Angie's ENGL 301 Blog

I had a remarkable time composing a variety of writing assignments in ENGL 301 this term. From the Three Definitions assignment to the Web Folio, I gained a diverse set of writing skills. This blog post reflects on my strengths and weaknesses throughout my learning process and assignments. Moreover, it highlights how the skills I have acquired could translate into my future career and academic goals, and professional aspirations.

Strengths in my learning and assignments
One of my strengths is the ability to improve my own writing by applying constructive feedback and learning from my peers’ work. Continuously striving for improvement, I actively seek opportunities to produce top-quality work. By conducting peer reviews, I was able to learn from my teammate’s unique writing styles and improve the clarity of my own assignments. This also allowed me to consistently practice the writing strategies learned in this course and refine my work. The feedback received from both my peers and instructor was invaluable, and I credit their pivotal role in my success in this course.

Weaknesses in my learning and assignments
One of my weaknesses is overlooking minor details when completing assignments. Specifically, I tend to dive right into completing the bulk of assignments without thoroughly reviewing all the instructions first. As a result, I may occasionally miss some important details, such as instructions to avoid using imperative verbs. In this course, I made a deliberate effort to carefully read the instructions multiple times and be more attentive to detail. However, it is still an ongoing area of improvement for me and I hope to continue working on this in the future.

Translating my skills and strengths for future career and educational goals 
I believe that my strong work ethic, self-discipline, and desire to succeed will serve as a foundation for accomplishing my future academic and educational goals. From this course, I have gained a variety of technical writing skills that can be directly applied to future coursework, as well as in my future career endeavors. I plan to utilize the insights and networking tips I have learned to enhance my LinkedIn profile and connect with professionals in my industry. Additionally, I now have updated versions of my resume, cover letter, and reference request letters, which now better highlight my academic and professional experiences. Overall, having strong written and technical communication skills are a valuable asset that can benefit any profession.

I would like to acknowledge my writing team and Dr. Paterson for an excellent term and all their help throughout the course.

Creating a Web Folio provided me an opportunity to refine my previously submitted assignments and reflect on how my writing has improved throughout the term. I also got to redesign my original ENGL 301 blog site to highlight my professional and academic accomplishments for future job applications. Since peer and instructor feedback was provided throughout the course, I was able to edit my work accordingly and gradually improve over time. Additionally, I had initially put a lot of effort into each assignment. Therefore, when compiling the Web Folio, only minor revisions were necessary and I was able to focus more on making the website more user-friendly, personalized, and visually appealing via the addition of hyperlinks and visuals. Modifications to the format of my posts were also made to maintain consistency throughout my writing and enhance the readability of my Web Folio.

When I first created my blog site, I struggled with even just the basics. However, throughout this course, I gained extensive experience with blog posting, webpage design, and using WordPress. In general, creating a Web Folio was a valuable experience and instilled a sense of accomplishment. I am able to recognize the hard work that my peers and I have put in to produce comprehensive work and am proud of the progress made so far. I believe that my Web Folio does a great job of summing up my academic and professional achievements in an organized fashion. Overall, this course has taught me useful writing strategies and skills that will be beneficial for future coursework or applications.

Formal Report Draft

In Unit 3, we researched, organized, and created a preliminary report based on the proposal and outline developed in Unit 2. To ensure a high response rate to the survey I created, I explicitly stated in the introduction that it would only take a few minutes to complete and primarily consisted of multiple-choice questions. This approach proved effective, as the majority of responses were received within days of distribution. After reviewing the survey results, I found that the multiple-choice questions were effective in gathering insightful data, although I did not include any follow-up questions. In the future, I would add more multiple-choice questions that ask respondents to explain why they selected a particular answer. This would provide a better understanding of their perspectives and experiences. Nonetheless, I found it fascinating to learn about the viewpoints and preferences of my peers on a subject that I am passionate about.

The process of composing the first draft of the formal report was mostly straightforward. With the foundation already laid out from the outline, progress report, and proposal, I had a clear understanding of the necessary tasks and how to structure the report. To strengthen my report, I also performed additional research on the costs and best places to purchase full-length mirrors, as advised by Erika in response to my report proposal. Using the findings from my research, I presented mirror options that catered to various price ranges, including ones that complemented the aesthetic of Aritzia. These results helped with providing a better perspective of the feasibility of installing mirrors inside the change rooms at Aritzia.

Peer Review

During the peer review process, I structured my feedback by reviewing the formal report draft section by section. While my teammate had done a commendable job and incorporated all the essential elements of the formal report draft, I was still able to provide some constructive feedback on areas where improvement could be made. I was particularly impressed by the level of detail that my team member provided in the background section of their report.

The peer review process proved to be advantageous once again, as it assisted me in recognizing the sections of my report that needed improvement. During the review, I consulted the peer review criteria to revise my formal report draft, verifying that every element of the report was present and that it was presented in an organized manner. The peer review was also helpful in cementing the concept of maintaining a YOU attitude in professional writing. Some areas of improvement for my formal report included focusing more on the problems rather than the solutions in the Statement of Problem section and providing more information on the distribution of the survey.

Angie’s Formal Report Draft

In Unit 2, students were presented with a variety of assignments to enhance their technical writing abilities and acquire new skills in diverse forms of professional communication, including networking and report writing. Additionally, this unit marked the start of developing our formal report.

Formal Report Proposal

To begin the second unit, we were tasked to brainstorm about an inefficiency or deficiency that we noticed from our previous volunteer, community, or workplace experiences. As a loyal Aritzia customer who has firsthand experience with the Aritzia change rooms, I decided to address an issue that people commonly have about shopping at Aritzia. Despite Aritzia’s efforts to provide customers with a unique and personalized shopping experience, many customers have expressed concerns about the change room design. Rather than providing individual mirrors inside each change room, Aritzia opts for communal mirrors in the shared space outside the change rooms. This may discourage customers from using the fitting rooms due to reasons such as lack of privacy, overcrowding around the mirrors, and inconvenience. I believed that my personal experiences and familiarity with the brand provide me the qualifications to research and propose a solution to this topic.

Peer Review

The peer review process has proved highly advantageous owing to the valuable insights garnered from peers and the exposure to diverse writing styles. Having an additional pair of eyes has proved immensely helpful in identifying errors and refining our writing. For instance, Michael’s review of my research proposal brought to light that the use of the superlative “many” can be rephrased to avoid sounding exaggerated when no evidence is provided. Collaborating in a writing team has also helped me become a better self-editor. After reading Michael’s research proposal, I was impressed with the level of detail provided and went back to my own proposal to further elaborate on my ideas. By going through other students’ submissions, I was able to learn from them and acquire effective writing tips and techniques that I could apply to improve my own assignments. I was most surprised by the diversity of experiences that my peers had during their time at UBC, and how the differences in their backgrounds could influence our writing styles. Overall, I believe that the peer review process has made me a more knowledgeable and meticulous writer.

LinkedIn Best Practices

Our next task was to research techniques for professional networking and building an online profile on LinkedIn. In this age of social media, creating a public LinkedIn profile is almost essential for building a professional social network and connecting with recruiters and like-minded peers. LinkedIn connects students and alumni to industry professionals, allowing individuals to acquire professional relationships and opportunities. Although I had previously created a LinkedIn profile, I was not consistently updating my experiences and had not used it as a tool to network and seek job opportunities. After researching and reading tips from other students, I realized the importance of keeping an up-to-date profile and identified several components of my profile that I could improve on. For instance, adding an engaging ‘About’ section that introduces my professional interests. Additionally, requesting LinkedIn recommendations could improve credibility.

Formal Report Outline and Memo

After generating a formal report proposal, we were assigned the task of developing a formal report outline and a progress report memo. The process of designing survey questions for the formal report proved to be quite challenging. It was unexpectedly difficult to compose engaging survey questions that didn’t unintentionally incorporate personal biases. The Instructor’s Blog proved to be a valuable resource for learning how to construct positive, non-leading questions that would still elicit thoughtful insights from survey respondents. Overall, I am pleased with the progress of the formal report as I have been able to meet deadlines and incorporate feedback from Dr. Paterson and my writing team to consistently refine my writing. Upon receiving approval from Dr. Paterson, I promptly distributed the survey to study participants and am currently on track to complete primary data analysis by the deadline outlined in my progress report.

With this said, Unit 2 was incredibly informative and I look forward to the final two units of this course.

Angie’s Formal Report Proposal

Peer Review of Michael’s Proposal

Michael’s Peer Review of Angie’s Proposal

Three Definitions

After setting up a technical writing blog and forming professional writing teams with our peers, Unit 1 introduced our first major assignment, “Three Definitions,” which was designed to enhance our technical writing skills. This assignment required us to write three definitions for a complex technical term related to our field, including a parenthetical definition, a sentence definition, and an expanded definition. The goal was to present these definitions in a way that was easy for a non-technical audience to understand. After completing the assignment, we had the chance to review our peers’ work and receive feedback on our own writing. This peer review process helped us to look at our own writing from a different perspective and use constructive feedback to improve our writing skills.

Peer Review of Definition

Defining “Illumina sequencing” clearly and concisely for a non-technical audience was challenging. I attempted to minimize the use of technical jargon but Jade was still able to point out that terms like “reversible terminators” might be confusing to readers without a scientific background. Jade suggested that I replace or expand on some of these complex terms with simpler descriptions. As a science student, these terms were second nature to me. Through the peer review process, I learned that I should take more into consideration the audience’s limited understanding of the topic. Thanks to Jade’s feedback, I was able to improve my writing to better communicate with a non-technical audience.

Reviewing Jade’s definition of ‘Hydropneumatic suspension’ was a highly informative process. I thoroughly enjoyed Jade’s definition and the high level of detail provided in her work. However, it required several reads to critically analyze each component of the definition and identify specific strengths and weaknesses. One of the challenges I faced was that Jade’s target audience was mechanical engineering students. Therefore, although I was unfamiliar with the term “multiplication effect” and suggested Jade to include a parenthetical definition of this term, it’s possible that her intended audience would be familiar with this term. Additionally, it was challenging reviewing Jade’s citations since I was unfamiliar with MLA and typically use APA. This pushed me to learn a new referencing style, which may be useful in the future.

Overall, this assignment proved to be a valuable experience for learning how to write for non-technical audiences. The peer review process was very helpful in identifying weaknesses in our writing and emphasized the significance of word choice and visual components for effective technical communication.

Revised Definition of Illumina Sequencing

Peer Review of Illumina Sequencing Definition

Hi Emilyn,

I read your application letter and think that you would be a great fit for the writing team that I am forming with Michael Ly. I believe that your communications background and previous work and leadership experiences would be valuable to our team. I noticed that we also have similar learning philosophies, which involve maintaining respectful relationships with our peers. Additionally, it is clear that you have excellent creative composition and communication skills. I am confident that you will help us succeed in a group setting and that we would work well together.

Please let me know if you are interested in joining our writing team. I have attached my letter of application to this email for your reference. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Regards,

Angie Zhou

Encl. Angie’s Application Letter

Hi Amy,

My name is Angie and I am one of your classmates from ENGL 301. I read your application letter and think that you would be a great fit for the writing team that I am forming with Michael Ly and Emilyn Sim. I believe that your professional experiences working in collaborative environments, as well as your skills in various writing methods, would be assets to our team. Additionally, your diverse academic experiences in psychological research and healthcare show that you have a broad range of expertise and are capable of working effectively in various professional settings.

Please let me know if you are interested in joining our writing team. I have attached my letter of application to this email for your reference. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Regards,

Angie Zhou

Encl. Angie’s Application Letter

Hi Michael,

Thank you for reaching out to me. I read your application letter and would love to form a writing team with you. I believe that your background in pharmaceutical science and computer science and previous communication experience makes you a great fit as a member of a professional writing team. It is evident that you are reliable and have a strong work ethic and drive to succeed in academic settings. With our different academic backgrounds and combined communication skills, I believe that we would complement each other well.

I have also attached my letter of application to this email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Regards,

Angie Zhou

Encl. Angie’s Application Letter

To: Dr. Paterson, Instructor, University of British Columbia
From: Angie Zhou, Student <angiezhou6@hotmail.com>
Date: January 23, 2023
Subject: Letter of Application

As instructed in lesson 1:2, I have posted my Letter of Application on my blog. Please find my Letter of Application attached below.

The attached Letter of Application includes:

• overview of my academic background and professional interests
• description of my strengths in terms of writing skills and work habits
• my personal learning philosophy
• invitation to connect

Please let me know if you require any additional information.

Encl. Angie’s Application Letter

2200 University Blvd
Vancouver BC, V6T 1Z1

January 23, 2023

University of British Columbia
2329 West Mall
Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4
Attention: ENGL 301 Classmates

Subject: Applying to a writing team

I am writing to apply to a professional writing team for ENGL 301 this semester. I am a 5th year Biotechnology student at the University of British Columbia with professional interests in naturopathic medicine and the biotechnology industry. I believe that my background in research and previous professional experiences would make me an excellent candidate for your writing team.

During my previous co-op placements at BCIT Centre of Applied Research and Innovation, Xenon Pharmaceuticals, and Nanovation Therapeutics, I cultivated strong verbal and written communication skills. The completion of over six research projects provided me experience with giving presentations, and writing emails, proposals, data summaries, and formal reports, including a 145-page scientific report. To find these placements, I wrote over 40 resumes and cover letters. I am also skilled at working both independently and collaboratively in a team from my experience in the lab. Additionally, my role as VP of Student Life of the UBC-BCIT Biotechnology club has helped me sharpen my time management and organizational skills. My responsibilities include planning and organizing social and networking events, such as the annual Biotechnology Networking Night. I am reliable, easy to reach, and capable of always meeting deadlines.

Overall, I am a hardworking and easygoing individual who is excited to collaborate with other students. My learning philosophy is that improvement comes with practice and patience and that learning is much more fun with the support of others. I believe that to be a valuable team member, it is important to actively listen to your peers and respect your classmates’ opinions. If you are interested in forming a team, please contact me at angiezhou6@hotmail.com or through the Canvas chat. Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Angie Zhou

Encl. Angie’s Application Letter