I found the research aspect to be the most difficult part of writing the formal report draft. It was difficult for me because I had a hard time choosing the right questions and figuring out how to properly word them. I ended up not using the results of one of my survey questions because I felt the question was too biased. I think it worked out in the end because I still had enough data to write my report. I think my major takeaway from the research aspect of the project is that I should take enough time to properly compose surveys and interview questions. If I were to do something like this in the future, I would ask a colleague to take a look at them before I distribute the survey.

I did not have as much difficulty with organization. I think the order of my report was not difficult to figure out. I feel like the order of my sections was arranged in a logical order. Upon reflection, I think one thing I should have done differently was break my sections into smaller ones. I will break some sections during my revisions.

Writing was also fairly difficult for me. I felt it was difficult to know when to include certain information. For example, I was unsure whether to include a lot of interpretation in the data section or save it for the conclusion. I also think I could have done a better job at using a positive tone. On the other hand, I think I did a good job of interpreting the data in depth and considering different possibilities of what the data could mean.

The peer review process helped me understand what a reader might look for. When I was critiquing my partner’s work, I noticed things my partner did well that I did not do in my report. My partner did a good job of avoiding blocks of text, while my report has multiple large blocks. I also noticed some things I did well, like discussing limitations of my data.

Formal Report Draft

LinkedIn

The LinkedIn assignment was a helpful refresher for me. It was also a reminder that I need to fill in some of the empty fields on my LinkedIn profile. In Arts Co-op I was already taught how to create a profile, but it has been a while since I had to put these skills to use. From this assignment, it was helpful for me to think of my experiences section as a resume and try to show my accomplishments in each role. It is also important to speak to your audience on your LinkedIn profile, similar to many of the assignments in this course.

Report Proposal and Outline

I feel good about my progress with the report. I am glad that I redid the proposal because this new topic is one that I have been much more involved in recently. I am also genuinely interested in the results of the investigation. However, I also feel slightly intimidated by the assignment. I am nervous that I will not get enough information from my sources or that I will ask the wrong questions and not get enough relevant information. I also feel I need to study more about how to write a strong analysis once I have the data.

Peer Review of Partner’s Proposal

I found this peer review to be more challenging than expected. I found it difficult to balance constructive criticism with positive feedback. I also worried that my explanations of the proposal’s problems were not clear enough. But I think I got better at organizing my thoughts in my review. I also have a better idea of what I should be looking for in a peer’s work.

Peer Review Process

Peer reviewing has allowed me to study some of the good ideas my peers have come up with. For example, my peer last week had good formatting, so I tried to use them as an example. It has also shown me things I might need to watch out for in my own writing like the use of too many pronouns. In general, I feel that I am a bit more self-critical because of the review process because as I write I imagine what a peer reviewer might say about my work.

Link to Revised Proposal

Link to Peer Review of My Proposal

Writing the definition assignment was valuable because I learned how to tailor a piece of writing to a specific audience. Sometimes when I write, I tend to assume the audience already knows what I mean when I use a more technical term. With this assignment, I had to choose my words carefully so that they matched the audience’s level of understanding. I also found that I had to define words within the expanded definition. For example, I cannot assume that my audience knows exactly what I mean when I say ‘historical evidence.’ Instead, I have to make sure that they understand what this term is before explaining the rest of the definition. I also felt surprised at the level of depth I could potentially go defining a single word. I found it difficult to find four ways to expand my definition because I had to make myself think deeply about the assigned word. Writing this assignment showed me that there are many ways to approach a single word in a piece of technical writing. We also cannot always rely on the audience to interpret our writing for themselves. Sometimes they may not have the necessary knowledge and require a more detailed explanation.

The process of peer reviewing helped me understand what works and does not work in a definition. I found it useful to see how my peer decided to go about his definition because I got to see other methods of expansion. I also appreciated seeing a definition from a discipline different from my own. Since my definition is in the humanities, I found it useful to see a definition from commerce because I got an understanding of why different definitions might require different expansion methods. For example, etymology and history are probably not relevant for a commerce definition, even though etymology was useful for my definition. When I was writing my review, I found it difficult to organize my ideas. I also felt unsure of how much positive and negative feedback I should include in the review.

The self-editing part of this assignment was the most valuable part for me. Not only did I implement my partner’s suggestions, but I also re-read my own work to find anything that could be changed or worded better. I ended up finding a few small inaccuracies in my language, which made some parts of my definition contradict each other. Coming back to an assignment after not looking at it for about a day helps me view it again with a fresh perspective. Hearing my peer’s feedback was also useful because I liked having an extra pair of eyes to examine my work, especially someone who is not familiar with my term. Hearing the parts that did not make sense gave me a very clear direction of what needed to be improved.

Link to definition assignment

Link to peer’s review

Re: Invitation to Join ENGL 301 Writing Team

Hello Fei,

Yes, I would be happy to join your existing team!

I am looking forward to working together this term. As I mentioned earlier, I found your application very impressive and believe we will have a productive partnership.

Best,

Vikram

Subject: Invitation to Join ENGL 301 Writing Team

Dear Fei,

I am writing to you to invite you to be part of my ENGL 301 writing team. I found your history of collaboration and communication very impressive. In your application letter, I like that you indicated how you grew over time in your previous property management coordinator position.

I believe our strengths are complementary. I believe your collaborative abilities would be a great benefit to the team. I do not have much experience with collaborative writing, so I hope I can learn from you in a team environment. Furthermore, as someone who is fairly good at conciseness, I think my strength can make up for the tendency to dive too much into detail.

Please let me know if you are interested in forming a team. For your convenience, see my attached application letter.

Best,
Vikram Ghangurde

Subject: Invitation to Join ENGL 301 Writing Team

Dear Amela,

I am emailing you to invite you to join my ENGL 301 writing team. As I was looking through everyone’s application letters, I was impressed by your experience with research and communication. I believe your skills will be a great benefit to the team.

I believe your skills will be complementary to my own because of your focus on detail and creativity. As a writer who sometimes struggles with attention to detail, I hope to learn from you. With my experience in UBC history and international relations courses, I believe I can contribute analytical skills to the team. Finally, we share the same goal of improving our collaborative writing skills, like peer reviewing and proofreading. For these reasons, I believe we would have a very productive partnership.

Please let me know if you are interested in working together. For your convenience, please see my attached application letter.

Best,
Vikram Ghangurde

MEMO

To: Dr. Erika Paterson, Professor

From: Vikram Ghangurde, Student

Date: May 26, 2021

Subject: Application Letter Posted

I have completed the assigned application letter for Unit 1 and posted it on this blog. The letter contains:

• An introduction with an overview of my skills
• A summary of my previous work experience
• My strengths, weaknesses, and learning style

Please let me know if you need additional information.

301 Vikram Ghangurde Application Letter

May 25, 2021

Re: Professional Writing Team

Dear classmates,

If you are searching for a capable, experienced writer, I believe I am an ideal candidate for your team. Thanks to my extensive experience with written and oral communication in different settings, I have the ability to write friendly, professional, and high-quality documents for a variety of purposes.

In my previous position as the Front Desk Assistant at the UBC Centre for Student Involvement & Careers, I learned how to address students’ concerns empathetically and professionally in person, over the phone, and by email. I received professional training in customer service, which taught me how to listen to a customer’s needs and craft an appropriate, professional response. I also drafted and presented a report on the learning outcomes of the Peer Programs, a group of student programs designed to foster leadership skills. Prior to that, I coordinated volunteers by email as the Education Assistant at the Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre. I also led tour groups through the museum exhibit, where I built confidence speaking in front of large groups of people.

I believe I am skilled at communicating clearly and concisely, as I have had a great deal of practice doing so. Since my previous positions have required me to speak to diverse groups of people, I believe I am good at knowing what tone and style of communication are appropriate in a given situation. With that said, my ability to communicate complex subjects clearly could be improved. My attention to detail could also use improvement, as sometimes I miss spelling and grammar errors. I learn best through self-reflection and, if appropriate, discussion with teammates. After a project, I find it valuable to reflect on what worked and what could use improvement.

I hope you will consider me for your writing team this semester. To reach me, please do not hesitate to email me at vikram.ghangurde98@gmail.com.

Sincerely,

Vikram Ghangurde

301 Vikram Ghangurde Application Letter