In Unit 2, we had the chance to explore new forms of technical writing, such as LinkedIn profile writing, and the process of outlining a formal report using guidance from the textbook. Similar to Unit One, a peer-reviewing of my partner’s proposal was performed.
I find Unit 2 very creative and informative. The process has helped me to connect to more professionals in the field. learned quite a bit about creating a LinkedIn profile, creating a professional social media network, and the process of brainstorming and preparing my report proposals. Prior to this unit, I already had created a profile prior to the assignment of setting a LinkedIn profile up, however, I never fully explored the many options or expanded beyond the very basics nor did I think about how to create a compelling profile as much. The research component for professional networking on LinkedIn immediately changed how I viewed the profile-making process which had a direct effect on my profile.
On top of doing research on LinkedIn and professional networking, I also get to learn how to write a proposal and an outline. The guidance of the Formal Report Topics and explanation provided in Unit 2:1 by Dr. Paterson were helpful in understanding what kind of topics were appropriate or could be expanded upon through the primary source of research- interviews and surveys. I believe that expanding on the “proposed solution” aspect was somewhat challenging for me, it was also hard to devise a well-thought-out plan for my proposal and outline in the beginning. Having completed the outline and survey/interview questions, I feel much better than I did at the start of the process. However, I do begin to feel overwhelmed with seeing the due dates fast approaching. Thankfully, I have my writing plan to ensure I am progressing at an appropriate pace. I am excited to continue with the next steps. I have also enjoyed reading about the introduction to interviews and surveys on the Instructor’s Blog. The guidelines and examples especially have been informative when creating the different questions between interviews and surveys. I hope these insights I gained will be beneficial for creating a final report which is organized, clear, and approachable for the reader.
Finally, the peer review of the Formal Report was valuable. An excellent proposal from my partner that was well organized and complete has also helped me reflect on my own assignment. His topic was appropriately narrowed down and focused on one issue. Furthermore, I really appreciated my peers’ suggestions of making more clear distinctions on the target audience, as well as correcting my understanding of the two methods used to collect data. One of the main things in technical writing that I am currently learning and developing is the inclusion of details, and more details. From something seemingly more casual such as building a LinkedIn profile to Formal Report Proposals and Outlines, much of the processes require clear communication. Through the peer-reviewing process as well as the Instructor’s Blog, I have been able to realize this and hope to improve going forward.
Overall, this unit 2 was a unique experience for me.
Revised Proposal:
Peer review:
Dennis’s Peer Review of “Electronic Queuing System for Popular Gym Equipment” By Chris