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Writing Samples
Professional
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Master's
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My recent work experience
has involved computer software and hardware documentation. Previously, I
wrote and audited procedures in the medical manufacturing industry. The books
and other deliverables were written for a specific, knowledgeable audience.
During the classes for my Master's, I
chose projects that would increase my expertise.
Course requirements are flexible, so I chose to pursue topics and techniques
that filled gaps in my experience. For example, I had never created a brochure
at work, so I created brochures for one class. Soon after that, my group needed
to create brochures for a trade show, and I knew exactly what to do.
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Computer Industry Samples
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DataDirect
Connect for .NET User's Guide and Reference. This book is written for programmers who develop
.NET applications that will connect to a database using a DataDirect Connect
data provider. Because .NET is a relatively new technology, the book must be
fairly inclusive.
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SequeLink
Developer’s Guide. This
book is one of five in the SequeLink product library, which relies on
extensive use of single sourcing so that it can be maintained by one writer.
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The
Importance of Managed Code. This technical brief was needed to explain to
potential customers why they should care that the DataDirect Connect data
providers are built from 100% managed code. I researched the content and
worked with the R&D managers to make this an informative piece, not an
overtly marketing piece.
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No-Touch
Deployment - Frequently Asked Questions. This technical brief, in the
form of a Frequently Asked Questions list, gives some background
information about No-Touch Deployment, an important but
little-understood feature of Microsoft's .NET Framework. The audience is
experienced software developers who are learning a new API.
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Designing
Performance-Optimized .NET Applications. This technical brief
provides recommendations to help programmers write more efficient .NET
code. Although not primarily a marketing piece, the technical brief includes
discussions of technical features that are not available in data
providers that use unmanaged code.
Coursework
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Dysphagia and the Dialysis Diet. This is the
HTML version of a four-panel brochure targeted for people who are supporting
a friend or family member who has trouble swallowing, and must follow the
restrictive kidney dialysis diet. When I was researching the subject, I found
a number of articles about dysphagia, but none of them addressed dietary
restrictions.
- Preventing Falls in
Your Home. This is the PDF file of a four-panel brochure targeted
for seniors and their families. It provides specific recommendations for
making the home safer, and includes the reason for each. For example,
many of the source documents simply said that exercise was important,
but failed to give a reason, weakening the entire argument.
- Content Reuse. This
Web site was developed for English 7766, Electronic Writing and Publishing, reusing text that I had created in English 7730, Issues in Technical and Professional Communication.
- How Constructivism
Can Improve Computer Documentation. Constructivism is a theory that emphasizes learning by doing has long been practiced in education. By extension, constructivism can be applied to technical documentation through the addition of examples and tutorials.
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Sourcing a Browser-based Help System. For my internship project,
I learned how to create HTML Help using Quadralay Web Works, producing a proof-of-concept version of HTML Help for an existing
product that used Windows Help.
The project convinced the Development managers to make the change from Windows Help, and allowed us to single source the online help from the files used in the user manual.
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