Myers and Selzer

This weeks readings focus on the writing process from two different perspectives. Myers follows two biologists engaged in writing two grant proposals while Selzer follows an engineer creating project proposals for his organization.  While there are a few similarities, the differences in how they reach a final product are more evident.

Similarities can be found in how the writers place an emphasis on identifying their purpose and analyzing their audience.  The biologist's main goal is to relate their work to the consensus of the field; basically they want to be relevant in previously established fields.  The engineer, also, must establish a purpose for his proposals and uses his analysis of the audience to assist in selecting content and arranging the document.  Both "writers" focus their attention on persuading a reluctant audience and engage in rhetorical activity to do so. 

Nelson, the engineer, writes mostly without any collaboration, in fact the only other person that many times sees his proposals during the writing process is his secretary who types up his drafts.  Nelson also reuses many of his previously written documents; this saves him time during the drafting stage and is  fairly safe practice for his purpose (these documents have already been read critically, therefore has received some feedback).  On the other hand, the biologists' writing process is more of a collaborative effort among their researchers.  This is done for a few reasons; their research, in general, is a collaborative effort and their writing has much more on the line.  The extensiveness of their revision process reflects what they have invested into their work in contrast to Nelson's proposals.

I believe the difference in the writing process' of the biologists and the engineer are a direct reflection of their respective audience. The biologists have to write to their peers where sometimes who you know can have a significant effect on funding decisions. For this reason, not only do they have to present the facts but their writing has to be a reflection of themselves.  This causes a more circular process where they are constantly changing words and phrases to fit into this "community."  Nelson, on the other hand, writes to an audience that is outside his company. They are most concerned with his recommendations and what constitutes a sound business decision. This causes Nelson to follow a linear writing process, where once he finds a method that produces results he sticks with it (if it ain't broke, don't fix it mentality).