A Transformative Journey: Growth, Collaboration, and Skill Development
This semester in ENGL 21007 has been a transformative experience, allowing me to develop essential technical writing skills while engaging with diverse assignments that emphasized information literacy, citation, collaboration, and more. Each project challenged me to refine my ability to communicate complex ideas clearly and effectively, whether through individual research or teamwork.
Resume and Cover Letter Development
The resume and cover letter assignments strengthened my professional communication skills, teaching me to present my qualifications effectively through concise writing and audience adaptation. Crafting these documents required careful synthesis of my experiences while maintaining clarity and professionalism, with multiple revisions highlighting the importance of drafting for the best possible end product. These exercises coordinated with my technical writing growth by demonstrating how to tailor content for specific purposes—an important skill applicable to all written communication.
Lab Report: Probability and Dice Rolls
The lab report, Rolling the Dice: Questioning the Probabilities, allowed me to apply scientific methodology to a simple yet insightful experiment. I practiced APA citation when referencing theoretical probabilities from academic sources like Grinstead & Snell (2012). The report emphasized synthesis, as I compared empirical data to theoretical expectations. Drafting involved refining my analysis to ensure clarity and logical flow, and data visualization highlighted the use of technology in technical writing.
Group Proposal: The Beavers’ Utopia
Collaborating on The Beavers’ Utopia proposal was a highlight of the semester, emphasizing collaboration and teamwork. Our group worked to design a modern student center for CCNY, combining research, surveys, and cost analysis. The project required the synthesis of data from academic studies, student feedback, and architectural benchmarks. Drafting the proposal involved multiple revisions to align our vision with audience expectations, primarily students (hence the name “Student Center”). Using Google Slides for visual aids and researching information online showcased the use of technology to enhance our presentation.
Technical Description: Roombas and AI
My technical description, Roombas: How AI Keeps Your Home Clean, was an opportunity to explore how AI and machine learning integrate into everyday technology. This assignment honed my ability to synthesize information from multiple sources, including peer-reviewed articles and other resources, demonstrating information literacy through CCNY’s online library. I practiced APA citation, ensuring all sources were properly credited. The drafting process involved revising for clarity and precision, reinforcing the importance of audience awareness, and balancing technical details for both general readers and experts.
The Quest
The quest for knowledge reinforced key technical writing principles by testing our ability to apply rules in real-world scenarios (What’s out there?). Through questions about grammar, sentence structure, and punctuation, we practiced our writing skills. We also reinforced the common themes in our class; for example, why did we come to class? – to tell the story. By identifying and correcting errors, we fulfilled our primary responsibility as writers (What’s our job?) – to make content easier for readers to understand. This exercise strengthened my attention to detail while demonstrating how proper grammar serves our readers and helps us in technical communication.
Conclusion
This course has been instrumental in developing my technical writing proficiency, particularly in information literacy, collaboration, and synthesis. The assignments—ranging from individual reports to group projects—equipped me with practical skills for future academic and professional endeavors. The emphasis on APA citation and use of technology has prepared me to communicate effectively in a data-driven world. As I move forward, I will carry these lessons with me, confident in my ability to produce clear and well-researched technical documents.
