To: John Ryan Marks, ENGL 202C Professor

From: Patrick Krispin, Student

Subject: Reflection Memo on the course
Date: 6/27/14
The purpose of this memo is to discuss in a reflective manner, my experience with the
English 202C course and what it has given me in my college education. I will address the
general benefit I received on a personal level, and then analyze the specific areas where the
class has improved my professional outlook upon life after college.
Throughout this 6-Week period, my experience with the ENGL 202C course has been
remarkable in all honesty. Looking back on the learning objectives, it is evident that this
course clearly has achieved its purpose in my academic career. My personal idea of what
technical writers did was very skewed. I thought technical writing took care of all the very
specific and intricate documents that are involved in our day-to-day society. For example, I
had no idea that the technicality of writing could be so creatively intertwined with an aspect
of design like it is. I thought designers took care of design and writers wrote, before being
informed that indeed a majority of the two elements could be cross-taught. Writing contains
so many elements that I rarely considered on an individual basis like content, rhetoric,
design, styles, meaning. All of these aspects before seemed to mesh together into what I saw
as English. By no means have I ever been so inclined to put the effort and actual time into
educating myself about the components taught in this course. Therefore I am very grateful I
had the opportunity to take this class.
The course helped me understand the technicality of what thoughts go into creating a variety
of different formats. This objective can be seen in the first analysis of basic rhetoric through
dissecting the components of a government document, LIHEAP which is the Low
Income Home Energy Assistance Program. Through the analysis, the content, design, and
language used were essential components to the recommendations I suggested in the memo
formatted assignment. This assignment showed my ability to recommend actions that would
result in the readability and usability, as Markel would put it, in a document.
In the Hydraulic Fracturing assignment I submitted, I was able to understand the purpose
of the document first and foremost which was to be able to explain an innovative procedure
that commonly takes place in my area of study. This document was important for me in a
way that is imperative to the growth I have made in the energy industry. The document
showed my understanding of the topic, as well as the ability to communicate a relatively
technical procedure to an audience who would not normally come across the process in their
fields of study. This trait is one that shows professionalism and my ability to connect with
audiences of a wide scope.
These examples, along with the rest of the Technical Writing coursework have proven to
help my collegiate career and launch a professional aspect to my communicative ability. A
change of perspective has happened throughout this month and a half long course that will
assist me in my future learning and working career on the professional stage in this society.
For all of these benefits gained throughout the course, I am extremely grateful and highly
recommend this course for every student looking to progress in the same way I have.