First Steps in the Formal Report: A Reflection
Writing the draft for the formal report in Unit three was helpful for addressing the areas that can be improved before I submit the final draft. Firstly, I will need to complete the data section and conclusion sections by analyzing the findings of my research, and by offering an analysis of those findings using the secondary sources included in my report.
One activity I particularly enjoyed during Unit Three was writing professional emails and learning how to write with “YOU” attitude. Email is perhaps the most used form of communication among co-workers and being able to write effectively and persuasively is an important skill to develop. Prior to learning about “YOU” attitude, I had underestimated the effect that tone has in an email. Email is an impersonal form of communication and invites the risk of being misunderstood. It is maximally important to write with a friendly, but professional tone. Keeping the “YOU” attitude in mind when I draft emails in the future will help me to develop strong dialogues with coworkers.
As for the peer review process, I was quite impressed with the review that Eva gave me. She offered many small fixes to my writing that will improve the clarity of the report. Having someone else read my work has pointed out the sentences which do not read as clear as they were intended to be. On the other hand, peer-reviewing Esteban was a useful activity because it gave me a chance to read another person’s report and to witness the strategies that have been effective for him in his writing. For example, Esteban’s data section was particularly informative and easy-to-follow. The presentation of the data supports the overall argument of his report and I will try to follow his lead as it results to the data section in the report.
With all that being said, I am excited to finish and submit my final report.