Best Practices for Using LinkedIn
In the unit 2.2 of ENGL 301, we are asked to write a list of ten best practices for using LinkedIn as a professional networking site. The purpose of the assignment was to share my research findings with the writing team members. As a professional in the early career stage, I found this assignment helped me to broaden my view on professional networking. From my research, I learned that having a good personal profile on LinkedIn is not enough, and actively engaging with people through activities such as joining LinkedIn Groups is also important when using LinkedIn as a professional networking site. After sharing my research findings with team members, I received an opportunity to review and revise my writing by editing out imperative verbs with Professor Erika’s feedback. Overall, I was able to learn how to research and study techniques for professional networking and share the findings with others in writing.
Formal Report Proposal and Outline
In the second unit of ENGL 301, we are tasked to write a formal report proposal and outline. I first started by brainstorming ideas for a formal report. As a current teaching assistant at the UBC Computer Science department, I decided to investigate and analyze the status of the departmental resources for supporting teaching assistants and provide recommendations for enhancing continuous support for them. After choosing the right topic, I defined the scope of my research and planned for the methods to collect primary data for the report. At first, I planned to distribute a survey for students and conduct an interview with teaching assistants. However, the plan for the interview was replaced with another survey for teaching assistants after receiving feedback from both Professor Erika and my peer review partner. After Professor Erika approved my proposal, I started working on a formal proposal outline. To produce the outline for the formal report, I had to accomplish several tasks to clarify the structure and contents of my formal report. First, I had to clarify the purpose and significance of my report as well as its objectives. After generating the outline of the report, I had to come up with a feasible research plan and a writing schedule for the progress report. Overall, I was able to learn how to write a proposal and an outline for a formal report, which is intended to investigate, analyze, and suggest recommendations for a problem in a public setting.
Peer Review Process
After writing the proposal for a formal report, I was given an opportunity to review my partner’s (Carman Chu) work and provide suggestions for improvement. In the process, I learned how to carefully review my partner’s work and provide positive feedback with suggestions for revision. Since I am also engaged in a problem in a public setting that she underlined, the lack of enough time to move between classes at UBC, I could read and review her proposal with a sympathetic attitude as a current UBC student. Furthermore, I could reflect on my writing from the writing strategies in her work. For example, I addressed a problem in a public setting with supporting data in the introduction, but she provided an actual number of students enrolled at UBC to support the necessity and significance of her research. My partner also provided me with critical but positive feedback for improvement such as addressing the intended audience. Overall, I was able to learn how to provide and receive positive feedback and constructive recommendations for revision.
Revision Process
After providing a peer review for a partner’s proposal, I was given an opportunity to edit and enhance my formal report proposal based on suggestions from my partner. My partner provided me with critical, informative, and positive feedback that helped me a lot to enhance my writing skills. From her suggestions, I could notice that my proposal did not include the intended audience, which had to be established as a first step. I did the research and found the names of the intended audiences and decided to address the final report to the Human Resources staff at the UBC Computer Science department. Furthermore, I was able to improve the flow of phrases by cutting them shorter for more clarity based on my partner’s suggestions. My partner also provided me with positive feedback on how I formatted the proposal for a smooth flow and how I stated the problem and solution clearly. Overall, I learned how to review and provide constructive feedback on my partner’s writing as well as how to use feedback to revise my own work. In the peer review and revision process, I was able to identify my strengths and weaknesses in writing.
Links to Assignments:
Received Peer Review: https://blogs.ubc.ca/engl30199c2022w2/2023/02/28/assignment-2-1-peer-review-of-byung-suns-formal-report-proposal/
Revised Formal Report Proposal: https://blogs.ubc.ca/engl30199c2022w2/2023/03/17/assignment-2-3-revised-formal-report-proposal/