Original Writing:
This is my first time writing definitions in technical writing. Firstly, it took me some time to choose a relatively complex and interesting term. I eventually chose to write definitions of TFSA, as it is exposed to our daily life but many of us may not totally understand its definition. Next, I determined the situation and the audience, which I believe is the key component of drafting definitions. By clearly identifying the situation and the audience’s expectations, I, as the writer, was able to make definitions that are easy for the audience to understand. Lastly, for composing the three definitions, I found the textbook a pretty useful guide, from which I was able to differentiate between parenthetical, sentence, and expanded definitions, and learn various ways to expand a definition. Overall, I learned the significance of identifying the situation and audience before making any definitions.
Peer Review:
I found the peer review highly useful, which actually put me in the position of a reader in practice. I enjoyed my time reading Vikram’s definitions of Historiography, as they were clearly defined to perfectly meet the designated situation and the audience’s expectations. By reading my peer’s work, I learned a lot from their expansion strategies while making the expanded definitions. For instance, Vikram smoothly employed a flow chart to illustrate the historians’ interactions with evidence and narratives, which effectively explains how Historiography works. More importantly, during the process of peer review, I understood the necessity of peer review, which is to examine the integrity and completeness of our work in order to avoid any possible missing points and complement our work.
Editing process:
The revising process is really important for me to improve my previous work. Thanks to the detailed feedback from Vikram, I was able to find and revise some unclear points in my definitions. More specifically, I added some descriptive words to the visual I attached. Meanwhile, I further explained some exceptional cases in my definitions to avoid possible confusion. Revisiting my previous work with feedback from peers would truly enable me to think from a fresh perspective and show me a clear direction for further improvement.
In summary, I enjoyed my study journey in this course so far. I had the chance to know my peers and learn their approach to composing and expanding definitions. More importantly, I truly appreciate the peer review process, where I received valuable feedback from my peer and meanwhile shared my thought on his work as well.
Here are the links to my work:
Original writing
Peer review
Revised writing