Overall, ENGL 301 allowed me to learn new skills, such as writing with a “You Attitude”, and improve others, such as email communications. The skills and techniques learned in this class will serve me throughout my academic and professional career.
Strengths & Weaknesses
A strength of mine from before this course that I was able to show in my work throughout the term was writing with clarity and conciseness. This skill is crucial in professional writing and communication and is something I will continue to perfect throughout my career. However, being too concise can sometimes lead to not providing enough details. As I worked my way through ENGL 301, I have honed this skill and am able to write clearly and concisely while remaining detailed. The instructor’s blog was helpful with this, providing some examples of how we can include details in concise writing.
Something I struggled with throughout the term was following all assignment instructions. Often the instructions for assignments and reference material would be spread throughout the Unit tab, the Course Schedule, the instructor’s blog, and the textbook, which I found hard to keep up with at times. In the future for courses like this, organization is key to avoid missing any important instructions. Prior to starting an assignment, browsing through each area of the ENGL 301 website as well as the textbook and making notes to reference throughout the assignment will help avoid missing anything. As well, taking a final look through the instructions prior to submitting the assignment further prevents errors.
Technical Writing & My Future Goals
Upon graduation in 2023, my goal is to work as a dietitian in a role where I can make a positive impact on my community. Whatever this role may be, a key component of any dietitian’s job is communication. The job consists of interprofessional communications, relationships with clients, and advocating to those in positions of power. Professional writing and communication skills are key in building these important relationships. The skills learned in ENGL 301 will be consistently put to use in my career.
As a long-time student and future healthcare professional, ENGL 301 was an extremely practical and useful course and my professional writing technique has improved because of it.
