Throughout the term, I had the opportunity to learn new concepts regarding the principles of professional writing.
One of the key aspects of the course was learning about technical writing practices such as proposals, reports, and the preparation of abstracts. I now understand the importance of these practices in the professional and technical environment. For instance, through proposals and reports, I can present my ideas and research clearly and concisely so that my peers and colleagues easily understand. The preparation of abstracts also allows me to summarize my work and key findings, which is crucial when presenting my work to an audience.
Reflecting on my web folio design, I am confident I have organized a clean, simple-to-navigate, and user-friendly layout. The design is minimal yet portrays all the key information that is necessary to highlight my strengths in the professional and technical environment. Additionally, white space contrasts the viewers and makes navigating through my web folio easy for them. It is essential to have a user-friendly and simplistic design that showcases the material without requiring the reader to dig around to find it.
A beneficial aspect of the course was the peer review assignments, which allowed for critical analysis and the application of concepts learned to suggest improvements to peer writing assignments. Through the feedback received from my peers, I realized that I could be overcritical at times or lacking in detail. However, I learned to implement simple definition techniques to provide further details without spending too much time explaining ideas outside the key research objective. It was essential to provide constructive ideas that allowed the reader to perceive the writing in the intended sense and follow through with the recommended suggestions of the report.
Moreover, the peer-reviewing aspect of my writing has significantly improved throughout the term. It allowed me to develop a critical, concise, and simple mindset, which can be applied to further tasks outside of peer-reviewing writing assignments. The ability to pose the right question and focus on the target reader when writing is crucial in technical settings, emphasizing communication when working with other professionals.
The skills gained through this course will build a strong technical component of communication that will be required in technology and finance. As my interest fall under the industry of technology and finance, it will be crucial to demonstrate the ability to communicate concisely with respect to drafted software design and its implications to financial concepts. Additionally, the ability to analyze and explain why a program functions the way it does is important, as is the ability to market oneself as the best candidate for job applications.
Finally, working alongside my team members from Segfault was an enjoyable and valuable experience. I appreciate the efforts and feedback from all the contributing members of the Engl 301 community and the support from our instructor, Professor Erika Paterson. I plan to continue refining my technical writing skills and use them daily as I progress in my career.