Reflecting on my work over the past months, I can see where my weaknesses and strengths lie.

Weaknesses:

Being an English Literature major, one aspect that I struggled with is writing in shorter sentences. Technical writing is dependent on sentences that are concise – only necessary information needs to be given. Compared to writing essays for Literature courses, I found myself having to edit out unnecessary fluff. From this, I learned that English writing and technical writing have two different styles. I also struggled with remembering proper formatting for memos. Small things like leaving out closing remarks or having ‘Memorandum’ as a heading were difficult for me to remember. I believe it is because it has a different structure than I am used to. My main weakness for this course was keeping up with the work load. At times, I fell a little behind on readings or started assignments later than I would have liked. This was important for me to experience because it is reflective of how work is requested in real life. While I struggled initially, I feel that I improved as the course went on. I caught on more quickly, and completed assignments sooner.

Strengths:

While I struggled with leaving out unnecessary words, having to write professionally was something I felt comfortable with. My style of writing is generally formal already, so I felt that I did well in this area. I am confident with grammar and spelling so I also did not have any issues with these across the term. While it was sometimes challenging, I found myself rising to the occasion to complete the assignments. I worked hard for each unit and was rewarded with new skills. For assignments, I consistently edited my own work so that I was handing in something I felt confident in. This is my biggest strength for assignments. I am proud of the work that I have completed. Regarding my learning process, I tried to incorporate things I learned here into my daily life. I think this incorporation helped me grow even further.

The Future:

I am considering a job in writing when I graduate next year, so the skills I have developed in this course helped widen my range. I am excited to have gained a new writing style. This has helped boost my confidence in my writing. With these new skills, I can perhaps look to widen my perspective on jobs to apply for. While this class was about technical writing, I gained other important skills in passing. Working with a writing team, communication was important, but also learning to respect other writing styles. Constructive feedback was important, but also learning to write criticism in a helpful manner. I also learned the importance of punctuality and managing my time. With many assignments, organizing my time was important in being successful here. This is something I look to improve on even more.