Kevin's blog

Web 2.0 for Business and Professional Use

Here are some links to readings to facilitate group projects in Project Three. Wikipedia has a good page on Web 2.0. Also, Google has many Web 2.0 options and services if what is below doesn't pique your interest. Feel free to add new comments with other relevant links.

Content Management Systems, Blogs and Wikis

One of the easiest applications of Web 2.0 is in content management systems (CMS), like this website (drupal), Facebook, MySpace, Blogger, and WordPress. These easy-to-use web interfaces are providing many small businesses and other small entities with a professional web presense.

Some Notes on Technical Writing Style

1. Consistency is one of the most important aspects of technical writing. You want to have a consistent design and use typography, headings and spacing in the same way throughout a document. Writing style and tone must also be consistent, especially in group work and writing, so that sentences, verb choices and word choices are similar throughout.

2. Use Active Verbs instead of Passive Verbs and Voice. Avoid verbs like is, was, are, were, has, had, have, do, did, can, could, will, etc. Also avoid starting sentences with pronouns like there, this and it.

Project Three Groups

Here are Project Three Groups. We'll set up some chats for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday to clarify the project further and to brainstorm ideas, softwares, and clients. Email your group members and introduce yourselves. Exchange some emails on possible topics, possible clients, and further questions.

  • Group 1: Frazee, Rahmani, Barrett, Lawrence, Luse
  • Group 2: Feisley, Lindsey, May, Potrzebowski, Winkler
  • Group 3: Chen, Jamicich, Mack, Ralston, Walker
  • Group 4: Barker, Basso, Gray, Okerson, Sands
  • Group 5: Rupert, Schaub, Scheidt, Walke, Wilhoit
  • Group 6: Kuntz, Miller, Seger, Snodgrass, Tyner
  • Group 7: Cooley, Fancher, King, Salleh, Spiewak

New Categories for Project Two

I've added some new categories for Project Two and your groups. The Project Two categories will work just like they did in the Employment Project. You'll be able to continue to organize your posts with these. I also added a category for Project Logs.

I've also added a second category called "Project Two Groups." Each time you post, you'll have to also choose your group name. This way, it will be easy to find your other group member's drafts and posts so that you can more easily centralize and track your work on the website.

You can use these tonight with your Proposal Memos. For your memos, review the memo guidelines on page 232-233 in the Thompson Handbook. You should also try to use some descriptive headings for your memo paragraphs.

If you've already posted, please go back and pick your respective category tags.

Questions?? January and February

Now that we're settling into the semester, we'll use this blog space for any questions that you have. This centralizes the questions that many may have, and puts my answers in the same space. This is helpful as we move further into the Employment Project and move on to the Illustrated Instructions project.

Please "add new comment" below to post your questions. Thanks,

Kevin

Client-based Service-learning Project

For Project 3, you will work collaboratively in project teams on a client-based service-learning project that teaches you to manage complex writing challenges in real contexts that matter. You will learn principles of project management, collaboration, document cycling, usability testing and study, and client-based research. Because you will work with real clients--either in the community or online, you will also learn important principles of professional and ethical communication.

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