Unit One: Introduction to Technical Writing
In our ENGL 301 lesson 1.3 assignment, we were tasked with defining a term in three forms, including parenthetical, sentence, and expanded definitions, using at least four expansion strategies, one of which had to be visual. The goal of this assignment was to inform a “non-technical” audience about the selected term, as referenced by the assigned textbook pages. As someone accustomed to academic writing and technical vocabulary, I struggled to reduce the term to a simple explanation for my target audience of business professionals.
Despite this challenge, I chose to define the term “cultural capital,” which I had a strong understanding of from previous classes. Each definition structure served a different purpose in conveying the meaning of the term. A parenthetical definition offered a concise explanation, while a sentence definition provided more in-depth information. An expanded definition provided a comprehensive look at a term through various methods, such as historical context or visual explanation. This assignment taught me that different forms of definition could be used to convey unique insights into a term, with the intent to inform the reader.
Peer Review Process
During the peer review process, I had the opportunity to review Gareth Yuen’s work on a scientific term, which highlighted the difference in defining a theoretical term, like the one I had chosen. I found that an analysis of parts was the most effective definition for Gareth’s term, as it clearly described the different components of the blowback method’s mechanism. Meanwhile, for cultural capital, I found the visual to be most effective in breaking down the term into simple and easy-to-understand categories. The peer review process was helpful in receiving valuable feedback and learning how to review another’s work critically and objectively, with the intent to support their work.
In the editing process, I incorporated the constructive feedback received, such as bolding headings and subheadings, ensuring consistency in terminology, and avoiding confusing the audience. This process helped me look at my work from a different perspective and develop the confidence to offer constructive criticism, while also being open-minded to other people’s opinions. Ultimately, this assignment helped me to refine my communication skills and to approach defining terms in a more concise and effective manner.
Unit Two: Effective Strategies for Developing Formal Reports & Application Packages
In Unit Two, I was tasked with developing a topic for a formal report. After receiving feedback from my instructor, I wrote a revised formal report proposal, a formal report outline, and a progress report, all in different formats, including email memorandums and documents. In addition, I reviewed my fellow groupmate Gareth’s formal report proposal. Lastly, I wrote a memorandum on the top 10 LinkedIn practices.
This unit highlighted my progress in developing technical writing skills and areas where I need to improve.
LinkedIn Profile
This exercise was shorter than other assignments but was a great learning opportunity. Firstly, in terms of professional development, I learned tips on maximizing my usage of LinkedIn, most notably how I can increase my visibility by reacting and commenting on posts. Secondly, regarding academic development, I learned how to convey ideas using clear and concise wording due to the 300-word count. I will continue to use and develop this skill in future assignments.
Report Proposal and Outline
I started my assignment with confidence in my proposal idea of ‘Expanding Culturally Informed Food Security Approach for the South Vancouver Food Hub,’ however upon receiving feedback from the instructor as well as the comments made by my peer in the review, I recognized that this topic, while ambitious, may not be appropriate for this project. As such, I switched to a more straightforward topic I am passionate about and well versed in, but simple enough; mental programs for newcomer youth. I chose this topic because I deal with it frequently in my professional career.
By changing the topic, I could better visualize how the formal report will be executed compared to the previous topic I had chosen. I also conducted extensive background information about mental health services for newcomer populations to articulate myself better in the proposal. In my formal review, I will use the literature from my initial investigation to provide context about the importance of mental health services for the mental well-being of newcomer youth, as well as to propose ways to improve them, and finally, to contextualize the findings generated by the primary data source.
Peer Review
My peer’s idea was quite simple yet an overlooked component in road safety. He effectively conveyed his idea in a few paragraphs. In reviewing my peer’s work for unit two, I found it more challenging as his proposal was clear and concise and did not have significant grammatical errors. As such, I believed there was no room for recommendations. I also neglected to add a proper first impression section as noted by our instructor. I tried to provide suggestions for expanding the data collection method but went outside the requirements of what I was assigned to do and received a poor mark. After this process, I learned to read the assignment guidelines carefully and not deviate from them.
After reading my peer review, I recognized minor grammatical errors that I had overlooked, which impacted the overall quality of my proposal. It showed me the importance of proofreading and re-writing sentences to be more conscious, noting that complex terminology does not elevate my work, but precise language does. Because I changed my topic, I did not receive a peer review of my updated proposal.
Unit Three: Drafting Formal Reports and Refining Writing Strategies for Job Applications
For this Unit, two key assignments were to complete; drafting the formal report and peer reviewing a group member’s formal report.
I wanted to take a step back and focus on the basics of writing, improving my use of imperative verbs and revising the YOU attitude to avoid small mistakes. I also took the time to read the instructions carefully, more than once, to ensure that I understood assignment expectations and completed them correctly. I also revised the textbook, rereading assigned chapters and reviewing the peer review example in the instructor’s blog to guide my assignments. By doing so, I significantly improved my writing and assignments, as reflected in the comments made by the instructor and the peer review.
Formal Report Draft
Noting that this is a more extensive assignment than the previous ones we completed in the course, I took extra time to plan an outline for my proposal. Noting from previous feedback that I tend to write wordy sentences, I minimized unnecessary adjectives while still conveying my points by frequently proofreading my work.
When researching the topic, there was limited literature on the topic I chose, which initially made it challenging to curate a diverse body of information. Thankfully, I found five sources directly related to mental health services for newcomer youth, from which I retrieved valuable information to analyze my data findings. Since I have been working directly with the respondents in my proposal, I was able to gather data easily. Additionally, I have extensive experience with newcomer youth, which made writing the data section straightforward.
Since I had never written a formal report before, I wanted to ensure the information flowed naturally and synchronously. I found the textbook example helpful, but I also researched other examples of formal reports to help me visualize what the report should look like. This helped me organize my work.
The most challenging section to write was the introduction. The introduction must capture the reader’s attention and provide a clear overview of the report’s purpose and contents. Due to the importance of keeping the introduction short and minimizing complex ideas into a few sentences, I struggled to condense my thoughts and remove unnecessary details. I was able to combat this by editing the introduction after completing the report. I removed any information explained in depth in the body of the report from the introduction. For example, in the literature review, I introduced the demographical makeup of South Vancouver residents and how that informs their cultural attitudes toward mental health services. I then removed a section I wrote in the introduction under the subheading “Description of the Problem.” By doing so, I avoided unnecessary repetition and condensed my introduction.
Peer Review Process
This peer review was for a document much larger than the ones we had previously seen in the course. At first, I was intimidated by the amount of writing I would have to review, and I created a three-step process to help me complete the review efficiently:
- Reading my partner’s work once to get an overview
- Reading it a second time, highlighting well-written sections and areas that needed further clarification and modification.
- Reviewing one section at a time, focusing on the categories of review; content, organization, design, and style.
These steps made the process manageable and provided my partner with informative feedback. This process also made me reflect on my proposal and how to improve it. By providing feedback and receiving it in turn, I strengthened my ability to develop a sense of what makes for effective writing and communication and gain insight into the writing process as a whole.
