Hello!
My name is Emily Ridener and I’m a dual degree (Journalism/English) student at Wayne State University. I’ve spent the last few years learning the ins and outs of writing for various styles including news, research and social as well as picking up a few tricks in design as well. I have focused my areas of study to print journalism and Renaissance English literature but have also kept a keen eye on the importance and impact of rhetoric in media.
The following is a collection of the different assignments I worked on within the technical writing field. Each project helped to not only further my understanding of technical communication and composition but also helped to further my ability to complete each project. The projects completed varied from design based to creating the marketing plans of a start-up company. Before entering my first technical communication class, I had no idea there had been a field dedicated to this rhetoric based writing style, had never heard of a heuristic and my project process typically was the equivalent of the kitchen junk drawer where everything is thrown but you’re so hopeful you’ll find what you need.
One of the most important skills I took away from going through a tech comm class was gained through process based learning. Sometimes the outcome wasn’t as important as the way in which you got there. Through the project process, I was better able to recognize key terms and the importance of collaboration. Previously, I stuck to individual work because I was used to carrying the weight and not being comfortable allowing someone else to have an effect on my work. Due to the nature of our projects, my previous perceptions were thrown out the window and I am now much more comfortable with working with others and even find it fun.
ejridener 