HAN LI's BLOG

Time flies, and this is the last reflection of the semester! First of all, I would like to congratulate myself on another successful semester. Secondly, I would like to thank my writing team members, Anna, Carol, and Lucy, who gave me constructive advice on different writing assignments during the semester. I learned a lot from reading their articles. Finally, I would like to thank Dr. Erika Paterson for the detailed feedback on each task. It has been a pleasure to read the evaluation sheet every time.

Strengths and weaknesses in the learning process

I am a severe person in the learning process. I will read the requirements of each task carefully and read the textbook or look up information outside the classroom as required. The downside is that I am not creative enough. Writing requires an active mind and the ability to think out of the box, but I am still very deficient in these areas. However, the brainstorming process for creating the formal report was very inspiring. I will pay more attention to the changes in my academic life and work in the future, and hopefully, I can exercise my creativity in writing.

Strengths and weaknesses in assignments

In completing the task, I am good at learning from the strengths of my group members and try not to make repetitive mistakes. For example, in the pre-task, I liked using pronouns. But when my group member pointed it out, I tried to avoid the use of pronouns in my technical assignment. My biggest weakness is the inefficiency of the task. It takes me super long to complete an assignment, starting from a week before the assignment begins but not publishing until near the end. The long writing time makes me very annoyed with myself. I hope to improve my writing efficiency in the future and go for more practice.

Finally, thank you for reading my blog. And I hope the pandemic will end soon and all is well！

In Unit 4, the main task was to design a web folio. Unlike a formal report, there is no uniform template for a web portfolio, and it can have different designs depending on the purpose and audience. Since I have never had any experience designing a web portfolio, the whole process was very challenging for me.

The process of designing

According to the instruction of Unit 4.3, our first task was to determine the audience. As this folio focuses on the assignments in ENGL301, the primary audience is future peers interested in technical writing. Then I sketched the site as below, following the textbook with seven pages. I have chosen to transform my ENGL 301 blog into my Web Folio due to WordPress’s flexible layout style and ease of transition, without moving the bulk of my documents but just revising for perfection.

The Final Web Folio

I put all my revised pieces into my web folio with the storyboarding. I was very proud of myself when I finished this folio. It has been a difficult transition from full-time work to campus again. This web folio is like my work for this course.

The Future

By learning the proper way to communicate and write within a technical setting, I am confident that I can effectively succeed in the future, wherever it may be. I have enjoyed ENGL 301, and I highly recommend it to others as the class teaches you fundamental communication skills.

In Unit 3, the main task was to draft the formal report and edit my peer’s report, employing YOU attitude. Researching, organizing, writing, and reviewing are the main four processes composing the formal report draft. Therefore, this reflection blog starts from the above four aspects summarizing the difficulties and the gains during the writing process.

Organizing

I was not very experienced in how to organize a formal report, so I read the textbook first. In chapter 21, I identified that most formal reports consist of the front matter, the text of the report, and the end letter. And the draft should with supplements in this order: title page, table of contents, list of tables and figures, the text of the report (introduction, body, conclusion), and works cited page. 

Researching

According to the organization of the formal report, I mainly focused on the “text of the report”. My research topic is “Feasibility of Enhancing COVID Protection for On-campus Dining at UBC”, so I investigated UBC’s popular indoor dining areas, current UBC Food Services’ COVID-19 protocols, and other universities’ measures facing COVID. It was pretty challenging to only pick out the essential data over the overwhelming information during the investigation. For example, I first searched with “COVID-19” AND “Universities” through the UBC library website, but most contents were related to the change of delivery modes and teaching approaches. Then, I updated keywords such as “COVID-19” AND “Universities dining” and got the needed information. Using keywords to search for articles and quickly browsing the abstract to determine the article’s content is the most important skill I learned in the investigation process.

Writing

Writing the formal report draft was enjoyable based on the previous outline and research. The only challenging part is to conduct surveys and analyze the data. Luckily, the survey tool provided a graph function that helped me visualize the survey results. Through the writing process, I learned the importance of foundation work like the outline, the progress report, and research.

Peer Review Process

In this assignment stage, my task was to review Lucy’s work, “Feasibility of Placing a Clothing Bin at the UBC Bus Loop”. The whole report was professional and clear, without ambiguity. The report had several graphs and visuals, especially when Lucy drew the specific location where she suggested placing the clothing bin, making the recommendation easy to understand. However, during the revision, I found some problems with the table of contents (the figure and graph were not listed), the page number, and MLA in-text citation. I also received constructive suggestions from Lucy, like including figures in the survey section to support the numerical results. Overall, the peer review process was helpful; I received criticism and offered valuable suggestions.

In conclusion, unit 3 provided a strong writing framework with a formal report. After this unit, my writing techniques, research abilities, and editing skills are progressed. I am looking forward to seeing the final works from my team members!

301 Han Li Formal Report Draft: https://blogs.ubc.ca/engl301-99c-2021wc/2022/03/16/memorandum-formal-report-draft-feasibility-of-enhancing-covid-protection-for-on-campus-dining-at-ubc/

Writing best practices for using LinkedIn

In Unit 2.2, our task was to research and summarise ten best practices for using LinkedIn, the world’s leading professional social networking site, helping professionals stay connected, find jobs, and advertise themselves. As an experienced user of LinkedIn, this assignment gave me a better understanding of LinkedIn’s features, realized the shortcomings of my LinkedIn profile, and learned valuable tips through research and group members’ postings. I firstly read chapter 16 -Resumes and Other Job-Search Materials of the textbook, which reminded me of avoiding giving out too much personal information like home addresses when using a web application that many people browse. Besides, through chapter 25, I learned that regardless of the type of social media, as users, we need to follow the instructions for social media (e.g. words limit). Writing in a friendly and professional tone is essential to leave a trustworthy impression as a professional. I also learned to think and check before posting to ensure the post does not interfere with your regular life and work. Finally, I researched LinkedIn Blog and found various suggestions on designing LinkedIn profiles and building networking. For example, it is more attractive to write profile headlines and summaries of story-telling. I adjusted my profile through the research process and decided to engage more actively.

Writing proposal and outline for the formal report

The second assignment for Unit 2 is to write a proposal for the formal report. For me, the brainstorming process is the most difficult part. In the beginning, I had no idea what to write, but our textbook and the report topics hand-out inspired me a lot. I found the strongest reports’ topics were close to their recent lives with research in an actual workplace. So I fixed my workplace, UBC. And the following day, I had the idea of my proposal when I was having lunch at Nest. After determining the topic, I read Chapters 7, 8, 9, 21, and 22 and figured out my feasibility report. Therefore, I need to provide the data and explain to my readers why my recommendation is the most feasible in my formal report. Then, I followed the examples in the textbook and on the instructor’s blog designing the proposal. During report progress, I revised the intended readers from AMS Student Union to UBC Community Planning and Programming staff, the department responsible for campus planning. Finally, it was challenging but a valuable experience to design surveys alone. Overall, it was the first time I wrote a formal report myself, and it was a worthwhile learning process.

Peer Review Process

In this stage of the assignment, I was given a chance to review Anna’s proposal and received suggestions on my proposal. It was an enjoyable reading. I took it seriously to be responsible for my team members. And luckily, I gained more during the process. For example, Anna’s proposal was clear without ambiguity, and the majority of the proposal was in active voice, making the proposal professional and robust. I also provided constructive feedback from a reader’s perspective, like including some gender disparity data to make the proposal more persuasive and avoid using more than two verbs in one sentence. Overall, the peer review process was helpful; I received criticism and offered valuable suggestions.

Revision Process

After the peer review process, I received Anna’s suggestions on my proposal. I am lucky that our group members are helpful and full of passion. They always point out my problem right on the spot. Anna noticed my discussion on the cause of the reasons for the risk of dining on-campus was not enough. Therefore, I researched “how COVID-19 spreads?” and “Settings with a higher risk of transmission”, combined them with the current environment of dining on-campus. Hence, readers can easily understand why students dining on-campus (indoor) are highly likely to be infected. Besides, I revised negative expressions in my report. For example, the original version is “If coronavirus were to continue to be diagnosed on campus, it would cause panic among the rest of the UBC students and affect the university’s reputation”. The rewrite version is: “If coronavirus continues to spread on campus, it causes panic among the UBC students and affects UBC’s reputation”, which is more strong and clear.

In conclusion, after studying Unit 2, I learned the techniques for professional networking, building an online profile, and writing formal reports from brainstorming, proposals to the research process. Writing is a skill that improves through constant practice, revision, and accumulation. Peer review is a perfect tool for writing in the reader’s shoes.

Revised:https://blogs.ubc.ca/engl301-99c-2021wc/2022/02/15/formal-research-proposal/

https://blogs.ubc.ca/engl301-99c-2021wc/2022/02/18/peer-review-on-formal-proposal-report/

Writing three definitions 

In the first unit, the first task was to introduce a technical vocabulary in a defined context, using three different definitions, to someone without technical background and knowledge. Introducing some specialized terms to a non-technician client is a situation I often faced in previous workdays. But before, I didn’t learn about the various definition methods and the scenarios in which they were applicable. So I am excited to learn the above concepts while practicing technical writing. I took a course related to climate change, so I chose “Direct Air Capture”, an environmental technology-related vocabulary. And my task was to introduce this term to potential investors. I learned about parenthetical definitions, sentence definitions, and expanded definitions through the textbook. Parenthetical definitions use a more familiar synonym to clarify phrases without much detail. Sentence definitions offer some details by first stating the term, then indicating its broader class following its distinct features. If the audience needs a comprehensive understanding of phrases, an extended definition is the best method, like its history, parts, etc. For example, visual is very helpful when explaining the operating principle of “Direct Air Capture”.

Peer Review Process

The second task was to examine Carol’s (my partner) definition assignment. I read Carol’s assignment several times, and I found myself learning something new each time. The first time, I understood “Photovoltaic technology” by various definitions. The second time, I paid more attention to her writing strategy and noticed that visual position is vital for article coherence. Then I reread it several times to guarantee I found all the confusion and suggestions. Reading the same article several times was a unique experience; I noticed many details while being better able to see things from the reader’s perspective. Carol is very detailed and gave me multiple great pieces of advice, some of which I inspired while reviewing her task, and the others were beneficial as I never saw them.

Revision Process

After reading Carol’s assignment and feedback, the revision process was quite enjoyable. Carol well noted my highlights and weakness. She pointed out my minor grammar errors, and I will pay more attention to the plural and singular part in future writing. Besides, some of my expressions had repeatable meanings. For example, I wrote, “DAC handles CO2 in clean ways without releasing CO2”. It is more concise, omitting “without releasing CO2”. Moreover, I did more research on “Why DAC?” this time due to the reading situation for this assignment.

In conclusion, after studying Unit 1, I grasp various definitions under different situations. And I believe that constant peer review and revision process repetition will improve my writing skills.   

https://blogs.ubc.ca/engl301-99c-2021wc/2022/02/08/revised-definition-assignment/

https://blogs.ubc.ca/engl301-99c-2021wc/2022/02/05/peer-review-of-definition-direct-air-capture/

To: Anna Li

From: Han Li

Date: January 24, 2022

Subject: Re: ENGL 301 Writing Team Invitation

Hi Anna,

Thanks for your willingness to join me on the writing team after reading my application letter. I am very excited to receive your email because you are the one I really want to team up with. Therefore, I would like to formally accept your invitation to form a professional writing team this semester.

Firstly, your excellent academic background impresses me. You mentioned in your application letter that you had achieved a master’s degree at the University of Toronto with an over 80% average, which proves your excellent learning ability. Besides, you are an experienced writer and communicator regarding your previous NGO work experience. These are significant assets in a writing team. According to my prior teamwork experience, we can cooperate reasonably.

Furthermore, I appreciate your attitude and performance towards teamwork. You enjoy collaboration and learning through help, so do I. Hence, we can help each other and progress together with other group members.

In sum, I would like to appreciate your invitation again and cannot wait to meet you and other team members to discuss our group project. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

I am looking forward to the first meeting!

Best Wishes,

Han Li

To: Carol Li

From: Han Li

Date: January 23, 2022

Subject: Re: ENGL 301 – Writing Team Invitation

Hi Carol,

Thank you for inviting me to be part of your professional writing team after reviewing my bio and application letter. After reading through your application letter, it’s my pleasure to be team up with you.

First of all, I find that you are experienced in writing. You mentioned in your application letter that you are currently working as a part-time translator, which requires rich vocabulary, exact grammar, and a good understanding of the cultural background of the language that you are translating. These characteristics are essential for professional writing. In addition, your previous work experience as a Chinese instructor impresses me a lot. It needs strong communication skills, patience, and a sense of responsibility to accomplish this job. There is no doubt that we will make mistakes and meet challenges during our study time. Your previous experience makes me feel reliable and confident that we can work together well. Last but not least, as you mention in the email we complement each other quite well.

In sum, I am honored to form a group with you and looking forward to meeting other professionals! I have already invited Lucy Li as a team member, and I believe we will perform well. Please let me know if you have any other ideas.

Best Wishes,

Han Li

To: Lucy Li

From: Han Li

Date: January 23, 2022

Subject: ENGL 301 – Writing Team Invitation

Hi Lucy,

Thanks for your interest in joining a writing team.

This is Han Li, and I am also a second-degree BCs student. After reading through your application, I would like to invite you as my team member for this semester officially. There are mainly two reasons why I believe we can work well together and produce great projects.

Firstly, you possess excellent interpersonal skills, which are essential for teamwork. As a professional writing team, we will brainstorm, discuss and finally work on our project. During this period, listening to each other and communicating is the ground for great teamwork. Besides, we have a similar background. You mentioned in your application letter that you graduated in the hotel and administration major, and my previous work experience is in the travel industry. Hence, we have more common topics and perhaps bring more creative ideas for our team project. I have also attached my application letter below to understand me better.

Please let me know if you decide to accept this invitation to be my writing team member this semester. If you have any concerns or questions, please feel free to contact me through email at hanli965@student.ubc.ca.

Looking forward to hearing from you and hope we can work together very soon!

Best Wishes,

Han Li

301 Han Li Application Letter

MEMORANDUM

To: Dr. Erika Paterson, ENG 301 Professor

From: Han Li, student of ENG 301

Date: Thursday, Jan 20, 2022

Subject: Application letter blog post for the writing team

Please note that I have posted an application letter for English 301 to my personal blog under “Blog”. The word doc is also attached below.

The attached document includes,

• My willingness to join a writing team
• Academic background
• Work experience
• Strengths & weaknesses lists
• Email Address

Please let me know if you have any questions. Thank you.

Enclosure: Letter of Application

301 Han Li Application Letter