We have just finished the assignments for Unit One of our Technical Communication course, and I feel as though I am already improving my writing skills.

Last week, we were asked to write definitions for a relatively complex term used in our field of study. I chose to define the term ‘recursion’, which is commonly used in the field of Computer Science. I have had exposure to technical writing in my own workplace, but it is not often that I need to seriously consider my target audience. This was probably the most difficult aspect of the assignment. I found myself reconsidering terminology that might not be common knowledge in order to simplify the topic. I felt it was beneficial to consider the definitions from the perspective of the audience in order to write.

The peer review process was a refreshing aspect of the assignment. I have done peer reviews in the past so it was nice to be able to practice and refine these skills. My work was peer reviewed by a colleague and he was able to provide insight on my writing. I found it useful to see aspects of my own writing that I had not considered. For example, the formatting of my writing had not received much attention. Spacing was not consistent between section titles and the writing that followed those sections. Additional nuances that tend to find their way into my writing were discovered during the peer review, such as run on sentences or redundant explanations. This reconfirms my belief that the review process is essential in any professional writing, whether it be self review or peer review.

I reviewed Xavier’s work, and provided constructive criticism where it was due. This was not a simple task, since his definitions were well written. Besides some simple syntax errors, there was little on which I could suggest improvement. In order to provide better feedback, I again considered his target audience and tried to read from their perspective. This was helpful in completing the review of his work.

Overall this was a productive unit, and I look forward to further improving my technical writing skills.

 

Definitions Post-Review

301 Kevin Lapeyre Definitions v2

Link to Peer’s Review of Definitions

Peer Review of Definition: Recursion