Ch. 7 - Planning and Drafting

MSU techcomm 271--blogging our Burnett text
Emma Baumann

Chapter 7 of Burnett’s text is about the planning and drafting part of writing. The chapter discusses problem-solving strategies, types of planning, rhetorical elements, as well as important factors in drafting. The four main problem-solving strategies explained in the chapter are brainstorming , 5 Ws plus H (deciding the who, what where, etc. of the problem), cause-and-effect, and synectics (bringing diverse people and ideas together to develop new perspectives and solutions to a problem). I found synectics to be very interesting, because I had never heard of the term before but have actually used the strategy without knowing it. In synectics, each individual member uses their own strategies and techniques to come up with ideas for a possible solution. Then, the group combines these ideas and perspectives to come up with an ideal solution to the problem. I have had many experiences with group projects and presentations in my college courses, and have found that, although it can sometimes be a lot of work to plan the project in a group, bringing so many different thoughts and ideas together with synectics can really bring about an effective final document. I also realized in reading this chapter, that the group presentations we’re assigned as college students are really practice for our future careers – synectics is a common method of problem-solving in the workplace and is important for us to learn since there are always problems to be examined in workplaces. Burnett also talks about the types of expert planning – schema, knowledge-driven, and constructive planning. I have found that combining all three types of planning is one of the most common things I have used for the documents I’ve written. By combining my previous knowledge of the subject and document format, along with an analysis of the purpose, audience, and task, I am able to plan effectively and establish ways of completing the document to fulfill its purpose. I have also had a lot of practice with drafting, and have learned that making the document logical, complete, and appropriate in tone is very important for communication. I have read documents in the past where things such as hasty generalizations or incomplete data spoil it –these things can mislead the audience and cause them to lose concentration on the main focus of the document. Sometimes finding examples of these mistakes (in your day-to-day reading or the examples the author shows in chapter 7) really enables you to see how they can create an ineffective document, which helps in you avoid them in your future writing.