Unit one of English 301 is comprised of three different weeks, which required the student to set up their blogs, create teams by writing professional memos, draft an assignment by writing three methods of definitions, and peer reviewing their teammates definition assignment.

A vital aspect of being employed is the ability to communicate professionally, which can apply to providing a clear and concise description of a technical term to an individual without a technical background. During the definitions assignment, we learned how to properly explain a technical term in three different ways, all of which should be easily readable. Technical jargon should be avoided; simpler terms are a preferable option. I appreciated the exercise in which we explained terms that we were familiar with, and how to extend that to an audience with a non-technical background.

Another part of being a working professional is the ability to provide constructive feedback to one’s peers and coworkers. The textbook provided helpful insight for how to provide constructive feedback by providing it most positive and helpful way possible. Feedback should be expressed as how you interpreted the person’s work, you should use specific examples, and tangible improvements should be suggested. This is very different from degrading or insulting the individual’s work, or suggesting vague improvements. Criticisms should not be made if you do not also have a suggestion for improvement.

Peer reviewing assignments helped me find issues with my writing that I would have otherwise overlooked. Jennifer was able to help me provide more clarity in my writing by pointing out ambiguity in a sentence where it was difficult to tell what the subject of the sentence was. After I realized I had made that mistake, I went back and combed over my assignment to not only make sure that there was no more ambiguity, but also to check to see if I could eliminate any use of passive voice like the textbook recommended. Another important note was that the purpose of the assignment was to provide a non-technical reader with a simple explanation of a complicated term. I realized that I had including technical jargon in my original report that someone without expertise in the area would not be able to understand. I remedied that by breaking it down into simpler terms, which made the definition more verbose but clearer.

Below I have posted a link to my original definitions assignment, attached Jennifer Macfarlane’s peer review of my definitions assignment, and attached the revised version of that assignment.

https://blogs.ubc.ca/engl301-99c-2018wc/2019/01/18/assignment-1-3-definitions-3/

ENGL 301 Brent Hanover edited definitions ENGL 301 JM peer review of BH definitions

ENGL 301 JM peer review of BH definitions

Hi Professor Paterson,

I have posted my letter of application on my student blog. I have also included a link to it at the end of this email for your reference. To summarize my letter:

• Worked 2 years in the UBC earthquake lab while obtaining my degree in mechanical engineering
• Worked for 4 years as a manufacturing engineer for Philips
• Currently studying for a second degree in computer science
• Interest in technical communication stems from a realization of a real-world need for it

Please see the below hyperlink to access my application letter.

Kind regards,

Brent Hanover

ENGL 301 Brent Hanover Application Letter

Hi Bara’a,

I would like to extend to you an invitation to my professional writing group for English 301. After reviewing your blog and reading your letter of application, I think that you would make an excellent addition to the team.

My first impression of your letter of application was being impressed with your major and minor. Having a team member majoring in psychology and minoring in creative writing will be a great way to round out a team with two science and one arts degree. I was also impressed by your volunteer and professional work where you would manage staff and act as a caseworker, and of course your career aspirations in publishing or editing is another point in your favour for an already strong consideration.

Please see my attached letter of application, and feel free to contact me if you accept my invitation to my professional writing group.

Sincerely,

Brent Hanover

Hi Jennifer,

I’d like to extend you an invitation to my professional writing group for English 301. After viewing your blog and reading your application letter, I decided that you would be a great addition to the team.

I first noticed that you are also pursuing a second degree in computer science. This demonstrates a hardworking and dedicated character and I know that you would bring an excellent work ethic to our projects. Another strong aspect of your application letter was demonstrating that you have your initial degree in English; having a member with a degree in English to help round out those of us with degrees in science and applied science is a fantastic way to diversify our group.

If you are interested in joining the group, please don’t hesitate to reach out via email. Please see my attached application letter for reference.

Kind regards,

Brent Hanover

Hi Henry,

I’d like to extend to you an invitation to join my professional writing group for English 301. I reviewed your blog and read your application letter, and have decided that you would be an excellent addition to the team.

I first noticed that you previously completed a bachelor’s degree in biology and are now studying for a second degree in computer science. This demonstrates a studious work ethic and a dedicated character. Your real world experience working as a software developer shows that you understand the importance of technical communication in a professional context.

Please see my attached application letter for reference, and feel free to contact me with your decision on joining the group.

Regards,

Brent Hanover

To my classmates of English 301:

Please consider my application for acceptance into your professional writing team for the duration of the semester. I graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering from UBC in 2015 and have come back for a second degree in computer science with an anticipated graduation date of December 2020.

When I was studying for my first degree I worked in the University of British Columbia Earthquake Engineering Research Facility as a research assistant. In my time there I assisted in laboratory testing and prepared techincal reports for the professional engineers.  Since graduation I have worked as a manufacturing engineer at Philips where I have developed manufacturing processes, implemented waste reduction initiatives, and established communication lines between departments. This experience, combined with my studies as a mechanical engineer, has given me a technical and practical understanding of what it takes to be a skilled writer.

My interest in technical communication not only comes from my technical background, but it also stems from my real world experience. It is extremely important to have communication skills that will set you apart from other prospective applicants in job searches. Quite often the only thing that sets a person apart from another resume in a pile is how they’ve presented themselves in their CV, so it is quite a vital life skill to have skillfully honed communication skills.

If you find my skillset suitable for partnership in this course, please feel free to contact me at brenthanover@gmail.com.

Sincerely,

Brent Hanover

From my 4 years working as an engineer and many other positions throughout my life, I understand the necessity of technical communication. This can be in person, over email, through messaging apps, via formal reports, even sending a fax is considered technical communication if you’re communicating in a professional manner. Communication is an absolutely essential skill and those with better communication skills always do better in their professional careers.

English 301 aims to improve the technical communication skills of the students taking it through a system of learning objectives. Writing in business, professional, and technical contexts are covered, and students will be creating short and long assignments with emphasis on peer review and discussion. Students will be keeping a blog with all of their assignments posted on it, and will also be working on an online portfolio that is comprised of two parts. The first part is a LinkedIn profile with appropriate references, and the second is a professionally designed website that acts as a resume. Ultimately, this course strives to encourage the student to improve their writing and self-editing skills in an effort to improve all aspects of their technical communication skills.