When choosing my last classes before I graduate, I took on the challenge of learning a new form of writing. Despite being more comfortable with essay writing due to my major in university.
Moreover, the language that it’s taught is not my first language. English is my third language which, in turn, made me insecure about my grasp of the language. I felt like my native-speaking peers had a natural advantage over me in the (online) classroom.

Particularly during challenging moments, I found it difficult to maintain conciseness when writing on a technical-level. I agonized over word choice or how a sentence flowed within a paragraph. However, this was not without making a conscious effort every time I wrote an assignment. I often labored over previous readings (our textbook) or guides (you-attitude) provided by the instructor.

However, my progress would not have been possible without the collaborative element of the (online) classroom. I was able to build my confidence through peer-review and the instructor’s feedback. A different perspective helped me gain confidence in what I did correctly. While identifying the errors that I needed to improve upon. It reinforced the importance of revisiting, revising, and refining your work throughout the course.

Learning a new form of writing has been a valuable experience. I developed the skills of concise and clear writing. In addition to understanding the importance of adopting a reader-centric approach. It has equipped me with the necessary skillset to effectively communicate information to various audiences.

Ultimately, I have enhanced my ability to convey complex information in an easy-to-understand way. Having completed this course, I am confident that I can succeed in writing for the marketing and e-commerce fields.

Reflecting on the Web Folio

Creating a web folio is an excellent way to showcase the knowledge gained in ENGL301. I had to consider what it would convey to my audience. I decided to reflect on the progress that I have made after some thought.

So, I planned to build my web folio upon the blog I had already created. While all reflection blogs were not necessary to include. They help to capture the progress that took place throughout the course. Keeping these reflection blogs allows me to demonstrate my ability to be self-reflective and take constructive feedback, which is necessary for any professional-setting. This, in turn, would help me exhibit my acquired skills and knowledge to potential employers or clientele.

In addition, I have gained more confidence in writing technical documents. I am proud to display the assignments that I’ve worked on. As they are examples of my ability to produce high-quality work. Giving a comprehensive overview to those interested in working with me.

Creating the Web Folio 

There are, however, a few things to remember when creating the web folio! One of the those aspects was how to presenting information in a clear, concise, and appealing manner. It can be overwhelming to figure out the back-end due to all the components involved, even though I only needed to make a few adjustments.

One issue that I encountered was with assigning posts to pages in my website’s navigation menu. I had to watch a few tutorials to figure out how to navigate and utilize the platform functions effectively. However, after some experimentation and exploring the different features, I figured out how to assign the appropriate posts to their respective pages (taking about an hour). Ultimately, this allowed me to create a more user-friendly and readable web portfolio.

Drafting for Formal Report 

Drafting the formal report was a pretty challenging task for me. This was mainly due to my inexperience with this type of composition. However, we discussed the concept of you-attitude in the previous lesson. The pointers were helpful while writing the formal report. This enabled me to write more concisely, clearly, and persuasively for the audience.

Another tricky part was making the charts for the formal report. However, this task took a lot of time and required patience on my part. There were so many settings and variables, which was a bit overwhelming. I had to test the elements (like colours, axes, etc) to find the right combination, which took a few attempts. This process gave direction on what information to include and how to present that information cohesively.

Peer Review with Carman

Peer-reviewing is a crucial component of this course and one that I needed to improve upon. The instructor gave me great feedback, which I applied to this peer-review. Carman was my peer-review partner in our writing group for this assignment. I took time to carefully review the formal report.

Carman demonstrated remarkable clearness and conciseness in her writing. This greatly aided the audience in understanding her examination of wait-list/wait-time issues at Cactus Club Cafe. In addition, her writing also emphasizes the importance of organization and structure. She effectively used the headings and subheadings to organize her report, which made it more readable. 

However, there were still some corrections to be made. Some of the more minor issues involved making corrections to grammar and paragraph flow. While a more critical issue that needed clarification was where the sources (like survey data or background information) came from. Identifying whether they are primary or secondary will enhance the credibility of the final version of the formal report. Plagiarism can also be avoided by doing this. 

Furthermore, Carman gave me great feedback to me. She pointed out the weak points in grammar and how to work on them effectively. Her advice was clear and concise, making it easy to understand and implement in the formal report. Also, after peer-reviewing hers, I feel compelled to rearrange my formal report. I want to improve the cohesion of each section and convey the ideas more clearly. Ultimately, to improve the quality of my formal report.

Overall, I was thoroughly impressed with Carman’s draft. The formal report was insightful. She effectively communicated her ideas through her writing. She gave a detailed analysis and concrete recommendations for integrating online wait-lists/wait-times into the operations of Cactus Club Cafe. It was a pleasure to peer review her formal report. I’m looking forward to seeing the final version. 

Concluding Comments on Unit 3 

In general, this unit was enjoyable and challenging. I learned some excellent pointers from you-attitude. The intensive nature of the assignments improved my writing skills. I gained a greater understanding of workplace communication from the peer-review. Overall, I am excited to implement what I have learned in the course so far. 

Links to Assignments 

• Formal Report by Cheka
• Peer Review by Carman

Drafting Memo for LinkedIn Profile

This assignment allowed me to think about how I wanted to be perceived by potential companies that could employ or recruit me in the future. I learned the importance of choosing your audience carefully and tailoring your profile to your industry (or field) of interest. From my research, I implemented techniques like avoiding buzzwords and endorsing others to create a more refined profile that made me stand out from my competitors. In addition, these techniques allowed me to eliminate unnecessary information while adding more details about my skills, experience, and education to my profile. When I seek employment, this assignment gives me confidence in presenting myself as a professional to employers and recruiters in the future.

Proposal for Formal Report 

Having relocated to Ottawa, I had difficulty developing ideas that involved local participants in surveys and interviews. The collection of primary data would be difficult due to my limited connections in the community. I decided to reflect on my experiences as a note-taker and ask other note-takers about their experiences. I observed that many of us struggled to receive feedback or were frustrated about not being fairly compensated. Ultimately, this gave me a concrete idea for my proposal and resolved my proposal’s primary data collection issue.

Peer Review with Alethea 

Althea was my peer-review partner in our writing group for this assignment. She chose to make her proposal about the limited opportunities to facilitate casual/impromptu interactions between team members in Digital Services at Public Services and Procurement Canada. Based on what I observed, the focus of her proposal was clearly articulated and organized. The proposal contained a few grammatical errors. However, they didn’t detract from it while being read. I noticed how clearly and concisely she addressed the audience. In this way, I became aware that my writing could use some improvement in that aspect, as I often assume that my readers know what I mean. Althea gave me similar feedback regarding writing to an audience, allowing me to revise my proposal and improve my writing skills.

Outline for Formal Report 

Initially, I was quite nervous about writing 12 to 14 pages for a formal report. This is because I’m unfamiliar with the writing and document-style. So, it felt daunting to me. The outline helped break it down into smaller tasks, making the writing process more manageable. Additionally, using the outline gave structure and organization to the content of the formal report. This will enable me to focus on the quality of their writing rather than the quantity (which was my initial worry).

Concluding Thoughts on Unit 2 

Overall, I found this unit pretty eye-opening. It provided an insightful learning experience on an academic and personal-level. It showed the different applications that technical writing has in formal (a formal proposal) and informal-settings (social media platform). Using technical writing, I might be able to make user guides for my employer’s beauty products or a document with detailed instructions for planning an event like a surprise party.

Links to Assignments

• Revised Proposal by Cheka
• Peer Review by Alethea

Drafting Definitions for Submission

The main goal of this unit was to examine different forms of professional communication. We developed professional communication skills by drafting application letters, emails, and memoranda for our peers as we geared up for the main assignment. The task for the main assignment was to investigate various types of definitions. We were instructed to use these definitions to familiarise an audience with a complex term. There were three types of definitions we had to use to define the complex term: parenthetical definition, sentence definition, and expanded definition. This assignment led me to take a moment to reflect and assess how the terminology that I often use in academia might be difficult for the average reader that have no background in linguistics. So, for this assignment, I decided to focus on the flow of my writing and how it came together to form a cohesive picture of the complex term I chose.

Peer Review with Byung-Sun

While I have experience with peer-reviewing, it has always been challenging for me as it is important to be considerate yet encouraging when giving feedback. Byung-Sun was my peer-review partner in our writing group for this assignment. He chose “automated testing,” a complex term often used when talking about software programming. I found it difficult to be critical of his writing as the errors he made were negligible at best. His assignment illustrated how he had a clear idea of how to write for his target audience. Moreover, he was clear and concise in changing each definition’s level of detail and mindful of the reading scenario he chose. However, I did suggest how to improve the flow of his writing. A few sentences needed re-working to give his audience a better experience when reading.

Revising Definitions for Submission

Byung-Sun gave me great feedback on my writing. He was thoughtful and succinct with the suggestions he made to help improve the quality of my assignment. While he found minimal grammatical errors. He did point out that I kept making the mistake of using personal pronouns throughout my writing. When he provided alternatives like using “audience” or “readers” instead of using “we,” which was a personal pronoun that was reoccurring in my writing. What became clear is how the assignment’s tone could have been interpreted as less professional.

Interestingly enough, I observed during editing that I made a few grammar mistakes that were the peer-review suggestions for Byung-Sun to fix in his assignment—for example, being careful with hyphenating words or what tense to use for verbs. It was a pleasure to read the thoughtful, constructive feedback he made. Moreover, it will enable me to be mindful when writing for future assignments in the course.

Concluding Thoughts on Unit 1 

Overall, I found this process to be valuable. Reading my peer-review partner’s writing and his critique was refreshing. This assignment was an excellent opportunity to learn from another group member and apply what I learned from the first unit. I’m looking forward to collaborating on future assignments with everyone.

Links to Assignments

• Revised Definitions by Cheka
• Peer Review by Byung-Sun

Dear Carman,

Thank-you for reaching out to me! After reviewing your application letter, I would like to accept your invitation to join your team. What stood out to me was the variety of experiences you have writing in different fields of liberal arts. While your customer service background shows, you have a great attitude when working with others. I am confident we will be a successful team as we both have extensive writing knowledge but offer different techniques and perspectives. Our combined knowledge will undoubtedly be an advantage for our future assignments.

Have you contacted other students to form the team? If so, please share their contact information. I would like to email them a request to be team members.

Thank-you for giving me a chance to join your team. I attached my application letter for you to review. I look forward to working with you soon.

Best,

Cheka Duheme

Included:

301_ChekaDuheme_ApplicationLetter

Dear Byung-Sun,

After exchanging emails with one of your team members, Carman Chu, I am writing to express my interest in forming a writing team. I was impressed by your extensive technical knowledge as a software engineer. While your academic experience as a teacher’s assistant, I believe, will serve you well as we collaborate on assignments. I’m confident that your professional and academic experiences will be a great asset when communicating in a meaningful and constructive way throughout the semester. In addition, we share the experience that English is not our first language. I believe that drawing from each other’s unique backgrounds and experiences will help us improve our command of the language as we work together.

Please let me know if you are interested in working together as a team with Carman Chu. I attached my application letter for you to review. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Cheka Duheme

Included:

301_ChekaDuheme_ApplicationLetter

Dear Alethea,

I am writing to see whether you would like to join my writing team with Carman Chu and Byung-Sun Park. I read your application letter and believe you would be an excellent addition. Your background in media studies, marketing, and communication design, as well as your professional experience as a product marketing specialist, would bring invaluable knowledge and skills to the writing team. Furthermore, I noticed that our learning philosophies are complementary to one another! This similar approach to learning gives me confidence that when we work together, we will maintain a respectful, collaborative environment.

Please let me know if you are interested in joining our writing team. I attached my application letter for you to review. I look forward to hearing from you.

Best,

Cheka Duheme

Included:

301_ChekaDuheme_ApplicationLetter

To: Erika Paterson, Instructor of English 301 <erika.paterson@ubc.ca>

From: Cheka Duheme, English 301 Student <cheka@student.ubc.ca>

Date: January 25, 2023

Subject: Email Memorandum for Letter Application

As instructed, I have posted my application letter on my blog for Unit 1, Lesson 2. My letter of application includes the following information:

• An overview of my academic and professional background.
• A description of my academic and professional experiences.
• A description of the soft and hard skills that I’ve gained.
• My learning philosophy.
• An invitation to connect via email.

Furthermore, I have attached my letter of application to this email. Please let me know if you require any additional information. I look forward to hearing from you.

Enclosed:
301_ChekaDuheme_ApplicationLetter

319E Craig Henry Drive
Ottawa, ON, K2G 4G1

January 25th, 2023
English 301 – Technical Writing Course
University of British Columbia
1873 East Mall, Unit 397
Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z1

Subject: Letter of Application

Dear Classmates of English 301:

I am writing to express my interest in joining your writing team. I am confident that my academic and professional experiences will support those of your writing team.

I am a fourth-year student in Interdisciplinary Studies that will earn a Bachelor of Arts in May of 2023. My area of research involves English Studies and Asian Studies. The focus of my research is to investigate and analyze the distinctive socio-cultural traits that surface in various forms of western and non-western media. The interdisciplinary program’s intensive application of writing has allowed me to produce multiple reports, essays, articles, and peer reviews that have further cultivated my research and writing skills in academia.

In addition, my professional experience ranges from working as a supervisor in retail to being a copywriter for an e-commerce company that imports and sells beauty products. These professional experiences have enhanced my interpersonal, technical, and leadership skills. To illustrate, in my role as supervisor, I learned soft skills that allowed me to develop and maintain a professional attitude while facilitating written and verbal communication between management, peers, and staff. In contrast, as a copywriter, I learned hard skills by writing technical documents like briefs, reports, and memos pertinent to projects involving different departments like sales, advertising, and marketing.

While I have extensive writing experience, I tend to struggle to structure my writing in a way that’s clear and concise. As I’m not a native speaker of the language, this struggle to structure is a skill I hope to improve during this course. My learning philosophy is that there’s always room for growth. I firmly believe practice, patience, and an open-mind can often aid in that growth.

Overall, my academic and professional experiences can be an asset to your writing team. If you are interested in having me as a member of your team, I am reachable at:

cheka@student.ubc.ca

Thank-you for considering my application.

Sincerely,

Cheka Duheme

Downloadable Copy of Application:
301_ChekaDuheme_ApplicationLetter