Unit Three Reflection Blog

Miranda Hoang

July 19, 2021

Reflection on the process of researching, organizing, and writing the formal report draft:

For 301 ENGL Assignment 3:2, we were asked to write a draft of our formal report. Prior to this course I was not even sure I knew what a formal report was. After reading the text and the instructor’s blog, I realized I was in for an exciting challenge. The formal report is an essential component to workplace problem solving. My goal in researching and organizing the formal report draft was to gather the necessary information needed to present to the reader. My proposal is addressed to Gurbaz Sandhu Dentist/Owner of Spencer Dentistry and is investigating the issue of diagnosing and referring the periodontally involved client within the practice. My primary research for this proposal was in the form of survey questions that I developed to gain an understanding of where other Dental Hygienists in Ontario stand on this issue. My hope was that the result of the survey would support my recommendations to Dr Sandhu and the practice. Once the survey questions had been approved, they were distributed to 22 practicing dental hygienists in Ontario. I was pleasantly surprised as I had 90% response rate within 24 hours. This information confirmed that there were improvements that could be made at Spencer Dentistry to calibrate the clinicians on diagnosis, as well as the referral process. Next, I dug into the secondary research to further support the proposal. I pulled information from the RCDSO, CDHO, ODA, CDHA, and most importantly the AAP (American Academy of Periodontology) to aid in constructing a list of recommendations that Spencer Dentistry can utilize moving forward, to ensure all patients are receiving a proper periodontal diagnosis and prompt periodontal referral when needed. When constructing the draft, I tried to ensure the document was professional, and respectful. As I am learning, presenting a YOU attitude, as well as avoid any negative tone is an important skill for any technical writer.

Reflection on Partner Peer Review:

We were asked to complete a peer review of our partner’s draft of their formal report. I had the pleasure of reviewing Shahd Khudher’s draft as well as accept constructive, valuable feedback from her on my own draft. Shahd formulated a well organized, detailed draft with the subject of improving infection control protocol within the orthodontic clinic after the covid-19 pandemic. As a fellow oral health professional, I can appreciate her passion for this topic and understand the importance of such a subject. The pandemic has placed a lot of extra stress on everyone, and dental professionals are no exception. I have enjoyed the peer review process during this course as it has allowed me to look at my partners work through a different lens causing me to reflect and improve on my own work.  For this peer review we were asked to give our partner constructive and balanced feedback, employing a YOU attitude throughout the review. The YOU attitude is a work in progress for me, but I am starting to assess documents in a different manner as I gain confidence with this aspect of writing. In reviewing Shahd’s draft, I tried to look at the overall document and give advice on how to enhance the final report. I reviewed the report for content, organization, design, and style offering praise for a job well done, as well as minor suggestions for the final draft. I appreciate the opportunity to be a member of the RDH Writers team, as I have learned a lot from reviewing their technical writing assignments, which has allowed me to reflect on my own writing style, making adjustments and improvements where necessary.

Below is a copy of the first draft of my Formal report

301 Miranda Hoang Formal Report Draft

Unit Two Reflection Blog

Miranda Hoang

June 27, 2021

Reflection on the process of Researching LinkedIn:

For 301 ENGL Assignment 2:2, we were asked to write a memo to our team summarizing our research concerning best practices for professional networking on LinkedIn. This assignment was a challenging one for me because I have never navigated the LinkedIn site, nor was I fully aware of its uses. This assignment has proven to be beneficial because I was able to investigate best practices which will help in determining if this networking site is suitable for me and my future career goals. Professional social media networking can be a great strategy to make connections and further your career. This can be advantageous because you no longer need to wait for the next networking event, with sites like LinkedIn, you can network anytime and anywhere from the convenience of your devices. Research shows that employers prefer to hire people they have connections with, and networking using LinkedIn is a form of building connections and relationship building. When deciding if I will utilize LinkedIn in the future, I will consider the pros and cons of networking online.

Reflection on preparing the Formal Report Proposal and Outline:

For 301 ENGL Assignment 2:1, we were asked to investigate a deficiency in a public setting of which we have recently been a part of. For me, the logical choice of setting was Spencer Dentistry because this has been my fulltime place of employment for 8 years. Next, we were to specify which problem or deficiency we could usefully explore and analyze to help improve through reasonable recommendations for change. With the addition of new staff, and the current uncertainty navigating the new AAP Periodontal classifications, I determined that there is a need for training on the abovementioned classifications as well as a need to develop a step-by-step approach for diagnosing and referring the periodontally involved patient. The final objective is that this approach could be utilized by staff both new and old. There is a common goal among the dental team at Spencer Dentistry to provide treatment that is only for the betterment of the patient, therefore this topic is of great interest to all, and I will be able explore objectively. After creating the outline for the report, it is easier to see how it will all come together. Once the survey questions have been approved, they will be distributed with the hopes that the results from the survey will support the proposal. Creating a Formal Report is essential when recommending implementing changes in the workplace and is a valuable component to workplace problem solving. This skill is one that will only advance my professional career.

Reflection on Partner Peer Review:

We were asked to complete a peer review of our partners Formal Report Proposal. I had the pleasure of reviewing Gabriella Meroli Assad’s Formal Proposal as well as accept constructive, valuable feedback from her on my own Proposal. Gabriella constructed a concise document proposing an increase in oral health education of UBC Medical Students. Peer review is a valuable aspect of professional writing as it allowed me to look at my partners work and reflect on my own. Gabriella created a beautifully detailed initial draft of her proposal. Gabriella followed all the assignment requirements closely and clearly identified the setting and deficiency and chose a topic relevant to her qualifications. Reading the proposal through the lens of a dental professional I was able to offer constructive feedback for minor areas of clarification and improvement. Reading Gabriella’s Proposal was a privilege, which demonstrated areas within my own proposal that needed improvement. The peer review process, along with the opportunity to assess the writing techniques of fellow members of the RDH Writers team has provided insight into what it takes to be a professional, technical writer. I am grateful for the opportunity to work alongside this team and feel confident that the high caliber of writing that they deliver will positively impact my own writing technique.

Link to Peer Review:

https://blogs.ubc.ca/engl301-98a-2021sa/2021/06/18/peer-review-on-formal-proposal/

Link to the revised Report Proposal:

301 Miranda Hoang Formal Report Proposal

Link to Formal Report Outline:

301 Miranda Hoang Formal Report Outline

Unit One Reflection Blog

Miranda Hoang

June 6, 2021

Reflection on original writing: 

For Unit One of ENGL 301 we were asked to study and practice writing techniques for definitions. We were asked to choose a relatively complex term used in our profession and rewrite the term using a parenthetical definition, a sentence definition, and an expanded definition for the nontechnical reader. This was a difficult task for me as I do not have a lot of experience writing definitions for nontechnical readers. In the dental hygiene profession we are often require to explain a sign, symptom or condition to a patient using layman’s terms, however writing out the definition posed another set of challenges.  The term I chose to define was xerostomia (dry mouth).  This term is frequently used in the dental setting, however I would imagine anyone who doesn’t not have a general medical/dental background would be unfamiliar with this term.  The first step in this process for me was to read the text Technical Communications to familiarize myself with these definitions.  A parenthetical definition can clarify the meaning of a word by using a more familiar synonym or a clarifying phrase in parentheses. A sentence definition is used when a term requires more elaboration. And, lastly an expanded definition is used when a document requires more detail and your audience and purpose must be determined.  For the expanded definition of the term xerostomia I had to decide which four methods I wanted to use to adequately define this term.  This process was more challenging then I anticipated but after completing my initial draft I felt a sense of accomplishment and felt I had learned something. It is a skill to be able to take a technical term and break it down for the nontechnical reader and this skill will prove to be useful in my future endeavors in academia.

Reflection on review process:

For the next step of this assignment we were asked to complete a peer review. I had the pleasure of reviewing Simone Harris-Evans definitions assignment, as well as accept constructive criticism from her of my own work.  This part of the assignment was a very important and valuable part as it allowed me to look at my partners work and reflect on my own.  Simone provided an excellent initial draft of the definitions assignment, and provided strong examples for defining her chosen term. Taking the perspective of the technical and nontechnical reader I was able to offer my partner constructive feedback for slight areas of improvement. By reviewing her work using the guidelines and steps provided for peer reviews I was able to see where my work fell short and areas where I needed improvement as well.  Simone was able to review my document and offer feedback on minor errors and areas of improvement which allowed me to submit an improved final draft for this assignment. This process has further developed my skills of reviewing work through an analytical lens and I feel more confident offering feedback moving forward.

Reflection on editing process:

After I received the peer review of my initial draft from my partner I was able to go back and look at my work and the suggestions that were given. I found that by completing my review of Simone’s work and reading the feedback that I was given allowed me to look at my definitions from a completely different lens, and make adjustments accordingly based on what I learned. I was grateful to have been partnered up with a strong student such as Simone and I am thankful for the constructive criticism I was given.  I was able to find areas of my document that didn’t clarify my chosen term properly, improve my sentence definition, and select an image that was more appropriate to my definition. I am unfamiliar with MLA referencing style so I was able to complete some research and strengthen the referencing and citing of my document.  In conclusion, the value of the peer review process is immeasurable, and has improved my technical writing skills.

Link below of the peer review of my initial assignment 1:3

https://blogs.ubc.ca/engl301-98a-2021sa/2021/06/04/peer-review-of-definitions/

Link below of my edited version of assignment 1:3

ENGL Definitions

May 31, 2021

To: Gabriella Meroli Assad

From: Miranda Hoang

Re: Formation of a dynamic technical writing team

Dear Gabriella,

I am sending you this email in hopes that you will consider joining me to become a part of a writing team for ENGL 301 this summer.

I would like to start off by thanking you for your professionally written application letter. The quality of work you have shown thus far is excellent. As you indicated in your letter you are a teamwork enthusiast, and this is exactly what every great team needs. Your experience in academia and professional collaboration will be a huge asset to our team. We have similar qualifications and goals which will allow us to work in a cohesive manner.

I am looking forward to working along side you as we complete the required tasks for this course. I have attached a copy of my application letter and welcome the opportunity to discuss forming a team with you at your earliest convenience.

I can be reached at mhoang3@student.ubc.ca.

Sincerely,

Miranda

—————————————————————————————————————————-

May 31, 2021

To: Simone Harris

From: Miranda Hoang

Re: Formation of a dynamic technical writing team

Dear Simone,

I am sending you this email in hopes that you will consider joining me to become a part of a writing team for ENGL 301 this summer.

I would like to start off by praising you on a professionally written application letter. The degree of excellence you present thus far is inspiring. As you indicated in your letter, your contributions to the writing team include high standards of performance, interpersonal skills, attention to detail, as well as working well under high pressure situations, these are the kind of qualities that any team could benefit from. I noticed we have similar qualifications and goals which will allow us to work in a cohesive manner.

I am looking forward to getting to know you this term and working along side you as we complete the required tasks for this course. I have attached a copy of my application letter and welcome the opportunity to discuss forming a team with you at your earliest convenience.

I can be reached at mhoang3@student.ubc.ca.

Sincerely,

Miranda

————————————————————————————————————————-

May 31, 2021

To: Shahd Khudher

From: Miranda Hoang

Re: Formation of a dynamic technical writing team

Dear Shahd,

I am sending you this email in hopes that you will consider joining me to become a part of a writing team for ENGL 301 this summer.

Thank you for your application letter, as you said, writing skills can transform an ordinary letter into an impressive message and you did just that with yours. I agree with you, communication is an important part of life, and with your accumulative experience, and expertise as well as your knowledge gained in previous English courses, we can make a dynamic team. I too have a background in communication with other professionals, as well as writing reports and portfolios. This compatibility will enable us to work together towards successful completion of this course.

I am looking forward to working along side you as we complete the required tasks for ENGL 301. I have attached a copy of my application letter and welcome the opportunity to discuss forming a team with you at your earliest convenience.

I can be reached at mhoang3@student.ubc.ca.

Sincerely,

Miranda

MEMORANDUM

Date: May 23, 2021

To: Professor Paterson

From: Miranda Hoang

Re: 301 Application letter

As per your request, I am writing to inform you of the application letter I have written to the class requesting to become an integral role of a creative writing team.  Through my years of experience working in health care, I have acquired a unique skill set that can be transferable to any team. These qualities include:

• Reliable
• Dedicated team member
• Ability to multitask
• Great organizational skills

Thank you for facilitating the formation of our writing teams. If there is anything else required of me please let me know.

301 Miranda Hoang Application Letter

Miranda Hoang

mhoang3@student.ubc.ca

Course: ENGL 301

Instructor: Erika Patterson

UBC

May 23, 2021

Dear Fellow English 301 Team Members,

Are you looking for an enthusiastic, and reliable team member? Then please consider my application letter to become an integral role in your English 301 Technical Writing Team. With 19 years of experience working in the dental industry I feel I am equipped to bring a different angle and skill set to our writing assignments that will be of great use to our team.

My experience as a part time student while working full time and raising a family requires a lot of hard work and organizational skills, and I am willing to do what is required of me to accomplish the task.  In both my work and school setting, I have experience working as a team member and I am dedicated to giving my team my best effort. I enjoy working collaboratively and look forward to learning from each other as we work through the course.

If your team is looking for someone who is a hard working, encouraging, and a dedicated team member please contact me at mhoang3@student.ubc.ca.

Warmest regards,

Miranda Hoang

301 Miranda Hoang Application Letter