Final-ish Thoughts For me, no thought is ever final. I like to think this is not me overthinking, but rather, evolving. At the end of the day, this is what makes me human and sets me apart from content generated by machines. Having that edge matters: the ability to know how to use the tool while remaining the expert. This belief became one of my main motivations for pursuing an MA in Technical Communication. I did not want to feel overwhelmed or swept away by technology. In

Dissertation vs Project Previously, I wrote a research proposal for a dissertation that involved interviewing participants and using their responses to draw conclusions. That experience gave me valuable practice and highlighted the foundational elements of creating a proposal. It also helped me recognise early on that I wanted to pursue a dissertation rather than a project. I wanted the freedom to explore language and writing in depth, and the dissertation route offered the

Introduction to Plain English In Week 4 of TW5211, I was introduced to the concept of Plain English. Using common vocabulary helps non‑native speakers who may not have acquired the idiomatic meanings of phrasal verbs. One example from the reading showed the danger of unclear language: flight warnings used the unfamiliar phrase “pull up” instead of the clearer term “climb,” contributing to a plane crashing into a mountainside after takeoff. Language is not usually life or

From Undergraduate to Postgraduate A decade and an ocean separate the ‘me’ who graduated with my bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida and the ‘me’ who is now a technical writer in Ireland. Throughout high school and college, I relied on surface learning, but the ten-year gap and the international move pushed me to become more driven and motivated. I now had a clear goal: complete my master’s program and graduate not only with strong grades but with an improved sk