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The final task of Technical Writing 301 is the assembly of an online portfolio of assignments submitted throughout the course. Students are expected to return to original documents and revise them according to feedback received from peers and the instructor. I am glad to finish the term off strong with a task that allows me to not only improve my initial assignments, but also identify areas of weakness in my writing. I was able to reflect on my work throughout the term and also identify some areas of strength. Upon reading my original impressions of the course and expectations for the term, I was amused to see that what I had predicted is mostly what occurred. I did in fact challenge myself to communicate effectively to a broader audience. I was made aware that I struggle with verb tense structure throughout chunks of text. I think I have greatly improved the ease of which I can professionally critique a peer’s work without adding any personal remarks. It was helpful to remind myself that it is not always the author who is receiving the peer review. I am comfortable reviewing documentation

I was enriched by this course and am grateful for the opportunity to study crucial technical communication skills that are vital to my professional life. I am very comfortably employed and plan to continue my studies for another 2-4 years, therefor I am only currently open to volunteer opportunities. My WebFolio is designed to attract potential volunteer or missionary opportunities. I am taking a literature review course next term and feel much more confident now in my writing abilities than I did going into this term. I planned my digital portfolio as a reflection of my work and a demonstration of my ethical and professional principles. I think as the world evolves into even more of a digital age, portfolios of this nature will only become more sought after by potential employers and leaders. I am contemplating keeping up with this blog-style website to showcase my professional development as I continue to grow as a dental hygienist and as a person. I will take the skills I’ve learned in this course forward with me throughout all my future endeavors.

The third unit of Technical Writing 301 provided students with the opportunity to conduct research and analyze information in order to write the draft of their formal report. For me, this included the distribution of surveys through the UBC survey tool and interviews with the staff of the dental office the Tooth Gallery. I found follow-up interview questions were necessary due to not having gathered all the necessary information from survey responses. I realized I should have included more questions regarding paper products and single-use plastics used during dental treatment. However, I tried to remain broad as only the staff who work directly with clients truly witness the bulk of how much trash is disposed of directly from the treatment rooms.

I did not feel very confident upon organizing my formal report draft as the bulk of the data collection wasn’t complete by the due date. I received much fewer responses to the survey than I had expected, retrieving only 5 surveys out of a potential of 20 staff members. I don’t believe I set my sights high enough for this assignment. I had also written my questions in a way to facilitate distributing the questions to other offices and not just the Tooth Gallery, as I planned that the proposal could be implemented in other dental offices following success in this one. By interviewing staff members of the dental office, I was able to gather further insight into the waste management practices of the dental office. I believe that the purpose of this assignment is to develop our formal writing abilities and that the research I was able to gather will be adequate for completing the report.

A recurrent theme I’ve noticed through this course is that the peer review process is the most enriching aspect of the assignment. My partner Helene provided me with support that I’m on the right track as well as some tips and guidance on areas to improve. I enjoyed reading her draft and as I am also a dental hygienist, I truly related to the problem she chose. I felt much more confident in my most recent peer review than those submitted earlier on in the course and wonder if it was my personal involvement with the subject matter that enhanced my comfort. I do also feel more confident as a writer as the course progresses. Reading Helene’s draft helped me feel more at ease about the speed at which I had my work completed, as she had yet to complete certain areas such as her interview questions and works cited page. However, upon receiving feedback from this recent peer review, I see that there are still many areas in my own work that need attention. I plan on finishing this term off strong and hope to see a significant improvement in works submitted for the final WebFolio assignment. I wonder how I can enrichen other aspects of my professional life with help from my peers.

Formal Report First Draft

Helene’s Peer Review

The second unit of Technical Writing 301 tasked students with researching how to create a networking platform through the LinkedIn website. Students also began working on formal reports which will be handed in at the end of the term. I am already very familiar with LinkedIn but this exercise had us look up the best practices of creating a profile on the website. This was enriching for me as I was then able to take these practices and utilize them on my own professional networking profile. In this digital age there is an overwhelming amount of information at our disposal, but by practicing obtaining truly helpful information I am sharpening my critical thinking and communication skills.

I am a bit apprehensive about how my formal report will come together in the end. Upon reading the instructions for the report proposal, I knew I wanted to work on something that I feel would improve not only my life, but also those of my colleagues. My employer supports green initiatives, so I believe that my proposal is appropriate, yet I still find it intimidating to approach a superior with a request for change. That’s also why I included a question on my survey regarding the participant’s willingness to advocate for change. It is one thing to describe the need for change, but completely another to take the necessary steps towards change. This is my first experience building a research report from the ground up and I hope that I am able to create graphics from my survey questions as I planned.

I found this unit more challenging than unit one, but it has allowed me to identify weak points in my work. I struggle to write to my peer in a professional tone that is direct and to the point, but not too vague. First, I worked on avoiding the use of pronouns in my work. I thought I had found a loophole by writing about “the reader/the author” but have learned that these are still pronouns. I understand that I am not critiquing the author, but rather their work. More recently, I attempted to avoid making these mistakes but was much too brief in my suggestion to my peer. I revised my own proposal following my peer Zoe’s suggestions and described in better detail what dental materials I’m referring to, and what alternatives can be taken. As I gained such valuable insight from my peer’s review of my work, I see how valuable my thoughts can be for them. I’m learning how to separate personable tone from professional tone. I have no doubt that this course is teaching me valuable written communication skills.

Revised Proposal for Improving Green Initiatives at The Tooth Gallery Dental Office

Zoe’s Peer Review

The first unit of the Technical Writing course provided learners with the task of defining relatively complex terms within their respective professions to members of their team. Students then completed peer reviews of each other’s work, which has since been updated to reflect constructive comments received. This assignment had multiple layers to it that allowed students to work in stages, with active participation from their peers. The peer review process helped to enrichen each other’s definitions by clarifying what was and was not understood from an outside perspective.

I enjoyed this introductory writing exercise as the instructions were straightforward and allowed work to be completed in steps. My partner for the peer review process was Tamara, who provided many positive comments about my original work. She stated that she was able to understand what an oral and maxillofacial surgeon was after reading my blog post, and would recommend only minor revisions before posting my final draft. She noted that I switched verb tenses throughout the writing and advised of how this may be confusing to the reader. I was able to make relevant changes for a more coherent writing style throughout.

When reviewing Tamara’s definition of the term real property, I offered some critiques that pointed out grammatical errors and missing pieces to the format of her post. By making small clarifications to her definitions, any confusion I had during my first read through was cleared up. I appreciate that she fully processed my feedback and saw the benefit in updating her work to reflect my suggestions. I found her final draft absolutely easy to comprehend. Overall, I feel this was a successful writing experience. I have a new understanding of the challenges faced when defining new terms to a broad audience. I feel more confident in my peer reviewing abilities since practicing giving constructive feedback, as well as acknowledging and adapting to the feedback I received.

Link to revised definitions

Link to Tamara’s peer review 

As per Assignment 1.3, students are tasked to expand on a relatively complex term used within our particular professions. The purpose of these definitions is to provide the general public with a technical term in a manner which is easily comprehensible. The objective of this assignment is to exercise technical writing definitions and descriptive writing styles. A parenthetical definition, sentence definition, and expanded definition of a maxillofacial surgeon will be included below. The reading situation is a dental hygienist explaining what an oral and maxillofacial surgeon is to a client who needs a referral for a suspicious lesion noted on their tongue.

Parenthetical definition: The dental hygienist referred their patient to the oral and maxillofacial surgeon (oral specialist).

Sentence definition: An oral and maxillofacial surgeon is a specialist of conditions of the head, neck, jaw, and mouth.

Expanded definition:

What is an oral and maxillofacial surgeon?

An oral and maxillofacial surgeon is a specialist of the head, neck, and facial regions. They diagnose and treat a range of oral and maxillofacial conditions; oral = mouth, maxilla = upper jaw, facial = face. In Canada, surgeons must complete many years of education and pass a National Board Examination to be recognized as a certified specialist. After completion of a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) program, a 4–6-year hospital residency is required, including rotations in various medical departments. Abnormal appearances of gums, lips, or the skin are frequently referred to them for further testing. Complicated tooth extractions or dental surgery, dental implant surgery, and bone and gum grafting are all standard treatments done at a maxillofacial surgery office. Less commonly, they perform dentoalveolar (tooth socket) surgery and trauma management.

Why would someone be referred to an oral and maxillofacial surgery?

They often receive patient referrals due to a concern noted during a routine physical or dental examination. The concern, typically a lesion of the oral cavity, can be anything from a benign finding to more serious events such as oral cancer. A specialist should assess suspicious lesion noted during routine examinations that do not heal within 2 weeks. They will likely perform a biopsy of the area, which involves removing either a portion or all of the tissue mass and to test it under microscope. They may also use visualization devices or special dyes to stain cell differentiation and provide more information on the type of lesion noted.

Fig. 1: Oral lesion on dorsum of tongue. jcda. (n.d.). Retrieved October 1, 2021, from https://jcda.ca/article/b117.

Works Cited

The Canadian Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (CAOMS) is a non-profit organization that serves oral and maxillofacial surgeons across Canada. Canadian Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. (n.d.). Retrieved September 29, 2021, from https://www.caoms.com/.

Oral maxillofacial surgery? Pacific Coast Oral Maxillofacial Surgery. (2020, December 2). Retrieved September 29, 2021, from https://pcoms.ca/2020/05/what-is-oral-maxillofacial-surgery/.

What is an oral and maxillofacial surgeon? from 123dentist. 123Dentist. (2019, May 6). Retrieved September 29, 2021, from https://www.123dentist.com/what-is-an-oral-and-maxillofacial-surgeon/.

To: helenet@student.ubc.ca

From: kargarn@student.ubc.ca

Date: September 20, 2021

Subject: Invitation to join my team

Hi Helene!

I’m attaching my letter of application to a writing team within the distance education course ENGL 301 at the University of British Columbia. I was first impressed by the look of your blog – the background is eye catching and bright, but your site remains clean and professional. I enjoyed reading your first postings as your words seem to flow effortlessly off the screen.

I see that you are a dental hygienist in the degree completion program! I am also completing my degree, this year being my 3rd year enrolled but 2nd year taking courses. I have found the program to be challenging and incredibly enriching. I would love to collaborate with you not only over this term, but perhaps furthermore along our educational journeys. If you are interested in my proposal, please reply to this email, and let me know if you have any other team member prospects.

Thank you so much for your time and consideration.

Karissa Garneau RDH

Encl. 301 Karissa Application letter
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To: zoemaika@student.ubc.ca

From: kargarn@student.ubc.ca

Date: September 20, 2021

Subject: Invitation to join my team

Hi Zoe!

I’m attaching my letter of application to a writing team within the distance education course ENGL 301 at the University of British Columbia. I was intrigued by your page upon learning of your interest in nutrition and health. As a dental hygienist, I often speak with clients about their health as a whole, including diet, exercise, and lifestyle choices. I think we have a lot that we could learn from one another.

I am a dental hygiene degree completion student and I have found the program to be challenging and incredibly enriching. I would imagine the dietetic program is quite competitive as well. It’s wonderful that you are able to get back onto campus this semester! From your first postings, I think your writing style is both professional and efficient so I would love to collaborate with you on writing works over this term. If you are interested in my proposal, please reply to this email, and let me know if you have any other team member prospects lined up.

Thank you so much for your time and consideration.

Karissa Garneau RDH

Encl. 301 Karissa Application letter
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To: toman@student.ubc.ca

From: kargarn@student.ubc.ca

Date: September 24, 2021

Subject: Re: Invitation to form a Professional Writing Team

Hi Tamara,

Thank you for your invitation and for including your bio and a link to your blog in your message. I am glad to see that we share similar values in regard to continuing personal growth as well as important qualities in a team member. I have yet to work in teams in a course with students from other programs and I’m excited to hear from them and get to see different views and ideas. I believe there’s a lot I could learn from you!

I had already reached out to Zoe and Helene, who’ve both accepted my invitations. Zoe let me know that you have also already made a relationship. Would you take a look at Helene’s blog and see if you agree she’d make a great fit to our team?

Looking forward to working with you!

Karissa Garneau RDH

___________________________________________________________________________________________

To: helenet@student.ubc.ca

From: kargarn@student.ubc.ca

Date: September 24, 2021

Subject: Re: Re: Invitation to join my team

Hi Helene!

I had also sent an invitation out to Zoe, a 4th year Dietetics student @ https://blogs.ubc.ca/zoemaika/
As I’m sure you’re aware, nutrition plays an important part in general health and is something we as hygienists must consider in a client’s comprehensive treatment plan.

Another student, Tamara, had reached out to both Zoe & I. They are a 3rd year Bachelor of Business in Real Estate student, and the invitation was incredibly thoughtful and wonderfully written, so I didn’t hesitate to accept it. https://blogs.ubc.ca/tamaraoman/

Would you check out their blogs and let me know if you’d like to make that our team of 4?

I’m excited to have found such a solid team! Talk soon,

Karissa

To: Professor Paterson

From: Karissa Garneau RDH <kargarn@student.ubc.ca>

Date: September 20, 2021

Subject: Letter of application

My letter of application to a team within the distance education course ENGL 301 at the University of British Columbia was successfully posted to my blog. You’ll find it attached. I’ve also chosen three classmates to email it to and to offer collaboration with me over this term. The letter detailed why this course is valuable to me and how I would prove to be an excellent member of their team.

• As a dental hygienist, I spend most of my day talking and writing about what I’ve noted on a client or what treatment was done
• Communication is the single most important aspect to comprehensive client care, with written word only becoming more pivotal as technology continues to advance and online forms of communication take more precedent in daily life
• My goals for this term: to develop and sharpen technical writing skills that will help me become a better communicator in my career and in my life
• I am prepared to challenge myself by creating writing works in this course that I would otherwise not have created
• I understand the importance of collaborative care and make an excellent team member
• I am open to new ideas, and I accept criticism well; I am excited about all opportunities for growth

Encl. 301 Karissa Application letter

Encl. 301 Karissa Memo

301 Karissa Application letter

301 Karissa Memo

Please consider this letter as my application to a team within the distance education course ENGL 301 at the University of British Columbia. This course aims to introduce students to specific elements of technical writing, to provide opportunities to practice developing skills, and to engage and challenge writers in online communication contexts. 

No matter your job description, you should expect to be evaluated on written and oral communication skills at work. As a dental hygienist, I spend most of my day talking and writing about what I’ve noted on a client or what treatment was done. These records are increasingly kept digitally and need to be comprehensive, precise, and easy to read by another clinician. Communication is the single most important aspect to comprehensive client care, with written word only becoming more pivotal as technology continues to advance and online forms of communication take more precedent in daily life. That’s why I’m so grateful to be studying online through this platform.

My goals for this term are to develop and sharpen technical writing skills that will help me become a better communicator in my career and in my life. As a lifelong learner, I am prepared to challenge myself by creating writing works in this course that I would otherwise not have created. I understand the importance of collaborative care and make an excellent team member. I am open to new ideas, and I accept criticism well; I am excited about all opportunities for growth.

Thank you so much for your time and consideration. If you are interested in my proposal, please feel free to contact me via email: kargarn@student.ubc.ca

Encl. 301 Karissa Application letter

301 Karissa Application letter

Welcome to UBC Blogs. This site will act as a portfolio of my writing works throughout the course ENGL 301 – Technical Writing at UBC.