Throughout my technical writing course, I have learned invaluable skills that have greatly improved my writing abilities, collaboration with my writing team, online proficiency, and adherence to specific instructions. However, I have also faced challenges such as meeting deadlines, learning new writing techniques, editing, and peer reviewing, all while following precise instructions. Despite these challenges, I found the course enjoyable as I got to know my classmates, familiarized myself with a new platform, and experimented with different writing styles. Moving forward, I plan to apply what I have learned in various aspects of my life, such as job hunting, team communication, and formal writing with a “YOU-attitude.”

One of the most significant takeaways from the course is the improvement in my writing skills. Through practice, feedback from my instructor, and peer review sessions, I have honed my ability to convey complex technical information in a clear and concise manner. I learned the importance of tailoring my writing to the needs of the audience, utilizing appropriate tone, and incorporating visual elements to enhance readability. Additionally, I have gained a better understanding of the importance of grammar, punctuation, and formatting in technical writing, which has significantly elevated the quality of my work.

Working with my writing team has also been a valuable learning experience. Collaborating with fellow students from diverse backgrounds and skill levels has taught me the importance of effective communication, coordination, and delegation. I have learned how to work harmoniously within a team, respect differing opinions, and leverage individual strengths to produce high-quality documents. The ability to provide constructive feedback to my peers and receive feedback graciously has also been a valuable skill that I will carry forward in future collaborative projects.

The course has also enhanced my online skills, as it was conducted in a virtual environment. I have become proficient in utilizing various digital tools and platforms for document sharing, editing, and communication. I have learned how to manage online documents efficiently, navigate virtual classrooms, and engage in online discussions effectively. These skills are vital in today’s digital age, and I am confident that they will serve me well in my future endeavours.

However, there were challenges in the course as well. Meeting deadlines was particularly demanding, as assignments often had strict submission timelines. Balancing coursework with other commitments required effective time management and organizational skills. Learning new writing techniques, such as writing abstracts, executive summaries, and proposals, required additional effort and practice to grasp fully. Editing and peer reviewing, while beneficial, could also be time-consuming and required attention to detail. Additionally, following specific instructions, such as adhering to style guides or word limits, proved to be challenging at times.

Despite the challenges, I thoroughly enjoyed the course. Getting to know my classmates through discussions and group activities fostered a sense of community and mutual support. Exploring and becoming proficient in a new platform for document collaboration and editing was a rewarding experience that expanded my technological skill set. Experimenting with different writing styles, such as persuasive, instructional, and informative, allowed me to broaden my writing repertoire and provided a creative outlet.

Moving forward, I plan to apply what I have learned from this course in various aspects of my life. When looking for a job, I will be able to showcase my technical writing skills, including my ability to write clear and concise documents tailored to specific audiences. In my professional career, I will apply effective team communication and collaboration skills to work seamlessly with colleagues on projects. Additionally, I will use the online skills I have developed to navigate virtual work environments and collaborate with remote team members effectively. Furthermore, the importance of following specific instructions in technical writing will guide me in producing high-quality and compliant documents in my future endeavours.

Overall, the technical writing course has been a valuable learning experience that has enhanced my writing skills, improved my ability to work.

Creating an online web portfolio for my technical English course was a valuable and challenging experience that allowed me to learn and develop various skills. One of the initial challenges was deciding what components to include in my portfolio. I carefully selected a variety of writing samples, including technical reports, instructional documents, and research papers, to showcase my proficiency in technical writing. I also included a brief bio and a resume to provide context and highlight my qualifications.

The formatting and editing process was meticulous, as I wanted to ensure that my portfolio had a professional and polished appearance. I paid close attention to the design and layout, making sure that it was user-friendly and visually appealing. I also carefully reviewed and edited my writing samples for grammar, syntax, and clarity, ensuring that they met the technical writing standards.

The revision process was a continuous and iterative one. I sought feedback from peers and instructors to make improvements and refinements to my portfolio. I made revisions based on the feedback received, ensuring that my writing samples were well-organized, coherent, and effectively communicated their intended purpose. I also made sure that my portfolio was accessible, and that all links and components were functional.

Through this process, I learned the importance of careful selection and presentation of writing samples, as well as the significance of formatting, editing, and revising to create a professional and effective online web portfolio. I also developed skills in incorporating multimedia elements, such as images and links, to enhance the visual appeal and interactivity of my portfolio. Overall, this project helped me hone my technical writing skills and provided me with a valuable online showcase of my work, which I can use for professional purposes in the future.

Writing the formal report draft was an enlightening experience as it shed light on the challenges and opportunities associated with remote work, specifically in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. It was interesting to delve into the impact of remote work on workplace culture, and how the lack of spontaneous or casual interactions among team members can affect the dynamics of a remote-based workforce. Through conducting surveys and reviewing scholarly articles, I gained insights into the importance of cultivating connections and encouraging spontaneous interactions to foster a positive workplace culture, even in a remote setting. I learned valuable skills in theorizing a topic worth of study and designing data collection techniques for examining a topic. For example, I received feedback from multiple participants that they would have preferred to have the option to submit that they prefer zero days of in-person work rather than a selection from one to five. I realized I had made an oversight in terms of designing my survey and learned a valuable lesson on imagining the needs of the respondent.

Peer reviewing Byung-Sun’s report was a valuable experience as it allowed me to compare writing styles and techniques with another researcher’s perspective. It was interesting to note the similarities and differences in our approaches and conclusions. Reviewing the data section and scholarly article review of the peer’s report helped me gain a deeper understanding of the research methodology and the relevance of the scholarly articles cited. It also provided an opportunity to critically analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the report, and offer constructive feedback to improve the overall quality and impact of the research. For example, I noticed that something as small as the text in their graphic being too small created an accessibility issue. This gave me more information and perspective with which to analyze my own work.

Overall, writing and peer reviewing this report on remote work and workplace culture was a thought-provoking experience that expanded my knowledge on the subject matter. It emphasized the significance of spontaneous and casual interactions in fostering a positive and collaborative work environment, even in a remote setting. It also highlighted the importance of using digital tools effectively to facilitate such interactions and improve team dynamics.

First Draft

LinkedIn Profile

One of our assignments for this unit was to research and write a list of best practices for creating a LinkedIn profile. I have used LinkedIn for many years and used both my first-hand experiences and referencing secondary opinions on how to best utilize the platform to write my assignment. Over the years, I have made many changes to my profile based on current trends and feedback. Since I have this experience, I started the assignment by simply brainstorming some of the ways I feel my profile has been successful. This included things such as having a professional photo and formal, yet friendly language. Then, I went to secondary sources to see what other opinions are out there to both substantiate my initial ideas, and introduce me to ideas I hadn’t yet considered. for example, I had not considered joining professional groups on LinkedIn to network with professionals with similar interests. I added these newer ideas to my list. Conversely, some of my initial ideas didn’t appear in any of the other lists I found. For example, my recommendation to take a break from networking when needed to avoid burnout wasn’t confirmed by an external list, yet I decided to include it because it still really resonated with me.

Report Proposal and Outline

Synthesizing my ideas into a report proposal was a useful process to determine the feasibility of my plan and gain feedback. I was surprised that following a specific structure not only formalized my ideas, but helped develop them. For example, I hadn’t even considered what areas of inquiry I was interested until the report stipulated that they be included. Having to fulfill the requirements of the assignment actually helped improve my plan and I learned that structures can be helpful in making progress. This also applies to the outline, which encouraged a systematic laying out of each section of the report. I reflect that before completing the outline, I felt unsure of how to start making progress. The outline acts as a to-do list for me to reference while writing and makes the assignment feel more approachable. For example, the outline including a sections such as ‘limitations of the study’ not only reminds me to include that content, but gives me a chunk of content I can work on whenever I feel ready to, so the actual writing process doesn’t have to be linear.

Peer Review Process

After publishing my report proposal to the team forum, I had the opportunity to offer feedback to Cheka on their report on How to Better Support Note-Takers to Improve Learning Experience for Students at UBC. I was impressed with their proposal and was assured to see many of the organizational features such as bullet points and lists to be similar to my own work. I recognized that their structure and writing contributed to my interest in the topic, and it was persuasive. I was particularly impressed when they used tactful organization to break their problem into sub problems. I feel this not only is clarifying, but highlighted the importance of the proposed study. Cheka also peer reviewed my proposal. I appreciated the opportunity to gain feedback, and since our reports were structured similarly, I was reassured with their positive remarks. I particularly appreciated how specific their feedback on grammar and sentence structure was, and I implemented it directly. I also appreciated their suggestion to reference scholarly resources on my topic, and after consideration decided to take their advice. Overall, I received high quality feedback.

The First Draft of the Definitions

Our first official assignment for our ENGL 301 course was to write three definitions of a technical term intended for an audience without specialized knowledge. I approached the task by first referencing course materials and the textbook to ensure I understood the requirements and applications. I chose the term Panopticism because it is related to my previous degree and I consider it still relevant to my current studies in computer science. I believe it is of interest to a wide audience which gave me the motivation to write a clear and concise definition without jargon. The course content described the relevant types of definition and I practiced writing these forms by applying them to my term. I personally found the parenthetical definition to be particularly challenging in this context. It stipulates that the term should be quickly and clearly explained by a few words wrapped in parentheses immediately after introducing the term. Panopticism has a lot of context and potentially requires some reflection to truly understand, which isn’t well suited to a parenthetical definition. I addressed this by giving the reader the minimum information needed to understand the sentence without the burden of delivering a full understanding. While writing the expanded definition, I found that some types were not appropriate for the term. For example, Analysis of Parts seemed less useful to a reader for delivering a definition of a theoretical concept than providing an Example. I learned that the term should stipulate the tools used to define it. Through this process I learned the technical requirements of various types of definition and practiced applying them to a complex term that challenged me.

Peer Review Process

As part of the peer review process, I learned about Classical Conditioning in Carman Chu’s definition. Reading another student’s work was not only interesting, but gave me insight into aspects of the assignment I may have overlooked. For example, their parenthetical definition utilized a synonym rather than a short description. I hadn’t previously considered the benefit of that approach and appreciated being exposed to that technique. I learned to use a critical eye to identify errors and used the opportunity to affirm my own understanding of the principles instilled in this course. For example, I was able to identify full sentences that did not add any content or value to the document and advised they be removed. Carman also provided me with helpful advice to improve my definition. I was surprised to see a few grammatical and sentence structure errors that were so obvious after they were pointed out. I learned that despite my proof-reading, there is no comparison to having an external source of feedback. The peer review process was helpful in both giving and receiving feedback to my definitions and overall writing skills. 

Revision Process

Once I received feedback on my definitions, I had the opportunity to apply them to my work and publish a revised version of the document. The feedback I was given was polite, well formatted, and helpful. The most useful piece was the comments on unnecessary words in long sentences. I reread the entire document with a critical eye and surprised myself with how much I could remove while still communicating the same information. Carman was specific while pointing out where there were grammatical errors which was helpful and efficient for me to apply in the revision process. I also appreciated her ability to point out what was working well, so I knew to avoid changing those sections. Reading the document over, I’m impressed at the improvement and quality of my work. I learned that the process of writing, self-reviewing, peer-reviewing, and then applying feedback results in high quality work. 

Link to My Revised Definition

To: Byung-Sun Park

From: Alethea Kramer

Date: February 1 2022

Subject: Request to Join My Writing Group

Dear Byung-Sun,

After reviewing your application to join a writing team, I am excited to reach out to request that you consider joining my team with Cheka Duheme. I am very impressed with your professional and academic experiences and achievements. As a fellow computer science student, I am familiar with the demands of the program and the dedication it takes to become a TA and be offered co-op opportunities. The communication and writing skills you have acquired will be an asset to the team and our similar backgrounds will contribute to the ease of working together. I appreciate your philosophy of proactive collaboration and communication and also believe in the importance of these traits when working as a group. I believe our overlapping experiences and varied strengths will be mutually beneficial this semester.

I appreciate your consideration of my request and hope to hear from you.

Best,
Alethea Kramer

To: Carman Chu

From: Alethea Kramer

Date: February 1 2022

Subject: Request to Join My Writing Group

Dear Carman,

I’m reaching out in regards to your application to join a writing team with hopes that you will work with Cheka Duheme and I this semester. I enjoyed reading your application and am impressed with your professional experience and the skills you have acquired in the customer service industry. The skills you have learned through your experience writing formal and creative assignments will be an asset to the team. I appreciate your approach to learning and aim to incorporate your principle of patience into my own approach. I believe we would benefit from learning from each other’s strengths and weaknesses and gain a lot throughout the term. 

Please review my application and I appreciate any consideration you give to my request to work together. I look forward to hearing from you.

301 Alethea Kramer Application Letter

Best,

Alethea Kramer

To: Cheka Dunmer

From: Alethea Kramer

Date: January 31 2022

Subject: Re Joining a Writing Group

Dear Cheka, 

Thank you for your message and the request to join your writing team. I was impressed with your application and feel the prospect of collaborating is really promising. I am very interested in the combination of skills you described as a result of your professional and academic experiences. The range of writing tasks and skills you have developed is impressive. We share similar interests and experiences in  analyzing media and copywriting, but in different fields and applications. Our backgrounds compliment each other well, while still presenting the opportunity to learn from each other. Your approach to learning aligns well to mine and is evident in your ability to learn English as a second language. I will be contacting the other student on your team, Carman Chu, to apply to join the group as a whole.

Thank you for reviewing my application and asking to be on my team, I look forward to working together.

301 Alethea Kramer Application Letter

Best,

Alethea Kramer

To: Erika Paterson

From: Alethea Kramer

Date: January 23, 2023

Subject: Writing Team Application Letter

Please find attached my application letter to join the Professional Writing Team in ENGL 301.

My letter describes:

• A brief description of my educational and professional background pertaining to my writing skills and experience
• Strengths and weaknesses in my writing and collaboration abilities
• My approach to learning and a description of my ideal team dynamic

Thank you for taking the time to consider my application, I have attached it below.

I appreciate any consideration, feedback, or thoughts you may share.

301 Alethea Kramer Application Letter

Dear Prospective Writing Teammates,

As an experienced content creator with a background in media studies, marketing, and communications design, I bring relevant skills and would contribute positively to an ENGL 301 writing team. My previous education as a media studies student at UBC offered exposure to a multitude of genres and forms of communication. Those skills translated well to my employment at a software company as a product marketing specialist, where I communicated product features to prospective customers. Professional communications skills were essential and practiced in my time working as a freelance communications designer which necessitated written interactions with clients. Most recently, I worked as a research assistant during my current studies as a Bachelor of Computer Science student. While writing my report, I developed formal writing skills including applying for research approval, promoting my study, communicating with participants, and synthesizing my findings. 

My writing is clear, concise, and appropriate to the genre and format. I use precise terminology while avoiding unnecessarily complicated words. While working on assignments in a group, I aim to communicate expectations, roles, and timelines clearly. I am accountable and will deliver quality work, while also acknowledging unexpected factors may impact any teammate throughout the semester. In previous teams, I have valued members who are flexible and contribute to a respectful and conscientious team dynamic. I am working full-time this semester, and may not be available during the workday. This semester, I hope to improve my writing so it is more concise and I eliminate unnecessary words. 

I approach learning by finding a personal interest or motivation in the content. The pursuit of finding genuine curiosity in whatever one is studying leads to improved results. This will translate to my motivation to proactively work on course content and assignments, and become personally invested in the process. I hope to find teammates that resonate with this approach and to learn from each other this semester.

Please find a copy of this letter here 301 Alethea Kramer Application Letter. If you are interested in forming a writing team with me, please email at aletheak@student.ubc.ca.

Thank you for considering my application,

Alethea Kramer