Unsubscribing from the Course Website and Twitter Updates

If you subscribed to the course website at the beginning of the term, you probably want to unsubscribe now. Look for an unsubscribe link at the bottom of the email message that you get from the course website.

If you were following the course Twitter account (@HokieTengrrl), just go the the page in Twitter and click the Unfollow button.

Moving Forum Posts

I’ve moved the forum posts to a private archive, so that students in the future won’t find your work and get confused. Only people who were in the course can see those messages now. The messages are no longer available to the general public.

This is the last week of class. You will complete peer review for the sixth project and then submit your final by 11:55 PM Tuesday, 5/12. There is NO grace period for the final.

Readings for the week of May 5

For this week, please review the following, as necessary:

• Editing and Proofreading tips and skim Appendix B of Markel.
• Guidelines on “Organizing a Memo” in Markel, on p. 232.
• FAQs on the Google Drive system.

Work for the week of May 5

• Complete the peer review activities:
  • Post drafts for Project 6 in the forums.
  • Respond to two students in the forums.
  • Revise your Project 6 based on the feedback.
• Write your reflection memo and submit your project. by 11:55 PM Tuesday, 5/12. There is NO grace period.
• Check back later next week for your course grade. I will post an announcement when final grades have been submitted.

Course Evaluation

If you have not done so already, please fill out the Student Perceptions of Teaching (SPOT) survey for this course. I do not see the feedback until June (after grades are submitted), and your comments are anonymous.

The feedback helps the department make important decisions about teaching methods, course content, and faculty promotion. Written comments help me decide what to keep or change the next time I teach the course.

This week you will read some example self-assessment documents and discuss how they use word choice.

Readings for the week of April 28

For today’s session, please read the following:

• National Guard self-assessment brochure.
• USDA self-assessment document.
• Denver County Public Schools Employee Brief.

Work for the week of April 28

• Analyze the self-assessment documents you have read for today for Powerful Word Choice. After you read the information on word choice, post your responses in the forums:
  • Forum Post on National Guard Self-Assessment Brochure
  • Forum Post on Denver Schools Self-Assessment Statement 
  • Forum Post on USDA Self-Assessment Statements 
• If you have any questions about the assignment, go to Questions about Project 6 in the forum and add them.
• Complete the Course Evaluation, if you have not done so yet (more details below).

Course Evaluation

Please fill out the Student Perceptions of Teaching (SPOT) survey for this course. I do not see the feedback until June (after grades are submitted), and your comments are anonymous.

The feedback helps the department make important decisions about teaching methods, course content, and faculty promotion. Written comments help me decide what to keep or change the next time I teach the course.

Today, you will read through the assignment for the final exam, read related information from the textbook, and post any questions you have.

Readings for the Week of April 21

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

• The assignment for Project 6: Course Completion Report (the final exam).
• Chapter 12 of Markel (“Writing Informational Reports”)
  Note that the information on progress and status reports is similar to the analysis task you will complete for Project 6.

Work for the Week of April 21

• Get started on your sixth project.
• Review the Forum Posts and Participation page, which includes the goals you will report on in your final project.
• Go to Tests & Quizzes in Scholar, and complete the reading quizzes on Chapter 12 of Markel by 11:55 PM on Monday, April 27.
• If you have any questions about the assignment, go to Questions about Project 6 in the forum and add them.

This week, you will complete peer review for the fifth project. Your final draft is due by 11:55 PM on Monday, 4/20. The grace period is over at 11:55 PM on Monday, 4/27.

Delays in Responding This Week

I will be attending a conference in Savannah later this week, so there will be delays in responding to any email message you send from Thursday, 4/16, through Sunday, 4/19. Things will be back to normal on Monday, 4/20.

Readings for the week of April 14

For today’s session, please review the following, as necessary:

• Editing and Proofreading tips and skim Appendix B of Markel.
• Guidelines on “Organizing a Memo” in Markel, on p. 232.
• FAQs on the Google Drive system.

Work for the week of April 14

• Complete the peer review activities:
  • Post drafts for Project 5 in the forums.
  • Respond to two students in the forums.
  • Revise your Project 5 based on the feedback.
• Write your reflection memo and submit your project.

This week, you read about how to choose and document graphics that you use in your writing. Tomorrow, we’ll do peer review and submission of Project 5.

Readings for the Week of April 7

For today’s session, please read the following:

• Tips on Choosing and Using Graphics.
• Chapter 2 of Markel (“Understanding Ethical & legal Considerations”).
• Chapter 8 of Markel (“Creating Graphics”).
• Appendix A of Markel (“Documenting Your Sources”).

Work for the Week of April 7

• Continue work on your fifth project.
• Go to Tests & Quizzes in Scholar, and complete the reading quizzes on Chapters 2 and 8 of Markel by 11:55 PM on Monday, April 13.
• If you have any questions about the assignment, go to the Questions about Project 5 in the forum and add them.

Today, you will get started on Project 5 by learning about definitions, descriptions, and instructions.

Readings for the week of March 31

For today’s session, please read the following:

• The assignment for Project 5.
• Project 5 FAQs
• Details on description, definitions, and instructions and chapter 14 of Markel.
• The Writing Definitions slideshow, especially slides 11–14.
• The Writing Instructions slideshow, especially the last slide for Tips for Instructions.

Work for the week of March 31

• Get started on your fifth project.
• Go to Tests & Quizzes in Scholar, and complete the reading quizzes on Chapter 14 of Markel by 11:55 PM on Monday, April 6.
• If you have any questions about the assignment, go to the Questions about Project 5 in the forum and add them.

This week, you will complete peer review for the fourth project. Your final draft is due by 11:55 PM on Monday, 3/30.

Readings for March 23

For today’s session, review the following, as necessary:

• Editing and Proofreading tips and skim Appendix B of Markel.
• Guidelines on “Organizing a Memo” in Markel, on p. 232.
• FAQs on the Google Drive system.

Work for March 23

• Complete the peer review activities:
  • Post drafts for Project 4 in the forums by 11:55 PM Tuesday, 3/24.
  • Respond to two students in the forums by 11:55 PM on Thursday, 3/26.
  • Revise your Project 4 based on the feedback.
• Write your reflection memo and submit Project 4 (your job application materials) by 11:55 PM on Monday, 3/30.
• If you need it, take advantage of the one-week grace period and submit your project by 11:55 PM on Monday, 4/6. No projects are accepted after the end of the grace period.

Today you will explore some additional information about your job application materials.

Readings for the week of March 17

For today’s session, please read the following, as appropriate for the materials you are writing for Project 4:

• Tips for Job-App Materials slide presentation

• For LinkedIn (This week’s quiz focuses on these LinkedIn articles):
  • 5 Essential Tips for a KILLER LinkedIn Summary
  • Your LinkedIn Profile Summary: How to Distinguish Yourself from Your Company
  • How To Improve Your LinkedIn Background Summary
  • How To Make Your LinkedIn Headline Stand Out
  • LinkedIn Cheat Sheet: 5 Tips For A Professional Profile
  • LinkedIn: What To Include In Your Work History
• For a resume:
  • Resume Objectives (from VT Career Services)
  • Resumes and vitae guide (from VT Career Services)
  • Resumes 101: Swap a Stale Objective for a Fresh Branding Statement
  • Resume Tips (from VT HR)
  • Avoid the Top 10 Resume Mistakes

• If you are writing both a resume and a LinkedIn profile:
  • 7 Ways Your Résumé and LinkedIn Profile Should Differ
  • Resumes vs. LinkedIn Profiles: What You Should Know
  • Your resume vs. your LinkedIn profile

Work for the week of March 17

• Complete the Reading Quiz on LinkedIn Profiles by 11:55 PM on Monday, March 23.

• Reply to at least one of the topics below (in the Projects 3 & 4: Job Application Materials forum):
  • Improving Networking Advice
  • Letter of Appreciation
  • CAM Technician Application Letter
  • CAM Technician Résumé
  • Analyzing Corey’s Résumé

Today you will complete peer review for the third project and then submit your work by 11:55 PM on Monday, March 16.

Readings for the week of March 3

For today’s session, please review the following, as necessary:

• Editing and Proofreading tips and skim Appendix B of Markel.
• Guidelines on “Organizing a Memo” in Markel, on p. 232.
• FAQs on the Google Drive system.

Work for the week of March 3

• Complete the peer review activities:
  • Post drafts for Project 3 in the forums.
  • Respond to two students in the forums.
  • Revise your Project 3 based on the feedback.
• Write your reflection memo and submit your project.
• Have a fun time during Spring Break!