[Teaching_Composition] Rhetorical analysis of scientific research report

Sat, 7 Oct 2006 19:23:45 -0500

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<<The real world can be results oriented in ways that writing for class
might never match. A 
grade of C or B gets you by, but it also gets you fired by the client. And
I'm still working on that problem.>>

Neal, 

I pretty regularly, now, do create both web sites and other marketing
materias (or collateral material, as I've learned to call it) both
internally and for clients. Here are some quickly brainstormed suggestions
I'd make to students just beginning to do this work: 

--Early on, you should visit the client specifically for a meeting in which
the client's vision for the piece-its audience, purpose, tone, look, general
air-are discussed.  I make some suggestions at meetings like that, but
mostly I do a lot of listening, a lot of questioning, and a lot of note
taking, so I'll have prompts, later, when I need this information as I
write.   The "general air" part can be subtle, but is very important.  It's
a matter of tuning into the client's culture, and to the client's "brand."
Even non-commercial enterprises such as non-profit fundraising organizations
are "branded," and you need to tune into that.  Even before this meeting,
studying the existing client literature is crucial. You will need to
determine to what extent they are looking either to build on the existing
branding direction, or to shift it.  What's working, what isn't, what's
changed, what's needed, etc.?

--Preparation is exceedingly important.  You might not know much about the
disease in question right now, but you can find out tons about it on your
own, and you need to do that-lots of it-right away.  Find out the signs and
symptoms of the disease, and how and when and among whom (age, gender, sex,
racial or socio-economic background) it is typically diagnosed.  Find out
what sorts of barriers there are to early diagnosis, and to treatment, too.
Find out what the standard treatments are right now, what is in the
experimental pipeline, and what is hoped for next.  Find out all about the
prognosis for this disease.  Then, once you have your scientific/medical
grasp of things in place, find out about the psychological, sociological,
and personal factors.  How does this effect people, their families and
friends, their hopes and dreams, their ability to function in general?  How
much support is there?  What sorts are still needed?  Etc.  Also, you should
find out whatever you can about what might inspire people to contribute to
this cause, and what might block them from doing so.  Are there other
diseases that occupy this same donating space?  What do people need to know
to get them to include this cause in their list of concerns?  A whole lot of
writing really is about research, and in this kind of real world writing,
research and brainstorming or invention amount to the same thing.  Your
initial contacts with the client (interviews!) and their materials (data
collection!) and your independent research are really required.  Without
that, you'll have very little sense even of where to begin writing.

--As you begin to compose, by all means contact the client again for
clarification on questions that have arisen due to your research, or for
guidance on questions that arise as you write.  Don't bedevil the client or
anything, but don't be shy about doing whatever must be done to secure the
information and resources that you will need to complete this work
successfully.  If you can get a designated contact person within the
organization-someone who will always be your first resource on these
matters-that will serve everyone will.

--In this kind of writing, the first client deadline (teacher's deadline and
personal deadlines are another thing, but both of  those deadlines should
definitely precede this first client deadline by a good bit) is the deadline
for a draft, but this is a draft that must be complete, and represent your
very best possible work.  "Draft" here does not mean shitty first draft, or
mostly put together work-in-progress, or piece that still needs a lot of
work.  The piece you present at the first deadline is both "final" as
students often understand that, and a draft-because even if it is your very
best (it should be-no exceptions), it will have to get better, still,  by
changing in response to the client's suggestions and needs.  The better this
draft is, the better the client's suggestions will be, so you'll do everyone
a big favor by making it the best.  Do whatever you have to do to make this
happen.  Sleep, laundry, quality time with your loved ones, and so on can
all wait.  If you are very, very organized, setting up a schedule for
yourself and sticking to it, you maybe won't have to make too many personal
sacrifices.  But, chances are, you will have to make some, and that's as it
should be.  You are doing this writing for someone else-some person or group
of people that are relying on you for a task they regard as very
important-so do whatever must be done.  On the eve of first draft/best work
day, when I've discovered an error or had a sudden insight about something
that ought, really, to be changed, I've changed it, no matter what else I'd
planned. 

--So, this leads to another key thing.  This both is and is not your work.
It is yours, you are writing it-collaboratively with your peers, in this
case-but it will belong to someone else, and possibly won't even have your
name on it.  (I always assume that these things will not, and usually they
shouldn't.)  This will be odd to you this first time through, probably.  On
the one hand, you may feel a little bit defensive when the draft (first and
best!) is under review.  After all, there they all go crossing things out,
and wanting changes in wording, and whole new sections, and different art,
etc.  You will appear to be-and *will* be-at your most professional if you
can get yourself into the psychological spot of both caring enough about
this thing to make it great and understanding that this critique isn't an
attack.  (If your draft is the best it can be, chances are there will be no
attacking at all!) In fact, I'd say that, generally speaking, the more
animated the response your draft provokes, the better it is.  Once you give
your client a clear idea of what you *can* do, the client will want even
more, and will have many exciting new ideas about what they can ask for.  

--There's way more to say, but I'll end on this:  this kind of writing is
tremendously fun and fulfilling for a whole bunch of reasons.  One thing is
that you get the chance to develop knowledge about all kinds of things you
might never even have thought of before.  Hah!  You never even thought of
it, but now you've found out what a key thing it is in the lives of all of
these people who care about it and are impacted by it and are looking to
you-your skill, your time, your effort-to communicate that effectively to
others.  This is an enriching thing.  Maybe the really key thing, though, is
that this brand of writing will really teach you what a powerful thing it is
to compose well, and just how much people value that.  In school, it can be
hard to see what all of the fuss is about, but once you do this kind of
writing a time or two, you'll find yourself looking at all of the writing
around you with new eyes.  Someone or some group wrote all of that, and once
you have a much better sense of what that process actually entails, you'll
be both more appreciative of it and more accurately critical, too.  Over the
last several years, I've been moving down this path of learning and
discovery, myself, and it's been not only a total blast in its own right,
but also an experience that has broadened my imagination and improved my
personal writing in ways I never could have anticipated..  

Kathy

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<div class=3DSection1><pre>&lt;&lt;The =
real world can be&nbsp; results oriented in ways that writing for class =
might never match. A&nbsp; <o:p></o:p></pre><pre>grade of C or B =
gets you by, but it also gets you fired by the client.&nbsp; And I'm =
still working on that =
problem.&gt;&gt;<o:p></o:p></pre><pre><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></pre><pre>Neal, =
<o:p></o:p></pre><pre><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></pre><pre>I pretty =
regularly, now, do create both web sites and other marketing materias =
(or collateral material, as I&#8217;ve learned to call it) both =
internally and for clients. Here are some quickly brainstormed =
suggestions I&#8217;d make to students just beginning to do this work: =
<o:p></o:p></pre><pre><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></pre><pre>--Early on, you =
should visit the client specifically for a meeting in which the =
client&#8217;s vision for the piece&#8212;its audience, purpose, tone, =
look, general air&#8212;are discussed.&nbsp; I make some suggestions at =
meetings like that, but mostly I do a lot of listening, a lot of =
questioning, and a lot of note taking, so I&#8217;ll have prompts, =
later, when I need this information as I write. &nbsp;&nbsp;The =
&#8220;general air&#8221; part can be subtle, but is very =
important.&nbsp; It&#8217;s a matter of tuning into the client&#8217;s =
culture, and to the client&#8217;s &#8220;brand.&#8221;&nbsp; Even =
non-commercial enterprises such as non-profit fundraising organizations =
are &#8220;branded,&#8221; and you need to tune into that.&nbsp; Even =
before this meeting, studying the existing client literature is crucial. =
You will need to determine to what extent they are looking either to =
build on the existing branding direction, or to shift it.&nbsp; =
What&#8217;s working, what isn&#8217;t, what&#8217;s changed, =
what&#8217;s needed, etc.?<o:p></o:p></pre><pre><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></pre><pre>--Preparation =
is exceedingly important.&nbsp; You might not know much about the =
disease in question right now, but you can find out tons about it on =
your own, and you need to do that&#8212;lots of it&#8212;right =
away.&nbsp; Find out the signs and symptoms of the disease, and how and =
when and among whom (age, gender, sex, racial or socio-economic =
background) it is typically diagnosed.&nbsp; Find out what sorts of =
barriers there are to early diagnosis, and to treatment, too.&nbsp; Find =
out what the standard treatments are right now, what is in the =
experimental pipeline, and what is hoped for next.&nbsp; Find out all =
about the prognosis for this disease.&nbsp; Then, once you have your =
scientific/medical grasp of things in place, find out about the =
psychological, sociological, and personal factors.&nbsp; How does this =
effect people, their families and friends, their hopes and dreams, their =
ability to function in general?&nbsp; How much support is there?&nbsp; =
What sorts are still needed?&nbsp; Etc.&nbsp; Also, you should find out =
whatever you can about what might inspire people to contribute to this =
cause, and what might block them from doing so.&nbsp; Are there other =
diseases that occupy this same donating space?&nbsp; What do people need =
to know to get them to include this cause in their list of =
concerns?&nbsp; A whole lot of writing really is about research, and in =
this kind of real world writing, research and brainstorming or invention =
amount to the same thing.&nbsp; Your initial contacts with the client =
(interviews!) and their materials (data collection!) and your =
independent research are really required.&nbsp; Without that, =
you&#8217;ll have very little sense even of where to begin =
writing.<o:p></o:p></pre><pre><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></pre><pre>--As you begin =
to compose, by all means contact the client again for clarification on =
questions that have arisen due to your research, or for guidance on =
questions that arise as you write.&nbsp; Don&#8217;t bedevil the client =
or anything, but don&#8217;t be shy about doing whatever must be done to =
secure the information and resources that you will need to complete this =
work successfully.&nbsp; If you can get a designated contact person =
within the organization&#8212;someone who will always be your first =
resource on these matters&#8212;that will serve everyone =
will.<o:p></o:p></pre><pre><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></pre><pre>--In this kind =
of writing, the first client deadline (teacher&#8217;s deadline and =
personal deadlines are another thing, but both of &nbsp;those deadlines =
should definitely precede this first client deadline by a good bit) is =
the deadline for a draft, but this is a draft that must be complete, and =
represent your very best possible work.&nbsp; &#8220;Draft&#8221; here =
does not mean shitty first draft, or mostly put together =
work-in-progress, or piece that still needs a lot of work.&nbsp; The =
piece you present at the first deadline is both &#8220;final&#8221; as =
students often understand that, and a draft&#8212;because even if it is =
your very best (it should be&#8212;no exceptions), it will have to get =
better, still, &nbsp;by changing in response to the client&#8217;s =
suggestions and needs.&nbsp; The better this draft is, the better the =
client&#8217;s suggestions will be, so you&#8217;ll do everyone a big =
favor by making it the best.&nbsp; Do whatever you have to do to make =
this happen.&nbsp; Sleep, laundry, quality time with your loved ones, =
and so on can all wait.&nbsp; If you are very, very organized, setting =
up a schedule for yourself and sticking to it, you maybe won&#8217;t =
have to make too many personal sacrifices.&nbsp; But, chances are, you =
will have to make some, and that&#8217;s as it should be.&nbsp; You are =
doing this writing for someone else&#8212;some person or group of people =
that are relying on you for a task they regard as very =
important&#8212;so do whatever must be done.&nbsp; On the eve of first =
draft/best work day, when I&#8217;ve discovered an error or had a sudden =
insight about something that ought, really, to be changed, I&#8217;ve =
changed it, no matter what else I&#8217;d planned. =
<o:p></o:p></pre><pre><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></pre><pre>--So, this =
leads to another key thing.&nbsp; This both is and is not your =
work.&nbsp; It is yours, you are writing it&#8212;collaboratively with =
your peers, in this case&#8212;but it will belong to someone else, and =
possibly won&#8217;t even have your name on it.&nbsp; (I always assume =
that these things will not, and usually they shouldn&#8217;t.)&nbsp; =
This will be odd to you this first time through, probably.&nbsp; On the =
one hand, you may feel a little bit defensive when the draft (first and =
best!) is under review.&nbsp; After all, there they all go crossing =
things out, and wanting changes in wording, and whole new sections, and =
different art, etc.&nbsp; You will appear to be&#8212;and *will* be&#8212;at your most =
professional if you can get yourself into the psychological spot of both =
caring enough about this thing to make it great and understanding that =
this critique isn&#8217;t an attack.&nbsp; (If your draft is the best it =
can be, chances are there will be no attacking at all!) In fact, =
I&#8217;d say that, generally speaking, the more animated the response =
your draft provokes, the better it is.&nbsp; Once you give your client a =
clear idea of what you *can* do, the client will want even =
more, and will have many exciting new ideas about what they can ask =
for.&nbsp; <o:p></o:p></pre><pre><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></pre><pre>--There&#8217;s =
way more to say, but I&#8217;ll end on this:&nbsp; this kind of writing =
is tremendously fun and fulfilling for a whole bunch of reasons.&nbsp; =
One thing is that you get the chance to develop knowledge about all =
kinds of things you might never even have thought of before.&nbsp; =
Hah!&nbsp; You never even thought of it, but now you&#8217;ve found out =
what a key thing it is in the lives of all of these people who care =
about it and are impacted by it and are looking to you&#8212;your skill, =
your time, your effort&#8212;to communicate that effectively to =
others.&nbsp; This is an enriching thing.&nbsp; Maybe the really key =
thing, though, is that this brand of writing will really teach you what =
a powerful thing it is to compose well, and just how much people value =
that.&nbsp; In school, it can be hard to see what all of the fuss is =
about, but once you do this kind of writing a time or two, you&#8217;ll =
find yourself looking at all of the writing around you with new eyes. =
&nbsp;Someone or some group wrote all of that, and once you have a much =
better sense of what that process actually entails, you&#8217;ll be both =
more appreciative of it and more accurately critical, too.&nbsp; Over =
the last several years, I&#8217;ve been moving down this path of =
learning and discovery, myself, and it&#8217;s been not only a total =
blast in its own right, but also an experience that has broadened my =
imagination and improved my personal writing in ways I never could have =
anticipated..&nbsp; <o:p></o:p></pre><pre><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></pre><pre>Kathy<o:p></o:p></pre>

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