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#SundayShare: Final Exam Resources

#SundayShare: Final Exam Resources published on

Lynda.com Login Help

Lynda.com videos are free to Virginia Tech students with your VT.EDU login. Start at the VT.EDU login page to access these resources.

Our #SundayShare is longer than usual, with a lot of options for you to choose among. Since we only have ten days left in the term, I want to share all the resources that you can use as you work on your final exam. That way, any of you with the time to work ahead can do so.

I created a playlist Final Exam Resources on Performance Reviews, comprised of three short Lynda.com courses, 31 videos total. If you watched everything, it would take 1h 21m (but I really don’t expect you to watch every minute of every video).

Here is the table of contents for each of the courses (copied directly from Lynda.com, no links). Watch the parts that you have questions about as you work on your final.

Course: Preparing for Your Review (14m35s)

  • Introduction (1m8s)
    • Welcome (1m8s)
  • Review Preparation (11m44s)
    • Preparing for your review (2m1s)
    • Sharing your work (4m55s)
    • Self-evaluations and final preparation (4m48s)
  • Conclusion
    • Next steps (1m43s)

Course: Building Self-Confidence (21m 27s)

  • Introduction (1m0s)
    • Building Confidence (1m0s)
  • Steps to Building Your Confidence (19m14s)
    • Owning where you are and where you want to be (2m 33s)
    • Dealing with the past (2m41s)
    • Helping and volunteering (1m31s)
    • Setting achievable goals before stretch goals (2m1s)
    • Removing negativity (2m7s)
    • Visualizing success (1m57s)
    • Planning for failure (1m43s)
    • Assessing your progress (1m36s)
    • Accelerating the process (1m57s)
    • Celebrating you (1m13s)
  • Conclusion (1m13s)
    • Final Thoughts (1m13s)

Course: Enhancing Your Productivity (45m 37s)

  • Introduction (3m10s)
    • Welcome (2m28s)
    • Using the exercise files (42s)
  • Your Most Valuable Activities (14m42s)
    • What makes you irreplaceable? (2m47s)
    • Discovering your most valuable activities (4m18s)
    • Avoiding the least-valuable-activity trap (3m21s)
    • Focusing with the Order of Offloading (4m16s)
  • Building Up Coworkers (9m 31s)
    • `Offering assistance (2m 43s)
    • Identifying coworkers’ most valuable activities (3m11s)
    • Creating a plan of improvement (3m37s)
  • Having Focus (17m15s)
    • Managing your time (3m2s)
    • Eliminating external distractions (5m24s)
    • Eliminating internal distractions (5m28s)
    • Maintaining a long-term focus on your career (3m21s)
  • Conclusion (59s)
    • Final thoughts (59s)

Note: These videos have closed captioning, so they do not need transcripts.


 
Last updated on Sunday, April 22, 2018

#WeekendWatch: Characteristics of Memos

#WeekendWatch: Characteristics of Memos published on

This week, the daily posts focus on correspondence in general. You will find posts that apply to letters, memos, and email messages—all of which you write in the workplace. Since none of the course projects focuses on correspondence, these posts will cover this important topic.

Lynda.com Login Help

Lynda.com videos are free to Virginia Tech students with your VT.EDU login. Start at the VT.EDU login page to access these resources.

When you are not writing letters or email messages, you will often find yourself writing memos. Today’s #WeekendWatch reviews the characteristics of memos, which are typically internal messages sent to colleagues within your organization.

Like all correspondence, memos should be clear and well-organized with document design features that help readers find the information that is important to them. You can use headings, bulleted lists, and numbered lists to make details stand out.

In addition to general memos, you may find that you use specific memos in the workplace. For instance, you might use a memorandum of understanding (MoU) as a kind of contract, where you and other parties agree to specific terms. MoUs are often created by a lawyer or the organization’s legal department. If you write such a memo yourself, it will probably need to go through a legal review before it is sent to the recipient.

For details on the basic memos you are likely to write, watch the Lynda.com video Special Considerations for Memos (3m52s) to learn more:

Special Considerations for Memos, on Lynda.com

 

Note: This video has closed captioning, so it does not need a transcript.


 
Last updated on Sunday, April 15, 2018

#FridayFact: Nobody Likes Receiving or Giving Bad News

#FridayFact: Nobody Likes Receiving or Giving Bad News published on 10 Comments on #FridayFact: Nobody Likes Receiving or Giving Bad News

This week, the daily posts focus on correspondence in general. You will find posts that apply to letters, memos, and email messages—all of which you write in the workplace. Since none of the course projects focuses on correspondence, these posts will cover this important topic.

letter Bletter Aletter D

Most people don’t want to receive bad news. Likewise, unless we’re talking about the Wicked Witch of the West, Voldemort, or Darth Vader, most people are uncomfortable when they have to give someone bad news. Continuing our focus on correspondence this week, today’s #FridayFact explains how to write a bad new message that gets the point across without alienating the reader.

Typically, bad news messages begin with some kind of “buffer” that cushions the negative information. This indirect approach allows you to break the news gently to your reader. There are times, however, when a more direct approach is appropriate, such as in an emergency situation or when the bad news is expected.

How to Organize a Paper: The Indirect Method (for Writing Bad News) includes a chart that outlines when to use an indirect approach to giving your readers bad news and when to use a more direct approach. The chart on the webpage tells you what to include in your message, whether it is direct or indirect. You’ll also find explanations of the information to provide in the different sections of your bad news message.


 
Last updated on Friday, April 20, 2018

#InfographicInspiration: What Goes Into a Letter

#InfographicInspiration: What Goes Into a Letter published on 10 Comments on #InfographicInspiration: What Goes Into a Letter

This week, the daily posts focus on correspondence in general. You will find posts that apply to letters, memos, and email messages—all of which you write in the workplace. Since none of the course projects focuses on correspondence, these posts will cover this important topic.

Most of the time, the workplace letters you write will be formal letters. You will use letters for things such as job applications, official requests to someone inside or outside your organization, documentation of complaints and reprimands, and recognition of special achievements. Here are some more specific examples that you are likely to see early in your career:

  • cover letters that are part of a job application packet.
  • thank you letters to those who are part of your job search (e.g., interviewers, HR staff, those who write recommendations).
  • recommendation letters for those you work with.
  • cover letters (or transmittal letters) that accompany reports and proposals.

In all these cases, you will want a formal letter. You may occasionally write informal letters in the workplace, but it’s typical for informal correspondence to be handled in email messages. Before considering today’s infographic, watch this short video from Rasmussen College to find out “How to Write a Formal Letter” (3m49s):

Next, from the website The Visual Communication Guy, our #InfographicInspiration provides an annotated explanation of what goes into a letter and how to format letters that you write. Note that the image on this page is minimized; here is the enlarged (and more readable) version.

How To Format a Letter, from The Visual Communication Guy

 

Note: This infographic is explained on the related website, so it does not need a transcript.


 
Last updated on Sunday, April 15, 2018

#WednesdayWrite: Is BRIEF Correspondence Best?

#WednesdayWrite: Is BRIEF Correspondence Best? published on 12 Comments on #WednesdayWrite: Is BRIEF Correspondence Best?

This week, the daily posts focus on correspondence in general. You will find posts that apply to letters, memos, and email messages—all of which you write in the workplace. Since none of the course projects focuses on correspondence, these posts will cover this important topic.

SSN774 Virginia rollout by Marion Doss on Flickr, used under a CC-BY-SA 2.0 licenseThe Lifehacker article “Remember ‘BRIEF’ for Efficient Office Communication” outlines a mnemonic for writing correspondence and presentations that include just the right amount of information for the audience and purpose. The idea is explained fully in the book Brief: Make a Bigger Impact by Saying Less by Joseph McCormack, the founder and CEO of Sheffield Marketing Partners. (The full text of the ebook is available through the Tech library.)

Neolithic, a commenter on the Lifehacker post, argues that another mnemonic, SBAR, is more effective. The SBAR system was developed by U.S. Navy personnel working on nuclear submarines. As explained in Stewart and Hand’s “SBAR, Communication, and Patient Safety: An Integrated Literature Review,” “Employed primarily in high-risk situations of the Navy’s nuclear submarine industry, the SBAR communication tool enabled all users, regardless of the level of command, to communicate via a common structure.”

For your #WednesdayWrite, compare the two mnemonics and explain which would make the better choice for someone in your field. As you examine the two options, think not only about the logistics of how they work but also the details on how they were created (one in marketing and the other by the military).

If you read any of the linked background information, incorporate what you find as well. Further, you can also suggest an alternative system for writing effective correspondence if you have one.

 

Photo credit: SSN774 Virginia rollout by Marion Doss on Flickr, used under a CC-BY-SA 2.0 license


 
Last updated on Sunday, April 15, 2018

#TuesdayTutorial: Good-News Messages

#TuesdayTutorial: Good-News Messages published on 12 Comments on #TuesdayTutorial: Good-News Messages

This week, the daily posts focus on correspondence in general. You will find posts that apply to letters, memos, and email messages—all of which you write in the workplace. Since none of the course projects focuses on correspondence, these posts will cover this important topic.

Today’s #TuesdayTutorial looks at the kind of correspondence most people enjoy working on: Writing An Effective Good-News Message (1m21s). Good-news messages are usually easy to write. At worst, your reader may be neutral about the information that you are sharing. In many situations, your reader may be pleased or even overjoyed, which makes your job as the writer simpler.

Even though they are easier, good-news messages do require a specific organization. Most importantly, you want to be sure that you don’t bury your good news. Put it right up front!

Watch today’s video to learn about the organization of a good-news message, all in just a bit over one minute:

 

 

Note: This video has closed captioning, so it does not need a transcript.


 
Last updated on Sunday, April 15, 2018

Peer Review and Submission of Your Genre Analysis Reports

Peer Review and Submission of Your Genre Analysis Reports published on

This is the post for the week of April 16, 2018.

Affect vs. Effect & 34 Other Common Confusions (Infographic)
Click on the image for a larger version.
Source: www.grammarcheck.net

We’re down to the last days of the course, so it’s important to stay on track and finish strong. If you run into trouble, be sure to contact me so we can come up with a solution.

Calendar for the Rest of the Term

All submissions due by 11:59 PM.

Date What’s Going On?
04/16 Grace period for 04/13 Labor Log ends
04/18 Draft of Genre Analysis Report due in Discussions for peer review
04/20 Feedback on Genre Analysis Repor due to group in Discussions
04/20 04/20 Labor Log due
04/23 Genre Analysis Report due
04/23 Grace period for 04/20 Labor Log ends
04/26 Grace period for Genre Analysis Report ends
04/27 04/27 Labor Log due
04/30 Grace period for 04/27 Labor Log ends
05/02 All revisions, transcripts, and other work for all projects due
05/03 SPOT Responses due
05/07 Final Exam due (no grace period)

Readings for the Week

Since you have your big project to share with your group this week, go back and review any readings that you need and whatever research you have found. You control your readings for this week.

If you have questions about readings, research, or writing, let me know.

Tasks for the Week

Because I want you to have the whole week to work on your Genre Analysis Report, there are no extra tasks this week. Just the essential work.

  1. By 11:59PM on Monday, April 16, submit your your 04/13 Labor Log in Canvas, if you are using the grace period.
  2. By 11:59PM on Wednesday, April 18, post a draft of your project in the Group Feedback on Genre Analysis Reports Discussion in Canvas.
  3. By 11:59PM on Friday, April 20, post feedback on the drafts posted by your group members in the Group Feedback on Genre Analysis Reports Discussion in Canvas. Be sure to use the strategies from the Peer Review: Commenting Strategies video.
  4. By 11:59PM on Monday, April 23, submit your project in the Genre Analysis Report assignment in Canvas. If you are using the grace period, submit your project by 11:59PM on April 26.
  5. By 11:59PM on Friday, April 20, write your 04/20 Labor Log in Canvas. Specific questions for your log are included in Canvas. The grace period for your log entry ends at 11:59 PM on Monday, April 23.

 

 

Note: This infographic needs a text-based transcript. See the Optional Accessibility Transcript Activity for more details.

 


 
Last updated on Thursday, April 19, 2018

#SundayShare: Citing Your Sources

#SundayShare: Citing Your Sources published on 1 Comment on #SundayShare: Citing Your Sources

You need to provide in-text citations and bibliographic citations in your Genre Analysis Report, so I am sharing resources that explain How to identify and credit sources (6m 32s).

Screenshot of Lynda.com session, How to identify and credit sources

In your Genre Analysis Report, you can use whatever bibliographical format you are most familiar with. Here are some tools if you are unsure how to make correct citations:

You can also watch the Lynda.com information on Citing Sources in research papers for more specific examples of citations.

 

Note: This video has closed captioning, so it does not need a transcript.


 
Last updated on Sunday, April 15, 2018

#WeekendWatch: Preparing for Online Interviews

#WeekendWatch: Preparing for Online Interviews published on 5 Comments on #WeekendWatch: Preparing for Online Interviews

This week, I am sharing resources that will help you with your resumes, cover letters, and other job application materials, based on a request included in the midterm evaluations you submitted.

It’s possible that at some point in your career, you will be interviewed online, using something like Skype, Google Hangouts, or Facetime. While you may be prepared for face-to-face interviews, these online interviews are a little different. Today’s #WeekendWatch shares Tips for Skype Interviewing from Curry College Center for Career Development.

Note: This video has closed captioning, so it does not need a transcript.


 
Last updated on Monday, April 9, 2018

#FridayFact: LinkedIn Isn’t Enough

#FridayFact: LinkedIn Isn’t Enough published on 7 Comments on #FridayFact: LinkedIn Isn’t Enough

This week, I am sharing resources that will help you with your resumes, cover letters, and other job application materials, based on a request included in the midterm evaluations you submitted.

Scattered chocolates, wrapped in silver foil labeled with the LinkedIn logo, on a table.With yesterday’s infographic on robot readers, you might think that an online presence on LinkedIn will give you have you need in the job market. No such luck. You need LinkedIn AND a resume to succeed.

The Harvard Business Review’s “Do You Need a Résumé in the LinkedIn Era?” explains, “When you are actually applying for a job, however, neither LinkedIn nor a professional landing page can replace the résumé. A strong résumé is still the gateway to an interview….”

Read more in the Harvard Business Review’ post, where you will also find tips on ways to use LinkedIn and personal websites.

 

Image credit: Linkedin Chocolates by Nan Palmero on Flickr, used under a CC-BY 2.0 license.


 
Last updated on Monday, April 9, 2018

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