This semester, we covered diverse topics from punctuation and formatting to team building and getting a job. You learned how to produce letters, memos, and e-mail. What were your favorite topics? How have your skills and thinking changed? In short, what did you learn and how are you using it?
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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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Hello everyone,
This class, though difficult for me has completely changed my writing practices. Before this class, I would focus solely on what is being said, with no regard to punctuation, format, or spacing. Throughout this semester, we have learned so many principles that will aid in our future careers. When writing, I contemplate should a comma go here, how can I be concise. These are things I would not consider before.
May all of you excel far in your careers and use the resources given here to the best of your ability. (I will try my best to do so as well!)
All the best,
Thelma
Hi everyone,
I really enjoyed everything about this class, so it was difficult to just pick a few topics.
I’ve had many of the topics in other English classes, so I think that was my favorite part. At the beginning of the semester, I mentioned how I felt like I was a decent writer. Now that we’ve made it through, I can say with confidence that I’ve been able to improve on something that I already felt proficient at. Being able to review the APA rules has helped me in all of my other classes. Receiving feedback from my resume and cover letter will help me in my future. Learning how to properly use punctuation has helped me step up my writing game.
I was not looking forward to this class. I really thought that I wasn’t going to learn anything and that I was just taking the class because I had to. I am so thankful that it was a required class! While I don’t believe to be an expert at anything, I am more confident in my writing, and in the assignments that I have to do.
It’s been a pleasure working with all of you! I hope that you achieve your dreams!
Paige
Hi everyone,
There are many things that I loved about this course. For example, writing resumes, memos, and learning about APA. It was a privilege to be able to learn about the role and the importance of writing. Before taking this course I had no idea how to properly cite. However, this course has taught me how to cite. The book was also very detailed and helped so much throughout the course. I think it was definitely a great investment because there were everlasting writing tips that will continue to guide me.
It was a pleasure getting to know all of you.
All the best,
Daisy
Hi Everyone,
This class has changed my perception on writing. Professor Young teaches you every aspect of writing: grammar, punctuation, formatting, word usage, etc. Taking the time to learn the foundations of writing decreases the stress of drafting a piece.
The knowledge I gained this semester will be with me for years to come. I will take the time to be clear, concise, and simple in all my writing.
Best wishes,
Taylor
Greetings all,
Professor Young’s Professional Writing Skills course has provided me with all the knowledge needed to become a successful writer in today’s economy. Through the course’s numerous exercises on various topics such as drafting cover letters and utilizing the proper paragraph spacing on resumes, am I confident that all future documents that I draft are properly aligned and written. I highly recommend that you purchase the book, “The Writer’s Handbook: A Guide for Social Workers”, because it is a valuable writing resource!
Wishing you all the best,
K.C.
Hello everyone,
I acquired so much knowledge during this class. One of the most interesting topics that I have learned is that I have been writing my letters wrong! Most times you are supposed to use colons, not semi-colons!
This class really pushed me out of my comfort zone and it was wonderful. It has made me a much stronger writer and a better thinker. This class has impacted my grades on other papers I have written outside of this class as well.
It was a pleasure to take this class,
Kayla Mayersky
Hi Class,
I think the most important information that I learned throughout this course was learning how to properly type business documents. This includes things like memos, emails, letters, resume, and cover letters. This information will greatly help my future career.
For an example, I learned when formatting business letters you need to always make sure you have a letter head that includes your name, address, phone number, fax number, and web page address. When writing email messages make sure to use an accurate subject line and update it as the conversation progresses throughout the email. This is just one example of skills that I have learned and will apply for the future.
My skills have changed from the beginning of this course. I have a much better understanding of how to communicate professionally in my writing. My thinking has changed by being more conscious of how I am formatting documents, and the information I am putting in them.
I will continue to work on my grammar after I leave this class. It has always been something I have struggled with. I feel I have gotten better throughout this course, but it is always something I could improve on.
Best regards,
Montana
One of the biggest things that I feel like I gained out of this class was my ability to have my own voice. I kind of talked about it in the Pulling it all Together assignment but before this course it was very difficult for me to write without goggle-ing something similar and basically paraphrasing their words into my own. I could not write a paper without plagiarizing someone else’s work. Throughout this class I feel like this is one area where I have definitely grown in. I wanted to challenge myself and make my writing sound like me and I felt that towards the end of the class I was able to relate to certain topics and make my writing my own which is just amazing to me.
-Alejandra Garcia
Good Morning Professor Young,
It has been refreshing to have taken a course where the passion for the subject has been exuberated from the teacher throughout the semester. You truly have a passion for your craft and it shows in the assignments and feedback that has been given.
Overall, this class has been invaluable and I have already began to apply the principles I have learned to enhance my writing skills. I now understand what is considered good business writing and will review the lessons learned and apply them as needed in future writings.
Best regards,
LaKisha Vance
Hello Everyone,
In the beginning of the semester, I always had questions about certain unspoken about topics such as punctuation and some grammar.This is the third college I have attended and not one writing class has discussed punctuation. The classes I took assumed that everyone knew the rules of punctuation from learning it in high school, but for me, this was not the case. My English teacher was amazing in other ways such as MLA and APA format or grammar, but we did not discuss punctuation often. This semester I learned so much information that I will continue to apply it to my everyday writing. This class is an excellent class to take as a freshman, and Mrs. Young did an amazing job teaching it.
Best,
Kelsea
Hello everyone,
My name is Kimberly Mayes. When I first started taking this class I was not familiar at all with memos and the formatting of emails. As the class progressed I developed a skill for writing them which is needed in my field of work. I also was not knowledgeable about APA style papers but, I began to master those as well. This class has been a big help with developing my writing skills and I really ended the semester with more than I came with.
I hope all of you excel in your endeavors and hopefully our paths will cross again.
All the best,
Kimberly Mayes
Hello Professor and class!
I learned so much during this class. One major change that I have made because of this class, although it may seem minor, is using one space after a period instead of two unless it is a document in APA format. I mention this only because it was a hard habit for me to break after years of writing this way, but I was able to do it, and now it would seem hard for me to go back to how I did it before.
One thing that my thinking has changed about is the concept of “less is more.” I used to think this should not apply to writing is one wanted to be thorough and sound intelligent. However, I no longer feel this way. I now realize that it is more important to be concise so that your reader can easily identify your point without getting frustrated.
My favorite chapter was probably the cultural sensitivity chapter. I really enjoyed learning about how to appreciate everyone for who they are and take that knowledge with me into the work place. While this may be difficult at times, it is so worth it so that everyone feels welcome, respected, and cared about in their place of work.
I also think it’s awesome that I now have a resume that I can use as my template for when I really am going and applying for teaching jobs in a few years. This is going to be extremely useful for me to have created in the future!
While I have learned and improved a lot throughout this semester, there are still things that I have to work on. One thing that I really still need practice with is conciseness. Knowing that I need to be more concise and actually putting that into practice are two very different things, and I definitely still have a lot of room for improvement in that regard. I also need improvement with speaking my mind and being comfortable in leadership roles. Being outspoken is not really my strong suit, but in some business situations, it will become possible. Therefore, these are traits that I will continue to work on as I move forward in life.
Thanks for a great semester! 🙂
Sophie
Hello everyone,
When I first started this class I though I had pretty great skills in writing. I quickly realized that there was a lot for me to learn. I learned a lot from punctuation and grammar to formatting. I learned that it’s important to have everything formatted correctly and use proper grammar and punctuation to seem professional. I will continue to work on my formatting skills, and will use the book as my go to reference. It was a good experience talking with somebody in my career field about how writing plays such a key role in daily operations. This has led me to take writing more seriously, even if it is a short message.
Best Wishes,
Kevin Wilson
Putting It All Together
This class has been such a life changer. I was able to improve my professional writing in so many different aspects. I have already started to observe the changes in my every day professional work. I found the correct formats for writing the most helpful this semester. I always used to write every document with the same format. Now I know that there are different ways that we are supposed to write memos, emails, letters, etc. I hope that everyone gained something from this class because these basic writing skills go a very long way. This was my favorite class by far this semester.
Best wishes,
Kayla
Hello everyone,
This class has definitely prepared me for my future career in many ways. I not only learned about punctuation, but I also learned to organize and proofread my work. I learned so much after each assignment and I feel more comfortable in my writing skills. This course was one of the best English courses I have ever taken. Professor Young was great and each assignment had its purpose.
One of the assignments I enjoyed the most was having the opportunity to write business documents. Knowing how to write business letters, memos, and e-mails is important in every job setting. For this reason, I feel that learning about them made a big difference. I now feel more prepared. At first this was challenging; however, I was able to get a lot of practice and learn new techniques by reading the chapters. After all, we all learn through practice! .
Furthermore, taking this class gave me the ability to improve my resume and cover letter as well. I received feedback from Professor Young and was able to format it accordingly. This will be very useful in the future when I have to apply for jobs.
Finally, I have improved a lot since the beginning of this course. As this was my first online class, I was very nervous; however, I never imagined that I would end up loving this class. I was able to gain confidence in my writing as well as implement these skills in other classes and my job. Although I still need to improve on certain areas, I am confident that I will be continue to improve my skills with more practice. Great semester!
Best,
Azucena
Hello everyone! I think formatting was the most valuable skill that I was able to improve on thanks to this class. I now know I did not know how to properly format anything before this class. My resume looks better than ever, and work e-mails I am tasked to write look more professional and are easier to read. With a (hopeful) future career in healthcare management, I know these skills will be beneficial.
I also very much enjoyed the refreshers on punctuation, specially colons and semi-colons, as I always shied away from using.
Thank you Professor Young for all of your advice and help throughout the semester!
This semester I was able to apply a lot topics we learned in my school and work life. I was able to sound more professional and polite in everything I did. I also Was able to fix and improve my grammar a bit as well.
My emails have improved from taking this class. I am more aware of how I start and finish my email and how I word it too. That is something I did not do before. I would type my email and it was nice and friendly but not professional. With my degree that I have chosen I will need to make sure I am always professional. Whether it be when I am on the “floor,” responding to a co-worker or a doctor.
Another thing that I have notice is my grammar. I have fixed it and it is better than what it used to be. But, I still have a long road ahead of me if I want no mistakes and perfect grammar. So I will continue to work on it and keep trying to improve it.
Also, my thinking has changed when it comes to communication. How I communicate and what I say and how I say it. I remember a lesson a few weeks ago when we had to give examples of re-writing sentences so they avoided conflict. I really liked that section. It was I think my favorite out of all of them. Reason being, I know I am a friendly and polite person to whomever I meet. But, what I did not realize is that how I word things can really offend someone. Even if I did not mean it to. That is something I also will continue to work on this principle. And how will I? I will be sure to double check before I ever say something or send it to someone.
All in all, I really enjoyed this class because it gave me tools to use everywhere I go. I also enjoyed this class because of the professor and the access to everything. Considering it was online, I enjoyed being able to do the class at my leisure.
Hello everyone,
The name of the course was extremely intimidating to me as I was scheduling the classes for my final semester of college. I have always had a fear of writing because it was never something that I was good at. Formatting, citations, and alignments have always been some of the things that I have had trouble with. Professor Young completely turned my entire fear of writing into something that I now enjoy. Seeing that she required us to buy a book that she wrote made me think that she was just promoting herself because I had another professor do the same last year and we did not even crack his book open once throughout the semester. To be completely honest, her book was probably the best book I have ever read in my entire college career. Not only did it help me with getting over my fears of writing by guiding me step by step through everything, but it also gave me so many life lessons. I feel honored to have been able to take a class by such an amazing woman. I cannot thank you enough for all of the skills that you have equipped me with.
Best regards,
Nikki Garcia
Hello everyone,
This class has completely changed my outlook on writing. I learned so much in such a short period of time. We covered many things that will help me in my future career and make me more marketable. we learned how to properly make cover letters, write and respond to e-mails, memos, and letters.I realized that how I communicate on paper projects an image of myself to the reader. All that I have learned will help me use my communication skills in many different ways throughout my life. I think that it has also boosted my confidence in how I communicate with others both in person and via email/letters/memos. I will continue to work on the skills I have learned in taking this course and grow as a writer.
I wish you all the best of luck in your future careers.
sincerely,
Misty
Hi everyone,
This class was very difficult at first, but has taught me many different ways to look at my writing. I class help prepare you for the workforce way of writing and making your work look professional. With this class it has help me get a better feel of my writing and what is need to provide the best information in my work. The class also helped understand and see all that goes into writing business letters memos, resumes,and so much more.
Best wishes,
Hannah
Hello everyone,
I loved all of the assignments that were focused on real world activities. These are skill we can take in to our professions. A lot of times you can feel education becomes redundant and not useful. We were able to learn how to respond and format these communications correctly. That was my favorite part
All the best wishes,
Mike Reiser
Hi everyone,
Going into this class I thought I knew more than I did. I grew up writing but was surprised at all I still had to learn. Talent and creativity do not resonate with readers if they lack proper form. With so many blogs, papers, and social media sites it is important to stand out. I realize the impact of crisp concise writings. I am proud to say my ability to write and see good writing has changed for the better. Rules of professional writing are not always exciting, but producing good writing is. Taking time to review and revise your work pays off.
Take care,
Hope Nunn
Hello Hope,
Being a strong writer I was also impressed with what I learned in this class; the techniques used to reiterate the lessons, enhanced learning.. My improvements are in the areas of editing, grammar, formatting, and punctuation. The text is clearly written, offering practice sessions on various topics, and includes excellent templates for formatting letters, and memos. This text has lessons that can be used as a reference for years to come.
I will be forever grateful to Dona Young for using her love of writing to help others improve.
Truly,
Minta
Hello classmates,
I learned that, unnecessary details can throw the audience off because what you’re stating may not match up with the rest of your story. Catching onto and eliminating empty information in your work can be a good way to revise. Empty information is information that is not necessary and should not be included in your work. This is usually the reason why people get off topic because they think that the more they include the better the outcome. As we learned throughout this course less is more. You should combine your ideas in a way where they can all relate to one another because one thing leads to another. Not only that but, Having a cohesive structure means focusing on one idea or topic. I now am more careful about what I write and make sure to revise my work multiple times. The more you practice correcting your work the easier it becomes to catch mistakes.
Best regards,
Amalia Igartua
Hello All,
Communication is a large part of our everyday lives and taking this class has provided tools that will allow me to be more effective in both my academic and personal writing. It was difficult at times because I’m not a fan of online classes, but I learned so much. Before this class, I would over explain or not explain enough but now I know that in every memo, email, or letter it is important that your writing is simple, clear, and concise. Communicating effectively requires not only knowing where to place a comma , but also knowing your readers and yourself. This class has not only made look at the how I write, but myself as well. Thanks!
It has been a pleasure sharing this space with all of you and I wish you all continued success.
Best regard,
Paulette
Hello all,
One of my favorite topics was the section about resumes. I realized that my resume was outdated and not formatted correctly. I was able to revise, and edit, my resume according to the guidelines of our book. I think my resume has improved a lot and looks more professional. Another one of my favorite topics was over writing professional business documents. As I work in a professional setting, I really found this section interesting. I found that I have been able to improve my writing, in the workplace, and at school and have experienced the benefits from doing the exercises in our book. I have struggled with professional writing because I’m not the best with grammar and I always mess up the format to my paper.
My skills and thinking have changed in that I am editing, after I write, and that I am writing what comes to my head. Before this class, I liked to edit and write at the same time. I would try and write my thoughts in the perfect way so that it would sound grammatically correct and professional. Now, I write what comes into my head and I edit later. I have found that my writing has improved a lot in doing this. The quality of my writing is better, and I can finish my work quicker. I am utilizing the information I have learned in this class to improve my grammar in my writing. When I am unsure of something, I refer to my book for guidance. I can communicate my thoughts and feelings easier then I was doing before. I know that I will spend a lifetime continuously learning how to improve my writing, but I’m happy to have seen such big improvements during this class. Thank you so much for such a great semester. Best of luck to you all!
Best Wishes,
Sarah
Hello all,
My favorite topic we covered this semester was the Writing Interview. This really changed my outlook on my future career. I had no idea that there was a lot of writing involved in nursing. In fact, I didn’t even think that writing was involved. It was nice to conduct an interview with an actual nurse and get their knowledge about writing inside the nursing field. I learned a lot about how and what type of letter to write for certain situations. This will be useful in the future all throughout my life.
It has been a very interesting and helpful class.
All the best,
Dylan
Hello everyone,
This class has completely changed my outlook on writing. I learned so much in such a short period of time. We covered many things that will help me in my future career and make me more marketable. we learned how to properly make cover letters, write and respond to e-mails, memos, and letters.I realized that how I communicate on paper projects an image of myself to the reader. All that I have learned will help me use my communication skills in many different ways throughout my life. I think that it has also boosted my confidence in how I communicate with others both in person and via email/letters/memos. I will continue to work on the skills I have learned in taking this course and grow as a writer.
I wish you all the best of luck in your future careers.
sincerely,
Misty
Hello Professor Young and Class,
My favorite topic was when we were able to introduce ourselves. I also loved the writing assignments that allowed us to open up to the class and show one another who we really are. These assignments made the writing fun. They also made the assignments not feel like actual writing work. I feel that these assignments took the stress of being a perfect writer away and allowed us to just be ourselves. My skills have changed a lot throughout this course. I not only feel more confident about the skills I have learned but I am able to apply them a lot more efficiently. I now write with a purpose. My writing has become a lot stronger and I have learned how to chose my word usage much wiser. This course was difficult but I can honestly say that I am ending this course a better writer than when I started.
Happy Holidays,
Jessica
This semester the professional writing course has been very informative for me. Many of the assignments provided informative information that I can use in my future or current career. Some of my favorite topics was giving positive and constructive feedback. Positive and constructive feedback was important to me because it always gets forgotten in the work place. You have to keep employees motivated and wanting to return to work to continue to do a great job. A lot of positions is open at this very moment because employees feel unappreciated. Employers love to give individuals negative feedback but fail to realize that a thank you goes a long way. Sometimes people need reassurance.
While this class has taught me a lot I still don’t believe that I am the best writer. I have learned a lot of valuable do’s and don’ts. I can say that I learned a better way to approach negative situations and turn them into a positive. I will continue to perfect my writing skills even though I know there is no such thing as perfect in the writing world. I can only continue to write to make my craft better.