Ch. 12 Blog

Every aspect in a presentation is crucial to the end result, which is, essentially, effectively delivering the message to the audience. From reading the reading I gathered that the fallowing are the three main parts to any presentation: the preparation, and the deliverance from the presenter; and the reaction from the audience. In order for the desired reaction to come about from the audience the presenter will have to prepare to deliver a top-notch presentation.

In order to prepare a high-quality presentation the presenter will have to take everything into account (i.e., prepare the message carefully, clarify the purpose, create an outline, analyze the audience, decide what is the most effective way to present the message, etc.). A well-planned preparation will most likely lead to a better presentation.

The list of things that needs to be done during a presentation is mostly what this chapter is about. One has to use a good opening hook, give agenda, transition into the sections effectively, refer to the opening hook when closing, and also give opportunities for questions during the whole presentation. Other critical factors are the voice energy, good eye contact, good enthusiasm, effective gestures, and use floor space.

ch 11 blog

This chapter is very important because learning the importance and keys to effective visual aids then putting them into action in a presentation is vital to enhancing an individual’s perception as a professional in the business world. When designing visual aids there are multiple important factors that play into how effective the actual visual aids are and color is one of the main factors. Color is crucial because it can invite certain feelings, bring clarity, interest or disinterest the viewer, and more. This is hard for me because I have a little color deficiency so it is hard for me to actually see the text on some slides that don’t effectively contrast the background color with the actual text color and I would immediately become disinterested in trying to read the information that is provided on the slides because it is too hard to read.  But for the most part knowing how to make effective slides can make or break a deal. 

ch10 blog

This chapter is good to know because it sort of goes over the logistics of reports and all the little general guidelines that are connected to certain types of reports. There are many different forms that reports can be presented. The following is the main categories that a report can be placed in: periodic reports, which are done on a regular basis; progress reports, which gives the status or update on an a project that is still in process; problem-solving reports, focuses on unique situations so they are typically a one-time report; compliance reports, indicates if the organization is complying with the law or policies that are required from management.

Reports are crucial in the business world because everyone can potentially be affected. A report relays information to the receiver whom in turn would have to make a decision or be closer to making a decision after viewing the report. 

Ch. 9 Blog

I have seen and used MLA format for my citing and documenting for research papers ever since middle school but I never had a single clue what that actually meant. It is helpful to actually learn what the different forms of documenting mean, contrasting between them, as well as learning the purpose of documenting. The three important reasons that one should document are as follows: to give credit to the people who originally did the work, to direct people to the original source, and to comply with the copyright laws.

Documenting resources is important but the quality of the recourse as well as the information is crucial to an effective research. This serves as a foundation to where the plans and processes will lead to from that point moving forward. When actually conducting the research it is important that the research is valid and reliable. There are many questions that needs to be in place and prerequisites that needs to be reached in order to gather high quality information. The following are a few examples of the questions and prerequisites: goals and objectives needs to be clearly stated, methods needs to be agreed upon and effective (reliable and valid), sample size needs to be representative. 

Ch. 8 Blog

This chapter is very applicable to what I want to eventually do as a living, and that is to run a nonprofit organization. Proposals are vital to nonprofit organizations because their purpose is to obtain permission or funding in order to implement or proceed with the plans contained in the proposals. I know that permission is crucial in order to be able to put plans into effect so gaining knowledge on how to ask for permission effectively is key to me. For example, knowing when to use the direct or indirect approach can have a great effect on how the response will be.

Also I love the whole concept of brainstorming for ideas. It is important to have a strong, clear idea for a solution to a problem for various reasons. The key part that I am taking from this reading is that it is not a matter of quality vs. quantity when it comes to brainstorming, it is that quantity invites quality. What this means is that if you or a group brainstorm and throw out all the possible ideas (the good as well as the bad) you are more than likely to eventually reach a very good idea to a solution. 

chapter 7 reflection

This chapter is a huge help for me because I am one to be extremely nervous for many situations, especially job interviews. It is very hard to calm myself down when I know that I have no idea what type of questions the interviewer is going to ask me and that I feel completely unprepared. But learning about cover letters and PAR stories helps sooth my mind. Obviously I know the impact of a resume but that seems like a skeleton on what I am capable of and my past. But a cover letter actually goes into a little bit more detail on my qualifications and would help me visualize my qualities so I can vocalize them when I am put on the spot. Taking it a step further, I love the PAR stories because they actually force me to prepare to explain a quick story of an attribute that I have and help put things into context a little bit more to help the employer understand me better. Learning the significant effect that the preparation of these two tools have on the interview process really helps lower my stress and anxiety on future job interviews because I will feel more prepared. 

Chapter 6

Chapter 6 can be viewed as the actually reason for the previous four chapters. The previous four chapters were describing the whole process on creating, designing, and reviewing a document. Then chapter 6 introduced the different types of documents that can be created through the whole process. The three main parts of the chapter were explaining how one would plan, compose, and format a given document. Planning a document consists of identifying the purpose of the document, analyzing the audience, and strategizing how the purpose will effectively be reached. This step is crucial because whatever that is going to be presented has to be presented in a way that the audience will accept, so strategic planning may be the most crucial aspect of the whole process. Composing a document is putting the strategy in actual words. This step takes into account the Four C’s when composing the content of the message, which are clear, complete, correct, and compelling. The content of the text has to meet all four of those descriptions in order to be effective. Also this step includes deciding what approach is appropriate, indirect or direct approach. And the final step is formatting the document. Depending on the type of document (this chapter specifies email, letters, and memos) there is a set of expectations that are set for each type, so this step is crucial in making the document acceptable. I feel that the information in this chapter is useful in the fact that any document that is composed in the business world needs to have a purpose and also be relevant in daily communications. If the document is not up to par then it can possibly be dismissed, so it is nice to know these guidelines to help shape a great document.