The University of New Mexico

To: Misty Thomas, Instructor

English 2210.023 Online
From: Rachael Pine, Senior Student
Date December 4, 2019
Reflective Memo Final
RE:

Comments: I chose this class because I knew that I needed to have to develop some skills
in Technical Communication for the rest of my college career and frankly I
wished I would have taken it as a first-year or second years student. I also
believe every student should be mandated to take “Public Speaking in every
college or high school in America. I think that if I would have taken this
course earlier, I would have had a much easier time preparing papers and
other types of papers and video, PowerPoint presentations, etc. “According to
the report, “A Ticket to Work… Or a Ticket Out,” from the National
Commission on Writing, weak writing skills are the “kiss of death” for an
employee. In fact, 51 percent of companies say they “frequently or almost
always take into consideration when hiring salaried employees” Sheehan-
Johnson Richard, 6th edition, p.18
From the very first day of this class, I was learning why Technical
communication is not only written differently but it is focused on specific
genres. For instance, in jargon would be used for engineers when they prepare
their Technical Communication. But a person who teaches special types of
medical bandaging, that would be directed to those readers. Technical
Communication can be directions on a toothpaste box or how to apply certain
chemicals. Technical Communication in the 21st century is fast-paced due to
the internet. The world is now a global economy and has moved past the 19th
and 20th-century post-industrial age. Many factories and those employees who
worked there are now obsolete.
To be successful in the 21st century and beyond an employee must have the
skills and talents to use technology to be able to take work anywhere in the
world. Have conferences across the globe with partners from other countries.
In fact, more Primary, secondary and beyond are now having school online. I
knew many military members attending school while they served in combat in
the middle east. I had an instructor a couple of summers ago she was on
vacation grading our posted work while she was suntanning on a tropical
beach.
As each week approached a new assignment was given and new terms and
ways to prepared technical Communications documents and how they can be
used by either emailing, faxing, making printed material and videos
 The University of New Mexico

PowerPoint presentations. A document designed to provide instructions or

directions or flow charts or recommendation research and how experiments
were done and outcomes. Within al, these the important thoughts are to keep
cultural needs and language barriers and use of colors and images are
important as some countries do not appreciate certain colors or images for
things or times of years. Also, to keep in mind is all Ethical. Legal and
political changing issues across the globe.
Theine UNM outcomes are a great guide to help a student or anyone to meet
the needs of a clear concise designed document. I was quite challenged as I
slowly crept up to the laptop to open the instructions and video of how to
open and design the web-based portfolio. My first choice did not work out for
me, so I chose another website and found it much easier to navigate. I am now
at the end of this class and feel I have more to learn but I have a great start to
build on and continue to work towards making all my Technical
Communication professional and without error.
Misty, thank you for all your assistance and I hope you have a great break
coming up. Thank you so much for teaching me so much this semester.
Rachael Pine