks and proper file formatting, but printing ends up being an afterthought the morning of an assignment’s due date. Fortunately, UAB has printers in high and low places for students to use for various purposes. UAB offers multiple locations for student printing on campus (yes there are more printers than those in Mervyn Sterne) and provides services outside of simple black and white printing. All of UAB’s printing services can be accessed with a quick swipe of your campus or One card and some handy Blazer Bucks or even a debit or credit card. Printing and photocopying can be done in black and white or color for varying costs. Most notably for undergraduate students, the Mervyn H. Sterne library offers black and white as well as color printing on the first floor through the public computers spaced around the collaborative learning space. To print in black and white, it costs nine cents per page and fifty cents in color. Additionally the Educational Technology Service (ETS) in room 238 of the Education building offers printing services. For Honors College students in one of the Global and Community Leadership, Science and Technology, or Experiential Learners Scholars honors programs, the fifth floor honors space in Heritage Hall offers printing and copying in the computer lab for the same charge as in the Sterne library. Residents of Camp and Rast halls have access to in-building computer labs that offer free black and white printing if individual paper is provided. For the graduate students who cannot fathom making the trek to Sterne, Lister Hill Library offers printing and copying also (undergraduates can use these also)! Black and white printers are on the first floor behind the HUB whereas color printers are in front of the elevators. Black and white printing and copying runs ten cents per page and color printing and copying costs seventy-five cents per page. If printing on the good old eight and a half by eleven page is not what you need, UAB is ready to assist. The UAB Campus Printing and Mailing Center provides state of the art printing and mailing services. Large scale print jobs such as flyers, banners, posters—anything but newsprint— can be printed and delivered from the center. Projects have a two day turnaround time. The center also houses a USPS contracted post office. Printing is obviously more than an afterthought on campus—for good reason as professional writing students rely heavily on printing for proofing drafts and finishing assignments. With so many options, scrambling for a printer the morning of a due date should be a thing of the past.
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Technology Corner
Google Drive is a free resource for most compatible Microsoft documents. Drive allows Google account holders to connect with each other through collaborative document sharing. Drive also gives users the ability to save their work on a cloud that is always accessible through internet access. To create a Google Drive account: 1. Go to http://google.com/drive. You will be sent to a page that asks for your e-mail and password. 2. If you do not already have a Google account, you will select “Create an account,” and fill out all of the required information. Once you are finished, select “Next step” to complete your account creation. Creating a file on Google Drive: 1. Select “Create.” 2. Select file type from the options: Document (Word), Presentation (PowerPoint), Spreadsheet (Excel), Form, Drawing. 3. A new tab will open with a blank file. Sharing files with other Google Drive users: 1. Right-click on the file you would like to share. 2. Once you scroll down to the “Share” option, another “Share” will show up. 3. Select the second “Share.” A box titled “Sharing settings” will show up. 4. At the bottom of the box is an option allowing you to “Invite people.” 5. Type your classmates’/collegues’ email addresses in the “Invite People” section. 6. If you would like the people you share this file with to have the power to edit it, select “Can edit.” 7. If you want them to just have to power to comment on the file, select “Can comment.” 8. If you only want them to be able to look at the file, select “Can view.” 9. Select “Share and save” to finish the process. Uploading files to Google Drive: 1. Select the upward facing arrow to the top left of the screen beside “Create.” 2. The options “File” and “Folder” will show up (“File” allows you to upload a single file and“Folder allows you to upload a folder of files). 3. If you are uploading a file, select “File.” a. Select whichever file you want to upload, then select “Open.” 4. If you are uploading a folder, select “Folder.” a. Select whichever folder you would like to upload and select “Ok.”
Meet the Faculty Dr. Jaclyn Wells
Meet the Faculty Dr. Jaclyn Wells
Dr. Wells shares two titles. She is the Director of the University Writing Center as well as an Assistant Professor of English. Dr. Wells received her Ph.D. in 2010 from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. Her career began in 2005 by interning as a tutor in the Master’s program at Southern Illinois University. Her intern experience embarked a passion in University Writing Centers. After her internship, Dr. Wells was employed as an Assistant Professor of English at the University of Southern Indiana from 2010 to 2012. She left Southern Indiana to begin employment at the University of Alabama at Birmingham in the Fall semester of 2012. Dr. Wells teaches introductory and advanced composition courses as well as Writing in Birmingham. Dr. Wells is also actively involved in UAB’s Service Learning Faculty. The members of the Service Learning Faculty study with other teachers across the university to develop Service Learning curriculum. Dr. Wells’ most recent publication is in the Community Literary Journal.
Words of Advice: “Write a little everday... even if it is just for 10 minutes.” -Dr. Wells 4 — 5
Meet Dr. Christopher Minnix
Dr. Christopher Minnix is the Director of Freshmen Composition and an Assistant Professor in UAB’s English Department. He came to Birmingham from Tucson, AZ in 2012. Dr. Minnix served five of six years with the University of Arizona as the Assistant Director of the writing program. Dr. Minnix started his academic career at Grace College, a fouryear liberal arts school in Indiana. He earned his undergraduate degree in Biblical Studies, now referred to as Theological Studies. His interest for language and literature blossomed when he started at Radford University in Virginia. He met his mentor, Dr. Linda Bensel-Myers, when he took EH 505, a required teaching practicum course for graduate students. It was here he was able to fuse his interest for language, philosophy, and history into a master’s degree in Rhetoric and Composition. Upon completing the graduate program at Radford, Dr. Minnix moved to Knoxville to attend the University of Tennessee. While there he continued teaching while working on his Ph. D. in Rhetoric, Writing, and Linguistics. As the Director of Freshmen Composition in UAB’s English Department Dr. Minnix hopes to develop the writing program through collaboration with his fellow colleagues. He feels the art of teaching writing goes beyond a focus on grammar and style, but should be geared towards critical thinking and showing students how to develop a relationship with their writing. Dr. Minnix’s goals include providing sufficient resources for other English Composition professors that will open up the discussion for innovation in the classroom. So far, the department has started using new website resources like First Year Composition Resource (FYCRES). The site offers professors a place to share ideas on materials used for first year composition classes. Dr. Minnix encourages a more multi-modal approach to help students develop their writing. When asked to offer students a single piece of advice, Dr. Minnix responded by advising students to think of their time in college as more than a list of requirements to be met for a degree. He hopes students can see the opportunities college presents for them to collaborate and innovate the future of their program. Dr. Minnix also teaches graduate students in the Rhetoric and Composition program. In his free time he enjoys playing with his dog, Stanley, and watching Newsroom.
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Experience UAB Digital Media
Being a professional writing or even English major, it can be hard to figure out what to do upon graduation from college. Internships help provide experience not only to include in a résumé, but also to narrow possible career choices. Luckily there are numerous internships available around Birmingham and on UAB’s campus. One of the most beneficial is for UAB Digital Media. What is UAB Digital Media you ask? Well, UAB Digital Media is a group of Media Interns and Media Fellows that work on design projects in the Digital Media Commons. The Digital Media Commons is located on the third floor of Heritage Hall and is a lab specifically designed to work with all Adobe programs and other software on state of the art iMacs. They always have interns and fellows running around the media commons willing and ready to help anyone in need. They are always looking for unpaid Media Interns and the qualifications aren’t too demanding. You don’t need to have any experience whatsoever with any of the Adobe programs or technology, although it would help if you do when competing for the spot since they only recruit new people per semester. All you have to do is fill out a basic form online and attach your résumé or your portfolio to it. Also you must be able to work ten hours a week and have enough course credits under your belt to even apply They can offer three hours of college credit in eight departments: art, communications, English, history, government (political studies), media studies, music technology, and theater. If college credit isn’t something you need or you don’t need to perform any internships to graduate, then you might be interested in becoming a member of the volunteer crew. Experience is required if you decide to volunteer. If you finish the internship and want to continue to help, then you can apply to become a Media Fellow. Media Fellows are students, who are highly experienced in digital media, As a part of the UAB Digital Media crew, you’ll get to work on developing websites, constructing a social media strategy, and filming and editing promotional videos. Also handling camera equipment and other expensive media equipment will be a part of the job. Mostly, you must be a happy person and have excitement for learning new things. You’ll be in a fast pace environment with deadlines since UAB Digital Media takes on projects from real clients on and off campus. Media Fellows and Media Interns have the chance to work together and learn from each other since UAB Digital Media is team-based and project based. Students with different skills will be working together and learning from each other. It would be a great opportunity because it would be a great résumé builder and potential employers would be able to see that you have design skills.
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Internships & Workplace Learning Experiences BY Shelby Morris
W
hile college is supposed to prepare someone for the real world, workplace-learning experience comes from internships. College may prepare someone for what he or she is going to do, but internships teach someone how to act and react in a work environment. Many new relationships can be formed while interning, whether with employees, bosses, or the internship coordinator at UAB. Whether paid or unpaid, a student is sure to learn a lot from the experience gained through an internship. There are many internship opportunities available around UAB and in Birmingham. English majors and minors, especially students with professional writing concentrations, have many opportunities to intern at places where their major will be of use. There are graduate and undergraduate internship opportunities within the UAB English department, including: assisting the editors of PMS poemmemoirstudy (http://pmsj.dandoesenglish.com/) and Birmingham Poetry Review (http://birminghampoetryreview. org/). Working as a research assistant for an English professor is also an option to be considered. There are even writing opportunities available on campus in the medical field through the UAB research labs. These are just some of the on campus internship options for English majors or minors. There are also plenty of internships available as writers for local newspapers or corporations off campus. The Birmingham News has paid internships during the summer. There are also many internship opportunities exclusively for women. The Association for Women in Sports Media tries to further the careers of women in sports by placing female college students interested in sports media careers in paid internships. While there are internships available for college students, there are even more available for young professionals after graduation. If one is interested in writing for magazines, then there are companies in Birmingham who publish well-known magazines. Southern Living and Coastal Living are two well-known magazines whose headquarters are in Birmingham. They offer year-long paid internships to people who have bachelor degrees. Experience like this is a huge step toward being employed by a successful magazine corporation. This experience can help land a student a good job outside of the magazine industry since Southern Living and Coastal Living are two of the most successful magazines in the south. Listing them under internship experience will really boost a résumé. If interested in interning, one must first meet several requirements: the student must be enrolled full-time as an English major or minor at UAB and must be classified as a
junior. One must also be able to work the required number of hours (10-15) to fulfill commitments to the employer. Additionally, the student must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 for an off campus internship or on campus research internship and a 2.5 minimum GPA for a publications internship. If awarded an internship, enrollment in EH 311 or EH 411 for the internship semester and supervision from the internship coordinator, Dr. Cynthia Ryan, is required. All the requirements of either of those courses must be met in order to successfully complete an internship. All this information can be found on the UAB College of Arts and Sciences website under Internships in English (https://www.uab.edu/cas/ english/undergraduate-studies/internships-in-english). Scheduling an appointment with Dr. Ryan at the beginning of the semester prior to the internship semester begins this process. Following that meeting, fill out the Internship Application Form online and stay in contact with Dr. Ryan. Make sure to enroll in the required course as well. Dr. Ryan works repeatedly with certain internship organizations and she aims to establish connections for students that best suit their interests and skill sets, placing them in a fitting work environment. She has helped a student in professional writing with an interest in health care work as an intern for UAB Health Care Marketing; she also connected a student pursuing museum studies to an internship cataloging and curating an exhibit for the Reynolds Historical Library atop Lister Hill Library. Numerous stories like these are the product of her work. She even helped a student with plans for a master’s degree in library and information sciences work in the Birmingham Public Library archives, where she wrote a successful grant for the digitization of an African American newspaper published in Alabama. If an internship is needed, Dr. Cynthia Ryan is the woman who can match students up to the internship that best suits their academic and career pursuits. Internships can be found through an online search, but it is best to discuss these with an advisor and then the internship coordinator. Completing an internship provides excellent experience to include on a résumé, networking skills and connections, and possibly job opportunities post-graduation. College is all about networking, so what better way to do that than through interning? Whether it is a paid internship or one that gives academic credit, they help build confidence in a writer’s skill and give one experience in a workplace environment. Questions concerning available internships should be directed to Dr. Cynthia at cynryan@uab.edu.
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Online Writing Resources for PW & RC Students O BY Sarah Stasiak
nline writing resources provide valuable insight and professional networking opportunities to assist every writer. Professional Writers can significantly benefit from exposure to a variety of writing organizations and societies. Writers can also gain an advantage from the utilization of online writing resources when drafting their professional documents. A small list and short description of online writing resources are listed below. The Owl @ Purdue: It is widely known that the Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue’s resources assist writers in composing research papers. However, the OWL also provides resources designed to help writers prepare documents for the workplace (http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/section/4/16/). Specifically, these resources target memoranda, business letters, technical reports, scientific abstracts, white papers, and grants. If you are faced with a document preparation challenge, the OWL at Purdue provides handouts to assist clarity and sample documents are provided as examples of formatting. If you are concerned about the overall tone of your document, then consider the resource offered to assist revision and tone in business writing. For those concerned about document design, a HATS presentation introduces and assists students with: Headings, information Access, Typography, and Space in documents ensure user-centered communication. To assist a writer’s audience analysis, resources are available that help build relevant information about readers and analyze an audience’s needs, values, and attitudes. Analysis charts are provided to discuss complex audiences and provide key questions. The Purdue OWL resource page also provides links to other online writing resources for writers engaging in a job search process (https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/section/6/). The Society for Technical Communication: The Society for Technical Communication (STC) is an organization dedicated to advancing the field of technical communication (http://www.stc.org/). The Society has members from every industry of technical communication and almost 50 countries. Members can benefit from joining the Society by attending one of the many educational events offered throughout the year. The events often include educational program seminars that provide professional growth and skill development opportunities to Society members. These events improve the knowledge of members and promote technical communication globally. The educational events also foster constructive relationships between the industry and various academic communities for future technical communicators. Members can advance their career through social networking. In addition to the educational events, STC also helps to aggregate, analyze, and ultimately pub-
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lish data that the members have contributed. For a recent college graduate, the Society works directly with technical communicator employers to identify related organizations, facilitate partnerships, and achieve shared goals among employers and Society members. The STC is always looking to recruit new members and serves as a great career advancement tool. The EServer Technical Communication Library: This site is a community-based library of technical communication (http://rc.eserver.org/). It is a nonprofit open-access directory of online resources available for anyone who wishes to produce, manage, archive, or distribute technical information. The directory contains approximately 22,000 online works consisting of various articles, publications, presentations, and other miscellaneous works. The site functions as a search engine. Simply type the information desired, hit enter, and a list of online resources will be available. Technical writers, editors, publishers, researchers, illustrators, animators, multimedia developers, instructional designers, educators, web designers, user experience designers, and those interested in learning how to improve human communications can benefit from this site’s resources. Writers, editors, and publishers can use the Communication Library to produce or manage existing works. Every writer can find assistance through the wide variety of resources the Communication Library offers. Researchers can use the library to conduct research. Web and user experience designers can find assistance in designing various works. IEEE Professional Communication Society: The IEEE Professional Communication Society (PCS) is an online community comprised of members that access the latest research involving communication in engineering, scientific, and other technical environments (http://www.ieee.org). Members are provided with access to the IEEE Transactions on Profession Communication journal (https://www.ieee.org/ membership-catalog/productdetail/showProductDetailPage. html?product=PER125-PRT), the Society’s newsletter, training pod casts, specialized rates on the International Professional Communication Conference, and chapter workshops for networking and continuing education. Members are also provided with an opportunity to enhance their worldwide value of their profession. Joining the Communication Society would help any student jump start their career. The IEEE offers employment opportunities for recent graduates seeking a career in a professional writing field. Membership is affordable and grants access to a variety of professional writing journals and magazines. The IEEE encourages member publication in these professional writing journals and magazines.
U niversity W riting C enter Spring 2014 Hours Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
9:00am-5:00pm 9:00am-5:00pm 9:00am-5:00pm 9:00am-5:00pm 9:00am-12:00pm
Evening Hours TBA www.uab.edu/writingcenter @UABWritingCntr UABWritingCenter
What is Professional Writing? C BY Olalekan Dada
hoosing to pursue a major or minor in Professional Writing may be nerve-racking. Students who study Professional Writing (PW) may have chosen the concentration because they want to explore the realm of corporate communication or they figured that professional writing would produce more prospective job opportunities. Professional writing is a profession that does not receive as much attention as other disciplines, so many PW students do not know what professional writing is, nor do they know what they can do with a professional writing degree. This, at times, causes students to stress about after-college plans or even forget why they signed up for the Professional Writing program in the first place.
What is Professional Writing?
Professional writing is such a broad, puzzling concentration; many think it refers to writing works of literature like books or poems. However, professional writing is a completely different genre of writing. According to the Department of English at UAB, the Professional Writing program is for students who are “interested in non-fiction writing for corporate and public life.” UAB’s Professional Writing program works towards teaching students “academic and critical writing skills” that will prepare students for careers such as “technical writing, publishing, teaching, editing, and business.” Professional writers use language to deliver information in a comprehensible manner. Publishing company Pearson asserts that the professional writing industry “is becoming a field of its own,” branching off from its counterpart of literary writing. Professional writing is a practical form of writing that is geared towards the specific needs of a corporation and the desires of an audience. Professional writers use clear and concise language to ensure that the copy they create is easily understood by an audience. This copy can range from an instruction manual for a laptop to a policy handbook for a company to a press release for a non-profit organization. This type of writing is not artistic; however, professional writers must have the finesse to use perfect rhetoric in order to achieve a desired result. Sometimes, this requires professional writers to adopt the “voice” of the organization they are affiliated with in order to convey a message in a certain way. In business contexts, professional writers need to be able to persuade an audience to complete an action desired by a company, whether that is purchasing a product or simply getting the audience to view the company in a good light. The major theme of Professional Writing is clarity. Unlike creative writing, professional writing requires writers to
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Professional Writers must be proficient in creating various forms of written documentation.
refrain from using highly decorated language in their writing. This is a skill that seems to be a simple task; however, it is not as easy as it sounds. For example, think about all of those times where your high school teachers told you to keep the “excess fluff” out of your papers and only include information relevant to the topic. Remember how difficult it was to meet the page requirement when you took all of those extra adjectives and unnecessary explanatory phrases out? This is typically the case in professional writing (especially technical writing). There are times when the required word count is higher than you think you can meet, which means you must find more necessary information to place in your writing. Other times, the required word count may be significantly lower than you expect, which may require you to remove a little information. Either way, professional writing requires writers to know when they are saying too much and when they are not saying enough.
Careers for Professional Writers
Since professional writing is such a broad subject, the number of careers available to professional writers is huge. Some professional writers land careers in the technical writing industry. Technical writing is a form of writing that is used to relay information about products in a simple manner. Projects for technical writers range from writing owner’s manuals for products to creating procedure handbooks for companies. This field requires writers to learn about the various
Vol. 1 Iss. 1, Fall 2013 tasks that occur at their company and be able to effectively communicate these tasks with others. Having knowledge of technologies and corporate software is also of significance for many technical writers because, according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, they work with “engineers, scientists, computer specialists, and software developers.” Technical writers work with a variety of disciplines, so they must be flexible and able to learn the basics of a company’s work in order to successfully complete their work. Business writing is another field professional writers can be found in. Also known as “corporate communicators,” these writers work towards building and maintaining the brand of a company or organization. Much like technical writing, business writers must keep their language simple and easy to understand. Dana Driscoll of the Purdue Owl states that “[b]usiness writers should consider the tone of their message, whether they are writing a memo, letter, report, or any type of business document.” A business writer acts as the voice of the company she or he is working for, so it is imperative that their work is not offensive or harsh. The work of a business writer ranges from conducting research to create strategy statements to writing press releases for a corporation. Business writers adopt the voice of the organization they are representing by carefully analyzing the company’s mission statement and purpose. Although there is a range of careers to follow in writing, not all professional writers have the desire to write for a company. Many students pursue a degree in professional writing to supplement their law career. According to University of Texas blogger Wayne Schiess, lawyers must be
BA Concentration in Professional Writing: The UAB English Department offers an undergraduate concentration within the English major in Professional Writing. The concentration is designed for English majors who are interested in nonfiction writing for corporate and public life. English majors who complete the concentration might pursue a variety of career options that require advanced writing skills, in areas such as technical writing, publishing, teaching, editing, and business.
MA Concentration in Rhetoric and Composition: Ideal for students who wish to pursue careers as teachers of writing or as professional writers or editors, the concentration in rhetoric and composition focuses attention on the art and craft of teaching, on the many roles of writing in business and industry, and on the history and practices of public discourse itself—from political rhetoric and the rhetoric of advertising to the complex uses of language and imagery in contemporary magazine and internet publications.
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professional writers for there are various people and things at stake with their writing. Schiess says the written work of lawyers is “subject to serious scrutiny.” So many people have to approve or hear the writing of a lawyer (the client, opposing counsel, judge), so it must be clear and accurate. Being a professional writer allows laywers to communicate their message effectively. Professional writing may be a concentration that does not call for literary creativity; however, there are opportunities for professional writers to use their ability to summarize and get to the point in advertising. Copywriting is a career path for professional writers who have a passion for clear writing, yet still want to hold on to their creativity. Copywriters write text for advertising purposes. These writers may work on create brochures and flyers for companies, television commercial scripts, and company slogans. A professional writer that goes into copywriting has the ability to condense the values and mission of an organization and communicate it to varying audiences. Copywriters typically work for public relations businesses or marketing departments in a company. Pursuing a degree in professional writing does not have to be as scary as a decision as it seems. There are numerous opportunities available for professional writers, and this may be the concern of many students in the professional writing disciple. Professional writing is a far-reaching concentration that is beneficial in any discipline. So if you plan on going to graduate school or directly into the workforce after graduation, keep in mind that there are many opportunities for professional writers.
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EH 203
Writing in Birmingham
MWF 11:15-12:05PM
Dr. Wells
In this course, students will use the city of Birmingham as the subject and audience for writing. Course projects ask students to engage with the community as researchers, writers, and citizens. These projects include a service-learning unit that will provide students the opportunity to interact with young writers in our community and to write about service experiences for real audiences. Students will gain experience with academic, professional, and public kinds of writing.
EH 403/503
Business Writing
TTH 3:30-4:45PM
Dr. Ryan
This course introduces students to strategies for becoming superb communicators in the workplace. Students learn how to write clearly, efficiently, and persuasively by • mastering problem-solving skills • identifying and targeting appropriate audiences • using effective business resources for strengthening messages • experimenting with traditional and new media genres • crafting personal as well as organizational identities, images, and brands • practicing and perfecting communication styles that suit a range of workplace settings
EH 430/592
Writing and Emerging Communication Contexts
TTH 12:30-1:45PM
Dr. Bacha
In this course, students write about and write for a multitude of communication media. Beginning with the shift from print to digital publication practices, students will analyze how the act of text production has changed and they will learn rhetorical strategies necessary to write in emerging communication contexts. Specifically, students will explore how newer trends in communication, like social networking and mobile devices, are influencing how people read, write, and transmit texts. Additionally, the course will introduce students to a variety of communication technologies designed to help them participate in those contexts.
EH 453/556
Visual Rhetoric
TTH 2:00-3:15PM
Dr. Bacha
This course offers intensive studies in the rhetorical characteristics of image communication, especially as it intersects with verbal communication. Students in this course will learn strategies for incorporating persuasive images into verbal texts, thus enhancing the overall impact of any document.
EH 602
Modern Rhetorical Theory
T 5:00-7:30PM
Dr. McComiskey
Modern rhetoric examines the ways in which people use language to accomplish purposes—it is the study of language in use. Some of the questions we will explore include: • How does language come to mean what it does? • Do words carry inherent meanings that transfer from a speaker to a listener? • Does the context in which words are used influence our understanding of their meaning? • What is the relationship between philosophy and rhetoric? • Is language inherently metaphorical since it always refers to things other than itself? • Are informal means of argumentation more effective than formal logic? • Are there cultural influences on the way in which we communicate?
Vol. 1 Iss. 1, Fall 2013
DISCO: Making Friends on a Desert Island T BY Ethan Gissendaner
he ever-growing creative community within Birmingham is a field of opportunity for the skills unique to a professional writer. Revitalization efforts in the city are largely spearheaded by an up-and-coming generation of city residents who have taken great personal stake in the social and business success of Birmingham. This affords them many chances to utilize numerous channels to send their projects and work across the city. Loose social ties are the currency that keeps this community going and within it, connections to almost anything social or professional exist. Exposure and experience are two crucial components in the field of technical writing and like dots on a map they can lead to the x-marked career you are seeking. The easiest way to plug into this community of writers and creators is to go where they find inspiration and common ground: the creative space that is the Desert Island Supply Company in Woodlawn (DISCO). Just outside of downtown Birmingham along First Avenue North lies DISCO—as it is lovingly called—like treasure beneath the sand. DISCO is a creative writing non-profit organization that provides a safe creative space for students in the Woodlawn neighborhood and the greater Birmingham area. Throughout the year writing and design workshops as well as after school tutoring are offered by day. By night the space hosts events such as concerts, adult spelling bees, and live storytelling. Captain on the desert island and University of Alabama professor Chip Brantley created DISCO loosely based on similar programs across the country that provide literary and creative services to children in at-risk parts of large cities. Each has a unique theme that permeates the space and workshops held there. DISCO’s angle creatively provides its visitors with all one would need to survive on a desert island: stories to keep the mind engaged and body prepared for all possible scenarios one could encounter while stranded. Workshops, which take place all over Birmingham, focus on various forms of writing and creativity. The physical space is picturesque—maps adorn exposed brick walls, hodgepodge globes cover every flat surface. Ropes knotted and tied litter bookshelves that overlook massive oak tables worthy of the ship captain’s quarters. A giant swordfish swims amid exposed rafters overhead. The store front provides all one could need to survive on a desert island like original-bound story books and unique writing utensils, of course. Finding one’s place on the island is as simple as walking through the front door and picking up a pencil. Volunteers are readily welcomed and have so many outlets to choose from. Workshops and tutoring sessions require proctors
Sea creatures swim out of the maps on the walls of DISCO
who can facilitate discussion and have a creative eye. More than that though, DISCO manufactures a lot of signage for events and maintains a very modern website. The skills of a professional writer are highly useful in the organization’s marketing and branding ventures as well. Preparing write ups and publicity statements, posting online to social media, and creating digital designs are some tasks professional writing volunteers could do while at DISCO. The small staffing structure of the organization allows for volunteers to have significant roles in the execution of projects and take leadership at times. Volunteering is an excellent component of a résumé that shows dedication to a profession or field. Having the specialized experience that DISCO provides is a strong addition to a résumé as well. The professional writer’s skills will be most cultivated by the interactions DISCO facilitates and the relationships it fosters. Volunteers have a plethora of resources just by working with Chip Brantley and Lillis Taylor, the directors of the organization. Chip is a journalism professor who has his hands in most everything happening in the creative sector of Birmingham. He is a published author and feature writer for AL.com. His academic connections stem throughout the Birmingham and Tuscaloosa collegiate systems— did I mention he is also married to UAB poetry professor Elizabeth Hughey Brantley? Talk about an impressive and effective recommendation letter. Lillis Taylor, artist extraordinaire and DISCO’s hands and feet, serves as program director for the organization. She networks and plans for workshops and events held at DISCO. Lillis is the contact and the face of the organization which puts her face to face with notable professionals and people in Birmingham. Knowing Lillis is knowing many
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others. Volunteering at DISCO puts one right in line to encounter so many influential people in the city as they are patrons and loyal supporters of DISCO and its mission. Leaders of non-profits throughout the city, professors, and city wide movers and shakers fill the space weekly. DISCO has been featured in Birmingham Magazine and Southern Living publications so chances are—even as a volunteer— you can be seen. Loose social ties are one of the most influential components in attainting a job and success throughout life and even more so in professional writing as one’s exposure to the job market is very important. Time and time again a job has been secured because of a casual conversation that turned into business or a positive word of approval that tipped a decision. Solid, long-standing relationships are important, but people and potential employees who have more loose social ties in their respective communities experience more success. When applying for positions, having connections within a potential employer can be the needed edge in a highly competitive job pool. Not to mention many opportunities can spawn from those casual conversations, chanced interactions at a read-a-thon or spelling bee. As a seasoned volunteer of two years, I can vouch for the experience DISCO has generously given me. I’ve seen the inside operations of a non-profit organization from start up
to full scale operation. I’ve gained invaluable writing experience from Chip’s influence and I have seen my personal writing style evolve since my discovery of the desert island. My knowledge of professional writing as a practical skill has been heightened and expanded. Relationships have been formed at DISCO—that otherwise would have never been created—that have benefitted me academically and already professionally. DISCO has been a very common and beneficial thread between me and others in the young professional scene in Birmingham. I have been exposed to current opportunities that I never knew existed in Birmingham and some that will be available later on by being a volunteer with DISCO. Volunteering at DISCO is as easy as visiting this web link (http://www.desertislandsupplyco.com/volunteer-2/) to sign up and stopping by the location at 5500 First Avenue North. Connectedness is just as much a component of being a successful professional is as having the ability. In a city that is so rich with opportunity, having connections in a field that will later become the source of a career is a strategic and highly beneficial move. DISCO is an epicenter of sorts for the creative community in Birmingham and the connections that exist in within the organization almost outnumber the nautical decorations that cover most every space in the building. Volunteering positions one full access to those connections and social resources afforded by the directors and patrons of the organization. One conversation, one contact could very well be the difference in beginning a career or seizing a new opportunity. It really is all in who you know.
C e g ha Ed
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Vol. 1 Iss. 1, Fall 2013
Creating Experience T BY Amy Roberts
he job market today is filled with available, entry-level positions that require minimum experience. This makes finding work difficult for recent graduates. A key component to overcoming this hurdle is by being an autonomous student. Professors can only teach so much in the short 50 to 75 minute time frame they are given with their students two to three times a week. Students have to be willing to acquire skills outside of the classroom to make up for the experience they lack when entering the workforce. Chris Finley, a recent University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) graduate, left UAB last spring with a degree in Professional Writing and Public Discourse with a minor in Linguistics. When asked about his job search Chris replied, “[I] put my resume on several job-searching websites. Applied to 75 jobs to only receive three call backs and two interviews. Everyone wants experience.” Fortunately, Chris found employment with a young, quickly growing company called Zero RPM, a business who specializes in creating idle mitigation systems for vehicles. Chris was hired as the Technical Writer for Zero RPM after producing a professional portfolio to show shareholders. The portfolio Chris put together consisted of various writing samples from literary analyses to recommendation reports and a video presentation he created for a Visual Rhetoric course during his final semester at UAB. The first few items are all pieces any Professional Writing graduate can include in their portfolio, but the video showed Chris’ future employer his versatility. Graduates today not only have to worry about filling the gap created by their lack of experience, but also setting themselves apart from others competing for the same job who may, or may not, have the experience companies are looking for. In Chris’ case, the video presentation he included showcased his diverse set of skills. For this final assignment in Visual Rhetoric, students created presentations including their definition of visual rhetoric, and then presented examples defending their definition. The professor, Dr. Bacha, introduced students to a variety of presentation tools, one of which was a screen recording program accessible for free during a trial period. Chris chose to take on Dr. Bacha’s challenge and created a video after having spent hours of personal time learning how to use the trial free software. Then, he figured out how to overlay the screencast with the audio of his presentation script. All of the time spent outside of the classroom acquiring these skills proved to be well spent when the company who hired him asked him during the interviewing process if he would be able to create a video showcasing their products. Though some of the software Chris lists as tools he uses
Chris Finley at Spring 2013 graduation
every day sound familiar to some Professional Writing students, like Adobe Creative Suite and Microsoft Office, many he has had to learn for the first time. Those include Solid Edge 2D, a drafting tool which allows users to design 3D models, Formstack, an online tool used to create virtually any type of form and overlay logos with no prior coding knowledge required, and Sitewrench, a tool used to create and maintain websites. Chris says he learned about these new resources through research he did on his own time. He says his bosses give him a task objective and more often than not he researches new software for completing each. Other than coworkers and Google, Chris says he watches YouTube videos to learn how to work with new products. With the projects given to him by his bosses, Chris is also faced with the job of having to learn the company jargon. Zero RPM is a company that develops units to conserve fuel by allowing various car systems to run without the engine. Chris is currently working on a project “redesigning the wiring schematic to show how systems work in correlation with pre-existing electronics in a 2013 Ford F550 for Nevada Energy.” This is not exactly an assignment taught in EH 404: Technical Writing, but Chris says he has created a personal dictionary to assist with learning the language. During the break between semesters, consider brushing up, or engaging in document design software. Research popular programs being using by current writers in a desired field. Play with various freeware found on the internet, like Gimp or Scribus. Professional Writers, Technical Writers especially, pay much attention to document formats. Leaf through graphic design books for inspiration. Create mock drafts of potential documents for a company of interest. Start compiling writing samples and past assignments to
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Heritage Hall 334 The Digital Media Commons offers state-of-the-art technology and software for all UAB students Services Include: Though there is still much to learn, Chris enjoys his work
Group Workstations
Desktops w/Adobe Creative Suite and editing software
SoundLab
http://uab.edu/digitalmedia
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include in a professional portfolio. Students graduating next spring should start, if they have not already, thinking about how they intend to use their degree. Chris reflects on the days leading up to and after graduation saying, “Graduation puts you sky high to immediately be knocked back down to reality.” Upcoming graduates need to prepare themselves for the reality. Companies want experienced employees for a reason. Chris agrees saying companies take risks hiring employees with a lack of experience. Graduates entering the job market have to understand it costs an employer more time and money to teach someone how to perform tasks. They can attempt to overcome the experience void by showing an ability, and willingness, to learn more after graduation. Students should also consider researching tools of the employer’s trade. When applying for jobs, go beyond researching what a company does and the requirements of a job, but look into how tasks are most likely run. This is the sort of prior knowledge employers will be looking for in applicants. Education does not stop once the diploma is handed over, but rather it has barely begun. Chris adds one final piece of advice to undergraduates “Be prepared for anything. Demands are high and requests can come at any time of the day or night. It’s primarily R&D (research and development) so things are changing constantly. You cannot have thin skin because you’re never right the first time. The rewards are great but so are the expectations. Be humble because there are millions of people looking for the same thing as you. Stay focused and dedicated and your time will come.”
Vol. 1 Iss. 1, Fall 2013
Practical Applications of Professional Writing A BY Edward Ashton
common question asked of professional writing students—particularly by relatives—is something like, “Oh, professional writing, is that kind of like journalism?” One answer to this would simply be to say no, but that would be an incomplete answer. This is partly because journalism is yet another field in which professional writers are not explicitly required, but where they often do very well. Professional writers, as well as anyone with some degree of training and skill in professional communication, can find a place or role for themselves in nearly any industry. When the industry in question is journalism, it is especially easy to see why that is the case. Both professions, at their very core, involve the clear and effective communication of information. One major distinction is that they are generally written for different audiences, but when you get to the heart of the matter, the fact is that both jobs are centered around writing. What is particularly nice about professional writing is that it is broad-based and widely applicable. Good professional writing is useful to almost any business one could think of, and there is no reason that a news organization should be excluded from this list. Quite the contrary is true; newspapers and other media outlets are for communicating and transmitting ideas, and good writing is key to that. Hopefully, reading this article will provide you with a bit of useful information, and the next time you get that common question at a family gathering, you will be able to answer with a bit more confidence. First, it is important to know that there are jobs out there for professional writers in journalism, and in fact, UAB can help you if you are serious about locating one. Lindsay McDuffie, a graduate of the UAB Professional Writing program, has been working in professional and technical writing, including in journalism, since before she even graduated. While still a student at UAB, she got a job as a professional editor for Tuscaloosa-based paper Planet Weekly. This job involved both editing and writing articles and documents for the paper, both of which provided useful experience. In particular, she learned the importance of knowing how to talk to writers, and how to make sure that they are happy and that you, as the editor, get the material you need. Being able to collaborate smoothly with other writers like this, she said, was one of many of the skills she learned from the professional writing program at UAB. Lindsay got the referral for the editing job from a friend, but she credited her professional writing training for actually getting her the job. In fact, she offers words of encouragement to people who are majoring in English in general, saying that English majors are seen as competent commu-
Lindsay McDuffie, UAB Professional Writing program graduate
nicators and just desirable employees overall. When her boss at her current job asked what her degree was in, he was enthusiastic when she told him it was English, saying that he knew she would be putting out good work. “When they hear that you have an English degree, people have a lot of trust in your ability from the start,” she says. For example, as Lindsay explained, “they know that if you send out an email it’s going to be grammatically correct, it’s going to make sense, it’s going to get the point across.” Her current employer expressed some degree of frustration about having hired people who were very qualified for their job, but then finding out that those people did not have very good command of the language. This, Lindsay says, is one of the things that makes English majors very attractive to companies, and professional writing majors in particular. Part of the technical editing job involved passing finished writing work on to a creative director, also informally known as “the layout guy”. Essentially, this is the person who takes the raw written material and turns it into a finished product that is ready to be printed. This kind of skill is another thing that professional writing majors learn, since working with the industry-standard Adobe Creative Suite is something students focus on in some of the professional writing classes. One example from this past semester was EH 330: Designing Digital Documents, which covered many aspects of what a “layout guy” would do. In fact, it was this
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particular class that was responsible for creating the layout and content of this newsletter, starting from scratch and working up to a finished product. So you could say that the professional writing program provides the skills necessary not only to be a good writer in a journalistic setting, but also to work as an editor, or as a creative director setting layouts and visual designs. This is more evidence of the versatility of a professional writing degree. Lindsay’s experience at Planet Weekly was eye opening for her, in that it showed her that her prospects were very diverse, and it affirmed that the skills she learned in the program would be useful ones. She said that she had concerns about whether the degree she was pursuing could really lead to much employment, but she reports that luckily, as you can see, she didn’t have anything to worry about after all. She left the paper after working there for a little over a year, a split that coincided roughly with her graduation from UAB with her degree in Professional Writing.
“Be confident in your skills, remember what you’ve learned, utilize technology, and understand that research is a big part of the job that you will always have to do regardless of what kind of writing you do. That’s part of knowing your audience, which is huge.” One interesting offshoot of this relationship between professional writing and journalism is that Lindsay has found her experience with the newspaper to be useful in her new position in a business setting. As a Training Curriculum Developer for a private business, she has to work closely with her co-workers, including bosses as well as people who work under her. In particular, her interviewing skills, learned at UAB and sharpened by working for the newspaper, have been very important to make sure that she is getting as much information as she can. Furthermore, the information must be as high quality as possible, so that it will be of use to her in planning the curriculum for the future. Her job largely involves organizing information into usable documents, which is almost a dictionary definition of professional and technical writing. This is obviously a skill learned from the program here at UAB, and the tie-in with journalism is that in both applications it is extremely important to know your audience. That is to say, when writing an technical document about cars for mechanics’ use, it would be easier to use technical terms. The other side of this is that if that article were written for a popular audience, such as in a newspaper car review, the language would have to be understandable to an average car buyer, who would
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not be familiar with—or very interested in—the complexities of a transversely mounted engine. Just as journalists must do this, so must a curriculum developer for a company. Whoever will be training the candidates must be able to understand the information contained in the documents so that the information can be transmitted to the audience. This theme of transmitting information to an audience is as central to journalism as it is to professional writing in general, which further strengthens the link between the two disciplines. On the whole, Lindsay is very satisfied with her role in her current job, but she says that journalism was a great experience. She would be glad to go back to journalism if provided the right opportunity in a capacity she wanted to fill. There are many different types of jobs in journalism, from working on the business side of an organization to actually working in the newsroom as a reporter or copy writer. Both of these sides of the industry have job opportunities for professional writers, again demonstrating the versatility of the discipline. Depending on one’s capacity at a given news organization, there may be some real flexibility in deadlines, as well as free reign as far as content and subject of stories. Also, there may well be an opportunity to telecommute, which for some people is a very desireable trait in a job. Spending time in the field is often exciting as well, and nobody wants monotony. Lindsay had a few bits of advice for those of us who are students in UAB’s Professional Writing program. For one thing, she says, “Be confident in your skills,” as it is important to realize that your time and effort is valuable. Another bit of advice: “Remember what you learn.” This sounds fairly obvious, but the memory is a bit unreliable sometimes, so perhaps keep some notes of things that you consider particularly useful. Also, Lindsay says, “Become familiar with technology, and use it to your advantage,” because you can really impress a prospective employer by being able to make a nice looking presentation, for example. And finally, Lindsays offers that you must not get out of the habit of doing research, because if you are going to write about any topic, you have to have a good working knowledge of it. Otherwise, the ideas you are trying to get across may end up lost in translation, so to speak. There you have it: first-hand information from someone who writes for a living, in this case specific to journalism. If you are the type who has an interest in writing for a publication, remember this article, and don’t think for a moment that you won’t be able to land that position. Professional writing’s uses are, after all, tremendously versatile, and tremendously important. Being able to communicate effectively with your words can only serve to assist you in your job search and career.
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Dont miss what's happening this semester
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Digital Media
All Spring Semester Volunteers are accepted any time in the DMC via online applications. Intern and Fellows sign up/ applications are available late this spring. @UABDigitalMedia
Make a Marketing Plan January 28 2014
Homewood Public Library Workshop for business owners and individuals looking to formulate and build a marketing plan. The event is free however preregistration by 01.24.14 is required to secure a provided lunch.
UAB
P W Club meetings Biweekly Humanities Building Discussions with fellow majors and minors regading the program and club activities Dr. Jeffery Bacha
Career Fair February 18 2014 Alys Stpehens Center 10a-3p Business Engineering & Technology Career Fair
Published! Tuesdays 9a Kaleidoscope hits newsstands
UAB Department of English 1720 2nd Avenue South, HB 215 Birmingham, AL 35294-1260