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 September 29

• Assignment for Project 3: Job Application Materials
• Project 3 Examples
• Proposal for Job Application Materials
• Project 3: Evaluation Section (what you propose for assessing your work)
• Additional resources for Project 3 (like info on LinkedIn)
• VT Career Planning Guide (skim the guide and use what applies to you)
• Information on résumés and cover letters and Chapter 10 of Markel
• Details on structuring proposals and Chapter 11 of Markel

Work for the week of September 29

• Complete the quizzes on Chapters 10 and 11 by 11:59 PM on Monday, October 5.

• Begin work on Project 3. Take time this week to explore the various resources on job application materials listed in the readings so that you can make an informed decision about what you will propose.

• Start writing the proposal for your job application materials and submit it by 11:59 PM on Monday, October 12. Early submisssion is recommended if you are thinking of a job application project that might be unusual. Use the proposal instructions to know what information to include and how to submit your proposal.

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

Important Dates

• October 12: Informal Proposal due by 11:59 PM
• October 14: Grace period ends at 11:59 PM

Goals

outline the activities that you want to complete for your job application materials project

set a specific schedule and list of deliverables

suggest evaluation criteria for your job application materials

The Proposal Assignment

Write a short, informal proposal that tells me what you want to create for Project 3. Check out the Project 3 Examples for tips and some projects that will work. A rubric for the proposal will be provided in the next week.

LENGTH: Try to keep it to four pages or less. You could be a little longer if you have included a lot of charts, graphs, or other illustrations. Bottom line: include enough details for me to understand and approve your proposal, but do not add unnecessary filler.

FILE FORMAT: You can work in any word processor, as long as you can save your file as either a *.doc, a *.docx, or a *.pdf file.

STRUCTURE: Your proposal should include the following sections:

• summary (Markel, pp. 282–283)
• introduction, which explains the findings of your research and your needs (Markel, p. 283)
• proposed tasks, that is what you propose to create for Project 3 (Markel, pp. 283–286)
• task schedule (Markel, pp. 287–289)
• evaluation techniques (Markel, p. 289 and more info & examples), which outlines three levels of work for Project 3:
  • Average Work ( a C project)
  • Above-Average Work (a B project)
  • Excellent Work (an A project)

SUBMISSION: Upload your file in the Assignment tool on Canvas, following these instructions:

1. Go to Assignments in Canvas.
2. Choose "Proposal for Job Application Materials" (under Project 3).
3. Click the big Submit Assignment button on the upper right. You’ll see this File Upload form:
   
4. Click the Choose File button, and navigate to your proposal file. It must be a *.doc, *.docx, or *.pdf file.
5. Skip the Comments… box (indicated by the orange arrow) for this activity, unless there is something special you need to tell me.
6. Click the Submit Assignment button, and your proposal will be uploaded and turned in.
7. If you need to make any changes to your plan, I will let you know in the comments on your proposal, so be sure to read the feedback that I send.

Important Dates

• October 12: Informal Proposal due by 11:59 PM
• October 20: Rough Drafts for Peer Feedback, due by 11:59 PM
• October 26: Project 3 due by 11:59 PM
• November 2: Grace period ends at 11:59 PM

Goals

learn the characteristics of job application materials that are typical for your field

identify ethical/intercultural and global issues that can come into play when preparing job application materials

create something that is immediately useful outside this course, whether in a job you have now or in your job search

The Project Assignment

You will explore the kinds of documents you need in order to apply for a job, an internship, or a scholarship. You’ll propose what kind(s) of job application materials you want to write (anything goes—a traditional resume, a personal website, a LinkedIn profile, a GitHub repository, etc.). Based on your findings, you will create the job application materials that you need, whatever they may be.

Step-by-Step Details

Step 1: Conduct your research. You probably know a bit about what you will need to gather for a job application after you graduate. For Project 3, you will build on that knowledge by researching what someone in your field needs to develop. Research the job application expectations for your field using the information in the textbook, your experience from internships and other jobs in your field, and the details from the Virginia Tech Career Planning Guide (available online or in print from Career Services on the Blacksburg Campus).

You can also rely on discussions with colleagues where you have worked, advice from faculty in your major, and information from other students and alumni. Review position listings for your field as well in order to see the kinds of material companies ask for. Look at the kinds of materials that are specifically requested as well as the kinds of resources companies often consult.

Step 2: Choose the focus for your project. Based on your research, you should choose a broad focus for your job application materials. Some (not all) possible options are the following:

• Find a job posting you want to apply for and write the materials it requires.
• Find a internship posting you want to apply for and write the materials it requires.
• Find a scholarship you want to apply for and write the materials it requires.
• Create a personal website that provides a portfolio of your work and basic biography or resume.
• Clean up your online presence online and establish profiles in places that will help you network or get a job (like Academia.edu, LinkedIn or GitHub).

Additional examples are also available. I encourage you to choose whatever project is most helpful to you. Take advantage of this assignment to get something done you’ve been putting off or to get ahead on (or add to) your job search or career networking.

Step 3: Propose your project. Use the proposal instructions and the information in Markel on writing proposals to know what information to include and how to submit your proposal. Your proposal is due October 12 by 11:59 PM, but you can submit your proposal earlier. I have never had to turn a proposal down, but I have asked for some changes occasionally. If you are planning on a unique or unusual project, try to submit your proposal as soon as possible so that you can begin working on the materials with confidence that they will work for Project 3.

Step 4: Complete the work you have proposed for Project 3. Create whatever job application materials you have proposed, working to meet whatever grade goals you have set for yourself.

You will your drafts for peer review by 11:59 PM on Tuesday, October 20. If you are working on another site, you will need to set the page so that we can all read it and share the link to that site. If you are working on LinkedIn, consult the Lynda.com video on Managing your public profile.

Use the advice you receive from your readers to revise before the due date, which is October 26.

Step 5: Submit your work in Canvas.
When you are finished with the project, you will upload your file(s) and/or links in the Assignment tool on Canvas. Details on how to submit your work will be included in the post for the week of October 20.

You will use the Comment section for reflection on your project. In this section you will tell me the following:

• the grade that you have aimed for.
• how well you reached your goals.
• any other information I need to know to understand the work you did on your project.

Be sure that you follow the instructions, include the relevant information, and proofread your memo. If you skip adding the Comment, you lower your grade on the project. Remember that there are no rewrites or revisions after work is graded.