Original Writing
The objective of this assignment is to define a term in our field of study to non-technical readers. The term I chose to define was a mortgage. After completing the assignment, I found that the word I chose was not inherently difficult to explain which may have led to a lack of breadth and depth. However, I did learn the different types of definitions (sentence, parenthetical, and expanded) that helped me explain my term in multiple ways to a non-technical audience. The tools and advice provided by the textbook were useful and I incorporated them into my assignment, especially on expansion strategies . I also found that including visuals helped break up the text as well and keeps the reader engaged.
Peer Review Process
During the peer review process, we were responsible for reading over one of our group member’s work and providing positive and constructive feedback. I found this part to be lots of fun and something I have never done before in my previous classes. Having the opportunity to read over Ethan’s work gave me the chance to reflect on my own submission and what worked well or how I could improve my writing moving forward. It also let me understand my writing style, Ethan’s writing style, and learn which areas I pay more attention to as a reader which are grammar, sentence structure, and organization. Upon peer reviewing Ethan’s work, my main feedback for him was to simplify the jargon and use less technical language in the definition itself. He included footnotes and diagrams which were very helpful. Overall, I found this process to be straightforward and beneficial for the person receiving the feedback and the editor.
Editing Process
After reviewing the feedback provided to me by Danae and making her suggested changes, it made my definition assignment much stronger. Some of the main comments were centred around grammatical errors and changing my wordier sentences to be succinct to help with readability. As the writer, it is easy to miss the small mistakes on your own work as you read it so many times. I appreciated having a fresh perspective and gaining feedback from someone with a different writing background. After receiving feedback, it was helpful to actually make the changes suggested so that you remember what to watch out for next time . This was a good starter assignment to begin ENGL 301. I am excited for the opportunity to improve my writing over the semester.