In Response to Melisa Dawson's Post

I agree with Melisa's view on including topic sentences, forecasting statements, transitions, and echo words. Headings are a great way to clue your reader in on what you might be talking about. At work, I receive documents asking for clarification of building plans. Sometimes, the person asking the questions will just start talking about some bolt or something without any background information. They could very easily say, "On page C-34..." and save involved parties much time looking for a page and trying to understand what bolt they are talking about. I believe this fits in-line with a topic sentence. So I too am a big fan of headings as well as topic sentences.

Chapters 6 and 7

Chapter 6 talks about how to perform research with an efficient, streamline approach. Instead of researching aspects of a topic that interest you, you should only focus on the aspects most important to the reader. In the guidelines presented in the book, I think the author should have clarified guideline 3. In the previous guidelines he says to be efficient, but then in guideline 3 it says to explore each source and expand your research. Maybe it's supposed to be implied, but perhaps the author should have distinguished pursuing only sources that pertain to your scope.

Chapter 7 states that top-down processing can help the reader understand and remember your message. Also, the book suggests to present your generalizations before your details. The book goes further to say that sometimes you don't want to put your generalizations first. This case would include instances in which generalizations may provoke a negative reaction from your reader. In this case one would want to explain the relevant groundwork first before the negative point. This seems to follow logos rhetoric because it uses a structured argument to have the reader follow a logical argument to arrive (hopefully) at the same "negative" conclusion.

In response to Robert's Ch 3 post

In Robert's third paragraph he talks about how forming relationships with other departments can ease in communication with them. I completely agree. I've also found that forming relationships with people who have various backgrounds can be extremely helpful. If you are good at certain things, it's good to be able to communicate with people who are good at things you are not.

Chapter 3

I found it interesting in chapter 3 when the book talks about how the way things are now becomes the way you want things to be. This is done obviously through you writing, the readers responding, the readers acting the way you want, and finally the way you want things to be. I understand the thought process behind this idea, but who's to say that the way you want things to be will happen? Even if one's writing is excellent, things may not turn out the way you want. It seems that in the book they are implying if you write well enough you'll get your way. Skilled writers may get what they want on many occasions, but can they always get their way?

Freestyle Post

I can honestly say I don't get too excited about writing. If I loved to write, I may have chosen a writing-related major and not Mechanical Engineering. I'm anticipating this class to be more related to my field than other English classes based on the fact that professional/technical communication is necessary for engineers to communicate with eachother, and ESPECIALLY other fields. I am looking forward to the skills I will gain from this class since it will help me sound more professional. In order for new ideas to be approved and funded, managers/investors need to feel the designer is a professional capable of accomplishing said tasks. So perhaps instead of thinking of this class as a "mandatory class" I should think of it as an very important class for my success in the future.

Chapter 22

Chapter 23 is very central to my major of Mechanical Engineering. The formatting appears to reflect the previous chapters' ideas of clear, efficient communication. The format is to briefly describe the situation/solution, state the problem in more detail, how to provide a solution, what the solution entails, what is required to complete the solution, and the concern for cost impacts. This organized structure for a proposal can break down the steps in solving a problem so those who are not in the writer's specialized field can understand what is being requested.

Comments about CH 1, 20

Chapter 1 shows the importance of considering all audience members who may read your message. Also, communicating efficiently is important as to show respect for other peoples time.

Chapter 20 suggests for a writer to be short, concise, orderly, formal, and follow format conventions. Things to keep in mind when communicating professionally is be respectful and include positions of readers, and provide necessary information so all parties will understand what you are trying to communicate.