Throughout this course, I am uncertain whether I have met every learning objective. However, I can confidently say that my understanding of writing has evolved significantly. Writing is no longer just an academic exercise, but a tool for clear communication, particularly when conveying complex ideas. The essence of writing, I have learned, lies in understanding how to effectively communicate with an audience—whether that be explaining technical concepts, presenting data, or writing persuasive arguments. In my projects, I worked diligently to tailor my language and structure to make technical concepts more accessible to my audience. Nevertheless, I realized that I often overlooked the importance of clear communication within my team. Effective teamwork relies on ensuring that all members are on the same page, and I believe I could have been more proactive in facilitating that communication. In the future, I intend to integrate more deliberate communication strategies both in my writing and during group work to ensure smoother collaboration and more cohesive project outcomes.
1. acknowledge your and others’ range of linguistic differences as resources, and draw on those resources to develop rhetorical sensibility
Group projects, as collaborative as they are, often highlight the importance of effective communication. The success of a project depends not just on individual skills but on how well the team coordinates its efforts. For our projects, the team quickly realized that we each brought different strengths to the table. For example, one teammate, Al, used his design experience to craft the PowerPoint presentation, while I applied my Excel skills to develop the survey for our research. While our technical expertise aligned well with the needs of the project, the communication between us could have been more streamlined. As the project progressed, I recognized the need for clear goal-setting, attainable deadlines, and continuous feedback. One of the major lessons I learned is that while a relaxed work environment can be productive, it must be established early on through transparent communication and clear expectations. I will carry this lesson forward, ensuring that future collaborations are both efficient and effective.
2. enhance strategies for reading, drafting, revising, editing, and self-assessment
The peer review process, although helpful in many ways, didn’t always provide the constructive feedback I was hoping for. Many of the comments on my work were positive, affirming that the content was clear and well-organized, but they lacked specific advice on areas for improvement. I appreciate receiving positive feedback, but it left me wondering how I could push my work to the next level. For instance, in my cover letter peer review, my reviewer praised my introduction and experience with McQuilling Partners but did not suggest specific ways to strengthen or expand on certain points. The lack of actionable feedback made it harder for me to refine my writing, and I suspect that this lack of critique may have been due to a lack of familiarity between peers in the class. Moving forward, I would encourage more specific, critical feedback during peer reviews, as it is vital for growth and development as a writer.
Example from peer reviewed cover letter :
Cover Letter
-Great introduction to the cover letter. Providing who you are, what you can do, and why you want to work this job.
–Going in depth about what you have done with McQuilling Partners
–Highlighted keywords go along with the requirements
(Besides the experience being the same, what else attracted you to Hudson River Trading. Showing an employeer why you are interested in their company is a good way for them to know you better as a person)
Resume
-Well organized
-Well detailed on experience section and providing achievements
3. enhance strategies for reading, drafting, revising, editing, and self-assessment
By the end of the semester, I felt a marked improvement in my awareness of the audience when writing proposals and preparing presentations. For instance, when working on our report about Bias in AI, I learned to be more mindful of the balance between detail and clarity. The report delved deeply into our research methodology and machine learning models, but during the presentation, we shifted focus to the most critical findings to ensure the audience would stay engaged and retain the most important information. In my report, I detailed the technical rigor of our study, but in the presentation, we focused more on conveying the results in an easily digestible format. This exercise taught me the importance of adapting content to suit different contexts and audience needs; whether presenting technical findings or crafting a written report. In the future, I will continue to refine this skill, ensuring that my writing is both accessible and engaging, tailored to the specific needs of the reader or audience.
4 .develop and engage in the collaborative and social aspects of writing processes
In our group, we primarily used Discord to communicate, as it allowed for quick, direct communication. We frequently sent updates, reminders, and discussed project progress through messages. However, I soon realized that relying too heavily on text communication without setting clear goals and expectations made it difficult for our team to collaborate efficiently. While Discord served its purpose, I believe that face-to-face communication or video calls could have helped us better understand each other’s ideas and overcome any miscommunications. For future group projects, I would suggest a more structured communication approach, including scheduled check-ins and clearer delegation of tasks. This would ensure everyone stays on track and the project moves forward smoothly.
5. engage in genre analysis and multimodal composing to explore effective writing across disciplinary contexts and beyond
Throughout the course, I engaged with various forms of multimodal composing. Whether it was creating surveys with visual graphs in Excel or developing presentations that integrated both text and visuals, I consistently aimed to present information in a way that appealed to both logical and visual learners. Our project on Bias in AI was an example where we used different forms of expression, from text-heavy reports to visually engaging PowerPoint slides that helped convey complex ideas. In our portfolio, I utilized web-based media to combine text, infographics, and animations, which allowed for a more dynamic and engaging way to communicate technical content. By blending various modes of communication, I learned how to better target diverse audiences and convey information more clearly and effectively.
6. formulate and articulate a stance through and in your writing
Throughout the course, I wasn’t always conscious of how my personal viewpoint might influence the way my work was received. However, upon reflecting on some of my projects, especially the report on AI bias, I realized that my background in computer science and machine learning inevitably shaped my writing. For example, my understanding of model creation and evaluation allowed me to offer insights that may not have been apparent to someone without that technical knowledge. I could see how this expertise allowed me to make meaningful connections between the literature and our own research. However, if I had been more aware of how my personal perspective influenced my writing, I might have been able to make more explicit references to other viewpoints and alternative interpretations, thereby enriching the overall analysis. Moving forward, I will strive to ensure that my work is balanced, incorporating diverse perspectives and ensuring that my biases don’t cloud my analysis.
7. practice using various library resources, online databases, and the Internet to locate sources appropriate to your writing projects
In my research for the Bias in AI report, I primarily relied on databases like Google Scholar to find relevant papers and resources. While these databases provide a wealth of information, one challenge I encountered was determining the credibility of the sources. In a sea of free research, it was important to critically evaluate the authors’ backgrounds, affiliations, and the publication venues to ensure the sources were trustworthy. I was cautious about unfamiliar sources and, whenever possible, tried to rely on well-established academic journals or papers authored by reputable institutions. Although this narrowed the scope of my research, it ensured the quality of the materials I used. In the future, I will continue to apply these rigorous standards for evaluating research credibility, as it is essential for producing reliable, high-quality academic work.dels maintenance shared insight with potential bias that can be brought at any point in this process.
8. strengthen your source use practices (including evaluating, integrating, quoting, paraphrasing, summarizing, synthesizing, analyzing, and citing sources)
When analyzing literature for the Bias in AI report, I became more attuned to the credibility of the sources I was using. The vast number of research articles available made me more discerning, and I relied heavily on my prior knowledge of machine learning to assess whether a paper was valid. While this approach helped me ensure the quality of my sources, it also led me to miss out on potentially groundbreaking research that I deemed too unfamiliar. Although this approach made my final report more straightforward and accessible, I now recognize that expanding my scope and seeking out more diverse perspectives could have provided a more well-rounded analysis. In future research, I plan to push myself to engage with unfamiliar sources and viewpoints to ensure my work is more comprehensive.