Outlines are Outstanding

In last weeks class we learned how to effectively create outlines in order to help organize some key ideas for an essay or research paper. Outlines are useful because they allow you to jot down ideas in an organized method. In my professional career I will be using outlines in order to create professional research documents. In general, I have always enjoyed writing because it allows me to express my thoughts and opinions freely. I enjoy writing because there is no "right or wrong" like there is in math class for example where you must follow a formula. Technical Writing class has changed the way I look at writing in the sense that I now feel more organized before I begin to actually put words to paper. Writing seemed to be a little more overwhelming before I enrolled in this course because I had only a vague idea of the writing process at the time and didn't understand how to organize my thoughts.

Writing Process Positives

When people think of the "writing process" they tend to think that it is unnecessary and not time friendly however, the opposite is true. Completing the writing process steps before publishing a piece helps organize thoughts/ideas, find grammar and spelling mistakes, and even helps save time in the long run. Because the writing process is broken up into 5 simple steps, it helps the writer to not feel as overwhelmed. Actually, following the writing process steps will help boost the confidence of the writer because the process helps make sure that you have written appropriately to the audience, have the correct tone, corrected grammar errors, and have an organized piece. Lastly, I believe that plagiarism can help be prevented just by completing the writing process. This is because you have taken the time to become organized and do not feel rushed to put a piece together. People tend to plagiarize when they feel like they are working against the clock and did not appropriately prepare.

Invest in Your Future

Believe it or not, Technical Writing class helps to prepare you for a successful future career. In this day and age it is imperative that you feel comfortable with using technology in order to create several different documents such as a memo, power point, professional letterhead, etc. If you think this class only applies to those in certain career fields such as teachers or business owners, I would strongly suggest you rethink that and have more of an open mind. In only 4 weeks this course has proved to benefit the skill set of anywhere from a fire chief to a corporate business employee. Technical Writing is challenging but is worth the time and money because of the challenges you must face and overcome to make you a more valuable employee. This class does not provide you with tests where you pick a multiple choice answers. What this class does do is provide you with assignments/projects where you must follow instruction guidelines and use your resources in order to properly complete the assignment. Lastly, the content covered in the class will help to enhance resumes because it teaches students along the way to gain familiarity with WORD and how to either personalize a template or use an existing one properly.