Re: Course wish list?

[Kathryn J Acciari <acciari -at- ACSU -dot- BUFFALO -dot- EDU>]

Tracy,
In addition to computer sci courses, I suggest that you also look
for communication-oriented courses.

My undergrad degree is in communication, from the University at Buffalo.
At Buffalo, this is not a study in mass media (radio, TV, etc.), but
is a more scientific approach to communication.  We studied
communication theory and research, along with public relations and
advertising.  This combination has helped me approach my work from
the user/audience standpoint, and has also provided me with a good
base of research on which to develop arguments when I need them. :-)

This background has also helped my career, as I'm able to pick up
jobs doing software documentation, marketing com, and internal public
relations for high-tech firms.

Kathryn J Acciari
Technical Writer/Communicator
Buffalo, New York
acciari -at- acsu -dot- buffalo -dot- edu

On Thu, 12 Jun 1997, Tracy Jones wrote:

> I have a degree in English with a concentration in writing. As far as my
> school (U. of TN at Knosville-- Hi Pat) was concerned, there is no
> difference between what I learned and what a budding tech writer there would
> learn. I, however, took many hours of poetry and fiction writing and exactly
> three in nonfiction, none of them technical. I've freelanced feature stories
> for about five years (and still write fiction, something that amuses the
> engineers), but except for a bit of dabbling in business writing, this job
> is my first experience in technical communications.
>
> My question: one of my benefits here is that the company will pay for
> continuing education, whether that's just a few computer science courses,
> or, conceivably, a graduate degree. I'm eager to start taking classes, and
> I'm kicking myself that I avoided all technical subjects like the plague.
> What kinds of classes would you take? I work for a software company but
> would also like to learn skills that could be applied to other types of
> technical writing environments.
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
> Tracy
>
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