ENGL was both a challenging and rewarding course. It was challenging because I had to constantly come face to face with my weaknesses in technical writing that I would otherwise prefer to neglect. It was especially tough to unlearn the incorrect writing styles I was used to, and learn to apply some new writing concepts and strategies such as “you attitude” and avoiding the negatives. It was also because of these challenges, however, that I was able to improve tremendously throughout the semester. Constructive and critical feedback from peer review particularly shed light on mistakes I was not aware of and showed me ways to sharpen professional writing skills. For example, I learned the importance of variety in sentence structure, using a positive tone to achieve the purpose of the writing, and providing an appropriate amount of details according to the needs of the audience. The diversity of writing genres I had to produce for this class also allowed me to learn the differences in writing memorandums, emails, formal reports, proposals, application materials, etc. Furthermore, the open and safe environment of this course allowed students to comment on each others’ work respectfully and adopt those comments in a meaningful way through the submissions of revised documents in this web portfolio.
Writing well is one of the skills that can help me advance in any career. It is not only an indicator of one’s communication skills, but also the ability to demonstrate professionalism, attention to detail and capability to deliver high-quality error-free products. By learning to successfully write in a professional setting in this course, I am also preparing myself to be an effective employee in the future. Most importantly, the writing confidence I gained through the various practices will go a long way in helping me excel in any work environment.
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