Browsing by Subject "Technical Writing and Communication"

Now showing 1 - 6 of 6
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Advocating for the Inclusion of Allergen Statements on Medication Labeling
    (2020) Arman, Bailey;
    As defined by the Society for Technical Communication (n.d.), the job of a technical communicator is to: “communicate about technical or specialized topics; communicate by using technology; and/or provide instructions about how to do something.” Though technical communication is frequently associated with software and engineering, it has important applications for other disciplines, including the medical field. In this thesis, allergen statements on a medical document are critiqued from a technical communication, and further usability, viewpoint. Allergen statements are primarily associated with food products and are rarely found on pharmaceutical labeling. However, pharmaceuticals, although they include medication (the API), they also include “filler” materials made from food products, including incendiary foods like lactose, wheat, and soy. The lack of an allergen statement on pharmaceuticals may endanger food sensitive individuals, like those with food allergies, celiac, or food intolerances. The following thesis provides a brief review of research done on allergen statements and incendiary foods in pharmaceuticals; results from a usability test conducted based on principles of technical communication, like comprehension and readability; an analysis and discussion of those results; and recommendations for the FDA and pharmaceutical manufacturers. Based on a literature review and the results from this usability test, it is highly recommended that the FDA require pharmaceutical companies to include an allergen statement somewhere on their product. This statement should include brief details on where cross-contamination could occur and be accessible to consumers, not just healthcare professionals.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Creating Instructions for a Cross-Cultural Audience: A Collaboration with Students in Trieste, Italy
    (2018-04-23) Kratzke, Megan
    The core principles of technical writing and communication (TWC) and web design are critical when creating online materials for a cross-cultural audience. The purpose of this document is to explain the process of creating an effective online instruction set for use and translation by students in Italy. This project was completed in the WRIT 3562W class at the University of Minnesota, under the instruction of Professor Brandi Fuglsby. As the technical communicator in this project, I was able to apply the TWC principles I’ve learned throughout my coursework to a real-life situation, and for an audience that lives amongst a different culture, and for whom English is not their first language.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Developing a Content Management Framework for the UMN Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics Policy and Procedure Manual: A Case Study
    (2017-04-25) Shirk, Caitlin
    Engineering and Mechanics Department to revise their digital policy and procedure manual. I aimed to act as a technical communicator would on a real-world, complex project, utilize the skills and tools I gained throughout my academic studies in technical communication, and explore more specialized topics in technical communication, in-depth. What are best practices for handling digital information? Do technical communicators play a role in determining how information is stored and retrieved in technological systems? Or does the role of the technical communicator lie solely in the realm of content creation and curation?
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Making Fine Forms: Common Grant Application Form Analysis, Evaluation, and Creation
    (2016-04) Meitzner, Erika
    Common Grant Application Forms exist to help streamline the grant application process for both grantors and proposal writers. Clear and concise instructions allow proposal writers to spend the majority of their time creating proposals of the highest quality. When forms require proposal writers to spend time clarifying instructions, determining which documents are required or not, or navigating a confusing document the benefit of using a Common Grant Application Form is lost.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Social Media Response to MNsure Website and its Implications for Businesses
    (2017-04-25) Harker, Paige
    As part of Web 2.0, social media has allowed for more complex, multifaceted communication (Bythe, Laur & Curran, 2014). The “user generated content” trend in the communication field has caused social media websites to become more popular than other non-participatory websites (Lim, 2016). Social media has many benefits, including increased civic engagement among users (Olssen, 2016) and the sheer volume in which responses are posted. However, many businesses in the United States have not yet realized the potential in utilizing social media to benefit their company. According to Hurley and Hea (2014), one of the major concerns related to social media is representation management, which means that businesses must realize that the way in which their brand is represented online will have an effect on customer opinion of the brand. By analyzing the specific case of the MNsure health insurance website, one is able to see the importance of social media responses and what can happen when companies disregard them.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Web Accessibility in Higher Education: An Evaluation of the Department of Writing Studies Site
    (2017-04-25) LaLiberte, Jacqueline
    Higher education institutions, including the University of Minnesota, have a duty to provide websites that are accessible to web users with and without disabilities. This duty stems from United States law, web best practices, and the universities’ own mission statements and accessibility guidelines. Two concepts, accessibility and universal design, guide the creation of successful, accessible websites. The purpose of this study is to conduct a preliminary accessibility audit of a website managed by the University of Minnesota’s Department of Writing Studies to determine if the site meets baseline accessibility requirements. The evaluation was completed using the Functional Accessibility Evaluator tool. The evaluation is supplemented by a brief review of accessibility/universal design and an overview of accessibility requirements affecting the University. The results of this initial evaluation suggest that, while the University of Minnesota may acknowledge the importance of accessibility, the University must take further steps to uphold the spirit of federal law and the University’s own mission. Further evaluation, including accessibility testing with prospective users at the University, is advised to better understand user needs and issues.