From Pexel
Definitions Assignment
The purpose of the Definitions Assignment was to learn to write definitions for a specific audience that may not have the technical knowledge of the term being defined. This assignment served to highlight the importance of definitions in technical writing and how audience and purpose indicate the need for definitions. I successfully prepared a parenthetical, sentence and expanded definition for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) that can be understood by high school students with limited biology background. The definitions were further supported by a graphical figure detailing the steps of PCR.
PDF: 301 Janice Pang Technical Definitions
Formal Report Proposal and Progress Report
The formal report aimed to investigate, analyze and recommend action for a problem, an inefficiency or deficiency related to a workplace, volunteer or community organization. Before beginning, a proposal of the formal report was submitted to Dr. Paterson for approval. A progress report was subsequently prepared to outline the audience of the report, purpose, significance, research plan and schedule for the formal report.
I submitted a formal report proposal for the topic, “Enhancing Participation of Educators in the Greater Vancouver Regional Science Fair Committee”. The proposal highlighted:
- Background of the Greater Vancouver Regional Science Fair (GVRSF) and its mission to provide youth with an opportunity to showcase their research and innovations
- Identification of the problem of decreasing number of educators, who are pivotal in exposing elementary and high school students to project-based learning and science fairs, on the GVRSF committee
- Proposal to investigate the main reasons or activities that influence educator participation on GVRSF committee via surveys and interview methods
- Intention to forward recommendations for enhancing participation of educators to GVRSF committee upon completion of the research
In addition, I generated a comprehensive timeline for the drafting of the formal report in a progress report, noting the items of the formal report that were already completed. The investigation on educator participation in science fair committees are novel findings that will potentially have a huge impact on how the Greater Vancouver Regional Science Fair will proceed in the next round of volunteer recruitment.
Formal Report Proposal:301 Janice Pang Formal Report Proposal
Progress Report:301 Janice Pang_Progress Report
Surveys & Interviews: 301 Janice Pang Interview Questions, Survey for Educators (General), Survey for Educators (Greater Vancouver), Survey for Science Fair Alumni
Complaint Letter and Response Letter
Effective business documents achieve the purpose defined by the writer, which can include persuading the audience to respond in a certain way or provide information. Specifically, the purpose of complaint letters can be for requesting adjustments for defective goods and poor service or criticism about unfair treatment. For response letters, the purpose can be for responding to the demands of a complaint letter.
For this assignment, the aim was to prepare a complaint letter about an error on a bill, rude serve, mistake in delivery, or poor product quality. In response to the complaint letter, an adjustment letter that delivers bad news was prepared. In both letters, maintaining a professional tone and utilizing the you-attitude of writing was of primary focus. I took on the role of an unsatisfied customer and wrote a letter outlining a recent unsatisfying experience on transit services. I was able to use an indirect approach to convey bad news for the incident in the response letter.
PDF: 301 Janice Pang Business Letters Complaint & Response Letter
Peer Reviews
Routine reviewing and refining of writing is essential to developing strong technical writing skills. The purpose of peer reviews in ENGL 301 was to carefully examine the writing techniques and strategies utilized by members of our writing team and highlight weaknesses and strengths for all writing material reviewed. Peer reviews also aim to provide positive and constructive feedback for the writing assignments using the you-attitude of writing to support the editing process.
Throughout ENGL 301, I completed peer reviews for the Definitions, Application Package and Formal Report assignments for members in my writing team. For each peer review, I was able to design a peer review template specific for each assignment. I successfully provided clear, organized, comprehensive and helpful peer reviews for my writing team members. In reading my peer’s writing, I was able to learn about different writing approaches and apply it to my own writing.
Definitions Assignment: 301 Peer Review_Technical Definition by Jenny Zhang_Reviewed by Janice Pang
Application Package: 301 Peer Review_Application Package Draft_Meagan Rosenberg_Reviewed by Janice Pang
Formal Report: 301 Peer Review_Formal Report Draft_Emily Krisnamurti_Reviewed by Janice Pang