Nicole's Blog

English 301 is an intensive writing course. It has been a fantastic learning experience, and my technical communication skills have strengthened through the process. Having experience in the professional world prior to starting this course, I assumed my professional writing skills were sufficient. However, I was surprised by the amount of improvement that I saw in my writing over the semester. Primarily, my writing has become more concise and clear. I am also able to write with a friendly, yet professional tone. Still, I am still looking to improve my time management skills, as assignments typically take me a long time to complete.

One of the final assignments was to create an application package. Composing an application package was a simple process for me. Being in the co-op program at UBC, I have already gone through the process of writing cover letters and updating my resume. So, the elements of the application package were essentially created prior to this assignment. I was able to use the skills I gained throughout English 301 to improve these documents through self-editing.

Overall, I found that I learned the most from the peer review process. I have gotten exceptional feedback from both of my peer reviewers, Harvey and David. Furthermore, my writing skills have improved through the process of reading and composing peer reviews. I initially struggled with being too concise, which meant my peer reviews lacked enough detail. So, Dr. Erika Paterson gave me helpful feedback on a past peer review and referred to an example of an excellent peer review on her blog page. I was able to use these comments to improve my final peer review, which ended up being one of my best works from this course.

I am excited about the progress I have made in my professional writing. These new skills are invaluable, and they will be put to use when I start my new co-op in September. Working in team settings is part of the Software Engineering process. I believe that my new skills for professional communication will reflect positively on myself to my employers, and set me apart from others.

Unit 3 has been an intense learning experience. Using the you-attitude to emphasize the reader’s needs was the central focus of this unit. The assignments were more difficult to complete in unit 3, and the due dates came quickly. Overall, this unit has been extremely practical to my writing and peer reviewing skills.

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The assignments in unit two were very engaging. My writing has improved immensely from the feedback that I have received by completing these assignments. Overall, unit two was more challenging than unit one, but it has been the most beneficial to my professional writing skills. Continue reading →

Climate change is driving the pursuit of clean energy solutions. As I have experience in the fuel cell industry, I chose to explain what a fuel cell is to the general public. Assignment 1:3 was straightforward. However, I found it difficult to make the document clear and concise. My in-depth knowledge of fuel cells makes it challenging to determine the level appropriate for non-technical readers. Additionally, in my efforts to make my writing more concise, I did not include enough detail for the reader. As this may have resulted in a confused audience, I had to seek a different approach for this assignment. I decided to imagine the questions that would be asked from a reader’s perspective and provide answers that could thoroughly explain the subject. Continue reading →

RE: Forming an English 301 team

Hello Dale,

Sorry for the delay in my response. It’s great to hear back from another BCS student. It’s always nice to meet people in my program.

The 15 years you spent as a magazine editor is impressive, and it should absolutely serve you well in this course as well as the BCS degree! I read your application letter and believe that we would make a great team, as hard work and collaboration are learning philosophies we share.

If the position is still open, I look forward to working with you and the rest of the team.

Best,
Nicole

RE: ENGL 301 Invitation to Professional Writing Team

Hello Brianna,

Thanks for your interest in my application. I have already accepted a position with another classmate, but I wish you the best of luck in finding your team!

Kind regards,
Nicole

RE: ENGL 301 Letter of Application – Invitation

Dear Danae,

It’s great to hear back from someone with such a different major than mine. I would love to join your team.

I reviewed your Letter of Application, and I absolutely agree with you, I think we will be able to mutually benefit from our diversity in educational backgrounds. Reading your letter, I appreciate the value you put towards creating a supportive team environment. I believe we have very compatible learning and teamwork expectations, which will serve us well throughout this semester.

Thank you for your prompt response to my Letter of Application, I look forward to working with you and the rest of the team.

Best,
Nicole White

Memo

To: Dr. Erika Paterson, English 301 Professor
From: Nicole White, English 301 Student
Date: May 30, 2022

Subject: Posting of Application Letter

As per the requirements of assignment 1, my application letter to the Technical Writing position has been posted on my blog page. 

The following summarizes the contents of the attached letter:

• overview of qualifications for this position
  
• academic background
• professional interests – work and volunteer history
• relevant strengths and weaknesses
• learning philosophy
• contact information

Please contact me if you have further questions or concerns.

Enclosure: Application Letter

301 Nicole White Application Letter

3451 Sawmill Cr
Vancouver, BC V5S
Canada

May 30th, 2022

English 301 Technical Writing Class
University of British Columbia
Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4
Canada

Subject: Professional Writing Team Member 

Dear English 301 Class, 

I am writing this letter in response to the professional writing position that was listed on the English 301 blog page. As a Bachelor of Computer Science student at UBC, with a previous degree in Chemistry, I have been a part of numerous successful teams. So, with the combination of both my academic background and enthusiastic work ethic, I am confident that I would make valuable contributions to your writing team.

After graduating from UVic, I spent a year working at Ballard Power Systems. As a research scientist, I kept meticulous organization and documentation of materials. With many of my coworkers working from home, communicating these details via email was something I became proficient with. Furthermore, I wrote numerous scientific reports, so I also became comfortable addressing an audience in a professional tone. In meeting people of so many diverse backgrounds from both my work and volunteer experience, I have gained excellent communication and interpersonal skills. I believe these skills will not only complement my future career in software development, but also be applicable to your team. 

I may lack the professional English and communications background, but as a current student in ENGL301 and CRWR200, I am working to improve my written communication skills. Learning plays an important role in my life, and it’s the primary reason I pursued a second degree. Patience and dedication are two characteristics I believe are important for success. By being a hard worker, I succeed in meeting project and assignment deadlines, which I believe is an important quality for a team member to have.

I am optimistic that I will be an excellent fit for this position. If you would like to discuss my fit as a part of your team, please contact me via email at nichwhi@gmail.com. Thank you for taking the time to consider me and I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,
Nicole

301 Nicole White Application Letter