Ethnographic

Report.
The culmination of our efforts over the
semester. Here you will find a full
breakdown our findings regarding our
informant and what it takes to be
successful in their field of professional
writing. ​

Introduction
Journalism is a specific type of writing, but many niche branches exist within
the field. It is the duty of reporters to share information with the public on all
aspects of life, including local news, domestic happenings and foreign
affairs. Each different type of journalistic writing comes with its own process
to most effectively allow reporters to share news. Foreign correspondence is
arguably the form of journalism that requires the greatest amount of
dedication and effort. It requires reporters to travel abroad, immerse
themselves in different cultures and report on unfamiliar topics. Journalists
aim to seek truth and report it, but doing so in unfamiliar territory is likely
difficult.

Through listening to a foreign correspondent speak about her experiences

HOME
abroad, reading articles about ARTIFACTS
her, comparing stories she has written about
both domestic and foreign affairs, and analyzing elements of Chapter 15:
ETHNOGRAPHIC REPORT
“What Do Technical Communicators Need to Know about Writing?” from
REFLECTION
Solving Problems in Technical Communication, this ethnographic report
explores how foreign correspondence differs from other forms of journalism,
namely domestic affairs reporting.

Research Subject
XXXX XXXX is a journalist for the Washington Post. She mainly reports on
national security topics, military issues, and the Pentagon. She spent six
years covering foreign affairs for Reuters prior to coming to the Post in 2014.
Throughout her career, Ryan has experience reporting f rom Iraq, Egypt,
Libya, Lebanon, Yemen, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Mexico, Peru, Argentina, and
Chile. She also has experience working for the federal government, once
participating in the year-long White House Fellowship Program. Ryan
earned a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Georgetown University
and a Masters degree f rom the John F. Kennedy School of Government at
Harvard University.
Data Collection Methods
Ryan came to speak with the class Bryan serves as a teaching assistant for –
Journalism 200: History, Roles and Structures – on October 23. Part of the
class prior to Ryan’s guest-speaker appearance was spent brainstorming
topics to discuss and developing questions to ask. The class Ryan was
present for was treated as a question-and-answer session so the students
could glean the information they desired from the professional journalist
sitting before them. A portion of the following class was spent debriefing on
Ryan’s presentation f rom and discussing what the students had learned
f rom the experiences and wisdom she shared. Artifacts f rom these classes
include the list of questions the professor pooled f rom the students, field
notes f rom the question-and-answer session and notes from the debrief.

As a journalist with a great deal of experience, Ryan has a large portfolio of

published stories. We analyzed stories from Reuters, in which she reported
abroad on foreign affairs, and the Washington Post, in which she typically
reports on national security topics from the United States. Foreign
correspondence and national security stories differ based on the sources
needed to share a detailed account of the issue at hand, as well as the
means used to get access to these sources.

Two stories in particular will be analyzed in this report: An exclusive Reuters

story published on February 17, 2014, reported on from Kabul, titled “Afghan
peace team seeks Dubai meeting with Taliban figures,” and a May 18 story
f rom the Washington Post titled “U.S. launches rare intentional strike on pro-
government forces in Syria.” These two stories show the range of reporting
Ryan has conducted.
Ryan, an accomplished foreign correspondent, has also shared her
experiences with other news outlets. We compiled these stories alongside
the stories she has written as sources to gather further information about
her career. One example that we have analyzed is an August 11, 2011 interview
f rom NPR titled “Journalist Recalls Being Held in Tripoli Hotel.” In the
interview, Ryan shares her experience being held captive by the Gaddafi
government gunmen while reporting in Libya during its civil war.

Through hearing her speak about her experiences, both in person and in
other interviews, as well as analyzing the different styles of reporting she has
engaged in, the artifacts we have collected help paint a holistic picture of
Ryan’s career, her writing process and her dedication to foreign
correspondence.

Findings
When preparing questions for Ryan’s visit, Bryan and Professor Carole Lee,
the course instructor, were worried that the students would not be
enthusiastic to jump into the conversation with Ryan. Based on both of their
past experiences with guest speakers, students are not typically willing to
voluntarily ask questions. The students in class, however, all came prepared
when compiling the list of questions and a majority of them volunteered to
ask their questions to Ryan. They all seemed excited about the guest
speaker, since she was coming during the class’ war-reporting unit. Several
of them said the timely guest speaker helped reinforce topics from class
discussions.​

Ryan visited the class the session after the questions were discussed and the
list was solidified. The class dove right into asking questions, as opposed to
Ryan giving a speech on her experience. She was willing to be candid with
the students, who are all aspiring journalists taking their first class in the
university’s journalism college. A wide variety of topics were covered,
including foreign correspondence and how it differs f rom other forms of
journalism, women in the media, the state of journalism today, and advice
Ryan could offer to the class. The questions were well thought-out and
encouraged Ryan to touch on a variety of important areas in the hour-and-
15-minute class.

Though accomplished and exposed to the dangers of war, Ryan presented

herself as humble and poised. A clear love for journalism and foreign
correspondence was evident as she shared her experiences reporting
abroad. Although she did not study journalism in college, she always had a
passion for writing, which led her to pursue reporting. She said foreign
correspondence differs f rom other forms of journalism because it is not the
kind of reporting you can do at work and simply go home at the end of the
day. It requires reporters to move to other countries for extended periods of
time and share living quarters with their fellow reporters – even their bosses.

War reporting is both dangerous and traumatic, as learned from Ryan’s

answers. Correspondents are often on the battlefields to conduct embedded
journalism. This form of reporting sends reporters with soldiers on missions
to see exactly how they are conducted. Being on the battlefield is incredibly
unpredictable, and it has resulted in reporter casualties. Ryan recalls her
bureau chief in Iraq having to carry the burden of reporters getting killed on
his watch and how much of a toll the experience took on his mental health.

As a female, Ryan said her gender sometimes benefitted her abroad. Men
can often be seen as a threat in certain cultures, which makes it easier for
her to get the story. The number of female foreign correspondents is limited,
however, based on Ryan’s experiences. She has seen single females shipped
off to report in other countries, but men are often more willing to leave their
families at home to report overseas.

A major consensus that was reached during the class following Ryan’s visit
was that the students were not interested in pursuing foreign
correspondence. One student said it seems “too intense,” while another said
these reporters are “put on the edge out there” and have their sanities
tested. Many said reporters who take these assignments must clearly be
dedicated to the job. One of Ryan’s stories that stuck out to several students
was about the 2015 terrorist attacks in Paris. She said that she and some of
her colleagues were sent to the city to cover the scene, just hours after
learning about them. Ryan’s conversation with the class showed that foreign
correspondence takes an added amount of dedication when compared to
other forms of journalism.

The Reuters exclusive story about the Afghan High Peace Council meeting
with Taliban members serves as an example of the culmination of Ryan’s
reporting process when working in a foreign country (Ryan and Shalizi). A
noticeable component of Ryan’s writing on foreign affairs is the historical
context she provides. Throughout the article, Ryan includes clarifying
information that helps the reader understand the situation – likely because
they are less familiar with happenings in foreign nations.

Statements f rom government officials are quoted throughout the Reuters

exclusive. Speaking with these officials confirmed the content of the story,
which must be difficult to do in a foreign country without easily accessible
contacts within the government. Building rapport with these sources is
nearly impossible when foreign correspondents are shipped off to different
countries for only months at a time. Ryan also uses anonymous sources from
the Afghan government in this story, alluding to the idea that this story
covers a touchy subject. Near the end of the story, Ryan offers the
perspective of the United States by explaining what the Obama
administration has done regarding the pursuit toward peace in Afghanistan.
This inclusion of U.S. actions in the conflict appeals to Ryan’s local audience
in America, despite the story focusing on a foreign issue.

The Washington Post story f rom this past May on the U.S. launching a strike
on Syrian pro-government forces is an example of Ryan’s work in national
security reporting. While the attack took place abroad, it was carried out by
U.S. forces. This story proves that domestic affairs stories are often influenced
by international events, and the topics often cannot be reported on in
isolation from one another. In terms of sources, she uses anonymous
informants to protect their identities while speaking on a touchy subject.
She also includes statements f rom the Pentagon, an analyst with ties to the
Syrian government and U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis, among
others. She is reporting on the story from a U.S. national security angle, but
her sources allow her to provide a balanced report on the event. Reporters
f rom Istanbul also contributed to this report, helping Ryan compile
information she could not easily get access to as she was writing the story in
the U.S.

Ryan’s domestic affairs reporting still relates, in some way, to foreign affairs.
When speaking about how she writes domestic stories, it is critical to
understand that most are not devoid of international influence. Rather, they
are generally about U.S. government strategies that impact other parts of
the world. This kind of “domestic” writing highlights the importance of
global affairs as they relate to the United States, or vice versa. It is a kind of
domestic affairs reporting that often relates to international influences.

Ryan’s dedication and experience has earned her recognition. While

reporting on the Libyan Civil War in 2011, Ryan was held captive in a hotel for
several days. NPR interviewed Ryan on the experience, allowing her to reflect
on the long, horrific hours that made up each day. Throughout the interview,
Ryan was poised and spoke with confidence. She said, “I think it’s important
that we were there. Certainly, we were able to have a presence and describe
the scene” (Siegel). This statement embodies Ryan’s passion for reporting.
No matter the conditions, Ryan selflessly commits her time and energy to
bringing foreign affairs into the light.

Analysis and Results [SPTC Ch. 15]

Chapter 15 of Solving Problems in Technical Communication, titled “What do
Technical Communicators Need to Know about Writing?,” highlights areas
“new technical communicators can use to determine ways to write
effectively in the various roles and contexts in which they find themselves”
(Blakeslee and Savage 362). Taking into consideration the six areas of focus
f rom the chapter’s heuristic, we analyzed Ryan’s writing and the process she
uses in her work.

​Amount and Quality of Writing Entailed and Expected

According to the chapter, the amount of writing completed by a technical
communicator depends on job description and the specific tasks or projects
at hand. Technical communicators must plan out their projects and make
informed decisions about managing competing demands. The quality of the
writing depends on many crucial factors: Deadlines, what is at stake, the
audience, and the value places on writing in the organization.

Foreign correspondence reporting often requires journalists to live in a

country different f rom their own for an extended period of time. This form of
journalism differs f rom other types as there is no “f ree time” from work. The
journalist is living abroad, constantly researching and investigating, in order
to produce stories that give others a lens into international current events.

Reporting on foreign affairs immerses the journalist in the story. Technical

communicators must decide how many projects to take on at once. The
number of stories Ryan writes depends on the news and what information
she is able to find through research. In foreign correspondence writing, the
amount of stories a journalist writes at one time depends on each situation.
A breaking news story will take precedence over a story on a less pressing
issue because audiences should know about that information first.

With any form of journalistic writing, it is crucial to be ethical and accurate.

Technical communicators must meet certain standards set by their
workplaces, and Ryan is held to high standards issued by the news outlets
she writes for. The Washington Post is a highly respected source of
information, so it is vital that she and her colleagues report and write
truthfully.

Nature of the Writing

This area focuses on the types of documents technical writers are assigned.
Where and how they come about can determine how these communicators
write. Technical communicators should consider the amount of research
they must conduct to create these documents and if they need to interview
experts. A common practice is for technical writers to work in teams to
produce large documents. The nature of the writing also influences the tools
and technologies used by the communicators, the way the writing is
organized, and the amount of time dedicated to different tasks.

Technical communicators must analyze their tasks to figure out how much
research they will have to perform. In this stage, they also decide whether or
not the specific project should be a collaborative effort. Many of Ryan’s
stories abroad were written alongside other journalists. Collaboration in this
sense can include news-gathering or actually writing the story together.

Deciding if subject-matter experts should be interviewed for stories is

another important aspect of Ryan’s profession. Technical communicators
often consult with outside sources to learn more about a subject and include
their statements in a document.
Technical communication requires the use of many tools and technologies.
According to the chapter, “The nature of the writing you do can also
influence the tools and technologies you use, the way you organize your
work, the amount of time you allocate to various tasks, and the amount of
ownership you will have, ultimately, over the documents you write”
(Blakeslee and Savage 369). Analyzing the nature of a project allows the
writer to organize the writing process and, in the end, take ownership over
the document.

Genres and Rhetorical Strategies

Chapter 15 discusses the notion that technical communicators must be able
to easily navigate among different genres and understand the conventions
of each. They must be prepared to produce new types of documents as the
needs and expectations of their companies evolve over time. The chapter
also emphasizes the importance of rhetoric, saying, “Rhetorical skills and
knowledge of audience are essential for technical communicators”
(Blakeslee and Savage 369). Differing audiences will influence the
documents produced and the rhetorical strategies used in a technical
communicator’s writing.

Ryan’s foreign stories affairs are incredibly informative and represent the
culmination of immense research. The documents she creates as a
communicator are journalistic stories, but their length, content and genre
vary based on the news she is reporting. Breaking news stories are often
short, while more in-depth analysis pieces will be longer and include more
information. No matter the document or the genre, she uses very little, if any,
journalistic jargon. This simple style of writing helps the reader immensely,
making Ryan’s documents one that any reader can understand.

The genre that is most recognizable in Ryan’s writing style is “genre and
purpose.” Not only is her purpose as a journalist to inform, but to also to
write about current events that affect everyday people. Her purpose seems
to be centralized on simply getting the news out the general public’s
disposal. Her writing style allows all readers to stay up-to-date with the news,
despite the often complex subjects.
Rhetorically analyzing Ryan’s work, she presents plenty of Aristotelian logos,
logical appeals, which is common for a journalist working for the
Washington Post. She presents information accurately and free of bias,
making sure to include both sides of the story. This unbiased coverage also
shows that Ryan uses Aristotelian ethos, appeals to character, in her writing.
The variety of sources she uses in her stories not only show how much
research she has conducted, but also her dedication to allowing all parties
involved in a story to speak about the issue being covered.

The audience of her stories are citizens of the United States and beyond. She
shows a clear understanding of her audience when reporting on foreign
affairs, because she typically includes the U.S.’s involvement in each conflict
to interest American readers who have no stake in conflicts taking place in
other countries.

As a journalist for the Washington Post, a prestigious and well-known news

source, Ryan is held to a high standard. The Washington Post’s readers rely
on the publication to know what is going on around the world. Due to its
high volume of audience members, Ryan and her colleagues must work
tirelessly to make sure all details in their stories are correct.

Approaches and Processes for Writing

There is no single “correct” approach to writing. It depends on “not only
individual preferences and skills, but also on the project, company, type of
document” (Blakeslee and Savage 370). No matter the approach, writing is a
process. The chapter states the best practices for any writing process:
research, planning, drafting, reviewing and editing, revising, proof reading,
and publishing.

Some of these steps take more time than others, but all are equally
important. Technical communicators need self-awareness and the ability to
recognize how the work they do may influence their own writing process.
Managing a schedule and allocating time to each step requires technical
communicators to look at the project holistically prior to starting it. Writing
processes vary f rom one project to another, so it is vital that each task is
viewed from a new perspective.

Ryan’s role as a journalist influences her to be clear and informative. In order

to produce accurates stories, she must carefully research many topics before
she starts writing. When reporting on foreign affairs abroad, Ryan is
immersed in the research area. Regardless, it is important to conduct the
proper amount of fact-finding no matter the story.

In the news industry, stories sometimes have to be expedited. Dependent on

the need for the information to be published, stories containing breaking
news or time-sensitive information are created quicker than usual. These
stories are still made using a process of some sort, no matter how urgent the
deadline.

Knowledge and Skills

This area explores the knowledge and skills technical communicators must
have. Knowing how to use technology, collaborate with others and analyze
data is crucial to success in the field. A technical communicator must
consider how much they should know about the subject before they write
about it. The research step of the writing process depends on the level of
pre-existing knowledge of a subject.

Stories by Ryan and her session with journalism students depict a successful
journalist who has intensely charismatic, inquisitive, and brave qualities.
These broad attributes become obvious in her writing. Ryan’s stories require
an intimate knowledge of the subject, the ability to stay composed under
pressure, the skills to write within genre conventions and familiarity with
efficient collaboration.

A journalist must be knowledgeable on nearly an infinite number of subjects

in a world of ever-evolving news. Ryan’s writing shows that she far exceeds
these demands. In many of her stories, connections are drawn among
events. This illustrates her understanding of both the subject matter and the
potential influence one news event can have on another.

To gather accurate research, Ryan has gone abroad to report on key issues
that can shape U.S. foreign policy. As mentioned earlier, a prime example of
this is her trip to Libya. Ryan was reporting on the civil war when she found
herself seized in a hotel alongside other journalists. Despite these hardships,
Ryan still recognizes the importance of knowledge in her field. Analyzing her
work and experiences highlights the fact that in this type of journalism,
immersion is key.

Additionally, what she writes about often carries large implications. From
reporting on military strikes to Taliban conflicts, Ryan remains composed.
She is a prime example of how it is important to prioritize self-care to fulfill
the expected duties.

Many of Ryan’s articles are written in collaboration amongst several

journalists. When writing on tight time constraints and important subject
matters, collaborating with other journalists is key. The ability to work with
your colleagues and produce work that is held to a high standard at all times
is highly valued. When multiple people write a story, it is sometimes difficult
to maintain its harmony. There must be one “voice” and the article needs to
exhibit depth, concision and accuracy.

Personal Traits and Qualities

This category focuses on the personal traits and qualities of a technical
communicator, and how they can help with their writing. Beyond merely
identifying personal traits, technical communicator should employ them in
such a way that benefits their work.
Technical communicators should be able to work with others. “Interpersonal
skills – the ability to listen and ask question, in particular – are also essential
to writing and to carrying out research for one’s writing” (Blakeslee and
Savage 372). Ryan demonstrated her interpersonal skills in her class
presentation and in her writing. She welcomes collaborative efforts and
works with other journalists and sources to get stories done.

A journalist must be relentless in their research, passionate about finding

truth and highly adaptable. The chapter states, “technical communicators
need an interest in and passion for learning as well as an ability to adapt
easily to change” (Blakeslee and Savage 372). News is constantly developing
and journalists may have to pause one project to work on another. Two hours
after the 2015 terrorist attack in Paris, Ryan was on an airplane en route to
France to report on it.

Foreign correspondents must exhibit extreme dedication, as they might be

aware f rom home for an extended period of time, will likely work long hours
and be in a foreign land under a foreign government. They must have a
high-level of confidence and the ability to remain composed, no matter the
circumstances.

As the journalism students noted, foreign correspondence can be a tough

subject to cover and for that reason many ref rain from joining the field. It
seems to take a rather unconventional person to knowingly pursue this type
of journalism. Ryan’s experiences show her dedication to the pursuit toward
truth. She is willing to take on challenges of all sorts, and her career exposes
what journalists may endure while reporting on foreign affairs abroad.

Conclusion
Dedication, effort, and an attention to detail are just some of the qualities a
successful foreign correspondent must have. Missy Ryan possesses these
traits and more. Her portfolio reflects her fearlessness and passion for
writing. In comparing Ryan’s writing process with what is described in the
textbook, it was found that the two are not at all that dissimilar.

Foreign correspondence journalism requires a different type of approach.

Any journalist pursues truth and is passionate about reporting it, but a
foreign correspondent often faces potential danger. Ryan’s track record
proves that she is capable of fulfilling the challenge. She sees the value in
her work and takes it seriously and relentlessly continues to share truth with
the public.

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