Reflective Post #2: Research and the Writing Process

As I began my third week at my internship site, I am excited to continue assisting the curriculum development team in drafting new courses. During the past few days, I have been reading over material covering background information on the topic of an upcoming course. My supervisor, as well as other White Collar Crime Center staff, is in the beginning processes of creating the new course. I have been assigned to helping one of the staff members research the course topic and construct a rough outline of the material. Through reviewing the background information, I have come to realize the importance of researching content and searching for correct and accurate information prior to drafting documents. I now recognize that the responsibilities of professional writers are not limited to creating grammatically correct documents, but also include providing truthful information to readers. As a professional organization, the National White Collar Crime Center earns the trust of the individuals who use their courses and reference their information by continuing to strive for accuracy in the documents and course materials that they produce.

I feel that my experiences researching the course content have helped me to see that each part of the writing process is as important as the next. In order to create a successful document, thorough research must be completed before drafting begins, just as proofreading and revising must occur after the draft is finished. Although all of the information obtained through research may not appear in the final document, this information aids the writer in obtaining an understanding of the topic which serves as a basis for the writing process to commence.

I am glad that my supervisor has asked me to review the background information for the course because I feel that I am less familiar with the topic then other staff members. I hope that my research will help me to gain a deeper understanding of the material and therefore help me to become more able to contribute to the creation of the course. Though the research has helped me to feel more comfortable with the material, I believe that I will continue to learn more through interacting with the staff and hearing their input on the topic. Since these individuals have had a greater knowledge of white collar crime, I am excited to learn more from them about the topic and how the courses are focused in crime detection and prevention.
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Reflective Post #1: Getting Started

Thus far, I have completed twelve hours of internship work at the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C) in Fairmont, West Virginia. My recent experiences as an intern have been very informative and exciting. During my first day of work, I spent my time getting acquainted with the company and learning about the goals of the organization. As a curriculum development intern, I am assisting in the planning and writing of courses focusing on the prevention of white collar crime. The courses are eventually presented to individuals across the country who work in law enforcement.

Since these courses are designed for adult learners, the curriculum development team uses specific teaching techniques to address the needs of adult students. My manager introduced me to the learning model that the team uses as a basis for each of their courses. I found this specialized approach to learning very interesting. As a college senior, I typically classify students in a young age group ranging from 18 to 25. However, I soon realized that professionals in a variety of fields must continue learning far beyond college in order to remain informed with the most up-to-date information. Therefore, it is important to take note of how these adults, who often bring a greater amount of previous knowledge and experience to the classroom then younger students, will respond to certain teaching methods and techniques. I look forward to learning more about adult learning and how courses created by the National White Collar Crime Center are designed to meet the needs of potential students.

During my second week as an intern, I observed other employees editing and revising PowerPoint presentations. Although I was not entirely familiar with the content of the PowerPoints, I was happy to see that I was already quite familiar with the formatting and visual aspects used to enhance the effectiveness of the slides and the overall presentation. I have used PowerPoint, as well as Google Docs, to create presentations for several of my Professional Writing and Editing courses during past semesters. I feel that this experience will be very helpful in contributing to the presentations created by the curriculum development team. I am also excited to learn more about the techniques involved in creating professional and effectual presentations.