Definition Assignment
In this assignment, we were tasked with composing three definitions of a term of our choosing; a parenthetical definition, a sentence definition, and an expanded definition. The term I chose was “dysphagia” (difficulty swallowing).
The purpose of this assignment was to understand and appreciate the role of definitions in writing and how depending on the audience, different levels of detail are needed.
See my definition assignment here.
Peer Review of Definition Assignment
As the first peer review of the term, I paired up with one of my classmates and we reviewed each other’s work. Reviewing someone else’s work requires full understanding of the assignment at hand in order to provide helpful feedback. This assignment demanded a close attention to detail.
See my peer review of definition assignment here.
Formal Report Proposal
One of the major projects for this term was the Formal Report. I chose my topic, investigating food waste reduction methods at Mount Saint Joseph Hospital, because I am interested in nutrition, food service, and the environment, and this covered all aspects of these interests. The proposal is addressed to the ENGL 301 instructor, Dr. Paterson, and contains information about the issue of food waste and possible ways Mount Saint Joseph can reduce food waste.
The purpose of this assignment was to begin research into our formal report topics and compose a proposal to be sent to the instructor for approval before beginning primary research. Here I began studying research techniques such as conducting interviews and creating surveys.
See my formal report proposal here.
Progress Report with Surveys
The progress report intended to provide more details on how our research would be conducted and what exactly we were investigating. In the form of a memo to my instructor, I outlined the intended audience of the report, purpose, significance of the issue of food waste, research methods, an outline of the report, and a writing schedule. The survey and interview questions I intended to use are linked within the progress report.
LinkedIn Best Practices Memo
In this assignment, we were tasked with creating a list of LinkedIn best practices. The purpose of this assignment was to learn techniques used in professional networking and building an online business profile.
See my LinkedIn best practices memo here.
Memo to Evan Crisp
For this assignment, we has to write a memo to Evan Crisp, a student trying to get into a full course. Evan wrote an email to the instructor of the course requesting access, and has received no response. It was our role to provide advice to Evan on how to structure the email to maximize the chances of getting into a full course.
The main purpose of this assignment was to write with a “You Attitude”, meaning the writing is centered around the reader.
See my memo to Evan Crisp here.
Complaint & Response Letters
To further our practice of writing with a “You Attitude”, we were tasked with writing two letters: one complaint letter and a response to this complaint letter giving bad news. My complaint letter is addressing missing items and rotten lettuce received in a FreshPrep meal kit, with the response coming from a member of the customer service team. This assignment required us to write about a negative experience, or give bad news, while remaining professional and respectful.
See my complaint & response letters here.
Peer Review of a Formal Report
As with the first peer review, a close attention to detail was needed, and even more so as this was a lengthy document to review. Each section of my peer’s formal report has a corresponding section in the peer review, so as to not miss any areas.
The purpose of this peer review was to be able to reflect on not only a peer’s work, but also my own. Reviewing someone else’s assignment is an excellent way to bring to light areas of improvement in my own work.