Writing Teams and writing definitions

Good Friday morning 301

First, a quick note on forming your writing teams; if you receive an invitation to a team, you can write an email message responding to that invitation in place of a message of invitation.

I have passed the week reading your Application Letters and will begin to send out Evaluation sheets this week. This is a process, so evaluation is continuous, please read the welcome paragraphs on your evaluations sheets carefully.

Based on your letters of application, the most common advice I have  is ‘eliminate unnecessary words.’  Why? Because a general rule of technical and professional writing is to always assume your reader[s] is a busy person.

The second most common error is a grammar error: breaking  the subject/verb agreement rule. Please do follow the link and check out the rule.

Writing Teams:

The first of the Writing Team assignments is due Wed. May 30th, accordingly writing teams will need to be formed before that date. As soon as you have found your team – of four, please post your team name along with each members name on our Group Face Book page, and I will create a Team Forum page for you.

PLEASE note – when you post on your team forum page, you will need to be sure to ‘categorize’ the post by your team name in the side bar on the right – this is how it will show up on the Team Forum page. 

Lesson 1:3: 

With lesson 1:3 assignments you are practicing two writing techniques:

1. The art of definition for an ‘unknowing’ and novice reader.
2. The art of Peer Review and self-editing based on review

 Assignment 1: 

Definitions: keep your focus on satisfying the needs of a novice reader and follow the instructions in our textbook closely.

You are writing three different types of definition for a single term.

Assignment 2: 

Peer Review is likely to challenge some of you.

I have a few tips for you to follow:

• Your task is to provide feedback, both positive and critical — on all relevant elements of the document.

Begin by creating a list of the important parts of the document.

For example:

• Is the document appropriately titled, dated and contain the author’s name?
• Is the assignment introduced — briefly?
• Is the ‘setting’ for the definition and the audience clearly defined or described?
• Is the chosen term appropriate for the assignment?  If so, why? If not, why not?
• Does the assignment include three different definitions for the same term?
• Does expanded definition include the correct number of examples?
• Are the diagrams or visuals helpful? If so, why? If not, why not?
• Are the visuals correctly labelled and cited according to the text book?
• Proof read for typos, spelling, and phrasing and suggest improvements where required, and/or comment on the quality of the writing positively.
• What makes it good writing?
• Finally, re-read the document and ask yourself – have the audience’s needs be met?  If so, why? If not, why not?
• End with a concluding passage that briefly bullet points the necessary revisions: it is not your job to correct grammar, but please do indicate grammar errors.
• It is not your job to make corrections or to “evaluate” – but rather to review and indicate weakness and strengths and assist as much as possible with suggestions for improvements.

You can add to the above list, and you also have a hand-out to help your phrase your comments for this first peer review.

The point is to know what you are looking for before you begin to read the document.

Be sure to provide a  review that is complete and both positive and critical.

Be sure to also concern yourself with the organization and layout of your peer review.

Follow the textbook guidelines on organization and layout and – enjoy the process.

Assignment # 3: Self editing and reflections on your writing techniques.

After you receive your peer review you will self-edit your definition and post a link to your edited draft on your reflections blog. You will find that the process of reading your peer’s work with a critical eye, is as valuable as the review you will receive. The lesson has clear enough instruction on what I expect from your reflections.

One more time: PLEASE note – when you post on your team forum page, you will need to be sure to ‘categorize’ the post by your team name in the side bar on the right – this is how it will show up on the Team Forum page. 

Thank you and enjoy.