It is one thing to understand a term over time through familiarity and experience, but defining it to a non-technical audience is a challenge all its own. This assignment was a good exercise in explaining a familiar term through various methods, while concurrently demonstrating the inherent jargon and concepts taken for granted. From the writer’s perspective, this also helped elucidate which components I understand best and least. Covering all angles helped to smooth this knowledge.
The definitions exercise also demonstrated the usefulness of visuals in explanation. Eliciting the adage “a picture says a thousand words”, visual aids helped delineate tough concepts. This tactic was especially prevalent when peer-reviewing, as I found that the visuals accompanying my classmate’s assignment helped provide further context, while allowing the author to demonstrate concepts colorfully.
To this note, I really enjoyed reading other students’ definitions. It was interesting seeing others’ writing styles and doing so helped frame my own writing more critically. By engaging in the reading experience, I observed which techniques were particularly effective. For example, short paragraphs and concise sections increased readability, while piquing interest. I will try to incorporate these ideas into my own compositions going forward.
I also enjoyed learning new concepts in the peer evaluation process, while identifying the pros and cons of the different definition methods. Reading various methods for a single concept clearly showed the differences between these methods, demonstrating the roles of details, diction, and structure in defining a term.
Gaining feedback on my own assignment helped contextualize my writing, while elucidating the knowledge areas I take for granted. Generalizing this lesson, I will enhance my awareness of the assumptions made in communication. While there are situations where assumptions are appropriate, assumption awareness is crucial to communication
Rewritten Definition Assignment
Peer Review: http://engl301.arts.ubc.ca/2016/01/29/assignment-13-peer-review-for-wes-berry/