WEEK TWO: Specific Documents: letters, memos, emails
Objectives:
- Create Writing teams or four people based on your letters of application
- Study and practice techniques for writing professional letters, memos and emails
Readings:
- Technical Communications: Chapters 14, 15 & 16: Memos, Emails and Work Place Letters
- Instructor’s Blog
1: 2 Assignments:
PLEASE SEE Due dates on our Course Schedule
- A letter of application addressed to the class to be posted on your blog [and included as word doc file] linked into your blog. Be sure to name your file appropriately: 301 Your name Application letter .
- Include your UBC email address so your peers can contact you with an email message.
- An email memo to your instructor posted on your blog: do not actually email. Provide a brief summary of your letter and an attach a word doc of your letter. Be sure to name your attached file appropriately: 301 Your name Application letter.
- An email message to each (3) of your prospective writing team partners
- When you have created a team of four – please post your team member’s names and team name on our CHAT page on Canvas . Thank you.
Instructions for Assignments:
A letter of Application
Please begin by re-reading pages 338 – 366 in our online textbook: Technical Communications.
The objectives of this letter are:
- to be accepted into a professional writing team for the duration of the semester
- to introduce yourself as an excellent candidate in context with the posting [see below]
- to highlight your skills and address the requirements raised in the posting [see below]
Your letter should:
- be a single page with a professional tone and format [refer to our textbook for guidance: page 345 – 350)]
- follow the guidelines for letters indicated in the textbook, page 364 – 65.
- be posted on your blog and attached as a word doc file at the bottom of the blog post.
The purpose of this letter is to facilitate your process of creating the perfect writing team to work with this semester.
The goal is to find three other people with writing skills and professional interests that complement your skills and interest.
The procedure is three fold:
1) post your letter on your Student blog,
2) read your classmates letters on their blogs, taking note of perspective writing team mates,
3) send an email message to each (3) of your perspective partners inquiring if they are interested in accepting you as a team member,
4) When you have formed a team of 4 – one person should post the Team members and Team name on our CHAT page.
The Posting:
The 301 Technical Writing class is formulating writing teams and invites you to apply to be a professional writing team member. Your application letter should:
- indicate your professional interests as well as previous experience in your professional field, volunteer activities, and academic achievements
- include a of list both your strengths and weakness’ in terms of writing skills and work habits
- describe your learning philosophy
Please post your application letter on your English 301 student blog and include a word doc file at the bottom of the post.
Thank you for your interest,
Technical Writing 301/ Sept 2014
____________________________
An email memorandum to your instructor
Please begin by re-reading pages 324 – 337 in our online textbook: Technical Communications.
The objectives of this email memorandum are:
- to inform your instructor that you have posted your letter of application
- to summarize your letter of application: use bullets.
Your email memorandum should:
- use a professional tone and format [refer to our textbook for guidance: 329- 331
- follow the guidelines for email memos as indicated in the textbook page 335
- Post the memo on your Blog and include a word doc. attachment of your application letter
An email message to your perspective writing team partners
Please begin by re-reading pages 333 – 346 in our online textbook: Technical Communications
The objectives of this email are:
- to invite three of your classmates to become a member of your professional writing team
Your email should:
- use a professional tone and format [refer to our textbook for guidance: 309 – 321
- follow the guidelines for email messages as indicated in the textbook, page 321
- indicate why you find their credentials complementary
- include a word doc attachment of your application letter to emails to each student
- Post a copy of the emails on your blog
Note: If you form a writing team before you have written the three emails, then you should respond to the invitations to join a team, and post your response. Thank you, Erika
Please post any questions you might have about this assignment on our CHAT page thank you.
NOTE: you are welcome to use our CHAT page to facilitate creating your writing teams. You will also find more helpful assistance with this task on your Instructor’s blog for this lesson.