Completing the course works of ENGL301 allows me to have a deep understanding of technical writing styles and not only will I be able to incorporate the lessons throught this course in my own employment communications, I will also be able to guide and motivate others to writing at a high-level professional level.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Comparing the different English courses available, technical writing comes the most natual to me. In nature, I communicate factually and to the point, creative and descriptive writing tends to be difficult for me. That said, I believe I have a strong technical writing ability and this skill has polished over this term.
My biggest weakness in writing is my tendency to over complicate sentences. I am inclined to add several sophisticated words into a sentence which does not always work as effectively as a simplified version. This course has taught me to review my sentences and edit them if necessary in order to allow my audience to understand the message.
Impactful Lessons
A great lesson learned during this course is avoid using imperative verbs, and change my tone from demanding to positive for an overall more impactful message.
The most impactful assignments included those referring to correct letter structure, email formatting and employment application documents. These types of documents are a common form of daily communication, therfore I found myself committing to a more sincere effort when completing these assignments.
Admittedly, the formal report although challenging and satisfying to complete, was not the most useful writing achievement during this course. This form of communication involves a substantial amount of preparation and research, which is not a daily task in the majority of future employment. I found myself relieved to have it completed in order to move onto learning more useful forms of technical writing.
Where this Takes me from Now
Having been at an executive level position for over three years, incorporating professional and academically accepted writing formats in my communication to management, coworkers and customers will become an invaluable asset.
Parting Words
In closing, ENGL301 has been an exciting journey and has substantially increased by ability to write technically in the corporate world. I look forward to incorporating this style as a director in my work life. I would like to thank my professor for the support and feedback throughout this course, and I wish my peers all the success in their academic and employment paths.