Monthly Archives: January 2015

I was surprised in unit 1 by how a single word or phrase could be elaborated on so much. Reading through my classmate’s work, I realized that words we don’t think about while we use them in our fields because they have become ingrained in our vocabulary, are actually filled with meaning that a layman would not be able to grasp without explanation.

In the definition assignment for this unit, I learned how to define a word which is unfamiliar to someone with different levels of elaboration. I learned how to break down a phrase in a way that would give a reader not only the definition, but the history and use of the word.

My peer review from my classmate Hannah has taught me that the most challenging part of defining a technical term is to not include other technical terms in the definition. I simplified my definition so that the terms used for simplified. For example, instead of using the word myopia, I instead used the word nearsightedness, which most people understand the meaning of. Also, I realized that some terms would require definitions of their own that would be as long as the definition I had already written for the original term, to help with this, I added links to some technical terms so that people who are interested can click on them for more information.

My Edited Definition Assignment: PRK
Peer review for PRK

1526 West 66^th Ave.
Vancouver, BC V6P 2R9

ENGL 301: Technical Writing
The University of British Columbia
2329 West Mall
Vancouver, BC V6T1Z4

Dear Fellow English 301 Students,

We humans write for so many reasons. We write to tell stories, to give information, to convey emotions. Today I write to solicit you to join me in the quest to become a better writer through our English 301 course.

I have spent several years in the working world as a professional in the biotechnology field, where I have written many documents outlining procedures and to communicate with colleagues. At work, the goal is to get the job done as quickly and as competently as possible, so that at the end of the day we can go home, relax with our friends and family, and spend our well earned money and time on those who matter to us. Work is not a place where your colleagues will appreciate long and useless writing. I understand this, and cater what I write to meet this requirement. I do this because I respect my colleagues’ time, and I expect the same in the communication I receive.

Even though I believe writing needs to concisely convey information, I do not believe it should be dull. Dull writing is just as inconsiderate as overly verbose writing. Of course, not all situations warrant writing in a style that can be interesting, but when there is enough flexibility to make it interesting, I try to make it so.

I learn best by doing, and I believe in hard work, and that natural talent cannot trump determination in the long run. I believe the best writers write many volumes of terrible material before they become any good, and I plan on doing the same in order to master writing.

I have these writing goals and opinions in mind, and I strive to meet these personal requirements, but I don’t always, which is the reason I am taking English 301. If you think my philosophy is in agreement with yours, please join me in learning and developing our writing skills. You can reach me at liutenghou@gmail.com. I hope to hear from you soon.

Sincecerely,
Leo Liu
ENGL301_LeoLiu_ApplicationLetter