Research Question: What are the views you have of writing in the workplace after having gone through STEM heavy coursework in college rather than focusing on humanities?
I want to know how writing is used and viewed in a setting where the primary output of a company is material, such as in a foundry. Not only that, but I want to speak to one of the managers who I know was not a big fan of humanities subjects in his college days. I want to know how his views of writing have changed now that it’s more relevant to his career than in an academic setting, if they’ve changed at all. I would just need to observe him doing his general workplace obligations, because as a manager communication is very important to keep operations running smoothly.
Interview Protocol:
- Have your views on writing, English, and other humanities subjects changed since you’ve been in this position?
- How many of your daily tasks involve writing or written communication in any form?
- Do you spend time outside of work using writing for work-related tasks?
- If you could go back to your college days, would you change anything about the writing courses you took or try to take additional writing courses? Do you think that there would have been benefit in that?
- Has your perception on the value of writing changed?
- Does writing feel different because it’s for your job compared to when you had to write in an academic setting?
Recruitment Script:
I’m taking a class about writing and how it relates to economics and is used in the workplace. We’re doing a project about how different professions and careers use writing and what forms are used, and I would like permission to interview you, with an audio recorder recording the interview, and observe you at work in order to gather research for this project. Your consent to help is voluntary and you have the right to remain anonymous should you wish. None of your information gathered will go beyond the classroom and it would be purely for educational benefit.
