Assignment 2.1 | Peer Review of Byung-Sun’s Formal Report Proposal

To: Byung-Sun Park

From: Carman Chu

Date: Feb 28, 2023

Subject: Peer Review of Formal Report Proposal for Proposal for Enhancing Continuous Support for Teaching Assistants at the UBC Department of Computer Science

 

Thank you for your proposal on Enhancing Continuous Support for Teaching Assistants at the UBC Department of Computer Science. Please check below for the proposal review and some recommendations for improvements.

 

First Impressions:

The proposal is informative, detailed, and straight to the point and has met all the assignment requirements. The proposal clearly explains the problem of needing more continuous support for teaching assistants in the computer science department of UBC. There are minor grammatical errors and the use of passive voice, but overall looks like a well-written proposal.

Organization:

• All headings in the proposal are bolded for clarity.
• The proposal’s organization is neat and formatted for a smooth flow.
• The document has an introduction and a conclusion restating the problem.

Expression:

• A professional tone and straightforward.
• Each section was easy to follow.
• Some sentences could be rewritten for clarity.
  • For example: “The main duties of teaching assistants include leading weekly tutorial sessions and holding office hours as well as invigilating exams and grading assignments.”
    • These could all be listed with commas.

Content:

• The proposal contains all the required sections:
  • Introduction
  • Statement of Problem
  • Proposed Solution
  • Scope
  • Methods
  • Qualifications
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

• The introduction clearly states the problem and the cause of the problem.
• The introduction thoroughly explains what a teaching assistant is and their duties as a teaching assistant.
• There is no intended audience.

Statement of Problem:

• Problem is clear and concise.
• Could maybe explain a bit more about why this is a problem.
  • Does not having support between the initial first week of training and the end of the teaching performance review affect the teaching assistant’s ability to support students?
  • Has this problem been addressed by previous teaching assistants?

Proposed Solution:

• A feasible solution is provided and explains how it can resolve the issue.
• Solution is cost-efficient and can be easily implemented.

Scope:

• The six areas of inquiry to be pursued are clearly stated.
• The scope is within the subject of the state of the problem.

Methods:

• Method of interviewing teaching assistants and students could be time-consuming.
• It might be challenging to reach out to past teaching assistants.
• The idea of doing a survey that could be distributed online is good.

Qualifications:

• Qualifications are valid and fit the topic of the proposal.
• Having experience and knowledge in this field is an asset.

Conclusion:

• Conclusion is clear and direct.
• Restates the problem and asks permission to proceed with the report.

Concluding Comments:

The proposal fits all the requirements of the assignment. It is well-written, with the problem and solution clearly stated. Some suggestions for improvement are listed below:

• Minor grammatical errors.
• Some phrases could be cut shorter for more clarity.
• Addressing the intended audience.
• Explaining the problem a bit more.
• Reconsider surveys only to save time.

 

Thank you for reading my review of your proposal. Please contact me if you require any additional information.

 

Link to Proposal: https://blogs.ubc.ca/engl30199c2022w2/2023/02/23/proposal-for-enhancing-continuous-support-for-teaching-assistants-at-the-ubc-department-of-computer-science/