Writing with You-Attitude

In Unit 3-1, we began by practicing a strategy for professional writing. We analyzed an email written by a student to their teacher making an inquiry regarding their course. We were asked to employ a strategy where we had to analyze the email from the writer’s perspective and provide feedback to improve their approach. This strategy not only allowed us to analyze our own writing styles but also reinforced the rules comprising a professional writing style. It helped me reinforce some basic grammar rules as well.

Formal Report Draft

In the part of this unit, we got to write a formal report draft. During the process, I learned how to organize my report, how to structure the sections, and how to analyze the data. I gained some really useful skills, particularly as it relates to analyzing data and communicating what that data means to the end-user. At first, I found it a little challenging to analyze the data, however as I started breaking the different parts of the survey into smaller pieces, it became easier to analyze. Overall, I felt I improved my analytical and writing skills.

 Peer Review

The last part of this unit was to peer review a formal report draft. I gained a lot of insight by reviewing my peer’s report, in particular regarding the formatting and structure of the report.

Report: Technology Use for Influenza Vaccines in Community Pharmacies

Unit two focussed on creating a LinkedIn profile, preparing a report proposal, and peer-reviews.

Creating LinkedIn Profile:

I had created a LinkedIn profile a while ago. It is a great platform to network and connect with other professionals in your field. Over time, the platform has evolved into a content feed platform, where people share ideas, resources, and their stories. I have particularly learned a lot from my network as a result. During this assignment, I researched tips to further improve my LinkedIn profile. For example, I learned how to write a concise bio and intro, how to create and share content on the platform, and how to engage with the network.

Report Proposal:

Writing a report proposal was a really helpful practice to brainstorm and organize my thoughts. It helped me concisely write what I wanted to accomplish and the process I would need to follow. It also very well aligns with my interests and I see a massive potential to improve outcomes. I am looking forward to conducting surveys and analyzing the results.

Receiving peer-review for the proposal from my peer-review partner, Anusha Saleem, was also very insightful and helpful. I was glad to receive positive feedback from Anusha regarding the topic of my interest.

Updated Proposal link: https://blogs.ubc.ca/engl301-99a-2020wa/2020/10/14/formal-report-proposal-2/

A primary focus of my previous degree was to be able to take complex topics and explain them to patients. These patients may or may not have previous background or in-depth knowledge to fully understand a topic at hand. Our ability to educate and teach was emphasized heavily because it could have dramatic positive or negative patient outcomes depending on the subject matter. For this exercise, I decided to take hypertension as it is one of the most prevalent conditions that people can prevent through the simple day to day measures. Because people are more likely to take action when they are aware of and understand the motivations, I thought it would be a useful topic for me to try to explain to my peers.

Through the peer review process, I learned that I could potentially organize my writing in paragraphs to articulate my ideas better. I received tangible useful feedback from my peer which explained various ways I could improve both my writing and the visuals that I used. Overall, the process really helped me find gaps in my writing and improve upon some important, particularly organization.

I also enjoyed learning and reviewing my peer’s definition. I found this exercise very engaging and thought-provoking. In particular, I appreciated that we were guided to use different variations of the definition, which made me reflect upon the importance of being able to convey thoughts in different ways, depending on the audience and their previous background. I also realized the importance of this crucial skill of being able to break down complex topics into simpler terms so anyone with lesser context can understand.

I have attached my revised definition and peer feedback below.

Hypertension Revised Definition

peer feedback

Dear {classmate},

My name is Amol Chahal. I am writing in regards to the Letter of Application that you just posted on your blog.

After reviewing your Letter of Application, I was very impressed with your previous experience and interests. Given your professional experience and learning philosophy, I think it would be great to collaborate as professional writers. If you’re interested, please let me know.

I am attaching an my Letter of Application in this email for your reference. Thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing from you.

If you have any questions/concerns, please email me at chahal.amol@alumni.ubc.ca.

Kind regards,

Amol Chahal

Dear {fellow classmate},

Thank you for taking the time to review my Letter of Application. I would like to extend my gratitude for offering me to join your Professional Writing team. I also reviewed your Letter of Application and I am extremely impressed with your previous experience and background. I believe that given your background and diverse experience, it would be great to collaborate as Professional Writing team members. I am looking forward to learning and collaborating as writers.

I am also attaching my Letter of Application in this email. If you have questions or concerns, please email me at chahal.amol@alumni.ubc.ca.

Kind regards,

Amol Chahal

To: Dr. Erika Paterson, ENGL 301 Instructor
From: Amol Chahal, ENGL 301 Student
Subject: Notice – Letter of Application

I am writing to inform you that I have posted my Letter of Application on my blog.

My Letter of Application discusses the following points:

•  A brief introduction
• My education history and background
• Highlights of my previous writing experience
• Interest in joining a writing team

Regards,

Amol Chahal

ENGL 301 – Amol Chahal

Dear ENGL301 Classmates,

I am writing in consideration to your Writing Teams application as posted on the ENGL 301 Technical Writing course webpage. I am a third-year computer science student at the University of British Columbia. Previously, I graduated from the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences with a Doctor of Pharmacy degree. I am also a business professional currently working part-time in the healthcare technology field. I would like to highlight some of my experiences for your kind consideration in relation to your posting.

Over the past two years, I have held the role of business development in a company that I started with one of my previous classmates. During this appointment, I have had various relevant communication interactions in a formal business setting, including drafting proposals, making presentations, and writing company memos. As part of the company’s sales operations, we had to develop pitch decks and present them to our clients. Over the course of my duration at the company, I believe that I have gained a very valuable experience learning and exploring the intricacies of the English language, especially in a business environment.

To further highlight my writing experience, I also have immense experience writing research papers and presentations in my previous degree. In addition to writing, I also have experience in analyzing research papers and summarizing key points in a succinct manner. A notable example is writing summaries of clinical trial results by analyzing research papers. In addition to my aforementioned experience, I also write personal blog posts on healthcare, technology, and pharmacy. In particular, I like to explore areas related to healthcare technology and computer science.

I am a hardworking individual with a passion for learning and growth. I am looking forward to potentially joining your writing team and working together to learn and grow in this course. If you would like to further discuss my application, please send me an email at: chahal.amol@alumni.ubc.ca.

Thank you for your kind consideration,

Amol Chahal

ENGL 301 – Amol Chahal