You have worked intensely to improve your writing skills: What did you learn? How has your writing changed? Do you feel differently about writing? What were your favorite topics?
Simplifying writing for businesses and colleges since 1990
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Meet Dona,
Dona J. Young is a teacher, facilitator, and writing coach who believes that writing is a powerful learning tool that shapes our lives and careers. In addition to teaching professional writing online, she designs and facilitates corporate training programs on effective writing and communication.
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As far as my writing skills go, I feel that I have improved in the aspects of professional business writing. This would include memos, emails, business letters, etc. Also, this was my first paper I’ve had to write in the APA formatting. I believe I’m a great paper writer, so working with a new style definitely broadened my horizons in a specific aspect.
I wouldn’t say I feel differently about writing, because I feel I still have areas that are strong and weak, but revising over and over will fix that.
My favorite topics for class seemed to be those that we integrated into real life application of work places; using companies and workplaces from real life, instead of fictional companies.
Thanks,
-Brad Dunlap
Hello all,
Since I’ve taken this online writing course, many techniques were taught to me. Such as, grammar, parallel structure, white spacing, punctuation, and writing structure to just name a few. One of the main points that I took from this course was, “Less is More”, this concept makes sense now. Stay focused on the main point, and edit to fewest words as possible. It doesn’t take a lot of words and sentences to say what you mean, in order to convey a message or messages to the readers’; for example, writing memos, cover letter, and business letters.
My writing style is now more concise, and structure better. Even though, I am not an expert and I know that more practice is required of me. However, I never thought that I would enjoy writing, and now I actually like to write more.
My favorite topics involved the forums about leadership, which gave us an opportunity to talk about our leadership skills and what we have gained from being a leader. There is always more than one way to do something, and having insight from others gave me better ideas. The life experience topics were my favorite.
All in all, there are so many techniques that we learned, it would take me forever to explain all that I’ve gained through taking this online writing class. In other words, I have a better appreciation for writing now; also, I have adapted a more effective writing style that will take me further in my career and education.
All the best,
Terrence Hamilton
Hi All,
I thought before taking this online class that I was a good writer and could edit documents. I have learned so many new tools to editing and even writing. I learned a lot about myself along with what kind of writer I was. I say was, because I have taken away so much from this class. I receive and write business communication everyday. I now know the etiquette of business writing. I feel this makes me better with the communication.
I think one of the best things I have taken away is the leadership forum. I gave me a better perspective of who and how I want to lead. Being a leader does not make you in management, you can lead by example. I was able to pull all the topics to real life experiences.
Have a great evening.
Rhonda Planck
Now I know what are some qualities that some employers might be looking for in a applicable employee. Since we began to play the role of both sides of a professional aspect, I was able to have a better perspective about how the other side feels. I know that we aren’t always going to be accepted in places we truly desire to be, and it isn’t always because they chose someone better, it also has to do with the timing. Its always good to keep clean ties with people from all around because you never know when you might need something from them. I’ve always loved writing because it became a way of expressing myself, this semester I learned that I had create the work, but to also know how to work with it and present it properly. My favorite assignments are the letters we wrote. I liked writing letters because they are a more personal way of thinking and writing. They made me reflect on both sides of the professional side. I learned that by simply not having the correct format to papers, the person you are presenting to won’t even bother reading the work. I now realize how important that can be in the professional world. I am now always following the formatting rules and using my textbook as reference and as a guide.
I hope everyone accomplishes their goals,
Kristal
I have learned a number things in this class. It is very unfortunate that my books and back pack were stolen, because I intended on keeping my books. They were so full of easy to access information. At some point I may purchase the books again to simply have them when needed.
I can’t remember all of the details of punctuation or grammar, but the principles of relationship and respect are still very clear. Sending micro messages should be avoided, and not taking them personally when they are given. Giving effective feedback, not evaluations. Remember, you are talking/writing to another human being; connect on that human level, while stay professional.
After taking this class, my thought process changed; I focus less on myself and how others make me feel.
Megin Jones
I think becoming an incurable editor is as Professor Young taught us this semester; a process. Knowing this takes an enormous amount of pressure off me to feel I need to be perfect. The key is to remain aware of punctuation, grammar and other applicable guidelines to ensure the communication is edited before release. One of the things that has changed for me is that I take much more time to read what I’ve written to ensure it is concise and flows smoothly. The incurable editor emerges as I continue to practice writing and refine my skills to apply the necessary changes. The best way to learn is to interact with the concepts. I appreciate the opportunities to apply what I’ve learned in the lessons assigned this semester.
I’ve enjoyed learning the changes to old writing protocol so I can maintain my professionalism in a competitive business world. Professional communication is also about being able to verbally articulate. I think as we gain writing experience, it helps us verbalize in a better way as well. I enjoyed giving and receiving feedback information as it helped me understand how important active listening is; especially in the work I am doing.
In closing, writing has always been enjoyable for me. My experience this semester has enhanced my ability to write more fluently and increased my confidence in my abilities. I look forward to utilizing the text as a reference to all the “rules” I can’t remember and continue to engage myself in the process of writing.
Happy Writing Everyone!
Brenda Stellema
Since starting this class I have learned so much about writing. One of the biggest things I have taken from this class is how to edit. Before I would always edit while I was writing. Now I compose my papers first, then I go back and edit. When I write that way, my ideas come out clearer and smoother. Punctuation was another difficulty I had when it came to writing. Now I have learned the correct way to use commas and semicolons. I don’t dread writing anymore. I now have the knowledge to write to different audiences, and relay my message to get my point across. I have to say my favorite subject is probably editing. I feel I have gained so much from that exercise. I will continue to practice and get better.
Hello Everyone,
I feel that when it comes to my writing I have improved on a few different skills over the course of this semester. I feel that my overall writing has improved a little. I feel as though my professional tone has also improved. I feel more comfortable writing in professionals situations. When it comes to writing, I think I lack in creativity. I find it often that I struggle when it comes to a starting place with any writing. I feel like I can never figure out where to start. I find myself waiting until the last minute in order to get started on my writing pieces. After taking this course though, I found it a little easier to start because I feel as though my professional voice was a little more developed. I feel a little different about writing now because before I thought it was all research papers and creative pieces. I had never really been introduced to the professional side of things and I feel that those types of writing are a lot easier to be produced. I feel like I will take away greater composition skills and word usage skills. I think I do enjoy writing a little more now after this course.
Thanks,
Taylor Borders
I have learned so much this semester from this course it is so hard to pick out specific things. My writing has changed so much for the better and I now have a completely different outlook on writing because I pushed myself to become better. One of my favorite sections from this course was learning about writing proper business letters. This is because I think it is one of the most important skills someone could know, especially if they are looking in the job market. I know all of these skills that I have learned from this course will put me at an advantage one day.
Thank you for everything,
Jacqueline Hoover
What did you learn? How has your writing changed? Do you feel differently about writing? What were your favorite topics?
Hello Everyone,
There was so much to be learned this semester and I must say it was worth it. Writing letters the proper way is one of the major things I learned in this class. I learned how to format a letter, how to address a letter the appropriate way, letter headers, and the different types of letters. My favorite topic in the letter category was a letter of complaint, this was my favorite topic, because I never knew there was a such thing as complaining in a professional way.
In must say, after taking this course I do feel differently about writing. I feel differently about writing, because throughout many years of school and having to write different essays I hated it. I thought writing essays was all there was to writing, however, this class has shown me differently.
Overall, I can say have grown as a writer and have learned to appreciate it more. I feel that this class has changed my writing in so many ways. For example, I have changed the way I begin writing, by prewriting more and I am now making sure I use the correct punctuation in my writing. This class has proven that I can overcome my writing obstacles as long as I put in the practice and time.
Hello everyone,
This course has taught me a lot about today’s professionalism standards and ways of writing. I knew that my writing was well, yet I always doubted my professional writing at work. I was always accustomed to writing academically instead of professionally. I found this English class unique, because unlike any of my other English classes, it taught me how to present myself and my writing in the business world. I learned how to make a resume, which I never had until this class. I found it weird to think that I had gone this long without one. I learned specific grammar rules as well as punctuation rules that over the course I applied to all of my writing inside and outside of it. I also observed that my editing skills have improved and also my emailing skills. My favorite topics were memos, business letters and APA writing. I found them very informational and interesting. I now make sure that each of my e-mails to any professional individual is properly structured. I feel confident with both my writing professionally and academically. I will continue to work on my punctuation and grammar skills still, because I find myself making simple mistakes. I have felt myself grow as a writer now. I appreciate you for all the time you have given my writing and for also creating the book for this class. Thank you for the wonderful chance you have given me to grow. This course was very memorable.
All the best,
-Gagan Kaur
Hello everyone,
This course has taught me a lot about today’s professionalism standards and ways of writing. I knew that my writing was well, yet I always doubted my professional writing at work. I was always accustomed to writing academically instead of professionally. I found this english class unique, because unlike any of my other english classes, it taught me how to present myself and my writing in the business world. I learned how to make a resume, which I never had until this class. I found it weird to think that I had gone this long without one. I learned specific grammar rules as well as punctuation rules that over the course I applied to all of my writing inside and outside of it. I also observed that my editing skills have improved and also my emailing skills. My favorite topics were memos, business letters and APA writing. I found them very informational and interesting. I now make sure that each of my e-mails to any professional individual is properly structured. I feel confident with both my writing professionally and academically. I will continue to work on my punctuation and grammar skills still, because I find myself making simple mistakes. I have felt myself grow as a writer now. I appreciate you for all the time you have given my writing and for also creating the book for this class. Thank you for the wonderful chance you have given me to grow. This course was very memorable.
All the best,
-Gagan Kaur
As I use my writing skills, I realized that I have improved from how i used to write years ago. i am more confident in my word usage, punctuation, grammar, memos, letters, and much more. My biggest challenge was transitioning from sentence to sentence or paragraph to paragraph. I also had trouble with run-on sentences. I recently applied to two hospitals this week, so having the opportunity to learn new ways to fix my resume was very helpful.
I really liked learning how to take different roles in the memos and letters by replying to a complaint, to rejecting a job offer, to sending a thank-you latter. I feel that those will be used in the future when i graduate and now I know how to format one.
All in all, this class has made me more of a responsible writer. Definitely a more professional writer.
All the best,
Irma
I truly learned a lot from I have a learned many things from this class. One thing is that my formatting for APA is terrible and that mush improvements needed to be made. Secondly I am used to writing narrative stories and research papers that has a lot of fillers to make the writings longer, technical writing is the exact opposite it does not use fillers.
I feel differently about my writing because I am more confident about writing and receiving feedback good or constructive. Given the opportunity to change my Resume was great, it really needed some work.
I believe my writing has changed because I am able to write clearly and concisely now. I did not realize how much technical writing is being utilized in so many ways. My favorite topic was cultural sensitivity. Once I got the hang of participating in the team discussion boards I liked that the most. Overall this class has really brought me out of my comfort zone and I am glad I was able to experience it.
Thanks for everything Professor.
Alicia
Hello all,
Taking this class was one of the best things I have ever done. I have learned more from this subject than anything I have ever taken before. From the letters, to the grammar, and everything in-between, this class was truly a blessing.
We stared with the punctuation and grammar chapters and those were difficult, but once I read the book, it made sense. The best technique that I learned this year is called “Less is More.” This just means that when writing sentences or, the faster you get to your point, the better. This also works when you are writing, when you use sophisticated words, it doesn’t work well together sometimes. So, it is better be short and simple when it comes to writing sentences. You have to keep up on your readings and read them over and over until you actually understand what she wants. She is picky, but in a good way. She only wants the best for us, and I truly appreciate that.
One of the best things I learned in this class was writing all the different business letters. Memos, denial letters, emails, feedback, and so many other concepts are just some of the topics I learned. The biggest thing I learned when dealing with professional writing are just the steps in writing a letter. From the letterhead, to closing and everything else when it comes to letters, that has been the best advice ever.
Everything I was taught has changed the way I think about writing. I now think things through, and make sure they make sense. I will continue to think about everything I have learned in this class. i will also continue to work on enjoying writing. Professor Young once sent me this saying that I absolutely love, “Set aside time to write about some of the things that you have a passion for learning–the stronger your skills become and the more you use writing as a learning tool, the more you will enjoy it. Enjoying writing is about appreciating the insights it reveals.” I hope that as I continue my life, my writing skills will forever be evolving.
Forever Grateful,
Kristen Copp