Communications
COM421 - Technical Communication
Fall 2004 - Glenn Broadhead
I took this class during the Fall 2004 term. I liked this class because I got a chance to write about pretty much anything I wanted to. The class instructor was Glenn Broadhead, but I only saw him for about 45 seconds on the second day of class. The class was actually taught by Patrica Johnson Winston, a doctoral candidate under Broadhead.
Anatomy of a Garfield Comic Strip
I don't remember which assignment this fulfilled. I wrote about the sequence of events in the Garfield comic strip.
Excerpt from my report:
Jim Davis is the creator one of the most read and enjoyed comic strips published today, Garfield. In the strip, Garfield, a tubby orange house-cat, wreaks havoc in the life and home of his owner Jon Arbuckle. Each weekday Garfield strip contains three panels. These three panels effectively divide the comic into its' three major parts: the Introduction, the Twist, and the Punch Line.
Cryptology (Problem-Solution)
This was one of the papers that went into the major assignment of the semester. I wrote my assignment on Cryptology. This paper answers the Problem/Solution line of thought.
Cryptology - Privacy or Terrorism in the Digital Age (Discovery)
This is the second paper that went into the major assignment of the semester on Cryptology. This paper answers discover questions.
Cryptology - Privacy or Terrorism in the Digital Age (Draft)
This is the third installment in the major assignment of the semester on Cryptology. This paper is the draft for the Cryptology paper.
Cryptology - Privacy or Terrorism in the Digital Age (Final)
And finally, this is the last installment in the major assignment of the semester. This is the final Cryptology paper.
Excerpt from my report:
In the age of the Internet with instantaneous communication and purchases being made every second of every day, there needs to be some form of security in place to prevent private information from falling into the wrong hands. There are various programs and algorithms that have been developed to encrypt data to keep information private, but these steps forward have fallen under attack from law enforcement agencies as being tools for terrorists and drug dealers to keep their plans from being uncovered. Here arises a problem; how to protect the transactions and communications of innocent civilians, while uncovering the plots of criminals.
Electronic Security
This PowerPoint was part of the final presentation I gave during class. This Electronic Security presentation was written to try and help people understand what they can do to protect their own information on their computer and online.
Getting a Tattoo (Steps)
This was the "Steps" paper that I had to write, and since I had 4 tattoos when I was writing this, I thought it would be easy enough to write the paper on the tattoo process.
Excerpt from my report:
Forget what you think you know about tattooing. This guide has been developed by someone who has been through the process, numerous times, and lived to tell about it. If you follow these seven steps, your experience should turn out as enlightening and self-fulfilling as mine have been. The steps that follow will take you through the process of choosing the right tattoo, getting "inked," and taking care of your body art in the weeks and years afterward.
Increasing Internet Security
This was the final paper of the semester, you had to choose a company to write to in order to solve some type of problem. I chose Internet Security and addressed my letter to Microsoft.
Excerpt from my report:
There is a problem in the technical community regarding Microsoft products. This problem centers on the lack of knowledge in the general public on security measures that can be taken to prevent computer attackers and criminals from gaining access to private computer systems and stealing sensitive information for their own good. Recently there have been a number of semi-technical articles published on the internet and in newspapers regarding the "lack of security" in some of Microsoft's biggest applications, Windows XP and Internet Explorer.
Little Arcade (Contrast)
This was one of the comparison papers I had to write. I chose to compare two popular web comics: Penny Arcade and Little Gamers. This is the 'Contrast' paper.
Excerpt from my report:
Penny Arcade and Little Gamers are two of the most popular gaming web comics around today. With the help of an artistic license and long days in front of a computer screen, these two comics take turns ranting and raving about everything under the sun. From the newest games and crazes to current events and the daily mishaps the average gamer, there is not a topic these comics will not address. While both comics have similar target audiences, the methods in which they use to display their messages differ greatly.
Little Arcade (Types)
This is the other comparison paper I wrote. Again, comparing Penny Arcade and Little Gamers. This is the 'Types' paper.
