Melodie Lu's Web Folio and Blog

As a final self-reflection assessment, I aim to discuss weaknesses and strengths in my own learning process and assignments, as well as how my skills and strengths as a student can help support my future career and educational goals. Looking back over the course of the term, I feel that I have gained a lot of knowledge about technical writing, and I appreciate the feedback that my classmates provided about my assignments. For example, in Unit 1 I learned so much about how to write appropriately for a specific audience and take constructive feedback into consideration, which helped to significantly improve my work. I also enjoyed reading other people’s work and offering my own feedback and suggestions for improvement that they could incorporate into their writing. Having a closed loop on the feedback by making edits based on others’ suggestions also made me realize the weaknesses that I could improve upon in my writing. For example, I found that one weakness I have is that sometimes I would make assumptions about the reader’s knowledge of the subject matter of my writing, which can be very scientific at times. Not everyone understands the same level of detail or has the knowledge about the subject matter of the various scientific courses I have taken, and this was evident in my definitions assignment.

Furthermore, having my writing broken down into small chunks and viewing them from another perspective was extremely helpful in reviewing my work. The suggestions that I received on making the technical language much simpler allowed me to think deeply about my writing from the reader’s perspective, and to remember to utilize this strategy each time I wrote a new piece going forward. I was also able to gain exposure to new tools, such as LinkedIn, to expand my network on social media while highlighting my skills and qualifications for future volunteer and job opportunities. This is a great tool to use because you can do so much with it, and it’s a simple process that’s easy to follow with the ability to add an online portfolio, accomplishments, and so on in addition to education, work experience, and volunteering information.

From a research perspective, the final project I completed on Bath and Body Works really opened up my eyes to a new methodology that could help assist a company in improving their corporate social responsibility and environmental practices. These are causes that are of great importance to me, and I was able to use my scientific research methodologies learned in my science courses, change the point of view by thinking about how the consumers would respond, and incorporate the survey feedback into my final report. I believe that this was a great strength I was able to use and a wonderful opportunity for me to learn about different types of research that can assist a social cause. Although the number of responses was lower than I had hoped, I think that this information can provide Dina, the store manager at the Metrotown Bath and Body Works location, with some informative insight into the customers who shop there and what is important to them.

Overall, I really enjoyed the various assignments that I worked on throughout the term and believe that my skills have greatly improved as a result. ENG 301 is a course that every student should take to help them understand how the ‘you attitude’ is of the utmost importance in any writing that they do, whether in their educational pursuits or future careers. For me, I believe that this will greatly enhance my communications skills with others as I pursue a Master of Science in Genome Science and Technology (GSAT). In this graduate program, a certain level of capability in writing is necessary to pass the courses and graduate, so the skills I have learned will be essential components of my skill set going forward.

The process of creating my web folio was a bit tricky at times, as I had to learn new skills to be able to properly reference my reflections, upload files, and create hyperlinks. With a background in the field of science, I hadn’t had much exposure to web design and blogging, so this was an initial weakness for me. However, it was a great learning opportunity to expand my skills and knowledge in new areas, and I enjoyed learning how to showcase my work online.

One of my strengths in the creation of the web folio was having a certain comfort level with computers and various software applications, so it was not as large a learning curve as I had originally expected. It was also great to be able to reference what other students were doing with their own folios and to see the level of creativity that was exhibited. Overall, this was a great way to use a different method of communicating with others and I believe that having an online portfolio will come in very handy for my future educational pursuits and career endeavours. It’s always nice when you can simply include a link within your resume that has examples of past work, links to a blog and LinkedIn, and a little bit about oneself that can give future potential employers a little more in-depth knowledge. Having a web folio is something that I hadn’t considered doing in the past, but now that I understand how to set one up, I will continue to use this feature going forward.

This reflection blog summarizes the work completed and the things I have learned in Unit 3. The following gives an overview of the topics in Unit 3 with hyperlinks to the web page from ENGL 301:

Lesson 3.1: Writing with the Right Attitude

Lesson 3.2: Drafting Formal Reports

Lesson 3.3: Review and Reflect: Reading your Formal Reports & planning for the future

The main focus of my final research study and formal report has been Bath and Body Works’ Metrotown location in Burnaby. The store currently does not have a formal recycling program, for which there is a potential for negative impacts on the environment, customer perceptions, and competitiveness in the marketplace. The entire process of organizing the outline for my research project, writing the initial questions to investigate, conducting the study, and figuring out the takeaways and key insights from the results has been a very interesting and rewarding experience. I’ve learned that it takes a lot of patience to collect the data and once received, the analysis portion is of the utmost importance; that is what will drive insights and recommendations. I’m still working through the secondary research analysis to help inform strategies that the store can consider employing, and I’ve also realized the limitations of the study. For instance, further research could be conducted should the store manager and employees wish to better understand current and potential customers’ points of view on the importance of a recycling program, possible future usage, storage in the store, policies, incentives, and so on through focus groups or other means. It would also be interesting to survey customers of other competing stores to ensure understanding about the reasons why they shop there, whether the environmental concerns have an impact on their choice of retailer, and any other factors that may prove useful for Bath and Body Works.

The Writing with You Attitude assignment and peer review really made me consider how to write with the audience’s point of view as top-of-mind. It also made me think deeply about how the way one writes will certainly have an impact on how the reader will interpret and respond to the writing. In reviewing Ruth’s memo to the student who was trying to register for a class, she had some really great ideas that I can take away and incorporate into my own writing. For example, the subject line of “Strategies for Writing to Professors” was clear and concise, and showed that Ruth wanted to assist the student, not criticize. She also offered a genuine willingness to help the student further if needed, which was a great way to end the memo.

I’ve definitely learned a lot by working my way through Unit 3, and I look forward to Unit 4!

This reflection blog summarizes the work completed and the things I have learned in Unit 3. The following gives an overview of the topics in Unit 3 with hyperlinks to the web page from ENGL 301:

Lesson 2.1: Formal Report & Proposal writing

Lesson 2.2: Networking and Resume Building

Lesson 2.3: Outlines and Progress Reports

During the process of creating my LinkedIn profile, I discovered that this website has a lot to offer to students and professionals from a networking and contact-building perspective, and it can be a great way to find new job opportunities. I found that it was easy to use, intuitive, and provides a platform for me to get my name and work history out there in the world. After receiving feedback on my profile from Ruth, I realized that there were many other ways that I could improve upon my profile. This includes items such as re-wording jargon to more common terms, re-arranging my skill sets to show my top priorities first, and adding other courses to my profile to show breadth and depth of knowledge.

With regards to my final report proposal and outline, I had to consider many factors and the significance of my topic – not just to me, but to various groups of stakeholders. As a student with a background in sciences and biology, this was somewhat out of my comfort zone and allowed me to open my mind to new concepts and processes. As someone who cares deeply about the environment, I was surprised to discover that Bath and Body Works doesn’t have a formal recycling program for waste within its stores. This was something that I thought I could lend a hand with in doing primary and secondary research for the benefit of the store, its customers and the environment overall. I’m happy with my topic selection and eager to start the research component. I don’t have questions about how the research will become a formal report, but I expect to encounter challenges as I navigate through the process.

When I reviewed Justin’s report proposal, I learned new things about possible process improvements and efficiencies that could be implemented at the UBC Bookstore. His proposal was well-defined and thorough, and I believe that providing an option to purchase digital custom course packages would be welcomed by students. I hope that my feedback on his topic was constructive and that Justin will find it helpful in making modifications for his next draft.

In reviewing my team’s writing forum, I have been able to see a variety of topics from new angles and perspectives that I may not have considered otherwise. I’ve been impressed with what I’ve read so far in my colleagues’ work and it has allowed me to open up to new ways of writing that are not as technical as what I’m accustomed to. In addition, being part of a team has made me feel like my opinions are valued and that my ideas and feedback will be taken into consideration. I believe that my own writing has improved since beginning this course, and the team writing forum has played a large part in my own development.

The link to the peer review of the formal proposal by Ruth Benjamin can be found here.

The link to there revised version of the formal proposal can be found 2.1- Proposal_revised according to peer review.

This reflection blog summarizes the work completed and the things I have learned in Unit 3. The following gives an overview of the topics in Unit 3 with hyperlinks to the web page from ENGL 301:

Lesson 1.1:  Introduction and Setting Up Student Blogs

Lesson 1.2: Specific Documents: letters, memos, emails

Lesson 1.3: Definitions and Peer Review

During the process of writing the original document, receiving feedback on my own work, and editing based on Jordan’s suggestions, I learned a lot about how to write appropriately for a specific audience and take constructive feedback into consideration to significantly improve my work.  Using different methods of writing definitions to explain the topic allowed me to realize how these definitions need to be broken down into simpler terms, and not to make assumptions on the readers’ level of knowledge about the subject.

I liked how the expanded definition can include a format of ‘question and answer’ that allowed me to first ask a question, then answer it for the reader in terms that are descriptive, yet not overly complicated. While Jordan liked the format of the expanded definition section, he pointed out that I used quite a bit of jargon in my writing. That is something I will definitely take note of for the future.  Jargon, while understood by some, is not appropriate for an audience who may have little to no knowledge of a particular subject. Because my assignment is based on phylogeny, I truly must consider the topic and how the reader will interpret this based on a limited understanding; therefore, I need to use words that are simple to comprehend.

I found Jordan’s suggestions very valuable and I updated my assignment based on his feedback. I think that removing the jargon and using his ideas about wording allowed me to simplify the writing so that all audiences can understand the basics of this topic.

Conducting the peer review was an interesting exercise because it allowed me to read someone else’s work and provide suggestions to improve it and ensure that the information was coming across in a simple way to the audience.  Breaking things down and viewing them from another perspective was extremely helpful in reviewing my own work, as well as (hopefully) aiding my peer with some suggestions for improvement. In looking at Ruth’s work, I highlighted what she did well and provided some feedback as to how to enable the audience to better understand relational databases. The suggestions centred on ensuring that the primary or unique key is mentioned within the parenthetical definition, providing consistency in the terms used (relational database versus database), and describing how to access the information as well as who uses it in their jobs.

Overall what I learned is that essentially, when you think about the writing and editing from two different points of view, i.e. the writer versus the reader/editor, it opens up your mind to various ways of looking at what is being presented in the writing.

Link to Peer’s Review – by Jordan Bhullar

Definition of phylogeny- Revised

English 301

University of British Columbia

2329 West Mall

Vancouver, BC

V6T 1Z4

Dear Fellow Students of ENGL 301:

SUBJECT: Letter of Application in Search of a Professional Writing Team within ENGL 301

In my past experience as an Outreach Coordinator, Veterinary Clinic Assistant and Receptionist, I may fulfill the requirements for a position within your professional writing team. With many transferable skills that I have obtained through my university studies in the program of Applied Animal Biology, I believe I am the appropriate candidate for your team.

My experience includes, but is not limited to, communication with sponsors and potential sponsor partners through emails and letters, summarizing complaints regarding various patients’ conditions, and explaining treatment procedures to clients through effective oral and written communication. In addition, I am experienced in writing scientific papers through my academic path, which requires high attention to detail, precise and effective phrasing, and strict formatting of APA or other citation styles.

In all of my positions, I have been working and learning under pressure while meeting multiple simultaneous deadlines. It is through these opportunities that I believe I have been able to excel in time management and in producing writings that are precise and audience-appropriate. Moreover, I have learned the importance of teamwork and I am a reliable partner who is willing to work together as a team to reach common goals. I place heavy emphasis on the quality, rather than the quantity, of the work being submitted.

I would say that my weaknesses are being a perfectionist as well as having learned English as a second language. However, my learning philosophy is to engage in lifelong learning through every opportunity that is presented to me, and to utilize my skills and knowledge in a meaningful way.

If you share the same work ethics and feel that I could make a significant contribution to your group, please do not hesitate to contact me at lu.melodie@gmail.com.

I would be honoured to answer any questions you may have and thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Melodie Lu

301 Melodie Lu Application Letter