ENGL301 was one of the most beneficial courses I took to improve my writing abilities. Being an international student makes you mistakenly believe that other people will outperform you in class simply because English is their native language. Throughout the course, I discovered that my assumption was incorrect. In fact, it is all about practice and revision.

The feedback provided by both the reviewer of my work and the instructor at the start of the course revealed that my main weaknesses were wordiness and the use of imperative verbs. Through careful analysis and reflecting on the feedback I received, I was able to identify and improve upon my mistakes. This was further evidenced by the subsequent assignments and the feedback provided by the instructor. My unwavering determination to incorporate and demonstrate my ability to reflect on the feedback and recommendations provided to me enabled me to consistently improve my work through multiple revisions.

Creating the web folio was a fun experience because it provided me the opportunity to experiment with the WordPress tool and gain a better understanding of it. I had never created anything on WordPress before, so I learned a lot by using it for this course.

However, nothing comes together without challenges. Starting the web folio was difficult because it requires careful planning, design, and organization. I had to consider what content to include as well as how to present it in a visually appealing and user-friendly manner. I was able to grasp an understanding of how I want my web folio to be organized after analyzing the criteria provided by the instructor as well as the technical writing textbook.

The main takeaway from creating a web folio is that it is an excellent way to compile all of my work and professionally showcase my skills. It allows me to demonstrate my expertise and creativity to others, and it has the potential to become an important tool in my job search or personal branding efforts.

Researching, Organizing and Writing Formal Report 

The Formal Report is a major assignment that requires a lot of effort to produce. Upon receiving the assignment, I immediately knew what my report will be about since I had personally experienced the issue myself. Whenever I went to Metrotown Mall, I would often waste time and get lost while trying to navigate from point A to point B. After speaking with friends and peers, I discovered that this was a common issue for many people who shop at Metrotown. Consequently, I decided to focus my report on improving navigation around Metrotown Mall.

During my research, I found that most malls across Canada use similar navigation strategies. However, none of them have an app to make navigating the mall easier. Therefore, I concluded that if Metrotown were to implement a navigation app, it would stand out from its competitors and be the first mall in Canada to utilize such technology. Additionally, the results of 88 surveys showed that there is a growing demand for such navigation tool.

When writing my draft, I encountered some difficulties. Initially, it was challenging to collect data because only a few people responded to the survey on Reddit. However, after posting the survey in local Vancouver groups on Facebook, I was able to obtain a full sample size and collect 88 survey responses. Furthermore, as English is not my first language, I struggled with making grammatically correct choices regarding punctuation and sentence structure. Despite this, I was able to easily analyze the data and interpret the findings because I had researched other malls across Canada and obtained a decent sample size. As a result, after completing all of this work it was not hard to organize the draft.

Peer Review of Formal Report Draft 

Similarly to the previous peer review I had the opportunity to review Jennifer’s draft, and it was evident from her writing style that English is her first language. Overall, she did an excellent job compiling her report. However, I suggested that she improve the transitions between sections and write with a “you-attitude” towards the intended audience. I also advised her to organize the text and visuals in a way that would be engaging to the reader. There were not many grammatical errors in her report, as it appeared to be well-written.

Jennifer’s review of my proposal was detailed and easy to follow. She put in a lot of effort to provide me with the best possible feedback, analyzing each section and providing appropriate suggestions to improve my work. After seeing the quality of her peer-review, I feel that I could have put in more effort in my review of her work.

Overall, Unit 3 was one of the most intensive units of the course. By working on the report, I was able to learn and develop many writing and research techniques simultaneously. I am looking forward to further enhancing my writing skills in Unit 4!

Karolina’s Formal Report Draft

Research Proposal and Peer Review for Teammate: 

The initial task assigned to us was to create a proposal for research that would identify a public issue which could be enhanced through our recommendations for improvement. I did not encounter any challenges while brainstorming my report idea because I had a recent experience at the Metrotown Mall where I got lost due to inadequate guidance. Accordingly, the problem that I am trying to solve is navigation around Metrotown Mall. Although I initially felt a bit overwhelmed when I had to write the research proposal and include all the necessary components, referring to the instructor’s blog and assigned readings helped me gain a better understanding of how to develop a comprehensive research proposal. In my opinion, the crucial aspect of the research proposal was accurately identifying the problem, target audience, and proposed solution. Once these elements were established, the process of developing the proposal became more seamless. 

As I reviewed Jennifer’s research proposal about the need for additional safety measures on the Arbutus Greenway, I was able to gain a fresh perspective on my own proposal. Jennifer’s proposal was well-organized and well-written, with only minor grammatical errors. Although I am a non-native English speaker, I provided helpful feedback to the best of my abilities because I understand the value of having someone else review your work and offer a different perspective. It allows for a deeper understanding of one’s own work.

Formal Report Outline: 

Writing the research proposal was relatively easy for me, but creating the outline posed some difficulties in terms of its structure. However, with the help of the course book and comparing my outline to my peers’, I was able to overcome the challenges and meet the assignment requirements. My goal was to develop an outline that would make the process of writing the final proposal easier. 

Ten Best Practices for Linked In: 

The 10 best practices for LinkedIn are practical and effective ways to improve one’s LinkedIn profile and create a strong professional network. These practices include selecting a professional profile picture and background photo, crafting a concise and unique summary, keeping the profile up-to-date, joining industry-relevant groups, and filling out every section of the profile. This assignment was beneficial for me as I was able to identify areas for improvement on my LinkedIn profile. Reviewing my peers’ best practices also helped me recognize crucial steps in creating a professional social media network. After completing the assignment, I updated my LinkedIn profile to reflect these best practices.

Revisions: 

My favourite part of the course is revising my work based on feedback from peers and the instructor, as I feel that I am able to learn a great deal from this process. The feedback I received from the instructor has helped me to identify and correct my tendency to make certain grammatical mistakes, such as overusing pronouns and utilizing imperative verbs. I plan to keep these comments in mind as I continue to work on future assignments. Additionally, my teammate Jennifer provided me with insightful feedback on my research proposal, including suggestions on the sentence structure of my sections and a recommendation to add another solution to the problem. This peer review was especially helpful in improving my work and building upon the progress made from previous feedback.

Revised Report Proposal

Peer Review for Proposal 

Original Writing of Term Definition: 

After reading the assignment 1.3 guidelines, I realized that definitions are not as simple as they appear at first. The assignment required students to select a complex term and write a detailed definition for a non-technical audience. I chose gentrification, as it is often encountered in my sociology Major. I had previously read and written essays on the subject of gentrification, so there were many instances where I had to explain it in detail. Nonetheless, I was unfamiliar with the nuances of various types of definitions for a given term. However, because this assignment required me to write three types of definitions (i.e., parenthetical, sentence, and expanded), I learned the distinctions between them. Parenthetical definitions use a clarifying phrase in parentheses, whereas sentence definitions provide a more in-depth understanding of the term. Expanded definitions use a variety of modes to explain the term. I provided the following details for the expanded definition: history, how neighbourhoods become gentrified, results of gentrification, and visuals as the most effective modes for describing the term in detail.

Peer Review Process: 

The peer-review process, was one of the hardest parts of the assignment, as I had to analyze and critique someones else’s work. Given that English is not my first, or even second language, I had to double-check several times whether the suggestions I’m making are grammatically correct so that it would benefit Jennifer’s work. The textbook helped me check the accuracy of the various types of written definitions. Although no errors were discovered in the written definitions, some sentences were wordy. Aside from that, I only found minor grammar and punctuation errors during the review process. In addition, during the peer review process, I was able to identify some of my own mistakes by rereading the textbook. As a result, I believe peer review is a great way to elevate your own work, as well as assist your peer in polishing their work.

Editing Process: 

Taking Jennifer’s constructive feedback into account during the editing process aided the development of my original definition assignment. As previously stated, as a third language learner, it can be difficult to identify specific punctuation and grammatical errors. While Jeniffer only discovered minor grammatical and punctuation errors, her feedback was extremely helpful. She also pointed out some errors in the reference list. Revising my work following the peer-review process enabled me to identify patterns of error and learn from my mistakes. Overall, assignment 1.3 and its underlying components helped me become more aware of how I write. As a result, I plan to apply what I’ve learned throughout the assignment to my future projects.

• Karolina’s Revised Definition

To: Corbyn Kwan, English 301 student <naruto01@student.ubc.ca>

From: Anna Karolina Atehortua, English 301 student <annaatehortua@gmail.com>

Date: February 1, 2023

Subject: ENGL301 Forming a Writing Team

Hello, Corbyn.

My name is Anna Karolina and I’m one of your classmates for ENGL301. I have read your application letter and I think that your working experience in Campus Nutrition and the desire to reach your goals could be a great addition to our writing team that I am forming with Liam Plosker, and Brian Wong, still waiting for a response from Brian. 

Please, let me know if you are interested in joining our writing team. I have attached my letter of application ENGL301 Karolina’s Application Letter for you to review. Looking forward to hearing from you! 

To: Brian Wong, English 301 student <briannnw@student.ubc.ca>

From: Anna Karolina Atehortua, English 301 student <annaatehortua@gmail.com>

Date: February 1, 2023

Subject: ENGL301 Forming a Writing Team

Hello, Brian.

My name is Anna Karolina and I’m one of your classmates for ENGL301. I have read your application and I think that your experience of working with health professionals and collaborating in scientific research papers with team mates could be a great addition to our writing team that I am forming with Liam Plosker. Given that we all come from different fields of study, it will be beneficial for us to learn from each other.

Please, let me know if you are interested in joining our writing team. I have attached my letter of application ENGL301 Karolina’s Application Letter for you to review. Looking forward to hearing from you!

Regards,

Anna Karolina Atehortua.

To: Liam Plosker, English 301 student <ploskerliam@gmail.com>

From: Anna Karolina Atehortua, English 301 student <annaatehortua@gmail.com>

Date: February 1, 2023

Subject: ENGL301 Forming a Writing Team

Hello, Liam.

Thank you for reaching out! I read your application letter and think that we will make a good team. Your knowledge in English and Creative writing makes you a great fit to becoming a member of a professional writing team. Also, being communicative and friendly is an important factor for teamwork to go harmoniously. I’m looking forward to learning from each other.

University of British Columbia 

Memorandum 

To: Professor Erika Paterson 

From: Anna Karolina Atehortua 

Date: January 27, 2023 

Subject: Writing Team Application Submitted 

As requested in our ENGL 301, Unit 1.2 assignments, I have completed an application letter to join a writing team among my classmates. It can be found here: ENGL301 Karolina’s Application Letter

In my Application Letter, I have included the following: 

• Previous experience of working in teams, highlighting strengths
• Educational Background 
• Fluency level as a third-language learner
• My vision of teamwork 

Thank you for taking the time to review my application, looking forward to hearing back from you.