Research
The research projects included here explore audience analysis as well as current events discussion. Buttons below are accessible to full writing sample links. Visuals have been provided as a sample to each piece.
The following paper and presentation were developed as a research project in Theory of Technical Communication. The ability to analyze audiences is one of the main learning objectives of the MA program, because it helps writers understand how to meet the needs and expectations of different types of readers.
The first link is to the written research concerning audience analysis and serves as a review of the theory behind the professional and technical writing field. There are differing viewpoints and philosophies that together make the technical writing field diverse, yet open to change.
The second link is to the presentation portion of the project and allowed me to work with graphic and digital design to incorporate my message beyond written text as well as work with different forms of technology.
Additionally, the article below was written in a Legal Writing course to analyze and discuss the oral arguments of Supreme Court Justices. The piece focuses on analyzing Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor's statements in regard to the Fisher v. University of Texas case. The case concerns the student Abigail Fisher, who was denied admission to the University of Texas and claimed that race was a factor. My analysis concludes that Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor sides with the University of Texas in support of Affirmative Action.
Because the case was very controversial it was important for me to exercise ethical and appropriate rhetorical strategies to develop my arguments in discussion of the oral arguments and the Justices' upcoming decision. While many of the comments were concerned with race, it was important for me to focus on the entire context of these comments and not leave isolated sentences excluded from their context. Additional opinions or incorrect analysis could be determined without referencing the entire discussion between multiple parties.
Because the case was very controversial it was important for me to exercise ethical and appropriate rhetorical strategies to develop my arguments in discussion of the oral arguments and the Justices' upcoming decision. While many of the comments were concerned with race, it was important for me to focus on the entire context of these comments and not leave isolated sentences excluded from their context. Additional opinions or incorrect analysis could be determined without referencing the entire discussion between multiple parties.