Friday, July 08, 2005

Post #1

The Merriam-Webster dictionary states that the word technical refers to something following specific detail or criteria. When I considered the word technical, I immediately thought of something following a rigid structure. The basic recorded definition of the word writing is the act of forming visible letters or characters. I guess I view the word in a more informal manner, simply thinking of it as the process of putting one’s thoughts onto paper.
While both words seem to be straightforward in theory, their meaning can be altered to cater to the needs of a profession. I am 6 weeks into a summer long civil engineering internship, and already both of these words have much more specific meanings to me. When submitting ideas to an owner/architect for a particular project, it becomes an overwhelming task in our off to put together a flawless "technical proposal". What this entails takes the Webster’s definition of technical to a whole new level. This proposal follows a series of guidelines, used by our company for years, with no room for interpretation. Creative word choice is encouraged, but attention to the criteria is demanded. There is a slight difference to the meaning of the word writing when it comes to my internship as well. When anyone in the office is directed to "write" something, for anyone within or outside the office, it is expected to be typed. The process of simply recording the information with pen and paper is not something that I have seen practiced.

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