Writing the formal report was a much larger task than I had originally thought that it would be. Asking my workmates for interviews did not go as planned because many of them were not able to complete the interviews. In the end two people completed my interview questions and from that I was able to complete a guide and the draft of my final report. Organizing the paper was a bit of a task because each formal report will have its own style and needs for each section. Finding the correct way to order the sections and subsections was a bit of a trial and error process but it worked out well in the end. Researching for the report was not very difficult because as a psychology student I had background knowledge on the studies done about authority. Therefore, it was a matter of finding a peer reviewed journal article to back the information and make it more specific to the authority a teacher would have. 

The feedback I received from Esteban was helpful in highlighting areas I need to focus on before submitting my final draft of the formal report. It helps to have someone else read the report with a fresh mind as he was able to see the mistakes that I had missed, especially grammatical errors. 

Reviewing the formal report was an interesting process for me. I not only got to see how Max organized and broke down his paper, but I got to see what his survey data looked like. For the formal report that I am doing surveys were not sufficient to answer my questions and because of that I hadn’t put in any graphics into my paper. Seeing Max’s graphics and how he chose to present and label them was very informative and I believe he executed it very well. 

Overall, I learned that writing and peer reviewing a formal report doesn’t always go as planned and that moving forward is the only way to go. Because of my coworkers busy schedules many of them were not able to do the interview but those that did provided very valuable insight. For the peer review Max was unable to fill in every section of his paper but by looking at his work so far and the table of contents I was still able to give feedback that I believe will help him complete his final draft.

Formal-Report-ENGL-301_EvaRuiz
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Unit two was challenging as it’s assignments were more in number and frequency.

The LinkedIn assignment gave me the opportunity to refresh my profile and give it a depth that it had previously lacked. Filling in all aspects of the platform should enable more professional networking within my desired field. 

The formal report proposal proved to be challenging in two aspects. The first, being that the subject was difficult to settle on. As the report focuses on the issues encountered by teachers, specifically behavioural interventionists, it was hard to pinpoint authority as the underlying problem. The second, was fitting the idea into the format of the formal writing proposal. This was especially hard because the example in the textbook and the other proposals written by the scribes focused on extremely different problems. With the feedback from the scribes and Professor Paterson as well as all the writing assignments completed for this unit the final report seems more attainable. I have concerns over how to incorporate the interviews into “data” or into a presentable form in the final report, however these matters can be solved closer to the deadline. 

Reviewing Michaela’s formal report was very valuable to read, not only as a student but as a writer completing the same assignment for a different subject. The ideas throughout the report were clearly expressed and highlighted pressing issues for universities and their students. Michaela’s work provided an excellent second example of how different issues/problems can fit into the provided formatting. 

Overall, the peer review process has been hugely beneficial throughout the unit. It has helped develop my professional communication and highlight areas of improvement both specifically and generally for my writing. Reviewing different partners within the scribes has exposed me to vastly different fields as well as writing styles. Seeing each of them write within a given format has expanded my definition of good writing to beyond the basics of grammar, spelling, and structure. The process of review has helped solidify my strengths and call out my weaknesses. Due to the professional review process and excellent team members I have been able to work with the criticisms to produce a more polished writing piece. Expressing ideas clearly and concisely comes with ever greater ease as I work together with my team of scribes.

Revised Formal Proposal ENGL 301

Michaela’s Peer Review

Unit one of ENGL 301 has, so far, been a very welcoming introduction into the world of technical communication. I have enjoyed both writing in and being part of a professional writing team where we are encouraged to give and take feedback in a respectful and encouraging tone.  For each of the assignments I ensured that I had read the instructions and corresponding pages of the textbook before beginning to write, aligning my learning practices with my learning philosophy. The textbook provided excellent examples and blueprints for my writing which helped my acclimation to the format used in the professional field. 

For the third assignment in which we were instructed to write definitions in three different forms I learned bona fide strategies to help expand and explain my writing. Choosing my word was easy, as were the parenthetical and sentence definitions, however when working on the expanded definition it became clear that I needed guidance. The textbook provided clear and concise instruction in expansion and then it was up to me to use words that could be understood by an audience who lacked expertise in the field of psychology. After writing the first draft I read it trying to take the perspective of my audience catching a couple terms and points of expansion that would need further explanation to be understood. Max, who reviewed my expansion, was really helpful in pointing out areas in which I could either add or review. He pointed out areas where I may have missed certain grammatical errors and helped me try and make my work more concise for a better definition. This exercise showed me the importance of peer review before submission as there are always errors or clarification that can not be made by looking at your own work.  I will take what I learned from the instructions and the textbook and apply them to not only this class but as I enter a more professional field.

When taking the eye of the editor or reviewer it becomes clear that it can be difficult to write for a technically inexperienced audience. Esteban wrote an exceptionally good definition for a cache with clear visuals and examples in his writing. However, while reading through his definitions I found some terms that I didn’t really know the meaning of because I am not really a technological person and I am unfamiliar with the field of computer science. These are terms that Esteban may have thought that the technically inexperienced audience knew about (hardware and software) but are actually terms that need definitions themselves. When writing about a field that one is an expert in it is hard to take the perspective of and write for the inexperienced audience, which highlights why peer review from an outside source is so important. Despite these few terms I believe Esteban did an excellent job in explaining a rather abstract term that actually appears in my everyday life. I enjoyed not only learning about the writing and formatting but the other fields that my teammates are a part of.

301 “Eva Ruiz” Revised Definitions
Peer Review

Dear Christina,

I just finished reading your memo and application letter posted on your student blog. I found your life story very interesting, especially with you being multilingual and coming back to school after your time working in the field. I also see that you completed your writing assignment before the due date, which show that you are very on top of the assignments and you take this summer courses seriously. I appreciated your writing style and would like to be able to work and learn with you this semester. I think that we could work well together as we are both multilingual and punctual. Please let me know if you would want to be part of the writing team!

Sincerely,

Eva Ruiz

Dear Michaela

I am emailing you today because I am interested in forming a writing team with you. I was very impressed with your application letter and how much you have accomplished while still being in school. Since we share a major I believe that we will share a similar style of writing as well as a similar approach to learning, which could make us a very complementary writing team. I also noticed that you were able to complete the assignment before the due date, which showed your eagerness to get this semester rolling. Below I have attached a copy of my application letter. I look forward to hearing from you!

Sincerely,

Eva Ruiz

Dear Esteban,

I am reaching out in response to your application letter to be part of a writing team. I was very impressed to your dedication not only to your education but also to your jobs. I know life as a student and I find it impressive that you are able to manage both lives. Though we don’t share a similar academic path I found your approach to learning matched mine exactly. It is because of this, as well as our common short-term memory, that I think we could form an exceptional writing team this semester. Below I have attached a copy of my application letter.

Sincerely,

Eva Ruiz

Dear Max,

I have just finished your reading your application letter to be a part of a writing team for ENGL 301. I was drawn to your application because you stated that you were good at writing clearly and concisely, both of which are very important for this form of writing. I believe that you would make an excellent team member as you stated that you are best when giving and taking constructive criticism, just like me. Below I have attached my letter of application. I look forward to hearing from you!

Sincerely,

Eva Ruiz

301 Eva Ruiz Application Letter

University Of British Columbia,

University Endowment Lands, BC V6T 1Z1

May 22, 2020

Class of English 301

University Of British Columbia, 

University Endowment Lands, BC V6T 1Z1

Dear Class of English 301: 

I am writing to you today to be considered for the position of a writing team member for the duration of the summer term. I am a Psychology major and a biology minor at the University of British Columbia set to graduate in June 2021. I was encouraged to apply to this position by our Professor, Erica Paterson, who recommended I post on my student blog. I am currently working as a part time Behavioural Interventionist to help kids with Autism interact socially and perform basic living skills. I have also worked over 180 hours in a physical therapy clinic assisting the PTs in treating and exercising their patients. This gave me excellent hands-on experience in the field of physical therapy, which I intend to pursue as a masters degree and a future career. Due to my academic success in classes I have gained membership to the Golden Key Honours Society, which offers select opportunities and connections to its members. I volunteer for the clubs UBC Cyber Seniors where I assist seniors with any technological problems or questions that they may have. I also volunteer for UBC Blood for Life where our goal is to try and recruit people to join the bone marrow registry in Canada. I am drive coordinator during these drives and I ensure that all the paperwork is completed correctly and that those signing up are giving informed consent. 

My University career has exposed me to and required me to write in a variety of different formats, which has made me an experienced writer that is able to adapt to each class/field. I am very good at meeting deadlines and ensuring that my writing meets all of the requirements before submitting. My weaknesses in this situation is that I am not able to communicate in person with each one of you and that I am unable to gain in person instruction for each of these assignments. Lastly, I grew up in a bilingual household and because of this I sometimes struggle with english grammar. 

My philosophy on learning is to ensure that I have read the associated class content before beginning any work. I believe it is essential to ask any questions no matter what, as it is always better to know that to be left guessing. Please reach out to my email evabelen1100@gmail.com if you are interested!

Sincerely,

Eva Ruiz (Student)

• Memorandum

To: Dr. Erika Paterson, Professor of ENGL 301

From: Eva Ruiz, Student, 

Date: May 22, 2020

Subject: Application Letter Memo

As you are aware, I have prepared a letter of application to be accepted as a member of a writing team by other students in ENGL 301. In the attached document below you will find this application letter, which details why other students might want me to be part of their team. 

The document includes 

• My professional interest as a student and as a business woman
• My previous work experience
• My volunteer activities
• My strengths and weaknesses as a writer
• My philosophy on learning

Please let me know if you require any additional information. Thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing your feedback. 

Enclosure: 301 Eva Ruiz Application Letter

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