Module 2 serves to introduce and explore the rhetorical foundations of the field of business, professional, and technical communication. There are several intended outcomes from Module 2:

1. Better understand the role of English and rhetorical studies in technical communication, especially focused on agency
2. Recognize connections between rhetoric, technical communication, and archives
3. Practice using Plain Language guidelines in posts and comments
4. Propose an AI-augmented business technology or tool to include in our class Fabric of Digital Life collection
5. Propose a communication project

Unless otherwise indicated, all work for Module 2 should be completed by midnight on Sunday, May 21.

Lecture Notes

Review Module 2 Lecture Video post (above) with notes and slides.

Readings & Resources

• Open Technical Communication Chapter 2: Applications of Technical Writing
• Technical Writing Chapter 14: Thinking About Writing
• U.S. government’s Plain Language Guidelines (all sections) and Checklist for Plain Language on the Web
• David Dobrin’s What’s Technical about Technical Writing?
• Slack, Miller & Doak’s The Technical Communicator as Author: Meaning, Power, Authority

Activities

Research AI-augmented business tools and/or technologies online. Identify several providers of AI-augmented tools and technologies, and be sure you’re able to describe, in rough terms, how AI-augmentation is being incorporated into business contexts. Work to identify the role algorithms and machine learning play in these tools.

Visit and study the Fabric of Digital Life Replacing Human Decision-Making Through Automated Tracking Systems (ATS) in Hiring Processes (2020) collection.

• Read carefully the collection description.
• Scan the individual artifacts that are part of the collection.
• Use the clock icon (near the top right on desktop, bottom right on mobile) to see these artifacts on a timeline.
  • Browse the timeline.
  • Consider how this timeline visualizes emergence of technologies.
• Select one artifact that’s more interesting to you than others to examine more closely.
  • Click on the artifact to read/watch/review its entirety.
  • Read carefully all of the metadata associated with the artifact (e.g., Publication Title, Media Type, Persuasive Intent, etc.)

Responses

Write a 150-200 word response to the Dobrin article as a comment on the page. Respond to an idea or statement from the article that appeals (or doesn’t appeal) to you, explaining why the idea or statement resonates with or bothers you.

Write a 150-200 word response to the Slack, Miller & Doak article as a comment on the page. In your response, address this question: What is the articulation view of communication? How do you see this perspective applying to you in your professional context? Explain your answer.

Reactions: Read everyone else’s responses and posts. Reply in a threaded comment to at least one response or introduction. Your reactions are due by midnight on Wednesday, May 24.

Project Work

Fabric of Digital Life: Propose in an original blog post of about 250-300 words on an AI-augmented technology tool you’d like to consider including in our collection of emerging AI-augmented technologies incorporated in business activities for the Fabric of Digital Life. Use the sample artifact you explored as a model for the kinds of information you’ll need to collect about this technology. Most importantly, what publicly available representation of the AI-augmented technology or tool — promotional video, news item, review, etc. — do you propose to represent the emergence of this technology? Make the case that this would be an important artifact to collect and archive in a collection seeking to capture the emergence of the use of AI-augmented in business activities. Include the category “Fabric of Digital Life” and several relevant tags.

Communication Project: Based on research you completed in Module 1, propose in an original blog post of about 250-300 words a communication project you’d like to writing a formal proposal to implement in your professional context. Summarize your needs assessment and define as clearly as possible the parameters of this project. Include in your proposal the following:

• Estimate scope of research and work required
• Define the primary audience and any other audiences for this project
• Define the boundaries of the project
• Specify the deliverable(s) of the project

Although you’re deliverable for class will be a formal proposal, the goal of the assignment is to provide you a framework you can use to actually propose and complete the work in your professional context beyond the timeframe or assessment guidelines of the course. Include the category “Communication Project” and several relevant tags.

Upcoming Project Reminders

Scholarship Presentation: Continue determining aspects of the field of technical (business and professional) communication that intersect with your professional context. You’ll be asked to identify a scholarly article, chapter, or book whose content you’ll summarize in a recorded presentation for your classmates. Ideally, this scholarship will bear some relationship to your professional context.

Employment Project: Starting looking at job boards for postings for which you might be interested in submitted an application. Spend some time thinking about job roles you’d like to perform and titles you’d like to earn. Do some searches for job titles and review job postings. Later, you’ll need to submit an application as directed in the job posting, so dust off your resume and update your LinkedIn profile.

Ticket Out

Complete the Module 2 Ticket Out only after completing all other sections of the module. Completing the Ticket Out lets me know that you’ve completed the Module’s assignments.