Megan Samuels, Jessica Cooper, & Abby Adams

Professor Bialas
ENGL 297 Ethnographic Report
First draft due -Wednesday November 15, 2017

“A Study of a Professional Communicator at Millennium Water Alliance”

Introduction

Undergraduate professional writing is a growing field in the academic world. Professional

writers have a superb grasp on writing, communication, and utilizing modern technology.
Professional writing classes at the University of Maryland allow us to broaden our scope of how
nonprofit and advocacy writing is written. Compared to business writing, legal writing, and
scientific writing, nonprofit writing requires a sense of humanity, as often times these Non-Profit
organizations work effortlessly to help an aspect of humanity.

The purpose of the study is to understand the process of nonprofit writing as well as the benefits,
challenges, and everyday tasks that the profession involves. To do this, we will focus on
Millennium Water Alliance and the technical communication that occurs within the company.
The overarching research question that the ethnography will address is how nonprofit and
advocacy writing functions within nonprofit organizations. Our findings will help us improve our
nonprofit and advocacy writing skills, in order to better our academic and future career. We will
use the techniques provided by our professional nonprofit writer in order to successfully be able
to write and communicate in the nonprofit sector.

This topic relates to our academic and professional development. All three of us are interested in
professional writing as a career, and this project is helping us to learn through first hand
experience. Going directly to a nonprofit writing organization will help us to determine whether
our professional goals are aligned with the job that technical communicators at a nonprofit
organization’s complete each day.

Research Location and Subject

In order to collect the data that we needed to address our research questions, we decided to
interview Mr. John D. Sparks, who is the Director of Advocacy and Communications at the
D.C.-based nonprofit the Millennium Water Alliance. As communication director, Mr. Sparks is
constantly writing press releases, posts for the organization’s website, advocacy letters, and
emails. He also works on larger projects like MWA’s annual report and program brochures. Mr.
Sparks works mainly with three different audiences: the public, other organizations associated
with MWA, and donor organizations. Each audience has a unique set of needs. Part of Mr.
Sparks’ daily tasks is to tailor each written piece to fit the audience it’s meant for. This requires
changes of tone and language. For example, a press release informing the public of an upcoming
senate vote wouldn’t use the same industry-specific jargon as a letter to the senate advocating for
a budget that favors foreign assistance. While the topics he writes about might overlap between
audiences, the actual texts often do not.

Since MWA is an international nonprofit, Mr. Sparks often collaborates with program directors
in MWA’s Ethiopian and Kenyan offices. By working with the community he advocates for, he
is better able to assess their needs and promote MWA’s work. He also works with government
officials and directors of other nonprofit organizations, attending and directing meetings. We do
not know much about Mr. Sparks’ educational and writing background at the time, other than
that he attended the University of Miami, Ohio and has worked for several government and non-
governmental organizations before assuming his current position with MWA.

With Mr. Sparks’ extensive experience and writing-heavy responsibilities, he is an excellent

choice for studying how nonprofit and advocacy writing function within nonprofit organizations.
Not only that, but as an organization with programs in different countries, MWA provides a
platform through which to explore how international relations can affect technical writing.

The goal of MWA is to reduce the number of people without access to safe and affordable
drinking water and sanitation. MWA approaches this goal by establishing employee centers in
America, as well as various parts of Africa. Since MWA is an international nonprofit, Mr.
Sparks often collaborates with program directors in MWA’s Ethiopian and Kenyan offices. By
working with the community he advocates for, he is better able to assess their needs and promote
MWA’s work. He also works with government officials and directors of other nonprofit
organizations, attending and directing meetings.

Data Collection Procedures

First, we learned about ethnographic reports and the aspects of interviewing and observation
necessary to creating a comprehensive report. We wrote many preliminary documents, including
a letter of inquiry and a research proposal, to lay the foundation for our final project. These
documents allowed us to fully formulate our goals and purposes ...

Our interview was recorded at the MWA headquarters in Washington, D.C.. We interviewed the
Director of Advocacy and Communications for the company. The interview took place in his
office so that it would be convenient and comfortable for him. We compiled a list of ten
interview questions that were varied depending on what direction the participant wanted the
conversation to go in. They ranged from his writing process to his goals in the documents that he
creates. We asked for permission to use the company’s name as well as the participant’s name in
the project. Mr. Sparks also recommended certain documents that would be good to use as
artifacts for the project.

Our observations of MWA were also critical to understanding this company on a deeper level.
The office reflected the type of nonprofit that MWA is. There are glass doors that look into each
of the private offices and it is small but in a very busy and prominent area. The desks that are
present at the very entrance make the space seem professional and of a certain level of
importance.

We took turn answering the questions. We asked to record the interview and we also took notes.
The interview lasted just over an hour and Mr. Sparks was very detailed in his responses. We
asked only a few follow up questions that went off script to ensure that we stayed on topic
throughout the interview. Close to the end of the interview Mr. Sparks gave us a warning on time
because he had to sign on to a conference call.

Findings and Observations

MWA is a small office, within a larger building, located in the center of Washington D.C. It is
directly off of the Red Line for the D.C. Metro, and the office has a view of K Street and
Connecticut Ave that cross below, as well as Farragut Square Park. During the interview, Mr.
Sparks mentioned that the offices located up and down K Street are those of lawyers, politicians,
and corporations. The central location of the office allows MWA employees easy access to other
important Washington landmarks. This is especially relevant to Mr. Spark’s position as advocacy
director, as his position often requires him to visit the Capitol for meetings with congressmen
and their staff. The space was small, painted a beige yellow, and carpeted. There are two desks
that immediately come into view as you walk in the door. There is a small kitchen where a few
of the employees were mingling. Each of the private offices have glass doors so that you cans see
inside.

As we spoke to Mr. Sparks, he seemed comfortable, but he was on a time crunch and was
preparing for a meeting. He leaned back in his chair for most of the interview, and either crossed
his arms or used extensive hand motions. He casually sipped his coffee during pauses from
speaking, and he sighed often to show his displeasure with how technical communication can
operate within his field-- after more than 30 years in the industry, it is clear that he has a very
realistic view regarding what communication can accomplish. His office is large and slightly
messy, filled with stacks of paper and past MWA publications. A look at his computer monitor
reveals multiple open tabs and applications; mostly half-drafted emails and word documents. The
significance of written text and communication (through email, letters, and the calendar
reminders announcing upcoming meetings he occasionally pauses to clear from his screen)
permeates his daily surroundings.
Results

Writing Process
The writing process consists of a cycle of drafting, editing, and reviewing in order to bring a first
draft into the format of a final draft. For nonprofit writing, it is important to write quickly and
consistently, and to keep the final draft short and easy to understand. Mr. Sparks does all of these
things and also sees the importance in background research, proper English and grammar, and
proofreading.

Mr. Sparks on the Writing Process:

“Write it read it, proof it, have someone else proof it, sit on it for two days, then read it again.
You could proof it again and it is much easier to decide what to cut. You need time time time.
That is the only way that you can see what you really need to change.”

“People in a nonprofit sector should know what they are writing about. Sometimes they do not
have any background. They don’t know history, English, vocabulary, they only know the one
thing that their major taught them. You should always do your research and take the time to
learn.”

The audience is a critical aspect of writing. Mr. Sparks speaks to the easiest ways to
communicate to different types of audiences.These mostly revolve around their time and
allowances to read what one has produced. He believes that content is more important than style
and he reflects on how lucky one is if their audience is specifically interested in what they have
written.

Mr. Sparks on the Audience:

“You don’t have to worry about being stylistic. It is a generalization, but it is what I will stand
by. They have a lot of knowledge but they cannot write well.”

“Most of this is not about communicating out, it is about listening in. Trying to deal with people
and make things understandable to people who do not process information the same way that you
do.”

Time is a difficult part of writing as well as reading. As an important member of the company,
with a lot to write and a lot of people to meet with, Mr. Sparks knows that his time should be
used wisely. He also is aware that the audiences that he is writing for are busy and have limited
time, so he is sure to adjust his works accordingly.

Mr. Sparks on Time Spent Writing:

“To save myself time, I think about the audience before I do anything. A lot of people think
about the audience at the end of what they do, rather than at the beginning of what the do.
Thinking about the audience helps you decide what facts to get together, you’re saving yourself
the time.”

“Try to think about the amount of time that the person has to read the point. It can be anywhere
from 15 seconds to 2 minutes. Assume that they will absolutely not read more than two
paragraphs unless they are interested for some special reason. Then use that opportunity to give a
good example. An example to people that are making decisions in public policy is worth a lot.”

“Explain to a general audience what it is we are doing it and why were are doing it. Journalism
taught me how to write fast and get to the point. Most of these people don’t know how to get to
the point.”

Editing Process
Mr. Sparks, as a professional writer, has the job of editing various documents. We had the
privilege of viewing a first draft with Mr. Sparks’ edits and comments about the piece.
Afterwards, we compared the original draft with the final draft to analyze specific changes that
Mr. Sparks made as a professional writer.

Mr. Sparks edits his work using track changes on Microsoft Word. His comments show great
attention to detail and care for accuracy. He asks questions for his coworkers, highlights data he
is unsure of, and reworks sentence for stronger word choice or structure. He then sends the draft
to several other MWA employees to allow for their edits and responses to his comments. A
document can go through several rounds of revision, and be viewed by multiple people, before
reaching its final stage. The final document also appears more organized and visually appealing.
Mr. Sparks uses different color, font sizes and typefaces to emphasize certain words. He also
includes the organization’s logo and date of publication.

After interviewing Mr. Sparks, analyzing the observations, and the location, it is clear that Mr.
Sparks believes that what he does is important, but that many others do not see it to be important.
He knows that writing for a nonprofit organization, and specifically for MWA, is not the most
exciting type of writing that one can do, but that it requires a good writer. Mr. Sparks, along with
his colleagues believe that it is important to write in a way that is intelligible and uses proper
English and grammar.

After reading through chapter 15 of Solving Problems in Technical Communication, titled “What
Do Technical Communicators Need to Know about Writing,” we better understand that the type
of writing that technical writers do depends on their job description and certain tasks/projects
that they are assigned with. Mr. Sparks is the Director of Advocacy and Communication for
MWA. Based on his job description, most of his tasks include press releases and drafting
documents to be sent to legislators in the U.S. and around the globe. This chapter also addresses
that the writer may tailor different pieces to better suit various audiences. This is true for Mr.
Sparks, who details with us the writing difference that he uses when writing an email, compared
to drafting a press release.

Conclusion

After interviewing Mr. Sparks and analyzing his artifacts, we were able to contrast nonprofit
writing from different types of professional writing. From the interview we gathered that
academic writing is a good skill to have and can help you learn basic concepts of writing well, as
well as proper English and grammar. However, it is important not to write academically in a non-
academic field. In nonprofit writing considering the audience and their time restraints as well as
your time restraints in writing will make up a lot of what you put down on to paper. Having
background knowledge on the topic that you are writing about or doing research if you do not
know about it can only help you. Editing is just as important as writing and it is important to
always leave time for the editing process. The interview aligned closely with chapter 15 of
Solving Problems in Technical Communication as we were able to see that specific job
descriptions relate to some professions and not others. Mr. Sparks strays away from academic
and stylistic writing, but someone that is writing as a professor or writing a textbook would not.
Ultimately, the interview provided by Mr. Sparks, along with the artifacts provided as compared
with Chapter 15 show that nonprofit writing is a specific field that requires a concrete
understanding.