Today is the due date for Project 5. Aim to submit your work by midnight in your timezone, but remember that you have a 24-hour, grace period if you need it. No excuses needed. If something has gone wrong in your world and 24 hours may not be enough, contact me immediately and let me know what you need.

Class Work for August 12

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

• Go over the requirements for Project 5.
• Review the location of the FAQs for using Google Drive.
• Discuss the reflection memo and how to submit Project 5 in Scholar.

Requirements for Project 5

You need to turn in a reflection memo as well as a share link to your Forum Completion Report. Use the project assignment to check your work. In particular, make sure that your report addresses all four areas that fall under the participation portion of your grade: participation, daily work, number of posts, and quality of posts. Also remember to check your spelling and proofread for grammar and punctuation.

Google Drive FAQs

Note: this is the same information you followed in Project 1. I’m including it as a reference in case you need a reminder.

To make sure that you can submit your project smoothly, pay attention to the following FAQs:

• If you worked in something other than Google Drive, you can use your preferences to automatically convert files you upload to Google Drive automatically.
  This step is important so that I can use the commenting features in Google Drive.
• If you already uploaded a document to Google Drive, check the format of your files and manually convert the files on Google Drive if necessary.
• Follow the instructions on how to set permissions and get the Google Drive Share link to get a link that will allow me to read and comment on your document.

Writing Your Reflection Memo and Submitting Your Project

Your reflection memo is your chance to tell me anything you want me to know before I read your project. For this project, your reflection memo will give me the link to your spreadsheet on Google Drive and the link to your analysis memo if you created one. You will also tell me about what you have written. Follow these instructions to submit your work:

1. Go to the Assignments tab on the left menu in Scholar.
2. Choose “P5: Forum Report.”
3. Scroll down to the text box below the headings Submission and Assignment Text. You will write your memo in this box. (Alternately, you can write in a word processor/Google Doc, and copy/paste your text into this box.)
4. Add your memo headers (To, From, Subject, and Date). For your reflection memo, you’ll use the following:
• Address your memo to me (Traci) and from yourself (use your name).
• Add a subject line that indicates this is your reflection memo and which project it is for.
• Add the current date.
5. Insert a horizontal divider line using the button indicated with the red arrow in the image below:
   
6. Introduce your project—what are your overall goals, what grade have you aimed for for Project 5, and what documents have you written for the project?
7. Convert your document to Google Drive format if you worked in another word processor.
8. Add the Share link to the document on your Google Drive. Use the instructions for how to get the Share link on the FAQ site if you are unsure how to share documents. Make sure you set permissions so that I can add comments.
9. Tell me what I need to know to understand the information you have included in your document.
10. Tell me anything else you want me to know about the the layout and design..
11. Add a concluding section that tells me anything else you want me to know about your project.
12. Agree to the Honor Code by clicking the checkbox at the bottom of the page in Scholar. You cannot finish submitting the project without clicking that checkbox (and it’s easy to miss).
13. Submit your Project, and save a copy of the confirmation and submission ID. If something goes wrong in Scholar, you can contact 4HELP with that information.
14. You’re done! Project 6 (the final exam) is the job application materials you proposed in Project 4.

Today we have some resources for your work on Project 6 and a number of options to post in the forums. I have graded and released Projects 1 and 2, so you should be able to find your grade and feedback in Scholar.

Next, I’m going to skip ahead and grade Project 4 next, so that you have the feedback on your proposals. After I get through Project 4, I will go back and grade Project 3. I hope to have feedback on both these projects back to you by Monday night.

Class Work for August 8

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

• Reaching the forum posts requirement
• Writing résumés and cover letters
• Discussing job application materials
• Go over an optional forum post question

Reaching the Forum Posts Requirement

There have been some questions about the post levels for the forum grades, which are currently set at the following numbers:

• C-level forum participation: 45 posts
• B-level forum participation: 55 posts
• A-level forum participation: 65 posts

I adjusted the numbers down yesterday (8/7) from the original requirements (B = 60; A=75). For now, I am leaving the numbers as they are. There is still a week left in the class, and there will be a number of opportunities to make additional posts during these last days of the course. I may create a curve at the end of next week, but the 45 post minimum, which was announced at the beginning of the term, will stand firm.

Remember that you have until the last day of class (the 14th) to reach the number. In your Project 5 report, you can indicate where you are currently and where you anticipate you will be by the end of the course.

Writing Résumés and Cover Letters

Although you may not be writing a résumé and cover letter for Project 6, you will certainly have to write these documents and keep them updated over the course of your career. Since that’s the case, I want to spend a little time pointing out some useful information you can use when you do work on job application materials.

• There’s good information in chapter 10 of Markel, including details on how to adjust your documents for electronic submissions.

• Use the example résumés and cover letters in either the 2013–2014 Career Planning Guide or the 2014–2015 Career Planning Guide. Career Services publishes information on exactly what recruiters who come to Virginia Tech are looking for. When you’re back on campus, be sure to take advantage of the resources that Career Services offers. They have workshops, presentations, and even advising appointments.

• Pay attention to the Correspondence Principles for Hard Copy and E-mail section of the 2013–2014 Career Planning Guide and/or the Professional Communication section of the 2014–2015 Career Planning Guide for tips on not just cover letters, but also the other kinds of communication you will need to make.

Discussing Job Application Materials

As I promised above, I have set up a lot of opportunities for you to add posts in the forums. In the Project 6: Job Application Materials section of the forums, you will find the following topics:

• Improving Networking Advice
• Letter of Appreciation
• CAM Technician Application Letter
• CAM Technician Résumé
• Analyzing Corey’s Résumé

By midnight in your timezone on Sunday night, please reply to ONE of the topics above, but you may reply to more if you desire.

If you are working to meet your goal for the number of posts in the forums, you may reply to more than one of these topics. Additionally, you may interact with your classmates by quoting a portion of someone else’s reply and responding with your own thoughts. Just remember that “me too” posts, where you just say something like “I agree” or “great idea” don’t count toward your total number of posts. Say why you agree (or disagree) and include details to support your opinions.

Optional Forum Post Question

I have also posted an optional forum topic: Recommended Job Application Resources. You can share useful job application resources that you find while working on Project 6 in this forum. The format for your posts is included in the forums. Essentially, you will provide details on the resources you have found and a short summary of the information from the resources.

The goal of this forum topic is to crowdsource a list of additional resources that everyone in the class can use to improve the job application materials in Project 6. You may most more than one resources in reply, but please be sure that each webpage you recommend is listed in a separate reply. I want you to keep the resources in separate replies for two reasons: (1) it will help your classmates as they look through the list for helpful sites, and (2) every separate reply counts as a post in the post levels for the forum grades.

Today, we will look at the assignments for Project 5 and Project 6, the two projects remaining in the course.

Class Work for August 7

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

• Finding comments on graded work
• Talk about the assignment for Project 5
• Review the assignment for Project 6
• Discuss powerful word choice

Finding Comments on Graded Work

I am working through the projects you have submitted as quickly as possible. As I grade projects, I do release them immediately. You may get an email message when they are released, depending upon the settings in Scholar. You can always tell what has been graded by looking at the Gradebook in Scholar or going to the Assignments page in Scholar. If you are unfamiliar with Scholar, you can use these instructions to learn how to find feedback on your Assignments.

Getting Started on Project 5

For Project 5, you will review your work in the course and write a completion report that outlines what you have learned and done during the term. In particular, you will review your posts on the Forums and point out some of your best work. In addition to grading your report, I’ll use the information you present to help determine your participation grade for the course. In the workplace, you could think of this report as a self-evaluation for a performance review.

Here’s what you need to do to get started:

1. Read the assignment for Project 5 completely. Begin gathering data on your forum work, explained in Step 2 of the assignment.

2. If you have any questions (today or in the future) about the assignments, post in Questions about Project 5 topic if you have questions about the report.

Continuing Work on Project 6

Project 6, your final exam, is due by midnight in your timezone on Friday, August 15. A rough draft of your work is due for peer review on Thursday, August 14.

Move forward assuming that I have approved your proposal for the job application materials you will submit. I will get feedback to you on the proposals as soon as possible. In the meantime, move forward writing (or compiling) the materials as you proposed them.

Discussing Powerful Word Choice

Choosing strong, powerful verbs is an important part of both Project 5 and 6. Review the Skills Cluster List (p. 44) in the 2013–2014 Career Planning Guide and the Power Skills for Your Resume and Resume Bullet Formula (p. 37–40) in the 2014–2015 Career Planning Guide. These resources demonstrate the kinds of verbs you can use to show yourself as a strong, active person.

Notice in particular how the example in the bullet formula in the 2014–2015 Guide moves from a generic idea (“communication skills”) to a very strong statement about what the person has accomplished. That idea of highlighting your “Demonstrated Accomplishment/Contribution” is what you should work for in your report for Project 5 and your job application materials for Project 6. For instance, rather than saying you were a strong forum participant in your Project 5 report, choose a strong verb and add clarifying details the show your accomplishment or contribution.

Go to the Project 5: Completion Report in the Forums and respond to at least one of the three self-assessment statements there:

• National Guard Self-Assessment 
• USDA Self-Assessment Statements 
• Denver Schools Self-Assessment Statement 

You will find questions there to get your conversation started. As always, feel free to engage each other in discussion by quoting one another as you reply. You are only required to post a reply to one of the three statements; however, you may feel free to reply to more than one. In fact, if you have not met your minimum requirement for the forums yet, you can take advantage of this chance to post some extra replies.

As I emailed Wednesday, I’m running behind this week. Some personal issues got in the way, so we took Wednesday off. For Thursday, we will look at chapter 14. Friday, we will look at chapter 2 and some examples. We’ll be back on schedule at that point.

Class Work for July 24

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

• Present details on your forum posts and participation grade.
• Go over the assignment for Project 3.
• Discuss the genres of technical description, definition, and instructions (chapter 14 of Markel)

Forum Posts & Participation Grade

I have added details on how your grade for the participation, daily course work, and online forum posts is determined. This portion of your grade is worth 16% of your overall course grade. The information will help you make sure you meet your goals for the course as well as help you prepare for Project 5, which will report on your progress and accomplishments in the course.

So far you are all meeting the requirements for this portion of your grade. Your posts are complete and thoughtful. I have not gone through to ensure that you have all posted every one of the daily posts, but as far as the content of your posts is concerned, you are showing the kind of effort and critical thinking that I expect.

Getting Started on Project 3

The third assignment is to create documents that will tell a middle or high school student about your field, in preparation for a career day event. You can write up to three documents: a description, step-by-step instructions, and a glossary.

Here’s what I want you to do:

1. Read the assignment completely. Begin thinking about the goals you will set for the assignment and the specific field you will choose. You don’t have to commit to anything until tomorrow, but start thinking about it.

2. If you have any questions (today or in the future) about the assignment, go to the Questions about Project 3 topic in the forum and add them. You can skim through this topic for answers as well.

Discussing Technical Description, Definition, and Instructions

Nearly everything you need to know to complete Project 3 is included in chapter 14, so I urge you to read the textbook thoroughly and follow the advice that it offers. To help you navigate the chapter, let me provide a few tips:

• The extended definition that you are writing should provide someone who knows nothing about your field with a clear understanding of what your job will involve. Pay particular attention to the strategies on pages 362–66, which demonstrate different ways you can organize your definition.

• Instructions follow very specific formats, with numbered steps and imperative verbs (commands). Pay particular attention to the information on page 377 about open, airy design. Also notice the details on adding appropriate warnings and the use of signal words. Finally, follow the guidelines for “Drafting steps in Instructions,” on pages 382–383.

• A glossary usually uses sentence definitions, so pay attention to the information on pages 361–362 if you decide to complete that document. Remember that a glossary should be alphabetized and that the layout should make the defined terms stand out. Someone should be able to look at your glossary and know immediately what it is by the design and layout. There’s an excerpt of a glossary on page 330.

The information in the textbook is very important to your success for the project. Rather than asking you to respond to discussion questions today, I am asking that you read the chapter closely, looking for details that will help you with your project. As you read if you have any questions, please post them in the forums.

On Friday, I will share some tips on finding and using graphics and provide some examples documents. I want you to be ready to tell me what your plan is for Project 3—in particular, I want to know what you will focus your instructions on, if you choose to write them, so that I can make sure you have chosen something that fits the length expectations.