Here is a link to my webfolio!
https://blogs.ubc.ca/webfoliopiper/
Thank you so much for teaching this course, I enjoyed it!
Author Archives: PiperKim
Unit 3 Reflection
Unit 3 of this course focused mainly on drafting the formal report as well as peer-reviewing. The drafting process consisted of gathering primary and secondary research, collecting data, and analyzing the data. Based on the analysis, a recommendation or solution needs to be made to the one receiving the formal report. This was tedious and research-intensive work.
The previous unit (unit 2) included the research proposal and outline. For me, this was an easier step to complete. However, putting everything together in one report was harder than I expected. For instance, the survey portion was the most difficult aspect for me. It was hard to find people to take the survey and I was worried that it would affect the results. Data was collected through the survey for one week. During that time, the first couple of days were slow, but I managed to get more results by spreading the survey link through my social media platform (Instagram). The majority of my followers live in the area of the ice cream shop, so I made sure that the results were affected.
Another obstacle I faced was the formatting. There was so much information that needed to be included but I was not sure how to place it in the report. However, it worked out in the end. Lastly, my time management for the draft was poor. I was not able to submit on time and was disappointed in myself for not following my writing schedule more strictly. Nonetheless, I did submit it a day later and was satisfied with my work!
For the most recent task — peer revision — my group and I switched our partners so everyone peer-reviewed someone that hadn’t before. I reviewed Leif Jack’s formal report and it was super interesting, yet long to read! This was my first time reviewing someone’s paper this lengthy — it was a new yet rewarding experience. Reading Leif’s report on managing the water crisis in Mission Creek helped me reflect on my report. I was able to consider the advice I gave him and incorporate them into mine. In addition, his feedback on my paper was helpful. While looking at his feedback, I noticed some technical elements that I could have fixed, added, or removed. Overall, this peer-revision process was a huge step toward the final report and I realized that with Leif’s suggestions, I will need to focus more on the final report.
Unit 2 Reflection
LinkedIn was an intimidating topic for me. Before this class, I already had a profile created with nothing posted. Since LinkedIn is a platform made for professionals, I felt unconfident with my profile since I did not know how to properly utilize the site. However, with unit 2 and my teammates’ suggestions and my research on common practices, I was able to dive deeper into the platform and produce a better profile. LinkedIn is a beneficial site and I have always wanted to be active on it. Although it is overwhelming, I think with more practice, it will be useful in the long run.
Moreover, this unit also included a lot of team-oriented assignments! I enjoy learning from other students and having a new set of eyes viewing my work. My proposal was peer-reviewed by Madison (vice-versa) and she was super helpful! She suggested new ways to phrase a sentence and caught a minor typo. While writing, I have a tendency to overuse certain words/phrases so having her peer-review my proposal was a huge assist to me. Her suggestions made my report more seamless and overall were things I would not have noticed until she pointed them out.
The aspect of peer-reviewing is enjoyable to me. Although receiving criticism is helpful, giving criticism to others is something I learned in this course. Reading Madison’s proposal was nice to intake. She had some minor errors but hopefully, I left suggestions that she can use in her final report. With peer revision, I also realized that her proposal question is quite different from mine so it will be interesting to see how she will proceed with her report.
Lastly, this unit was heavily focused on the formal report proposal. To be frank, the formal report scares me. Having to formulate a 12-15 page report based on your research and data is a lot. I have not written a report with just my research/data (along with my own question!) so this will be new for me. Regarding the most recent assignment, I had to plan a ‘working schedule’ with tentative dates and objectives. This report will be completed during a time crunch (about three weeks) so I am concerned with my time management. It will be time-consuming and tedious, but I will make sure to stay on top of things and set aside time solely for this report. I will begin posting my online survey in a day or two, marking the commencement of this report! Completing this assignment will be an interesting and new milestone for me as a student.
Below I have attached my revised formal report proposal as well as Madison’s peer review.
Unit 1 Refection
The first unit of this course was a learning experience for me. It introduced me to what technical and professional writing is and what I should expect from an intensive English course. The application letter assignment was a good awakening for myself. I had to figure out my qualities and strengths to put myself out there as a potential group member. I found writing emails to prospective group members to be a helpful assignment. I learned to be able to write professionally while maintaining a friendly tone. In addition, I realized the importance of checking your emails frequently and replying to them as soon as possible!
As for the recent assignment, I found the definitions to be the most helpful in my grammar and essay organization. This assignment expanded my knowledge in the different types of definitions as well as being able to write something that can be understood by non-technical readers. I found that portion a little difficult because I had to put myself in the reader’s perspective and use less-difficult phrases/examples (as the readers should have little to no knowledge about the subject I was defining). As a result, I was more careful in choosing my expansion strategies and visuals that was able to show the readers what democracy actually is. In the end, I believe that I was able to successfully conveyed my definition to the audience.
Lastly, I found the peer review process very helpful to me and my writing. I was able to read my other group members’ work and how they it differently than mine (content, formatting… etc.). My partner was Konstantin Mestnikov and he effectively defined what high-density lipoproteins were. I found his definitions to be well-thought out and he wrote it in a way for me to easily understand a scientific term. His writing was efficient but he still had room for improvements. Before this assignment, I don’t often peer-review my peers’ work so this was a learning experience.
Receiving feedback from Konstantin greatly improved my writing. Thanks to Konstantin, I realized that I was missing a portion of the assignment and I was able to fix it. I know grammar isn’t my strongest suit so Konstantin’s suggestions were super helpful. For example, removing unnecessary sentences, adding articles, and organizing my sub headings were all proposals made by Konstantin. After re-editing my definition, I believe that non-technical readers will have a better understanding of what democracy is.
Revised Defintion: REVISED Assignment 1.3 — Piper Kim
Konstantin’s Peer Review: Konstantin Peer Review of Piper Kim’s Definition
Email to Jeemin Kim
Hello Jeemin,
I hope you are doing well! My name is Piper Kim and after reading your application letter, I am interested in joining your writing team if you haven’t formed one yet.
I believe that your job at your previous university proves that you have an asset that will be beneficial in future ENGL301 assignments. In addition, I believe that we share similar professional interests as well as have the same view on work ethics.
I have attached my application letter down below. If you are interested in working in a team with me, please let me know! My email is piperkim13@gmail.com. Feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.
I am looking forward to hearing from you!
Thank you,
Piper
Email to Anushka
Hello Anushka,
Thank you for expressing your interest in joining my writing team. I apologize for the late email, but I am still available to join your team if you still haven’t formed one yet.
After reading your application, I also believe that we share many of the same experiences and goals. As for our potential group, I believe that your strengths will balance my weaknesses well. Although I try my best to be creative, I still lack imagination. However, once an idea is discussed, I am able to build off of it and maintain a logical, coherent flow.
That being said, I would love to be a part of your team. Please let me know if you haven’t found a group yet and are still interested in forming one together.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Thank you,
Piper
Email to Chris Jung
Hello Chris,
Thank you for reading my application and expressing interest in being apart of my writing team. I am happy to inform you that after reviewing your application, I am also interested in joining your writing team,
Your previous experience as a professional mechanical design engineer impressed me. I believe that the job you had entailed useful skills that will help us in this course. In addition, the strengths you listed in your application makes me believe that we will be able to work together well.
I apologize for the late response to your email, and understand if you already found your other team members. However, if you did not already form your writing team yet, I would love to be apart of it.
Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and we can further discuss this matter.
I am looking forward to your response.
Thank you,
Piper
Memo
To: Dr. Erika Paterson, ENGL301 Professor
From: Piper Kim, ENGL301 Student
Date: May 30, 2022
Subject: Piper Kim’s ENGL301 Application Letter
Hello Professor Paterson,
I am notifying you that my application letter has been posted on my UBC ENGL 301 blog. In my letter, I highlighted the following information:
- Quick introduction of myself
- My academic career at UBC
- Previous work experiences and volunteer work
- My strengths and skills as a potential group member
Please let me know if my application letter is in need of revisions. For better viewing, I have attached my application down below.
Thank you,
Piper Kim
Attached File: 301 Piper Application Letter
Copy of Memo:301 Piper’s Memo
Application Letter
570 Grandview Terrace
Leonia, NJ 07605
May 30, 2022
piperkim13@gmail.com
Hello Class of English 301,
My name is Piper Kim and I am proposing myself as a potential group member to you all in this application letter. I believe that I hold many positive attributions (which I will further discuss) that will be useful for our possible group.
Some information about myself is that I am from New Jersey but hold dual citizenship (USA and Canada). I will graduate next May with a BA in Political Science with a focus on journalism and communications/PR. After completing my bachelor’s, I intend on going to grad school either at UBC or McGill for an MBA. Once I finish all my education, I hope to venture off into the business industry as a Public Relations specialist.
Throughout my years at UBC, I have taken a majority of political science courses. In these courses, I have written tons of essays that range from research-based to comparative book reviews. With that said, I am confident in my writing skills. This strength of mine will be reflected in our group assignments. Adding on, I have also completed a handful of commerce courses in which I had to join semester-long groups with meetings in-person and on Zoom. I am a creative person that interacts and communicates well with my other peers. In these group projects, I helped schedule meetings and divided roles based on what best suited one’s expertise. In the end, I maintained a friendly yet professional relationship with my group members and was able to complete our projects without any difficulties.
Aside from my academics, I am a hard worker. I have worked part-time jobs since high school and am a current manager at my local ice cream shop. In my job, I oversee 20+ employees and handle inventory, train new workers, and deal with more responsibilities than a typical employee. Along with my job, I also participated in various volunteer work. For example, I volunteered at a summer camp for my town in which I had to lead a small group of 3rd and 4th graders. As a result of my past work, I know I can prove myself to be a diligent and studious group member.
Based on my previous experiences, I believe that I will be a great addition to your group because of my work ethic and competence. Although I may procrastinate and my grammar may not always be correct, I do complete my assignments on time and will always be open to criticism. Moreover, I will not disrupt anyone’s work, but be of assistance to anyone that needs it.
I believe that I will be an ideal candidate for your group. If you are interested, please connect with me through my email, piperkim13@gmail.com. I am looking forward to meeting you all soon.
Warm regards,
Piper Kim