M.A. in Professional and Technical Writing
University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Overview
I decided to obtain a Master of Arts in Professional and Technical Writing at UALR on the advice of two friends and coworkers, Michael Daly and Tara Seale. They both had wonderful experiences in the program and reminded me often that I should apply there if I decided to go to graduate school. I am thankful for their good advice, because my experience in this program was rewarding beyond my expectations. I am not exaggerating when I say that there was not a single class in this program that I did not enjoy. My professors and classmates were engaging, intelligent and encouraging, and I will treasure many of the relationships I formed here for life.
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There are two ways to navigate this portfolio. Clicking on the buttons below for 2014-2017 will lead to pages where I explain my progression through the program and comment on my favorite aspects of each course and the work samples I chose. Scrolling down on this overview page will lead to samples of my work which are organized thematically with no commentary. You can skip to certain sections by clicking on the buttons for Teaching, Writing, Design, Social Media, and Publishing.
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I am proud of what this portfolio demonstrates about me as a student, a writer, and most of all, an educator. My main motivation for entering this program was to improve
myself as a writing teacher, and the skills I have learned and practiced in my courses have made me much more confident in helping my students become better writers. I also became a more well-rounded writer myself by practicing forms of research and writing I had never tried before. My work in social media branding and design is relevant to my work as a publications teacher, and learning about publishing (and relevant skills such as indexing) has given me an interesting alternative to teaching if the need for a career change should ever arise.
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I also improved as a communicator. My understanding of language theory and rhetoric has caused me to be more mindful of audience and the various factors in play whenever one person speaks or writes to another. I believe my communication with parents, students and coworkers has improved as a result. I am a more confident writer, more trusting of my own voice and ability to say what I mean than I used to be. I am inspired to continue learning even after my classes are done, because I've been exposed to a lifetime's worth of great ideas that I'm not finished exploring.
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I hope you enjoy reading about my experience in this master's program and reading the work I have produced. It was truly a pleasure.
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Teaching Work Samples
Teaching Language Responsibly: The Problem of "Standard English" (2015)
Unit Plan: Introduction to
Language Theory (2015)
Annotated Bibliography on
Voice in Composition (2016)
Short and Sweet: Why Short-Form Prose is Essential in High School English Classrooms (2017)
Educator Autobiography (2017)
Exposure Triangle Lesson Plan (2017)
Exposure Triangle Presentation (2017)
Writing Work Samples
Andrea Lunsford Collaborative RhetWiki Entry (2014)
Writing for Business and Government
Final Reflection and Synthesis (2015)
Legal Writing Study Coding (2016)
Signs of Signs: Analyzing Protests
Through Peircean Semiotics (2017)
Rhetorical Theory Essay Exam (2017)
Flash Text Collection (2017)
How We Talk (and Don't Talk) About Race in America (2015)
Design Work Samples
Millennial Infographic Memo (2014)
The Cynical Optimist (2016)
Dear Lisa (2016)
Local Food Audience Analysis (2014)
