Monthly Archives: June 2021

Original Writing:

Unit #1 was an excellent Segway into the greater depth of technical writing offered in the second unit of this university course. Unit #2 consisted of various assignments which improved technical writing skills and encouraged practicing to gather information from multiple hubs. My scope of knowledge has expanded from the intricacies involved in this unit. Navigating different technological platforms is a beneficial and transferrable skill to acquire. This unit has presented a valuable introduction to Formal Reports and Proposal Writing. It has been made evident that the work involved in a Formal Report is typically completed over a sequence of time. It is essential to ensure that adequate time is allotted to successfully create a Formal Report. Precisely listing goals and tasks to present a professional and detailed Formal Report is crucial. I believe one of the most integral elements to a successful Formal Report is maintaining a strict writing schedule and embodying self-determination throughout the duration of the assignment.

Unit #2 provided the tools to think critically about the research process and to determine whether a topic is realistic and measurable which are key components to starting a Formal Report.

With social media becoming substantially more widely used by the day, the LinkedIn Assignment proved suitable to learn the importance of day-to-day networking. Like many other daily regimens that can become natural instincts, this assignment served as a great reminder to maintain professional profiles.

The Peer Review Process:

By carefully reviewing my peer’s Formal Report, much like Unit #1 revealed, all areas needing improvement were made very clear. Using a checklist during this assignment was helpful. Because this is the second time providing peer review in English 301, I felt better equipped to share professional and constructive feedback with my fellow classmate. Once again, I thoroughly enjoyed this exercise. Peer reviewing has allowed me to view my writing with a different lens. I am now able to analyze my own work by thinking critically and reviewing it the same way I do for my peers. The Formal Report Proposal that I reviewed was outstanding and clearly stated the realistic and measurable goals.  It has been very impressive to read my peers ideas, I have no doubt they will produce exceptional Formal Reports.

Writing Goals:

I hope to see continual improvements in my peers’ work, as we continue to learn from each other. If everything goes according to plan, we should pursue our technical writing goals, together. Unit #2 will advance our skills to successfully accomplish Unit #3, and so on and so forth.

Revised Formal Report:
301, Gabriella Meroli Assad, Formal Report Proposal

Peer Review of Formal Report by Miranda Hoang:
Peer Review of Research Proposal – English 301 98A Technical Writing (ubc.ca)

This reflection blog will underpin my prior knowledge, the peer review process and my future, short term goals based on the recent experience with Assignment 1:3 on Three Definitions and Unit #1 of ENGL 301 as it comes to a close.

Original Writing:
Unit #1 of ENGL 301 consisted of various mini assignments that have contributed to an improved professional and technical writing style. The most recent assignment involved formulating three definitions of the same term: a parenthetical definition, a sentence definition, and an expanded definition. The objective was to learn how to define a relatively complex term to an audience of ‘non-technical readers’. Expansion strategies and visuals were presented to facilitate literacy of the chosen term, Dental Amalgams. The reason why this term was selected is because as an oral health professional, I believe it is beneficial for everyone to learn about dental fillings, considering a vast majority of people have them or will eventually need them. Otherwise this can be useful, educational information to prevent dental fillings, including dental amalgams. Because a variation of dental filling materials exist, I believe it is suitable to distinguish between the two most used in Canadian dental practice. Oral health is directly correlated to overall health and I am passionate about this topic. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to comment on this post.

This specific assignment required thorough reference to the textbook however simplifying the term in three separate definitions was somewhat natural for me as I often find myself presenting information in laymen terms to increase patient understanding. This exercise allowed me to harness comprehensive proficiency of the three variations of defining a term. As I write this, I am reminded by how the reflection process in an asset. It propels an overview of the course material and this is an extraordinary method to cultivate a profound theory to continue learning in this course.

The Peer Review Process:
This component involved sharing insightful and constructive recommendations with a peer, based on their Three Definitions Assignment. Although using the Peer Review Handout (301-Peer-Review) was helpful among other resources, I created a personalized peer review structure. The peer review process played an instrumental role in my learning for unit #1 and allowed me to highlight areas that my peer could benefit from by making small amendments. It is critical to remember that we are all applying our best efforts to these assignments thus it is always appropriate to make recommendations cautiously and respectively. As I carefully synthesized my peer’s assignment, I recognized where my definitions could use revisions. This process was incredibly valuable as it requires critical thinking and therefore allows for the opportunity to attain a deeper understanding of the importance of writing. I hope to have defined complex terms for varied audiences in a sophisticated, yet simplified manner.

The Editing Process:
Upon receiving an encouraging peer review and after taking the time to carefully consider making certain changes, I then posted the revised version on the original team blog page, a link is included below. The first unit of this course has equipped me with the necessary knowledge to convey formality and present content that is specific, unambiguous and accurate. It is best to use an active rather than a passive voice and to remember that readers are almost always busy. Therefore, to maintain interest and concentration, information must be presented in a concise fashion.

Writing Goals:
Moving forward, I am hopeful to excel my technical writing abilities and perpetually learn from each other on an open-minded, positive and interactive learning platform. Assignment 1:3 and the peer review process has made it evident that learning can originate from within, from our guiding Professors and from our outstanding peers. Thank you for allowing me to learn from you and hopefully you can learn from me also.

Edited definition on Dental Amalgams:
https://blogs.ubc.ca/engl301-98a-2021sa/2021/06/09/revised-definition-dental-amalgams-by-gabriella/

My peer’s review of the definition:
https://blogs.ubc.ca/engl301-98a-2021sa/2021/06/04/peer-review-for-gabriellas-assignment-3-dental-amalgam/