Today is the due date for Project 1. We’ll go over the reflection memo and how to submit your project. Aim to submit your work by midnight in your timezone, but remember that you have a one-week grace period if you need it. No excuses needed. If something has gone wrong in your world, simply be sure that you have your work turned in by 11:55 PM on September 18.

Class Work for September 11

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

• Review requirements for Project 1.
• Discuss the FAQs for using Google Drive.
• Go over the reflection memo and how to submit Project 1 in Scholar.

You may want to print out today’s post so you can check off the steps for submitting your project as you work through them. If you run into trouble submitting your work, send me an email message with the details and I will reply ASAP.

Important Dates

• Thursday,  Sept 11 by 11:55 PM: Project 1: Professional Biography Statement Due
• Thursday, Sept 18 by 11:55 PM: Project 1: Professional Biography Statement Deadline (end of grace period)

Requirements for Project 1

You need to turn in a reflection memo as well as a link to the biograpy statement(s) you have written. The number of bios you turn in will depend upon the grade you are working toward.

Remember to check your spelling and proofread for grammar and punctuation in your bios.

Using Google Drive

The FAQ site has step-by-step instructions for tasks you will complete with your Google Drive, including converting your document if you have worked in another word processor, adding comments, and sharing your documents are all included.

To make sure that you can submit your first 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.

Note that if your documents are in the wrong format or the permissions do not allow me to comment, I will return your work ungraded.

Writing Your Reflection Memo

As I explained in the assignment, the reflection memo is your chance to tell me anything you want me to know about your project. I will read your reflection before I read the bios.

For this project, your reflection memo will give me the link(s) to your biography statements on Google Drive and to your About.me profile 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 “P1: Professional Bio Statement.”
3. Scroll down to the text box below the headings Submission and Assignment Text. You will write your reflection memo in this box. (Alternately, you can write in a word processor 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 you (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:
   
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. For each part of the project you have written (e.g., the formal bio, the informal bio, the About.me profile), do the following:
   1. Label the document so I know whether it is a formal bio, an informal bio, or an About.me profile.
   2. For the formal or informal bio, 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.
   3. Explain who the audience for your statement(s) is. What do I need to know to understand the information you have included and the tone you have used?
   4. For the About.me profile, add the link to your public page.
   5. Tell me anything else you want me to know about the bio, including the content, the layout and design, and any images you included.
8. Review the information for your bio statements. 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.
9. Add a concluding section that tells me anything else you want me to know about your project.
10. 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).
11. 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.
12. Celebrate! You’ve finished the first project!

Today is peer review day for the first project. By sharing the draft of your first project, you will have the opportunity to get some feedback on your work before it is due. In addition, you will have the chance to get to know your classmates better by reading through the bios everyone else has posted. Details on how to submit your project will be posted on Thursday.

Class Work for September 9

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

• Review Editing and Proofreading tips (Markel, Appendix, Part B).
• Learn how to use the Google Drive Comment system.
• Post drafts for Project 1 in the forums.
• Respond to two students in the forums.
• Read everyone’s posts to get to know your classmates.

Important Dates

• Tuesday, Sept 9 by noon: Project 1 Rough Drafts Due for Peer Feedback
• Thursday,  Sept 11 by 11:55 PM: Project 1: Professional Biography Statement Due
• Thursday, Sept 18 by 11:55 PM: Project 1: Professional Biography Statement Deadline (end of grace period)

Editing and Proofreading Tips

Part B of the Appendix in your text goes over various rules for grammar, punctuation, and mechanics. You can review these rules as needed. There’s also a list of 20 Most Common Errors available under the Resources menu at the top of the page.

Using the Google Drive Comment System

Review the step-by-step instructions for how to use Google Drive for peer review on the FAQ site. The page 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 1

You will post details on your draft in the forums, just as you posted your topics last week:

1. Follow the instructions in Step 1 of How do I use Google Drive for peer review? to set up sharing permissions for your documents. You need to share your draft with “Anyone with the link” or “People at Virginia Tech with the link” so that we can read your work.

2. Go to the Project 1: Professional Biography Statement
   board in the forums, and find the topic you created with your name or your username (e.g., “Traci’s Bios”).

3. 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 to your bios in Google Docs.
   • If you have written more than one bio, please label them so that your readers will know what they are reading (for instance, you might note one is a formal bio for the company website, and the other is an informal bio for the internal company newsletter).

4. If you have any specific concerns that you want your readers to consider, add a note on that as well.

5. Be sure to Preview your forum post to make sure everything shows up the way you want it to, and then Submit your message.

Replying to Project 1 Drafts

Next, you will reply to the posts of some of your classmates:

1. Review the instructions in Step 2 of How do I use Google Drive for peer review? to learn how to use the Comment features in Google Drive.

2. Go to the Project 1: Professional Biography Statement board in the forums, and read the drafts of at least two of your classmates and add a reply with advice and encouragement (more below).
   • 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.

3. 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.

4. Go back to the forums and add a reply to your classmate’s topic and add an overall comment that sums up what you thought of the bio(s) and gives your classmate 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.

Reading the Remaining Project 1 Drafts

To get to know your classmates a bit better, read through the remaining bio statements that are posted. If you notice anything you want to comment on, feel free to post additional replies.

Great work in the forums again yesterday. You’ve made some excellent observations about the bio statements you reviewed, and I think you’re prepared to work on your own drafts.

Class Work for September 4

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

• Read about how to adapt your writing to the needs of your readers (chapter 6 of Markel).
• Post details on the audience(s) and purpose(s) you have chosen for Project 1.

Important Dates

• Tuesday, Sept 9 by noon: Project 1 Rough Drafts Due for Peer Feedback
• Thursday,  Sept 11 by 11:55 PM: Project 1: Professional Biography Statement Due
• Thursday, Sept 18 by 11:55 PM: Project 1: Professional Biography Statement Deadline (end of grace period)

Writing for Your Readers

Chapter 6 of Markel covers strategies for matching the style, tone, and design in technical writing to the people who will read what you write. This advice will help you with all the projects you work on this term. All of the information is important, but I will highlight three areas that can make a big difference:

• Choosing Effective Organizational Patterns (pp.107–108)
  Be sure to look through the chart in the book that talks about different ways to set up your writing. You may have noticed that some of the bios you examined use chronological order, but other options could work as well. For example, some of the bios also move from “More important to less important” information. Use the chart on these pages this term to remember the options available.

• Writing Coherent Titles and Headings (pp.108–111)
  The right title can draw someone into your text, and effective headings can chunk the text into manageable sections that increase understanding as they guide people through what you write. Pay particular attention to the Guidelines on p. 111. As you look at the information think about how some of the examples used these strategies to chunk the details in the bios. The examples from “Meet the Team” Pages: Examples and Trends use the person’s name and title as headings, for instance. You might also arrange your informal bio as a kind of Q&A, with the questions as headings.

• Using Lists (pp.117–120)
  Like headings, lists can make a remarkable difference in readability. Pay attention to the guidelines in this section for examples that show what lists contribute to a piece of technical writing. You may not use lists at all in your bios (though you can if they make sense for what you are doing). Keep the strategy in mind for future projects.

Post Your Plans for Project 1

Once you have read today’s readings, I want you to turn your attention to your own biography statements by completing these tasks:

1. Go to the Project 1: Professional Biography Statement board in the forums, and start a new topic. Give the topic your name or your username to help keep things organized. For instance, if I were setting up a new topic, I would name it “Traci’s Bio Statements” or perhaps “Tengrrl’s Bios.”

2. In your new topic, do the following:
   • Post details on the audience(s) and purpose(s) you have chosen for Project 1.
   • Use headings to separate information on the bios if you are writing more than one.
   • Give us enough summary of your plans to understand what you are going to write about.
   • Note that you can plan big. For instance, if you plan to write two bios but only get one done, that’s okay. You are sharing plans, not signing contracts.
3. Once you have posted about your plan, read the plans of at least two of your classmates and add a reply with advice and encouragement.
   • 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.
   • Do not count my replies when you are looking for a post that no student has replied to.

4. Work on the drafts for your bio statement(s). Tuesday by noon, you will post your drafts in your topic in the forums, and give peer review feedback to two other students by 11:55 PM. Project 1 is due on Tuesday, September 11.

Thanks for your work in the forums last week. I’m happy with the responses you’ve posted. You’re doing exactly the kind of work I was hoping for. If you have not done so, make sure you read the Forum Posts & Participation page, which explains how the forum work counts in your course grade.

Class Work for September 2

These are the goals for today’s work:

• Read about the characteristics of technical writing (chapter 1 of Markel).
• Read about the importance of audience and purpose (chapter 4 of Markel).
• Analyze some example bio statements, based on the readings.

Characteristics of Technical Writing

Chapter 1 of Practical Strategies for Technical Communication outlines 6 characteristics of technical writing:

• It addresses particular readers.
• It helps readers solve problems.
• It reflects the organization’s goals and culture.
• It is produced collaboratively.
• It uses design to increase readability.
• It consists of words or images or both.

We’ll return to these six characteristics a lot during the term. We’ll use them to analyze examples of tech writing, including the texts that you write yourself. Read chapter 1 for all the details on how they work. Of these six characteristics, the one that causes the most questions is that tech writing is produced collaboratively. Think of it as a very wide idea of collaboration, and read that part of the chapter closely.

Importance of Audience and Purpose

We will talk about audience and purpose for every project that you work on in this class. The concepts of audience and purpose are vitally important in every kind of writing (in fact, any kind of communication) because they determine the information you include and the tone and style that you use.

For audience, chapter 4 identifies four key questions to answer for any writing project:

• Who are your readers?
• Why is your audience reading your document?
• What are your readers’ attitudes and expectations?
• How will your readers use your document?

Pay attention to the details on those questions in your reading, as well as the idea of primary, secondary, and tertiary audiences. As you read about purpose in the chapter 4, be sure you understand the details on these four questions:

• Why is the reader reading your document?
• How will the reader read your document?
• What is the reader’s reading skill level?
• What is the physical environment in which the reader will read your document?

These questions will help you make decisions about the information in writing projects as well. For instance, the reading skill of your reader will help you decide if your technical jargon is appropriate.

At the end of the chapter, be sure to notice the “Writer’s Checklist” (pp. 76-77). You will find a checklist at the end of nearly every chapter in the book. These lists are a nice summary of the important concepts in the chapter. For some of the projects we will work on, we will use the checklists for peer review and feedback on what you write.

Analyze Some Example Bio Statements

Once you have read the information in the readings for today, I’d like you to apply them by analyzing some example biography statements.

1. Read several of the biographies on the sites below. I gathered a range of biographies from different kinds of sites. Please be sure to read at least one formal company/academic bios and one informal bio.

   Formal bios

   • Corps of Cadets Staff Biographies
   • Draper Aden About Us page
   • Virginia Tech Athletic Fund Staff
   • Federal Mogul Corporate Leadership
   • American Veterinary Pathology Associates
   • Rackspace Leadership
   • Uncork-It Team

   Less formal bios

   • East Coasters Staff
   • WSLS Staff
   • Campus Automotive Staff
   • Faces of the Forest Service
   • Special Olympics of Virginia Staff & Board of Directors (there aren’t bios, but mouse over the photos)

2. Go to the Analyzing Example Bio Statements post in the forums and talk explain what you can tell about audience and purpose for the bio statements based on the information they include and the tone of the biography. There are some questions there to help you get started.

3. (Optional) Once you have posted about your readings, read through what others had to say, and reply to one or more of the ideas or questions that your classmates have posted.

Important Dates

• Tuesday, Sept 9 by noon: Project 1 Rough Drafts Due for Peer Feedback
• Thursday,  Sept 11 by 11:55 PM: Project 1: Professional Biography Statement Due
• Thursday, Sept 18 by 11:55 PM: Project 1: Professional Biography Statement Deadline (end of grace period)

Thanks to everyone who has logged into the forums. If you have not yet added a reply to the “Syllabus Verification Thread,” please do so immediately to confirm that you are enrolled in the course.

Class Work for August 28

These are the goals for today’s work:

• Go over the assignment for Project 1.
• Read some resources for Project 1 and discuss them in the forum.

Getting Started on Project 1

I have tried to design the assignments for this course that will have some real-world use for you, if not now, at some point in the future. You can find an overview of all the projects by clicking on the Assignments link at the top of the page.

The first assignment is to work on Professional Biography Statements. At some point in your career, you will almost certainly have to write this kind of self-introduction. It might be as part of a conference proposal, a scholarship application, or for a company newsletter where you are interning. This kind of biography statement can also become part of your job application, so you may reuse some of what you write when you work on your job application materials in Project 4.

Here’s what I want you to do:

1. Read the assignment completely. Begin thinking about the goals you will set for the assignment and the audience you will choose. 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 assignment, go to the Questions about Project 1 topic in the forum and add them. You can skim through this topic for answers as well.

Discussing Readings for Project 1

The textbook doesn’t include much information on biography statements, so I have gathered a collection of websites (in no particular order) that offer advice to help you as you work on this assignment:

• How to Write Short Company Newsletter Bios of Employees (eHow)
• Transform Staff Bios from Mundane to Magical in 6 Easy Steps (GettingAttention.org)
• “Meet the Team” Pages: Examples and Trends (Smashing Magazine)
• How to Write a Short Bio About Yourself (Chron)
• How to Write a Snappy, Tight Professional Bio (NBC Chicago)
• How to Write a Sample Self-Bio at a New Job (Global Post)
• Writing a Professional Biography (U of Rochester)
• Top Ten Tips for Writing a Professional Overview or Biography (Ezine @rticles)
• How To Look Good on Paper: 4 Examples of Great Bios (Communicate [your] Skills)
• How to Write A Bio- Tips for Building Your Personal Brand (Brand Yourself)
• Samples of Professional Branding Statements (Dummies.com)

Here’s what I want you to do:

1. Read through several of the resources. Most of them are short, and you should be able to skim through them quickly. Pay attention to the advice you see them repeating and anything that catches your eye (whether it’s good or bad).

2. Go to the Readings for Project 1 topic in the forums and post your response to the articles. You will find some questions to help you get started in the forums. Aim to post two replies to the topic. I hope to get some good discussion of the advice in these columns, and I hope that you will interact with each other in writing just as you might talk if we were meeting in a classroom on campus.