Web Portfolio

http://sites.google.com/site/writingandeditingportfolio/Home

Here is my web portfolio.  I have my files attached at the bottom of each page because my computer apparently doesn't want anything to do with PDF's or anything else that I can use links with.  Thanks for checking it out.

Almost Finished

I am really behind on my blog. I have been so busy working on everything for all of my classes that I keep forgetting to write my posts. Let's see...Erin and I have been keeping pretty busy at the Incubator. This week will be a little slow because we've finally finished everything. We were given a grant narrative and summary to complete for a grant application the Incubator was submitting. We actually did pretty good for the little amount we knew about the company and the short amount of time we had to do it in. It was actually a very beneficial assignment. Originally we thought it was due by the 20th, but they wanted it the end of last week. I had started researching samples of grant narratives because I had never done one before, but I only found a few examples. I found a lot of grant proposals and that's about it. Then when we found out it was due the end of the week so I really didn't have much time to look over the samples. But we had a checklist that the application provided of what we needed to include so it wasn't terrible. Erin and I were sending the narrative back and forth the night before it was due, both adding things in to make it the appropriate length. It was hard not knowing enough about the company.

I just finished my article for the Incubator newsletter. I was working on the tenant spotlight which was focused on the Videntity Systems, Inc. company. I had to interview the founder, Alan Viars last week. He is a really nice guy and was really easy to talk to. Since the interview I have been working on a few other things for Alan. He wants to improve his website so we were brainstorming what types of things could improve it. We decided that an FAQ page would be very helpful and he is having me work on a short biography on him; I'm not sure if that is going on the site though. I also worked on another article, like the one for the Incubator newsletter, but it was for the West Virginia Biometrics Initiative newsletter. It's not a very popular newsletter, but my article was published. The only problem is that they don't include the authors of the articles so my name was not in there. Alan is giving me a lot of opportunities to get experience and he may even have a job for me come January!

I have been working on my poster and it's so hard to choose what to display. I want to keep it organized so I have to pick and choose.

The Portfolio is Coming Along

This week has been pretty productive. Though I have not done much, I have a lot to do. I am still waiting to here back from Trev about my press release I did for their company. It's been over a week and I'm getting a little nervous, but I know he is busy. I am planning on doing an interview for my article I am writing for the Incubator's newsletter; hopefully that will be next week, the man is out of town this week. Erin received an email from Winabeth Smith of the research company regarding some documents they needed edited. She was nice enough to share them with me and I was able to edit their response letter. I checked over that letter four times to make sure I caught everything. I found that there was at least two errors that I missed from the previous time so it was good to check over and over. I used the electronic editor in Word and sent it to Erin to include in the email back to Winabeth. Also, Dusty came by and spoke to us about doing an interview of a musician from Beckley. We decided we will both call him from the conference room and interview him together. Dusty already has the questions written up for us. I am definitly getting some interviewing experience. And one other thing, which may turn out to be nothing, is that I got an offer to write for the sports company here at the Incubator. Dale Weaver, the chief executive officer of Sports Weave, asked to see some samples of my writing because they are working to merge with a magazine, I think, and he needs somebody to write a few articles. So we will see.

Midterm Self-Assessment

This internship has showed me a lot about myself. I used to be so worried that I would not have enough skills to edit documents or write for other people. I have realized that if I take my time I'm not as bad of an editor as I thought. I've started to read over documents at least three times to make sure I caught all the errors. This is something I never used to do. I think since I am working for actual companies and not my teachers, I feel like everything has to be perfect. Of course I still need to improve a lot, but it's nice to know that I can do the job well enough. I have been able to practice my writing here as well. I still have a hard time expanding on my ideas, but I'm working on it. I wrote my first piece for Trev last week and I am just waiting on his response to see how well I did. I'm also glad that I am able to build up my portfolio. I actually have material I can show to employers. This class has been very beneficial for my experience.

Now I'm Overwhelmed

Well, I wanted work and now I'm feeling a little stressed. It's not really the internship but my research paper I have to do for another class and all of my online classes I am taking overload you with busy work.

Okay now that I have vented...I have been working on my press release for Choosy Kids lately and I am having a hard time putting it together for some reason. Usually I can just whip something up, but this release has to be great! I have never really written for anybody except my teachers and I think I'm just nervous. All I need is a draft right now so that's good. I interviewed Trev, vice president of Choosy kids, and got a lot of useful information. As of right now I have mini paragraphs that I'd like to use for the release, but I haven't put them in any order. I'm just so scattered for some reason. I've never written in scattered paragraphs before, but I'm starting to realize that it can be helpful. I've also written out an outline to try to help me focus my thoughts and it is helping a little. After I am done writing up my draft, Erin said she'd look over it for me and help me perfect it! I also had a question for anybody that reads this entry. Am I expected to work on these projects outside of work? I feel like I should and that he might expect that, but I have so much other work for school that I don't have time. Do you think he'll understand that? And he didn't give me a deadline, but I'd like to finish it today or tomorrow.

Away from Choosy Kids for a little while...Erin and I were asked if we would like to edit proposals by Dr. Gautem from the research department. I think we mentioned this. Well, I heard back from a Dr. Winnabeth Smith, who is a cancer researcher I believe. I thought we were going to be given stuff right away, because that's how Dr. Gautem made it sound, but I guess our names are just going to be put on a list of services offered for those who may need it. I guess we just have to wait and see if anybody calls!

Taking Stock 5

Sorry this is a day late, but I wasn't sure how to do this assignment since we don't really do any peer response here at the incubator. Thinking about it though, Erin and I review each others work. The instructions that we edited for Choosy Kids a few weeks ago were done separately and then we got together to compare notes. Then, today I asked Erin for some help thinking up questions that I can ask Trev for the press release I am writing. Erin just wrote an email to send out to the tenants letting them know that we are here and she had me look over it. So I guess we do have a little bit of peer response going on.
It's nice to have somebody that can look over your documents when you are finished or help you if you need any help. Since people come to us to do that for them, I think it is good to have two people here so the document can be checked by different eyes.

More Work Is Coming!

The past week has brought more work! I have been working for a company called Choosy Kids. Trev, the man in charge, has given me a few tasks such as transcribing a tape of a focus group, editing some papers, researching materials, and writing a press release.

I have never transcribed anything before so that was a new experience. I had to stop-and-play that tape quite a few times. Then, I had to research some information and I had the hardest time finding anything. I am not a good "internet surfer" to begin with, but I searched a lot and still came up with nothing. I emailed professors from other schools that taught the subject and looked through numerous books and came up with nothing. I guess that happens sometimes. I felt bad telling Trev that I had no luck, but he understood.

Now I am working on a press release that will discuss the company and inform people what it is all about. I have never written a press release before and the research that I've done has been a little confusing. Everything I find online tells me that a press release is written to get journalists to write an article about your information. Then, I emailed my professional writing teacher from last semester and found that a press release is just to inform people of what a certain thing or event is about. I think I have a better hold on it now so I think I am ready to write it. I am going to interview Trev to get a few more details, but aside from that I think it will be okay.

Taking Stock 3

Maria shows that she is a reflective learner by reviewing her work and the comments that others left on it and seeing what she did well and what she can improve on. By writing down her thoughts on the assignment and what her next step may be, she is helping herself move forward with the writing process; she is learning how to write better.

•I tend to write best at night. That’s when I concentrate best and have the most ideas flowing.

•I do not have any particular place that I fell best studying at, it all just depends on what mood I’m in. Sometimes I can work at a library, but sometimes I get distracted by all the people coming in and out. Sometimes I can work at home unless I don’t feel like doing certain assignments then I get distracted and clean.

•I prefer to have nothing around me when I’m writing. I like a clean area with just my paper and pen. You don’t really need anything else to write, they’re just distractions.

•I guess my preferences say that I like to focus on what I am writing and that is it. If there is anything around to distract me or I’m not “in the zone” then it will not be my best work.

So Far...

It is the start of week 3 at my internship at the WVU Business Incubator and I don't have to much to report. I was working on their new website, summarizing news articles from 2005 to present, for a few days. I learned how to navigate my way around their website a little more and their new setup is looking nicer. I guess it is not too busy here right now. Mr. Gwinn said that once the businesses within the incubator know that we are here to help then they should start giving us more things to do.