Dan Burcham reflects on his learning in his technical communication course over the fall semester. He discusses how the course improved his technical communication skills and allowed him to experiment with design software and modes of communication. Some key lessons included learning about rhetorical situation, enhancing his writing skills through assignments like a resume and proposal, enjoying designing a mobile application in Unit 2, collaborating effectively with his group for the usability testing in Unit 3, learning the importance of being ethical, and exploring various technologies like Microsoft Office, Marvel App, Adobe Premiere, and Google Forms. Overall, the course encouraged him to communicate ideas clearly to different audiences and exposed him to new skills and technologies that will be useful in his future career.

1. Final Reflection
A Brief Flashback by: Dan Burcham
English 2311-014
Daniel Burcham
December 7, 2016
Fall 2016

2. Technical
Communication: Serves a
particular purpose- typically to communicate ideas or
concepts to an intended audience, or instruct an audience
on a particular task.
Throughout this course
I’ve learned how to
communicate my ideas
and concepts in a way
that clearly conveys the
message to the intended
audience. Improving my
technical communication
skills allowed me to
experiment with several
different applied
technology, design
softwares, and modes of
communication that I
probably would have
never touched.

3. Table of
Contents
01 Rhetorical Situation
02 Writing
03 Design
04 Collaboration
05 Ethics
06 Culture
07 Applied Technology
Rhetorical Situation
Witing
Applied Technology
Culture
Collaboration
Design
Ethics

4. Rhetorical Situation
Scholar, Llyod Bitzer, introduced the concept
somewhere around 1968 and changed the way
we perceive information and rhetoric as a
whole. Coming into the course I had addressed
rhetoric before, but never in a manner that
instructed others for an intended purpose. For
instance, the mobile application taught me how
to take very complex information and break it
down so the audience can fully understand
every intricate detail.

5. Writing Although not a writing intensive course, this
opportunity has definitely enhanced my
writing skills. I feel more effective as a
communicator and will take the skills I’ve
learned with me into the workforce. As a
graduating senior, the Resume of Unit 1, was
an imperative tool and learning experience.
The writing workshop helped me to master a
resume and land multiple interviews at the
career fair. I also used the Proposal as a
learning objective to practice my persuasive
writing; with a career in finance and
potentially sales, persuasive communication
will play a vital role in my success.

6. Design
Design was by far my favorite learning
objective of the semester. I thoroughly
enjoyed creating, designing, and
implementing a real working mobile
application. Prior to, I had no experience
with technology such as Unit 2. Living in
such a technically advanced society, it was
very cool to explore all the editing options
of Unit 4, the video presentation.
Our team used several different
video editing techniques to
compile the most attractive
design. Is that what it’s all
about afterall? Unique design is
something I will reference and
use as long as technology
exists.
“Successful design relies on creativity, originality, and a
dash of courage.” -Dan Burcham

7. Collaboration
The Dream Team
Dan Burcham
Bachelor’s of International
Economics and Finance
Jacob Gremmer Emma Zambrycki
Bachelor’s of Science in
Chemistry
Bachelor’s of Science in
Chemical Engineering
Mohammad
Haider
Bachelor’s of Science in
Chemical Engineering
“Heros get remembered, but legends never die.” -Babe Ruth

8. Collaboration
The Dream Team
Coming into the usability lab,
we had little knowledge of
what to expect and how to
effectively conduct the
experiment. However, through
collaboration and everyone
taking a task and managing it,
we overcame an obstacle and
learning objective as a team.
This teamwork is something
each of us will use to further
our educational careers.
In any industry it is important to
be able to work well with others. I
thoroughly enjoyed teaming up
with my group for the long run.
We worked well together and
used each other’s ideas as
stepping stones toward a
finished product. Everyone’s
participation and input mattered,
and we all recognized that I feel
that is what brought chemistry to
our team. Unit 3 the Usability
Testing is where our
collaboration skills were really
exemplified.

9. Ethics
“Fraudulent information and
plagiarized content may corrupt the
validity of the ideology, rhetoric, or
intentional purpose.” -National Institute of
Literature
I quickly learned that being
ethical in my writing was by
far more beneficial than
making up information,
copying someone else’s
ideas, or falsifying data.
These corrupt aspects of
writing will not help one
succeed, but merely hold
them back from conveying
their full potential and
ultimately their own ideas.
The Video Presentation
allowed our group to really
express our design,
collaborative efforts, and
intentional purpose. We used
only our ideas in the making
of that video.

10. Culture
Sensitivity
Being cautious of
others feelings and
cultural differences.
Sensitivity is not blind.
Awareness
While ignorance is bliss,
being aware that not
everyone is the same
and recognizing that
your culture is not any
better than those
around you, is cultural
awareness. .
Acceptance
As a group, we learned
to accept each other’s
ideas and beliefs as our
own. By doing so, we
were able to effectively
work as a team and
appreciate one
another’s contribution.

11. Applied
Technology
This course in particular
incentivized me to use
multiple different
softwares and programs
throughout the semester.
I used many functions of
Microsoft Office for Unit
1, the Marvel App and
LookBack throughout
Unit 2, Microsoft Word for
Unit 3, Adobe Premiere
for the Video
Presentation and lastly
Google Forms for Unit 5.
This course has encouraged
me to explore different
mediums of technology that I
otherwise wouldn’t have
attempted. As technology is
evolving and advancing, any
opportunity to discover or
explore new applied
technologies, is a beneficial
opportunity.

12. thank you
Daniel Burcham
English 2311-014
Fall 2016
December 7, 2016