ENC 3250

By: Anthony Morales

Final Reflection

I felt this portion of the semester was very important in fine tuning my professional writing.

I found that each of the chapters contained important information

Chapter 5• Good document designing is key to being effective.

• White space and headings are two components that help make a document look good.

• Testing a design is a good tool to get feedback and to see if it is functional.

What did I learn?

Chapter 12• Persuasive messages have two strategies• Direct request pattern – audience will do what you ask.

• Problem-solving pattern – audience will most likely object what you ask.

• A well thought out subject line is necessary so the message does not get overlooked.

• Organization of the message is key

• Use the following techniques to have a more effective message.• Build credibility

• Build emotional appeal

• Use the right tone

• Offer a reason to act promptly

What did I learn?

Chapter 21• Writing a report includes five steps• Define the problem

• Gather the necessary information

• Analyze the information

• Organize the information

• Write the report

• Before drafting a proposal part of the research needs to be complete

• First a problem must be defined and then a purpose statement can be made.

What did I learn?

Chapter 22• Keywords make researching on the internet easier.

• There are two kinds of research• Primary research – research done on your own (surveys or

interviews)

• Secondary research – using someone else's data

• There are three different types of sampling• Random sample

• Convenience sample

• Judgment sample

• If using someone else’s data, their work needs to be cited or given credit for.

What did I learn?

Chapter 23• Short reports use letter or memo format.

• There are three types of reports• Informative report

• Feasibility report

• Justification report

• Seven basic patterns for organizing information• Comparison/contrast

• Problem-solution

• Elimination of alternatives

• General to particular or particular to general

• Geographic or spatial

• Functional

• Chronological

What did I learn?

Chapter 23 cont• Techniques to make a short report better• Blueprints

• Transition words

• Topic sentence

• Headings

• Topic headings

• Talking heads

• Headings must be parallel

What did I learn?

I thought the writing assignment 3 was a good report that combined many techniques used through the semester. • It was written in a short report format

• Had to do some research before the report could be written

• Proper use of white space and headings created a visually appealing report

• In a way it was like a persuasive report because we were advocating for books that we thought should be chosen for the One Book One Campus Committee

• Had to build credibility by showing why the book was a good fit for FGCU’s mission and guiding principles.

• Designing was a big role in the report.

• How to present the data

• How to design the table

How did I learn it?

This learning matters because out in the working environment, the worker is often called upon to write a document for their company.

At any given time a boss may:

• Want you to write a progression report on where the company stands on a particular situation

• Want you to present facts or data in the form of primary or secondary research

• Want you to write a proposal on why the company should spend more money for something they believe will help the company

These skills are crucial in making someone more valuable. Even if one doesn’t write a report, these skills overall enhance communication.

Why does this learning matter?

Currently I will use what I learned here to communicate valuable information at work. The persuasive writing is a big tool in the work environment. Being able to write or verbally communicate persuasively can help you achieve the desired results.

Being able to write a report in proper format so that your audience doesn’t get bored is crucial in delivering the information needed. I know that my boss likes when information is easy to read and delivered quickly.

In the future, when I am in the accounting world, all these techniques will help me communicate to my clients, peers and bosses in a professional manner.

In what ways will I use this learning?

The End