Class Notes

Job Application Materials

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This is the post for the October 21, 2014 class meeting.

Today we have some resources for your work on Project 4 and a number of options to post in the forums.

Class Work for October 21

These are the tasks to complete for today’s work:

  • Writing résumés and cover letters
  • Discussing job application materials
  • Go over an optional forum post question

Writing Résumés and Cover Letters

Although you may not be writing a résumé and cover letter for Project 4, you will certainly have to write these documents and keep them updated over the course of your career. Since that’s the case, I want to spend a little time pointing out some useful information you can use when you do work on job application materials.

  • There’s good information in chapter 10 of Markel, including details on how to adjust your documents for electronic submissions.

  • Use the example résumés and cover letters in the 2014–2015 Career Planning Guide. Career Services publishes information on exactly what recruiters who come to Virginia Tech are looking for. Be sure to take advantage of the resources that Career Services offers. They have workshops, presentations, and even advising appointments.

  • Pay attention to the Professional Communication section of the 2014–2015 Career Planning Guide for tips on not just cover letters, but also the other kinds of communication you will need to make.

Discussing Job Application Materials

As I promised above, I have set up a lot of opportunities for you to add posts in the forums. By midnight on Wednesday night, please reply to ONE of the topics below (in the Projects 3 & 4: Job Application Materials):

If you are working to meet your goal for the number of posts in the forums, you may reply to more than one of these topics. Additionally, you may interact with your classmates by quoting a portion of someone else’s reply and responding with your own thoughts. Just remember that “me too” posts, where you just say something like “I agree” or “great idea” don’t count toward your total number of posts. Say why you agree (or disagree) and include details to support your opinions.

Optional Forum Post Question

I have also posted an optional forum topic: Recommended Job Application Resources. You can share useful job application resources that you find while working on Project 4 in this forum. The format for your posts is included in the forums. Essentially, you will provide details on the resources you have found and a short summary of the information from the resources.

The goal of this forum topic is to crowdsource a list of additional resources that everyone in the class can use to improve the job application materials in Project 4. You may post more than one resource in reply, but please be sure that each webpage you recommend is listed in a separate reply. I want you to keep the resources in separate replies for two reasons: (1) it will help your classmates as they look through the list for helpful sites, and (2) every separate reply counts as a post in the post levels for the forum grades.

Class Notes

Submitting Project 3

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This is the post for the October 16, 2014 class meeting.

Today is the due date for Project 3. Aim to submit your work today, but remember that you have a one-week grace period if you need it.

Class Work for October 16

These are the tasks to complete for today’s work:

  • Go over the requirements for Project 3.
  • Review the location of the FAQs for using Google Drive.
  • Discuss the reflection memo and how to submit Project 3 in Scholar.

Requirements for Project 3

You need to turn in a reflection memo as well as a link to your proposal. Use the project assignment and the Writer’s Checklist on pages 296 of Markel to check your work. In particular, make sure that your proposal that includes all the required components:

  • summary (p. 282–283)
  • introduction, which explains the findings of your research and your needs (p. 283)
  • proposed tasks, that is what you propose to create for Project 4 (p. 283–286)
  • task schedule (p. 287–289)
  • evaluation techniques (p. 289), which outlines three levels of work for Project 4:
    • Average Work ( a C project)
    • Above-Average Work (a B project)
    • Excellent Work (an A project)

For all the documents you turn in, remember to check your spelling and proofread for grammar and punctuation.

Google Drive FAQs

Note: this is the same information you followed for previous assignments. I’m including it as a reference in case you need a reminder.

To make sure that you can submit your project smoothly, pay attention to the following FAQs:

Writing Your Reflection Memo and Submitting Your Project

Your reflection memo is your chance to tell me anything you want me to know before I read your project. For this project, your reflection memo will give me the link to your proposal on Google Drive. You will also tell me about what you have written. Follow these instructions to submit your work:

  1. Go to the Assignments tab on the left menu in Scholar.
  2. Choose “P3: Proposal.”
  3. Scroll down to the text box below the headings Submission and Assignment Text. You will write your memo in this box. (Alternately, you can write in a word processor/Google Doc, and copy/paste your text into this box.)
  4. Add your memo headers (To, From, Subject, and Date). For your reflection memo, you’ll use the following:
    • Address your memo to me (Traci) and from yourself (use your name).
    • Add a subject line that indicates this is your reflection memo and which project it is for.
    • Add the current date.
  5. Insert a horizontal divider line using the button indicated with the red arrow in the image below:
    Insert Horizontal Line button in Scholar
  6. Introduce your project—what are your overall goals and what grade have you aimed for? Find the Project 3 grade-level expectations on the course website
  7. Add the Share link to the document on your Google Drive. Use the instructions for how to get the Share link on the FAQ site if you are unsure how to share documents.
  8. Tell me what I need to know to understand the information you have included in your document.
  9. Tell me anything else you want me to know about the the layout and design.
  10. Add a concluding section that tells me anything else you want me to know about your project.
  11. Agree to the Honor Code by clicking the checkbox at the bottom of the page in Scholar. You cannot finish submitting the project without clicking that checkbox (and it’s easy to miss).
  12. Submit your Project, and save a copy of the confirmation and submission ID. If something goes wrong in Scholar, you can contact 4HELP with that information.
  13. You’re done! Project 4 will be the job application materials you proposed in Project 3.

Class Notes

Peer Review for Project 3

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This is the post for the October 14, 2014 class meeting.

Today, we have peer review for Project 3 scheduled. We’ll follow the same process as we have on other assignments, so this should be routine by now. I hope to have feedback on the work you have submitted to you soon.

Class Work for October 14

Today we focus on peer review for Project 3, using Google Drive. Here are the tasks to complete for today’s work:

  • Refresh yourself on the documentation for the comment system in Google Drive.
  • Post drafts for Project 3 in the forums by noon, so you can receive feedback.
  • Respond to two students on Google Drive and in the forums.
  • Review the comments on your own work.

Refresher on the Google Drive Comment System

If you need a reminder on the comment and sharing systems in Google Drive, use the step-by-step instructions for how to use Google Drive for peer review on the FAQ site, which includes details on how to share your document, how to comment, and how to respond to comments.  If you need a more detailed explanation, be sure to check out the Lynda video on “Commenting on a file.”

Posting Your Drafts for Project 4

You will post the share link to your draft in the forums:

  1. Go to the Project 3 Peer Review forum, and create a topic for your draft with your name or your username (e.g., “Traci’s proposal”).

  2. Post a reply in your topic, doing the following:
    • If you do not want to share your last name in the forums, change it in your draft to a pseudonym. You can use a generic last name like Doe or Smith, or you can change it to Lastname.
    • Share the link(s) to your Project 4 drafts in Google Docs, using the FAQ linked in the Refresher section above.

  3. Let your classmates know about any specific concerns that you want them to consider as they comment on your draft.

  4. Be sure to Preview your draft to make sure everything shows up the way you want it to, and then submit your post.

Responding to Your Classmates’ Drafts

Follow these instructions to respond to your classmates’s drafts:

  1. Read and comment on the drafts of at least two of your classmates:

    • Find one post that no other student has replied to (so that we can be sure everyone gets a reply).
    • Find a second post that has only one other student reply.

  2. Use the Share link to go to your classmate’s draft on Google Drive and do the following:

    • Check the title of the document(s), and add a comment to tell your partner if it is clear and effective.
    • If you notice any spelling errors, punctuation errors, or typos, mark them as you read, but please focus more on the content rather than editing.
    • Add comments on the content of the draft. Comment on at least three things your classmate does well and at least three things that your classmate could improve on. It’s fine (excellent, even) to include more than the minimum number of comments.
    • As you check the documents, check that the proposal includes the following required sections and add a comment if anything is missing:
      • summary (p. 282–283)
      • introduction, which explains the findings of the writer’s research and the writer’s needs (p. 283)
      • proposed tasks, that is what the writer proposes to create for Project 4 (p. 283–286)
      • task schedule for Project 4 (p. 287–289)
      • evaluation techniques (p. 289), which outlines three levels of work for Project 4:
        • Average Work ( a C project)
        • Above-Average Work (a B project)
        • Excellent Work (an A project)

  3. Once you finish commenting on the document, go back to your classmate’s post in the forums and add an overall comment that sums up what you thought of the paper and gives your partner some encouragement.

Reviewing the Comments You Received

Once you have finished adding comments to your classmates’ projects, return to your own draft, read the comments that your classmates have given you, and add replies as appropriate. For instance, you might thank your partner for catching an error, ask your partner for more detail on feedback you don’t understand, or share a revision and ask your partner if it is an improvement. Your goal is to reply today so that your classmate can respond if you need more information.

Important Dates

  • Thursday, October 16: Due date for Project 3 (informal proposal)
  • Thursday, October 23: Deadline for Project 3 (end of grace period)

Class Notes

Working on Proposals

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This is the post for the October 7 and 9, 2014 class meeting.

Since Fall Break is coming up, I’m posting all of this week’s work at once. I hope this way you’ll be able to get everything done and still enjoy your long weekend. This week includes information on the proposals you are writing for Project 3 and some additional resources you can use both for Project 3 and Project 4.

Class Work for October 7 and 9

These are the tasks to complete for today’s work:

  • Share some tips for writing your proposal
  • Point to additional job application resources
  • Discuss persuasive techniques

Writing Proposals

I want to provide a bit more information on the proposal you write for Project 3, based on the questions I have received:

  • Length: I would guess that the proposal will take at least 3 to 5 pages, single-spaced. As you might guess, the exact length will vary. Your layout and font choices will effect how long the proposal is, of course. Likewise, if you have tables, illustrations, screenshots, or other graphics, those will all probably make the proposal longer. Don’t get hung up on the length. Write what you need to for me to understand what you will do for Project 4.

  • Persuasive Techniques: As the textbook mentions, proposals are all about persuasion (see pp. 279–282). Your job is to persuade me (your reader) that you have made the right choice for the job application materials you will write for Project 4. Think about how you can show me that your choices will help you meet your goals (for instance, get a job, build a professional online presence, etc.)

  • Evaluation Section: The evaluation section of your proposal will explain the goals you are setting for Project 4 and tell me how you want me to assess your work. The Project 3 Evaluation Section page provides some more details and includes two examples of what to include in the section.

  • Charts: If you want to create a chart in your proposal, use the Lynda.com video for tips on how to set up your data and create your chart on Google Drive. You will need to login via Virginia Tech for free access to the video.

  • Trouble Deciding? If you can’t decide what to propose, let me suggest you choose setting up or improving your LinkedIn profile. LinkedIn will walk you through all the different information you can include. It is almost a fill-in-the-blanks résumé builder. You can even export your information to begin work on a more traditional résumé.

Additional Job Application Resources

Use your free access to Lynda.com videos to find additional resources that can help as you decide what to propose. If you were interested in doing something that the textbook doesn’t cover, these videos may be just what you’re looking for. Here are some examples that could be useful, depending upon your career goals:

Discussing Persuasive Techniques

The 4-minute video below talks about how persuasion works and three ways you can appeal to a reader or audience. The video does rely on audio, so you may want to use headphones if you are in a public space when you watch it.

There’s also an odd moment where a dog mistakes a violinist for a fire hydrant. Try not to worry about that as you watch:

Go to the Discussing the Persuasion Video topic in the forums after you have watched the video and talk about how you can use one or more of the appeals in your proposal to demonstrate why the plan you are presenting is best.

Important Dates

  • Tuesday, October 14: Draft of Project 3 (informal proposal) due for peer review by noon
  • Thursday, October 16: Due date for Project 3 (informal proposal)
  • Thursday, October 23: Deadline for Project 3 (end of grace period)

Class Notes

Overview of Projects 3 and 4

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This is the post for the October 3, 2014 class meeting.

Sorry for the delay in getting this post online. For today, we will look at the assignments for Project 3 and Project 4, which are related to each other. If you do nothing else today, make sure that you read them and understand how they connect!

Class Work for October 3

These are the tasks to complete for today’s work:

  • Go over Projects 3 and 4
  • List some examples for Project 4
  • Look at information on proposals

Getting Started on Projects 3 and 4

The third project for this course is a proposal for the work you will do for the fourth project.

  • Project 3 is an informal proposal. You will research the job application expectations for your field and write an informal proposal that explains a job application project you want to complete.
  • Project 4 is your job application materials. You will create whatever job application materials you proposed in Project 3, with my approval. The specifics for this project will be up to you.

The goal for these projects is for you to identify something that you can use and that you need or want to create. I used to ask all students to write a conventional résumé and cover letter. The problem is that you may not need a résumé and cover letter. You might need something like an online portfolio or an internship application. By opening the project up, I can let you write whatever you need or want to create for Project 4.

Because Project 4 is wide open however, I need you to tell me what you plan to work and approve your plan. Project 3 is where you tell me what you need to create and set goals for what you will turn in. You will write an informal, short report that tells me about what people in your field usually write and what you have chosen to create. Your proposal will tell me what you will produce for each grade level (C, B, and A work) for Project 4.

So here’s what you need to do to get started:

  1. Read the assignment for Project 3 and 4 completely. Begin thinking about the job application documents you need (or want) to create. You don’t have to commit to anything yet, but start thinking about it.

  2. If you have any questions (today or in the future) about the assignments, go to the forums and post them in the Questions about Projects 3 & 4: Job App Materials forum. Please make your subject line clearly indicate whether your question is about the proposal or about the job application materials themselves.

Examples for Project 4

As I explain in the assignment, I am referring to what you are working on for Project 6 as “job application materials.” In reality, you do not have to create materials for applying for a job. You have many other options. To show you want I mean, I want to tell you about some of the projects that students have done in the past. You don’t have to choose something from this list. The idea is simply to help you understand the options:

  • a job posting and a résumé and cover letter you would use to apply for the job
  • an internship announcement and the materials you would use to apply for the internship
  • a scholarship announcement and the materials you would use to apply for that scholarship
  • a before image (PDF) of your LinkedIn profile and a link to your revised LinkedIn profile
  • before images of several online profiles (e.g., Facebook, Twitter) and then links to your newly cleaned up profiles
  • the link to a website you have built as a portfolio, which provides info about yourself and your accomplishments
  • the link to your GitHub repository with descriptions and well-documented code for projects you have done
  • the link to your Academia.edu profile, which provides info on your education and projects you have done
  • the link to a YouTube video that gives a guided tour of some work that you have done or presentations you have given

This list is just some of the options. You can do whatever makes sense for your field and career goals. You can combine and rearrange things as well. For example, I had some students in the past who cleaned up their existing online profiles and then created a LinkedIn profile to build a professional online persona.

I cannot stress enough that this is your chance to work on a project that you can use now and in the future. I’ve had students, for instance, who told me that their in-major advisors or advisors at Career Services kept telling them they needed to set up profiles on LinkedIn, but they never had time. They used this project to get that work done.

Writing Proposals

The proposal that you will write for Project 4 is a short, informal report. Chapter 11 of the textbook provides details on more complex proposals than what you are doing. You will often find that textbook descriptions do not match the writing that you do exactly, and this proposal is a good example. The assignment outlines the parts that your proposal needs to include and the relevant details on each section in the text:

  • summary (p. 282–283)
  • introduction, which explains the findings of your research and your needs (p. 283)
  • proposed tasks, that is what you propose to create for Project 4 (p. 283–286)
  • task schedule (p. 287–289)
  • evaluation techniques (p. 289), which outlines three levels of work for Project 4:
    • Average Work ( a C project)
    • Above-Average Work (a B project)
    • Excellent Work (an A project)

Those are the pages in the chapter to pay the most attention to. You will need to adapt the information to fit what you are doing, but the general information is all there. Be sure to review the Project 3: Proposal Grade Expectations to set your goal for Project 3.

Thinking about What to Propose

Go to the What Would Your Propose? post in the forums, choose one of the situations and add a reply that explains what you would recommend to the student. Aim to have your response posted by the end of the weekend.

Class Notes

Submitting Project 2

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This is the post for the September 30, 2014 class meeting.

Today is the due date for Project 2. Remember that you have a one-week grace period if you need it. No excuses needed.

Class Work for September 30

These are the tasks to complete for today’s work:

  • Go over the requirements for Project 2.
  • Review the location of the FAQs for using Google Drive.
  • Discuss the reflection memo and how to submit Project 2 in Scholar.

Requirements for Project 2

You need to turn in a reflection memo as well as a link to your spreadsheet (and to your analysis memo, if you have chosen that option).

Your spreadsheet should be well-organized with clearly labeled headings and an appropriate title. Make sure that the information in your spreadsheet is grammatically parallel (see pp. 122–123 of Markel and if you need more information). In other words, the information in each column should match in grammatical structure.

If you are turning in an analysis memo, ensure that you include all six characteristics of technical communication and that you have used design features (like headings) to arrange the memo in a way that increases readability

For all the documents you turn in, remember to check your spelling and proofread for grammar and punctuation.

Google Drive FAQs

Note: these are the same instructions that you followed in Project 1. I’m including them in case you need a reminder.

To make sure that you can submit your project smoothly, pay attention to the following FAQs:

Writing Your Reflection Memo and Submitting Your Project

Your reflection memo is your chance to tell me anything you want me to know before I read your project. For this project, your reflection memo will give me the link to your spreadsheet on Google Drive and the link to your analysis memo if you created one. You will also tell me about what you have written. Follow these instructions to submit your work:

  1. Go to the Assignments tab on the left menu in Scholar.
  2. Choose “P2: Writing in Your Field.”
  3. Scroll down to the text box below the headings Submission and Assignment Text. You will write your memo in this box. (Alternately, you can write in a word processor/Google Doc, and copy/paste your text into this box.)
  4. Add your memo headers (To, From, Subject, and Date). For your reflection memo, you’ll use the following:
    • Address your memo to me (Traci) and from yourself (use your name).
    • Add a subject line that indicates this is your reflection memo and which project it is for.
    • Add the current date.
  5. Insert a horizontal divider line using the button indicated with the red arrow in the image below:
    Insert Horizontal Line button in Scholar
  6. Introduce your project—what are your overall goals, what grade have you aimed for, and what documents have you written for the project?
  7. Remind me about your career and field, and let me know anything about writing in your field that I will need to know to understand your spreadsheet.
  8. For each part of the project you have written (e.g., the spreadsheet, the analysis memo), do the following:
    1. Label the document so I know whether it is the spreadsheet or the optional analysis memo.
    2. Add the Share link to each document on your Google Drive. Use the instructions for how to get the Share link on the FAQ site if you are unsure how to share documents.
    3. Tell me what I need to know to understand the information you have included in your document. For instance, if you have broken out the kinds of writing in a particular way that you want me to notice, tell me. Likewise, if you have left anything out, tell me about that as well.
    4. Tell me anything else you want me to know about the the layout and design.
  9. Review the information for Project 2 in the reflection memo. You should have a block for each piece you have written that tells me what it is, gives me the link, and tells me about it.
  10. Add a concluding section that tells me anything else you want me to know about your project.
  11. Agree to the Honor Code by clicking the checkbox at the bottom of the page in Scholar. You cannot finish submitting the project without clicking that checkbox (and it’s easy to miss).
  12. Submit your Project, and save a copy of the confirmation and submission ID. If something goes wrong in Scholar, you can contact 4HELP with that information.
  13. You’re done! Project 3 will be a short report and proposal that focuses on the job application materials you will complete for Project 4.