In Unit Four, a large portion of work was dedicated to completing the major assignments for the course. These assignments consisted of an application package, a formal report, and a web folio. This reflection will also include how I have developed as a writer and editor, along with strengths and weaknesses encountered.
The application package was a very beneficial aspect to Technical Writing. I found this to be very helpful for myself as I am currently seeking employment in the dental hygiene field. It is very common for me to find advertisements on the Internet for positions at private dental offices or with the public health unit. I am now familiar with the aspects I should include in my résumé, and what is not necessarily needed. When writing my cover letter, I focused on including aspects directly from the advertisement and mentioning experience I have had pertaining to community work. I feel as though this tailored the package to the specific position, not just dental hygiene in general. In addition, the creation of letters requesting references is something I have not had experience with in the past. By using “You Attitude” techniques, I was able to make the letters sound appreciative by making the reader the center of focus rather than myself. This assignment will substantially make a difference for my goals at present and the near future.
In terms of peer editing, I believe I have improved as the course has progressed. I tried to give both positive and constructive feedback to the author while including general and specific comments. I am comfortable giving comments about organization, content, writing style, and design. Giving grammatical corrections is an area I am fairly competent in; however, I will continue working on providing useful design tips.
The development of a formal report was the most challenging, involved assignment, in my opinion. Initiating a workplace change, the process I chose to engage in, was much more difficult than I originally thought. Evaluation for my proposed topic of dental hygiene scheduling changes, was incomplete at the time of the report due date. I had to hypothesize some results with scientific research, as full implementation was unable to take place immediately. Lengthening appointments is a gradual process because pre-booked appointments could not be altered as per the dentist and owner of the business. Writing a letter of transmittal, and report abstract were new concepts for me. My abstract was fair, although I found it tough to include all sections of the report while providing enough, but not too much information.
The web folio assignment will be analyzed in a separate reflection blog.
Overall, Technical Writing has provided me writing opportunities required for real life situations. This is an excellent course for all university students to prepare for work, volunteering, or teaching.