Lesson 12
Tying It All Together
Introduction: Connecting Your Learning
You began this course by looking at the characteristics of technical writing and how it compares with other types of writing. Since then, you have had the opportunity not only to read examples of various types of technical and professional writing, but also to write some of your own technical and business communications. In doing so, you experienced firsthand the amount of planning and careful decision making that goes into producing this type of writing.
Your study of business and technical writing isn’t complete, however, without taking a careful look back at what you’ve written to consider your growth.
Readings, Resources, and Assignments
Required Textbook Reading None
Required Assignments Reflect on your growth as a technical writer.
Check Prior Knowledge
In this course, you learned about many topics associated with technical writing. In review, you looked at:
• Characteristics of technical writing
• Rhetorical situation
• The writing process
• Ethics and teamwork
• Business communications
• Job application documents
• Action verbs and active voice
• Layout and design
• Reports
• Proposals
• User guides
Hopefully, you remember the lessons you worked through on these topics. If not, now is the perfect time to go back through them to review.
Focusing Your Learning
Lesson Objectives
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
1. Explain the growth you’ve experienced in this class.
2. Describe your goals for business and technical writing.
Instruction
Technical and professional writing is a profession, but most professionals are required to do some writing, even though they haven’t received the focused training and education that business and technical writers have. Because writing is so ubiquitous, there is sometimes an inclination to act as though writing is not that hard or that anyone can do it. You have learned that this is simply not the case.
Good writing takes time and dedication. You must consider the content, the audience, the format, and the other people involved in the project. There are many ways to get it wrong and a limited number of ways to get it right.
Remember that writing is not a gift. It is a skill to be honed through study and practice. By carefully thinking through projects before you take them on and making decisions that are ethical and focused on the needs of the audience and goals of the company, you can play a pivotal role in helping people accomplish specific tasks.
Assessing Your Learning
Graded Assignments
Lesson 12 Assignment (30 points). For this assignment, you will write a one-page (250 word) reflective essay in which you describe your journey in technical and professional writing. Think about where you began and where you are now. How did your perceptions change throughout the course? What was your biggest challenge? Your greatest success? How did this class help you meet your existing goals? What additional writing goals do you have? Be detailed and use specific examples.
Check your work against the following grading rubric before submitting it to your instructor.
Characteristic Points
Reflection contains a description of experience in this class. 10
Reflection contains a description of future goals related to technical and professional writing. 10
Analysis is at least 250 words long and is written in formal English. 10
Total Points 30
Submission Instructions
Select the following link and paste your assignment into the textbox. Select the submit button when you are ready to submit this assignment to your instructor: Lesson 12 Self-reflection.
Review Submitting Assignments if you need help copying and pasting your assignment.
Summarizing Your Learning
Now that you’ve completed the course, you may want to consider taking additional courses in technical and professional writing or learning more about what job opportunities are available in the area of technical writing. You can look online for more information on the field or consult the course catalog for related courses, such as GBS233: Business Communication and COM259: Communication in Business and Professions.
Even if you don’t see the need to continue your study of technical writing, you will find that writing is a part of most professional careers. Good writing skills can make you more marketable when you’re looking for a job and more effective when you find one.

Lesson 12
Tying It All Together
Introduction: Connecting Your Learning
You began this course by looking at the characteristics of technical writing and how it compares with other types of writing. Since then, you have had the opportunity not only to read examples of various types of technical and professional writing, but also to write some of your own technical and business communications. In doing so, you experienced firsthand the amount of planning and careful decision making that goes into producing this type of writing.
Your study of business and technical writing isn’t complete, however, without taking a careful look back at what you’ve written to consider your growth.
Readings, Resources, and Assignments
Required Textbook Reading None
Required Assignments Reflect on your growth as a technical writer.
Check Prior Knowledge
In this course, you learned about many topics associated with technical writing. In review, you looked at:
• Characteristics of technical writing
• Rhetorical situation
• The writing process
• Ethics and teamwork
• Business communications
• Job application documents
• Action verbs and active voice
• Layout and design
• Reports
• Proposals
• User guides
Hopefully, you remember the lessons you worked through on these topics. If not, now is the perfect time to go back through them to review.
Focusing Your Learning
Lesson Objectives
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
1. Explain the growth you’ve experienced in this class.
2. Describe your goals for business and technical writing.
Instruction
Technical and professional writing is a profession, but most professionals are required to do some writing, even though they haven’t received the focused training and education that business and technical writers have. Because writing is so ubiquitous, there is sometimes an inclination to act as though writing is not that hard or that anyone can do it. You have learned that this is simply not the case.
Good writing takes time and dedication. You must consider the content, the audience, the format, and the other people involved in the project. There are many ways to get it wrong and a limited number of ways to get it right.
Remember that writing is not a gift. It is a skill to be honed through study and practice. By carefully thinking through projects before you take them on and making decisions that are ethical and focused on the needs of the audience and goals of the company, you can play a pivotal role in helping people accomplish specific tasks.
Assessing Your Learning
Graded Assignments
Lesson 12 Assignment (30 points). For this assignment, you will write a one-page (250 word) reflective essay in which you describe your journey in technical and professional writing. Think about where you began and where you are now. How did your perceptions change throughout the course? What was your biggest challenge? Your greatest success? How did this class help you meet your existing goals? What additional writing goals do you have? Be detailed and use specific examples.
Check your work against the following grading rubric before submitting it to your instructor.
Characteristic Points
Reflection contains a description of experience in this class. 10
Reflection contains a description of future goals related to technical and professional writing. 10
Analysis is at least 250 words long and is written in formal English. 10
Total Points 30
Submission Instructions
Select the following link and paste your assignment into the textbox. Select the submit button when you are ready to submit this assignment to your instructor: Lesson 12 Self-reflection.
Review Submitting Assignments if you need help copying and pasting your assignment.
Summarizing Your Learning
Now that you’ve completed the course, you may want to consider taking additional courses in technical and professional writing or learning more about what job opportunities are available in the area of technical writing. You can look online for more information on the field or consult the course catalog for related courses, such as GBS233: Business Communication and COM259: Communication in Business and Professions.
Even if you don’t see the need to continue your study of technical writing, you will find that writing is a part of most professional careers. Good writing skills can make you more marketable when you’re looking for a job and more effective when you find one.

Lesson 12
Tying It All Together
Introduction: Connecting Your Learning
You began this course by looking at the characteristics of technical writing and how it compares with other types of writing. Since then, you have had the opportunity not only to read examples of various types of technical and professional writing, but also to write some of your own technical and business communications. In doing so, you experienced firsthand the amount of planning and careful decision making that goes into producing this type of writing.
Your study of business and technical writing isn’t complete, however, without taking a careful look back at what you’ve written to consider your growth.
Readings, Resources, and Assignments
Required Textbook Reading None
Required Assignments Reflect on your growth as a technical writer.
Check Prior Knowledge
In this course, you learned about many topics associated with technical writing. In review, you looked at:
• Characteristics of technical writing
• Rhetorical situation
• The writing process
• Ethics and teamwork
• Business communications
• Job application documents
• Action verbs and active voice
• Layout and design
• Reports
• Proposals
• User guides
Hopefully, you remember the lessons you worked through on these topics. If not, now is the perfect time to go back through them to review.
Focusing Your Learning
Lesson Objectives
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
1. Explain the growth you’ve experienced in this class.
2. Describe your goals for business and technical writing.
Instruction
Technical and professional writing is a profession, but most professionals are required to do some writing, even though they haven’t received the focused training and education that business and technical writers have. Because writing is so ubiquitous, there is sometimes an inclination to act as though writing is not that hard or that anyone can do it. You have learned that this is simply not the case.
Good writing takes time and dedication. You must consider the content, the audience, the format, and the other people involved in the project. There are many ways to get it wrong and a limited number of ways to get it right.
Remember that writing is not a gift. It is a skill to be honed through study and practice. By carefully thinking through projects before you take them on and making decisions that are ethical and focused on the needs of the audience and goals of the company, you can play a pivotal role in helping people accomplish specific tasks.
Assessing Your Learning
Graded Assignments
Lesson 12 Assignment (30 points). For this assignment, you will write a one-page (250 word) reflective essay in which you describe your journey in technical and professional writing. Think about where you began and where you are now. How did your perceptions change throughout the course? What was your biggest challenge? Your greatest success? How did this class help you meet your existing goals? What additional writing goals do you have? Be detailed and use specific examples.
Check your work against the following grading rubric before submitting it to your instructor.
Characteristic Points
Reflection contains a description of experience in this class. 10
Reflection contains a description of future goals related to technical and professional writing. 10
Analysis is at least 250 words long and is written in formal English. 10
Total Points 30
Submission Instructions
Select the following link and paste your assignment into the textbox. Select the submit button when you are ready to submit this assignment to your instructor: Lesson 12 Self-reflection.
Review Submitting Assignments if you need help copying and pasting your assignment.
Summarizing Your Learning
Now that you’ve completed the course, you may want to consider taking additional courses in technical and professional writing or learning more about what job opportunities are available in the area of technical writing. You can look online for more information on the field or consult the course catalog for related courses, such as GBS233: Business Communication and COM259: Communication in Business and Professions.
Even if you don’t see the need to continue your study of technical writing, you will find that writing is a part of most professional careers. Good writing skills can make you more marketable when you’re looking for a job and more effective when you find one.