linkedin – Technical Writing

Submitting Project 4

tengrrl — Thu, 30 Oct 2014 04:49:58 +0000

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

Today is the due date for Project 4, your job application materials. Aim to submit your work today, but remember that you have a one-week grace period if you need it.

Work for October 30

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

Go over the requirements for Project 4.
Review the location of the FAQs for using Google Drive.
Review the LinkedIn permissions settings.
Discuss the reflection memo and how to submit Project 4 in Scholar.

Requirements for Project 4

You need to turn in a reflection memo as well as a share link to your job application materials. Use the project assignment to check your work. Make sure that you include all the elements that you proposed in your Project 3 Proposal. Also remember to check your spelling and proofread for grammar and punctuation.

Google Drive FAQs

Note: this is the same information you followed in Project 1. 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:

If you worked in something other than Google Drive, you can use your preferences to automatically convert files you upload to Google Drive automatically.
This step is important so that I can use the commenting features in Google Drive.
If you already uploaded a document to Google Drive, check the format of your files and manually convert the files on Google Drive if necessary.
Follow the instructions on how to set permissions and get the Google Drive Share link to get a link that will allow me to read and comment on your document.

Set Permissions for LinkedIn Projects

For me to see and grade your work on LinkedIn, I either need you to connect with me on LinkedIn or for you to make sure your privacy setting will let the public see your profile. Check the What permissions do I need on LinkedIn? FAQ for more details.

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:

Go to the Assignments tab on the left menu in Scholar.
Choose “P4: Job Application Materials.”
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 or Google Doc, and copy/paste your text into this box.)
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.

Insert a horizontal divider line using the button indicated with the red arrow in the image below:
Introduce your project—what are your overall goals, what grade have you aimed for for Project 4, and what documents have you written for the project? Be sure to list all three levels (A-level work, B-level work, and C-level work) that you outlined for your job application materials in your Project 3 proposal.
If you are using Google Drive for any of your documents, do the following:
1. Convert your document to Google Drive format if you worked in another word processor.
2. 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. Make sure you set permissions so that I can add comments.
If you are working on other sites (like LinkedIn or GitHub), do the following:
1. Make sure that your permissions are set so that I can see your work.
2. Add the link to your profile or website to your reflection memo.
Tell me what I need to know to understand the information you have included in your document.
Tell me anything else you want me to know about the the layout and design.
Add a concluding section that tells me anything else you want me to know about your project.
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).
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.
You’re done! Congrats!

Peer Review for Project 4

tengrrl — Mon, 27 Oct 2014 15:56:49 +0000

This is the post for the October 28, 2014 class meeting.

Class Work for October 28

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

Go over the requirements for Project 4.
Set permissions for LinkedIn (if relevant).
Refresh yourself on the documentation for the comment system in Google Drive.
Post drafts for Project 4 in the forums.
Respond to two students on Google Drive and in the forums.
Review the comments on your own work.

Comments on Graded Work

If you have any questions about your grades, please check the comments on graded work. You can use the How do I find feedback on my Assignments in Scholar? FAQ for help.

Requirements for Project 4

Project 4 requires you to create and turn in the job application materials that your proposed in Project 3. The specifics of your project depend upon what you proposed. Look back at your Project 3 Proposal for details.

Set Permissions for LinkedIn Projects

If you proposed working on a LinkedIn profile, you need to make sure that the permissions are set properly. For me to see and grade your work on LinkedIn, I either need you to connect with me on LinkedIn or for you to make sure your privacy setting will let the public see your profile. Check the What permissions do I need on LinkedIn? FAQ for more details.

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:

Go to the Project 4 Peer Review section of the forums, and create a topic for your draft with your name or your username (e.g., “Traci’s Job App”).
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. If you have links to other documents, like you LinkedIn profile, provide those instead (or as well).
Tell your classmates what job application materials you have created and let them know about any specific concerns that you want them to consider as they comment on your draft.
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:

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.
Either use the Share link to go to your classmate’s draft on Google Drive or visit the page(s) they have submitted.

If you are working on Google Drive, use the Comment system to add details on the following issues. If you are reviewing a LinkedIn profile or another document outside Google Drive, add a reply in the forums and include answers to the following in your reply:
- Consider your immediate impression of the document(s), and add a comment to tell your partner your first thoughts. Job application materials can be rejected at a glance, so first impressions matter.
- 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.
Once you finish commenting on the document, add an overall comment in the forums that sums up what you thought of the job application materials 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.

Job Application Materials

tengrrl — Mon, 20 Oct 2014 17:45:28 +0000

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.