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.

Readings for the week of December 8

For this week, please review the following as needed:

• Editing and Proofreading tips and skim Appendix B of Markel.
• Documentation on Submitting Assignments in Canvas:
  • How do I submit an online assignment?
  • How do I upload a file as an Assignment submission in Canvas?
  • How will I know when my Instructor has graded my Assignment?

Work for the week of December 8

• If you have not already done so, please fill out the Student Perceptions of Teaching (SPOT) survey for this course. I do not see the feedback until late December (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.

• Write and submit your final exam, Project 5: Course Completion Report, by 11:59 PM on Monday, December 14, following the instructions below. There is no grace period on the exam, since course grades must be calculated and turned in.

  1. Go to our course in Canvas.
  2. Choose Assignments from the left sidebar.
  3. Choose the "Project 5: Course Completion Report (Final Exam)" assignment.
  4. Click the big Submit Assignment button on the upper right. You’ll see this File Upload form:
     
  5. Click the Choose File button, and navigate to your file. It must be a *.doc, *.docx, or *.pdf file.
  6. Type your reflection comments in the Comments… box (indicated by the orange arrow). I read your comments before I read your project. These comments are worth 10 points of your grade. Don’t forget them! Include this information:
     • Tell me what grade you aimed for (e.g., I aimed for a B+ by including headings and icons).
     • Tell me how well you met your goals.
     • Tell me anything else you want me to know before I grade your project.
  7. Click the Submit Assignment button, and your work will be uploaded and turned in.
  8. Watch for a blog post later in the week of December 15 that will let you know that the course grades have been submitted. You can check your Grades in Canvas to see what you earned.

This week, you will read through the assignment for the final exam and discuss some example documents and advice.

Readings for the Week of December 1

• The assignment for Project 5: Course Completion Report (the final exam).
• Information on progress and status reports (which are similar to a completion report) on pp. 302–311 in Markel.
• Details on Powerful Word Choice
• Self-Assessment Examples
  • National Guard self-assessment brochure
  • USDA self-assessment document
  • Denver County Public Schools Employee Brief

Work for the Week of December 1

• Read the Project 5: Course Completion Report assignment (the final exam), and begin gathering data on your work in the course by rereading your posts in the Discussions and your projects to identify your best work.

• Analyze the self-assessment documents you have read for today for Powerful Word Choice. Go to Discussions in Canvas and post two replies to the "Comparing Self-Assessment Examples" Discussion, following the instructions in Canvas by 11:59 PM on Monday, 12/7 (two-day grace period ends at 11:59PM on 12/9).

• Please fill out the Student Perceptions of Teaching (SPOT) survey for this course. I do not see the feedback until late December (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 complete peer review for the fourth project and then after Thanksgiving break, you will submit your work by 11:59 PM on Monday, 10/30. If you need more time, use the grace period and turn in your work by 11:59 PM on Monday, 12/7.

Readings for the week of November 17

For this week, please review the following as needed:

• Editing and Proofreading tips and skim Appendix B of Markel.
• Documentation on Peer Review in Canvas:
  • How do I know if I have a Discussion peer review to complete?
  • How do I submit a peer review to a Discussion?
  • Where can I find my peers’ feedback for peer reviewed Discussions?
• Documentation on Submitting Assignments in Canvas:
  • How do I submit an online assignment?
  • How do I upload a file as an Assignment submission in Canvas?
  • How will I know when my Instructor has graded my Assignment?

Contacting Me the week of November 17

I have oral surgery scheduled next Wednesday, 11/18. Because of the preparation for the procedure and the recuperation time, I may not be able to respond to any email from Tuesday afternoon (11/17) through Thursday morning (11/19). No office hours on Wednesday (11/18) or Friday (11/20).

Work for the week of November 17

1. Turn in your Project 4 rough drafts for Peer Feedback by 11:59 PM on Tuesday, November 17 (no grace period). Follow these instructions to post your draft:

• Go to Discussions in Canvas.
• Choose the "Peer Review for Project 4" discussion.
• Post a reply to the Discussion (Canvas Documentation) that includes the following information in the body of the message:
  • Tell your readers what you are analyzing and why you chose it in one sentence.
  • Ask your readers to look at anything you are trying to improve. Let them know the kind of advice you need.
  • If relevant, explain anything else you want your readers to know.
• Provide your rough drafts, using one or both of these options:
  • Attach any documents to the Discussion message. Be sure your file is a *.doc, *.docx, or *.pdf file.
  • Provide a link to your draft in the Discussion message (e.g., for a Google Doc).

2. Respond to the two drafts you have been assigned for Peer Feedback by 11:59 PM on Thursday, November 19 (no grace period). Follow these instructions to provide feedback:

• Follow the Canvas Documentation to find the drafts you have been assigned. Note that you must have turned in your draft on time to be assigned peer review partners.
• Write a response to each of the two drafts (Canvas Documentation) that includes the following information:
  • Consider your immediate impression of the document(s), and add a comment to tell your partner your first thoughts.
  • If you notice any spelling errors, punctuation errors, or typos, you can mention them in your comments, but focus more on the content than editing and proofreading.
  • Add comments on the content of the draft:
    • Comment on at least three things your classmate does well.
    • Comment on at least three things that your classmate could improve.

3. Revise your draft based on the peer feedback you received, using the Canvas Documentation to find your peers’ feedback.

4. Submit your revised draft by 11:59 PM on Monday, November 30, following the instructions below. If you need an extension, take advantage of the Grace Period and submit your revised draft by 11:59 PM on Monday, December 7. Remember that there are no revisions or rewrites after your work is graded.

1. Go to our course in Canvas.
2. Choose Assignments from the left sidebar.
3. Choose the "Genre Analysis Report" assignment.
4. Click the big Submit Assignment button on the upper right. You’ll see this File Upload form:
   
5. Click the Choose File button, and navigate to your file. It must be a *.doc, *.docx, or *.pdf file.
6. Type your reflection comments in the Comments… box (indicated by the orange arrow). I read your comments before I read your project. These comments are worth 10 points of your grade. Don’t forget them! Include this information:
   • Tell me what documents you have attached.
   • Tell me what grade you aimed for (e.g., I aimed for a B+ by including headings and icons).
   • Tell me anything else you want me to know before I grade your project.
7. Click the Submit Assignment button, and your work will be uploaded and turned in.

Readings for the week of November 10

For this week, read or review the following as needed:

• Genre Analysis Report Assignment (Due 11/30, 1-week grace period)
• Genre Analysis Examples
• Tables of Contents from Example Reports (PDF)

Work for the week of November 10

• If you have not done so, submit your Genre Analysis Progress Report Assignment by 11:59 PM on 11/11 (the end of the 2-day grace period).

• To prepare for writing your report, compare the Tables of Contents for the Genre Analysis Examples, and complete the Project 4 Organization Quiz in Canvas by 11:59 PM on Monday, 11/16. If you need more time, you have a 2-day grace period, which ends at 11:59 PM on Wednesday, 11/18.

• Be aware of the following important dates:

  • Tue, 11/17: Submit your draft for peer review by 11:59 PM. If you have not submitted your draft by the deadline, you will not receive credit for peer review and you will not receive feedback on your draft.
  • Wed, 11/18: Peer review partners will be automatically assigned at 12:01 AM.
  • Thu, 11/19: Provide feedback to the two classmates you have been assigned as you peer review partners by 11:59 PM.
  • Mon, 11/30: Project 4 due by 11:59 PM. (I expect most of you to use the grace period).
  • Mon, 12/7: Project 4 grace period ends at 11:59 PM.

• If you need to ask any questions about the project, send me an email message.

• A Personal Note: I have oral surgery scheduled next Wednesday, 11/18. Because of the preparation for the procedure and the recuperation time, I may not be able to respond to any email from Tuesday afternoon (11/17) through Thursday morning (11/19). No office hours on Wednesday (11/18) or Friday (11/20).

Readings for the week of November 3

For this week, read or review the following as needed:

• Genre Analysis Report Assignment (Due 11/30, 1-week grace period)
• Genre Analysis Examples
• Genre Analysis Progress Report Assignment (Due 11/9, 2-day grace period)

Work for the week of November 3

• Use the Genre Analysis Examples to guide you as you gather information and draft your own report. You will work on different topics, but the arrangement and kind of information that they include is similar to what you need to work on.

• After reading the examples, go to the Discussing Example Reports post in Canvas and make two replies, following the instructions that you find in the post.

• Continue working on your project. You should be in good shape if you complete most of your research by November 9. That will give you a full week to work through your findings and write your report before the peer review draft is due (on 11/17 by 11:59 PM, no grace period).

• Submit a Progress Report, explaining what you have done so far and outlining what you still need to do by 11:59 on November 9 (2-day grace period ends on November 11). Because your progress report should reflect all the work you have done through the end of this week, the assignment will not open in Canvas until Saturday, November 7.

• If you need to ask any questions before you write your progress report or have any other questions about the project, send me an email message.

Readings for the week of October 27

For this week, please read the following as needed:

• Genre Analysis Report Assignment (Due 11/30, 1-week grace period)
• Genre Analysis Examples
• Genre Analysis Proposal Assignment (Due 11/2, 2-day grace period)
• Genre Analysis Progress Report Assignment (Due 11/9, 2-day grace period)

Work for the week of October 27

• Choose your focus for Project 4, following the advice in Step One of the assignment. Consider the various kinds of writing you can examine in your report, and choose one that you have not yet written in your career but that you want to know how to write.

• Write your proposal, following the instructions on the Genre Analysis Proposal page. If you need an extension, take advantage of the 2-day grace period for daily work. The proposal is an important part of the process, since it makes sure that you’re on the right track before you dive into writing the actual report, which is worth 30% of your course grade.

• Begin your research for the project, and be sure to keep track of your sources for your bibliography. This is a large project, so I encourage you to work steadily over the next month, rather than waiting until the last minute.

• If you need to ask any questions before you write your proposal or have any other questions about the assignments, send me an email message.

This week you will complete peer review for the third project and then submit your work by 11:59 PM on Monday, 10/26. If you need more time, use the grace period and turn in your work by 11:59 PM on Monday, 11/2.

Readings for the week of October 20

For this week, please review the following as needed:

• Editing and Proofreading tips and skim Appendix B of Markel.
• Documentation on Peer Review in Canvas:
  • How do I know if I have a Discussion peer review to complete?
  • How do I submit a peer review to a Discussion?
  • Where can I find my peers’ feedback for peer reviewed Discussions?
• Documentation on Submitting Assignments in Canvas:
  • How do I submit an online assignment?
  • How do I upload a file as an Assignment submission in Canvas?
  • How will I know when my Instructor has graded my Assignment?

Work for the week of October 20

1. Turn in your Project 3 rough drafts for Peer Feedback by 11:59 PM on Tuesday, October 20 (no grace period). Follow these instructions to post your draft:

• If you are sharing a LinkedIn profile, make sure your privacy setting will let the public see your profile. Consult the Lynda.com video on Managing your public profile for help.
• Go to Discussions in Canvas.
• Choose the "Project 3 Peer Review" discussion.
• Post a reply to the Discussion (Canvas Documentation) that includes the following information in the body of the message:
  • Tell your readers what you are making for Project 3 (e.g., a LinkedIn profile and resume).
  • Ask your readers to look at anything you are trying to improve. Let them know the kind of advice you need.
  • If relevant, explain anything else you want your readers to know.
• Provide your rough drafts, using one or both of these options:
  • Attach any documents to the Discussion message. Be sure your file is a *.doc, *.docx, or *.pdf file.
  • Provide a link to your draft in the Discussion message (e.g., for a LinkedIn profile).

2. Respond to the two drafts you have been assigned for Peer Feedback by 11:59 PM on Thursday, October 22 (no grace period). Follow these instructions to provide feedback:

• Follow the Canvas Documentation to find the drafts you have been assigned. Note that you must have turned in your draft on time to be assigned peer review partners.
• Write a response to each of the two drafts (Canvas Documentation) that includes the following information:
  • 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, you can mention them in your comments, but focus more on the content than editing and proofreading.
  • 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.

3. Revise your draft based on the peer feedback you received, using the Canvas Documentation to find your peers’ feedback.

4. Submit your revised draft by 11:59 PM on Monday, October 26, following the instructions below. If you need an extension, take advantage of the Grace Period and submit your revised draft by 11:59 PM on Monday, November 2. Remember that there are no revisions or rewrites after your work is graded.

Choose the option below that fits your project. When you click on the option, the instructions will appear. Just follow them to submit your work:

• LinkedIn or other Website URL only
  1. Go to our course in Canvas.
  2. Choose Assignments from the left sidebar.
  3. Choose the "Project 3: Job Application Materials" assignment.
  4. Click the big Submit Assignment button on the upper right.
  5. Click the Website URL tab, and you will see the form below on the page:
     
  6. Paste the link to your site in the Website URL field.
  7. Type your reflection comments in the Comments… box (indicated by the orange arrow). I read your comments before I read your project. These comments are worth 10 points of your grade. Don’t forget them! Include this information:
     • Tell me what you are linking to.
     • Tell me what grade you aimed for (e.g., I aimed for a B+ by including headings and icons).
     • Tell me anything else you want me to know before I grade your project.
  8. Click the Submit Assignment button, and your work will be uploaded and turned in.
• File upload only
  1. Go to our course in Canvas.
  2. Choose Assignments from the left sidebar.
  3. Choose the "Project 3: Job Application Materials" assignment.
  4. Click the big Submit Assignment button on the upper right. You’ll see this File Upload form:
     
  5. Click the Choose File button, and navigate to your file. It must be a *.doc, *.docx, or *.pdf file.
  6. Type your reflection comments in the Comments… box (indicated by the orange arrow). I read your comments before I read your project. These comments are worth 10 points of your grade. Don’t forget them! Include this information:
     • Tell me what documents you have attached.
     • Tell me what grade you aimed for (e.g., I aimed for a B+ by including headings and icons).
     • Tell me anything else you want me to know before I grade your project.
  7. Click the Submit Assignment button, and your work will be uploaded and turned in.
• Both website URL and file upload only

  Canvas does not allow you to use both options at the same time, so you will have to write an extra document. Follow these instructions:

  1. Write a short memo in your word processor that gives me the URL. It can be very short and direct. Just give me the link and tell me what it goes to.
  2. Go to our course in Canvas.
  3. Choose Assignments from the left sidebar.
  4. Choose the "Project 3: Job Application Materials" assignment.
  5. Click the big Submit Assignment button on the upper right. You’ll see this File Upload form:
     
  6. Click the Choose File button, and navigate to your files. They must be *.doc, *.docx, or *.pdf files. You can upload as many as you need. Be sure to upload the memo with the link to your website or LinkedIn profile.
  7. Type your reflection comments in the Comments… box (indicated by the orange arrow). I read your comments before I read your project. These comments are worth 10 points of your grade. Don’t forget them! Include this information:
     • Tell me what documents you have attached.
     • Tell me what grade you aimed for (e.g., I aimed for a B+ by including headings and icons).
     • Tell me anything else you want me to know before I grade your project.
  8. Click the Submit Assignment button, and your work will be uploaded and turned in.

Readings for the week of October 13

I’ve gathered some resources that will help you with whatever you proposed. Read the information that pertains to what you have proposed.

• Tips for Job-App Materials slide presentation (applies to nearly everyone)

• Common resume mistakes (applies to nearly everyone, not just resumes)

• For LinkedIn:
  • 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 October 13

Since it’s break this weekend, I’m keeping the work light. Enjoy your long weekend!

• Continue working on Project 3. Assume your proposal will be accepted.

• Watch for a reply to your proposal by the end of the week. Be sure to check the comments. If you need to make any adjustments to your plans, I will tell you about it there.

• Be ready to post a draft version of Project 3 for peer review by 11:59 PM on Tuesday, 10/20. If you do not submit your draft on time, you will not receive feedback. Peer review feedback is due by 11:59 PM on Thursday, 10/22. The final version of your project is due by 11:59 PM on Monday, 11/26.

• If you have any questions about the assignments, post them in the Questions about Projects 3 Discussion in Canvas.

Readings for the week of October 6

• Proposal for Job Application Materials
• Project 3: Evaluation Section (what you propose for assessing your work)
• Example Proposal for Job Application Materials

Work for the week of October 6

• Go to the What Would You Propose? Discussion in Canvas, and post two replies: your original reply to one scenario in the bulleted list, and your reply to one classmate in your group.

• Examine the Example Proposal for Job Application Materials to see the kind of information to include in your proposal. The example is an extensive proposal that would earn an A. The proposal is worth 10 points of your grade for Project 3. Here are some related tips:

  • Be sure that you include all the required sections, as explained in the proposal instructions.

  • Document outside resources that you consult as you research job application materials for your field. You do not need to document conversations or the class texts; but do note any other resources (e.g., books, websites) you consult. You can use whatever documentation format you are most familiar with. Here are some tools if you are unsure what to use:
    • EasyBib online citation builder creates MLA-format for free.
    • Son of Citation Machine creates MLA, APA, and Chicago citations for free.
    • Cite This For Me creates several styles, including IEEE, for free.

• Submit your proposal by 11:59 PM on Monday, October 12. Early submission is recommended if you are thinking of a job application project that might be unusual. Follow the submission instructions to turn in your work.

• Watch for feedback on your proposal late next week. I have never had to turn a proposal down, but I do ask for changes occasionally. You are responsible for the suggestions included in the feedback.

• If you have any questions about the assignments, post them in the Questions about Projects 3 Discussion in Canvas.