22 Sept: Reflections on Unit One

Good Monday 301:

Four teams are up on the Team Forum today, and as soon as the remaining teams post their members and team name, I will include new pages.

You can expect to receive evaluation sheets at the end of each Unit, and sometimes in the middle of the Units. I try to provide regular feedback for you and frequent assistance with self-editing tips.

If for any reason you are unable to provide an assignment for review, or to provide a review for your peer on the due date – PLEASE do notify your teams members with plenty of time for other arrangements to be made.

I have passed the weekend reading your application letters and sending off your first Evaluation sheets. Based on your letters, I have offered many of you advice on self-editing. The most common advice I have  is ‘eliminate unnecessary words.’  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.

Lesson 1:3: 

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

1. The art of definition for a  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 the same term.

Assignment 2: 

Peer Review is likely to challenge a number 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?
• Are the diagrams or visuals helpful? If so, why? If not, why not?
• Are the visuals correctly labelled and cited?
• 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 reader’s needs been met?  If so, why? If not, why not?

You can add to the above list, and you also have a hand-out to help you 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 where necessary.

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.

Thank you and enjoy.

Please do continue to post your questions on our Group FB page, and if you have any personal concerns, feel free to contact me via email. I occasionally miss an email or a FB post, so please do not hesitate to re-send the mail or re-post if I have not responded within a couple of days. I try to take weekends off with my family.

Thank you and enjoy!