Week 5 Discussion: Reflecting on General Education and Career

Reflecting on General Education and Career [WLOs: 2, 3, 4] [CLOs: 2, 3, 4]

Prepare: Prior to beginning work on this discussion forum, read the articles

Teaching Writing Skills That Enhance Student Success in Future Employment

;PROVIDED IN ATTACHMENTS

 

An Inner Barrier to Career Development: Preconditions of the Impostor Phenomenon and Consequences for Career Development (Links to an external site.)

; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4740363/ 

and

9 Questions That’ll Help You Find Your Dream Career (Links to an external site.)

; 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/dailymuse/2013/11/01/9-questions-thatll-help-you-find-your-dream-career/?sh=4a39126b53d9 

watch the video

Business, Management & Administration (Links to an external site.)

; 

https://fod.infobase.com/OnDemandEmbed.aspx?Token=34900&aid=18596&Plt=FOD&loid=0&w=640&h=480&ref

and review the General Education Curriculum found in

General Academic Information and Policies (Links to an external site.)

in the Ashford University Catalog. 

https://www.uagc.edu/catalog/general-academic-information-policies#catalog11207

This catalog addresses the core competencies that the general education courses must cover: Ethical Reasoning, Written Communication, Oral and Interpersonal Communication, Information Literacy, Critical Thinking, and Quantitative Reasoning. 

Reflect: Think about the core competencies as previously mentioned, and ponder your time taking general education courses. Reflect on the specific courses not associated with your college major and determine the level of new information you have acquired that relates to the core competencies. You must also think about a potential job you might apply to once you graduate and determine what skills you developed through general education courses that make you qualified for a specific job.

Write: For this discussion, you will address the following prompts:

• Review a job description through a job website (e.g., Career Builder (Links to an external site.) https://www.careerbuilder.com , Monster (Links to an external site.) https://www.monster.com , etc.) in your desired career field. (Child Advocacy) Please provide the job title and the link to the job description.
• Identify at least five skills you have obtained through your general education courses that will make you successful at this job.
• Demonstrate with at least two examples how your newly acquired knowledge and skills have shaped both your personal and professional development.
• Describe your plans for putting your education to use within your community.

Your initial post should be at least 250 words in length, which should include a thorough response to each prompt. You are required to provide in-text citations of applicable required reading materials and/or any other outside sources you use to support your claims. Provide full reference entries of all sources cited at the end of your response. Please use correct APA format when writing in-text citations

PLEASE USE AND REVIEW ALL RESOURCES PROVIDED!

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Substandard writing skills have been noticed in schools and workplaces across disciplines.
Writing courses and writing centre programs can
teach students about grammar and composition,
and library orientations help students effectively
locate source material for papers and projects.
However, writing skills, which are often related
to specific disciplines or professions, are learned
indirectly. Coursework that prepares students for
future careers tends to focus on the curriculum
content rather than the writing skills students use
to present that content. Yet writing ability is often
vital for effective work performance, thus demon-

strating writing skills that are relevant to future
employment is an essential learning outcome for
higher education curriculum.

Many employers are alarmed about poor writ-
ing skills in new employees and have asked business
schools to increase emphasis on writing (Quible &
Griffin, 2007). Haberstroh (1994) reported similar
concerns in public relations companies, and Alter
and Adkins (2001) discovered that up to one-third of
graduate social work students had inadequate writ-
ing skills yet many did not use available writing as-
sistance programs. These studies made a number of
recommendations for higher education, including

32

Teaching Writing Skills That
Enhance Student Success in Future Employment

James P. Coyle
University of Windsor

The ability to write well is often critical for effective work performance. Although basic writing
courses provide a foundation for college and university students, discipline-specific writing tasks and
methods are frequently learned indirectly. Incorporating occupational writing skills in course cur-
riculum better prepares students for future employment. This paper suggests a three-step process for
teaching pertinent writing skills in college and university courses: identify writing skills relevant to
post-graduation occupations, include writing in course learning modules, and assess writing skills
with assignments that mirror workplace writing tasks. Balancing curricular learning with these
workplace needs is an ongoing challenge for instructors.

Employers Seek Effective Writers

Collected Essays on Teaching and Learning Vol. III196

required writing courses, increased assessment of stu-
dent writing, and consultations with employers that
provide examples of desired writing skills (Haber-
stroh, 1994). Additionally, schools are assessing
methods for writing instruction (Quible & Griffin,
2007; Wolff, 1996) and are recommending ways to
continue writing instruction after foundational Eng-
lish composition courses (Alter & Adkins, 2006).

These suggestions form the basis for a three-
step plan for enhancing writing skills that improve
competency in future employment. First, identify
the discipline-specific writing skills that are needed
in the workplace. Second, develop learning mod-
ules that cultivate those writing skills. Third, design
course assignments that assess students’ ability to
compose documents that are commonly produced in
the workplace.

Identifying Workplace Writing Skills

Proficient school papers are unlike most writing re-
quired in a professional work setting. Academic writ-
ing assignments often focus on testing knowledge.
They require defining concepts or terms and sup-
porting statements with references to professional
literature. In comparison, workplace writing is more
likely to describe or analyze situations without open-
ly explaining the knowledge base or citing sources. It
assumes that readers are familiar with basic terms and
concepts. Workplace writing is usually more about
communicating or documenting ideas rather than
demonstrating competence (Beaufort, 1998). There-
fore, students benefit from seeing examples of writ-
ing in their chosen occupations.

While practical writing skills may vary across
disciplines, all workplace writing composes a mes-
sage appropriate for an intended audience (White,
1997). Two aspects often define this writing: types
of documents and the writing styles used to create
them. Certainly, most employees need to write let-
ters, reports, and descriptions of work tasks. It is
also increasingly important to compose professional-
sounding email messages rather than informal, ramb-
ling notes that often include slang and personal stor-
ies. Additional documents used in many occupations

include client contacts, action plans, proposals, and
evaluations. The profession or place of employment
may also influence document formats, content, and
organization.

Likewise, workers may use distinctive writing
styles to create documents. For example, descriptive
writing may be necessary to clearly present data or
develop a foundation for a conclusion, while critical
analysis is required for evaluating the data or com-
municating the conclusion. Synthesizing content
from a number of sources is a crucial skill in many
occupations. Requesting resources and advocating
causes employ a persuasive writing style, and reflect-
ive writing may help employees to evaluate their own
skills and limitations. Style and tone must also be ap-
propriate for the purpose and audience (Polk, 2009;
White, 1997). These writing styles are often familiar
to students since they may be used in academic as-
signments. Linking these skills and applying them to
employment and professional settings helps students
make the transition to the workplace.

In addition, using examples of common work-
place writing tasks can provide class and course learn-
ing that emphasizes the practical application that
most students seek. These examples may come from
instructor experiences or be compiled from com-
munity input about education needs (see Polk, 2009;
Yu, 2010).

Creating Learning Modules That
Include Writing Skills

Most classes include learning modules that teach
specific course content. Writing skills can often be
easily added to these modules by providing writing
resources, using examples of workplace documents,
asking students to write feedback, or designing exer-
cises that demonstrate employment writing skills.

Along these lines, there are a number of helpful
resources that students can use to improve writing
skills and manuscript organization. Providing loca-
tions, phone numbers, or web links to writing centres
and library resources communicates an expectation
that writing is important and that support is avail-
able. Students can also be encouraged to review basic

197Teaching Writing Skills That Enhance Student Success in Future Employment

writing texts or discipline-specific manuals, such as
The Elements of Style (Strunk & White, 1999), Writing
for Business (Harvard Business School Press, 2007),
APA Publication Manual (American Psychological
Association, 2010), MLA Style Manual (Gibaldi,
2008), or Scientific Style and Format (Council of Sci-
ence Editors, 2006). In addition, there are numerous
websites that provide guides, examples, and tutorials
about basic writing skills, critical writing, synthesis,
objective description, persuasive writing, or letter
writing. Links to these websites encourage students
to improve writing skills. For example, the Purdue
Online Writing Lab (OWL) provides a wide range
of writing information and tutorials (Purdue Univer-
sity, 2010).

The following recommendations connect
typical workplace writing with classroom learning
exercises by introducing students to common docu-
ments and feedback reports.

• Use sample documents from workplaces as
examples for presenting and organizing con-
tent. Ask students to critique poorly written
reports.

• Formalize the note-taking that naturally oc-
curs during classroom tasks that use brain-
storming, researching, teamwork, role-
playing, or self reflection. This encourages
students to consider the role of written logs or
minute-taking for reporting and accomplish-
ing work tasks.

• Give points for posting comments on course
websites, such as responses to assigned read-
ings, reactions to class discussions, or reflec-
tions about learning experiences (Alter &
Adkins, 2006). This asks students to write
responses similar to the verbal comments in
class. It also parallels methods for sharing
ideas in many businesses (Yu, 2010).

• Ask invited speakers to mention the role of
writing and the writing skills needed for effec-
tive job performance.

Finally, some class exercises can focus directly on the
writing tasks required in future occupations by pre-

senting a scenario and directing students to write a
brief analysis, reply, evaluation, or response. These
papers can form the basis of small group discussion,
be part of a series of exercises, or provide a founda-
tion for course assignments. The following sugges-
tions can improve the effectiveness of these exercises.

• Focus on a specific or narrow topic that can be
addressed in a short answer.

• Introduce a prewriting exercise (Baker, 2005)
that asks students to create three columns
by drawing two vertical lines on a page. List
information (e.g., who, what, where, how,
when, and why) that needs communicating in
the first column with no concern for word-
ing or order. Examine these items and identify
categories of information in the second col-
umn. Draw lines from the first column items
to the second column categories. Use the third
column to organize the categories.

• Include guides for effective writing in the
exercise instructions. For example, present
the OABC (opening, agenda, body, closing)
framework (Baker, 2005) or ask students to
start with a clearly stated thesis or purpose, or-
ganize the content by presenting the ideas that
support or develop the thesis, and end with
a conclusion or recommendation that restates
the thesis (Northey & McKibbin, 2009).

• Encourage students to write rough drafts, ac-
knowledging the need for editing to create
an acceptable final document. Present a draft
paragraph in class and ask students for editing
suggestions.

• Give students five minutes to discuss ideas for
the paper in small groups before they begin
writing. This can sometimes minimize “writ-
ers block.”

• Require each student to write something rath-
er than ask a small group to write together.
This challenges each student to practice writ-
ing skills.

• Team writing can be modeled by asking stu-
dents to synthesize the individual writing

Collected Essays on Teaching and Learning Vol. III198

pieces. These can be posted on a course web-
site, become a rough draft for a subsequent
assignment, or be submitted as a course as-
signment.

Assignments that Mirror Workplace
Writing

Learning experiences that include writing skills pre-
pare students for effectively composing papers that
demonstrate course knowledge, attitudes, and skills.
Students often focus only on content, and they may
be confused when poorly written papers result in a
lower grade. Moreover, assignments that parallel
work tasks connect course content and career de-
velopment, which is a preferred learning outcome for
most program curriculums. The natural outcome of
teaching students about applicable workplace writing
skills is to assess those skills in written assignments
similar to work documents. The following examples
can test student writing abilities.

• Letters to the editor, responses to a publica-
tion, or product complaints ask students to
analyze, synthesize knowledge, persuade, and
effectively communicate through writing
(Polk, 2009). Choose source material that il-
lustrates course content.

• Composing client contact notes or task prog-
ress notes evaluates knowledge of work pro-
cess, integration of knowledge and skill, and
ability to clearly and concisely present infor-
mation.

• Action plans, such as needs assessments or
program development, require research, syn-
thesis of ideas, application to authentic work
situations, and comparison of alternative ap-
proaches.

• Students can be asked to prepare research re-
ports, justify requests for funding or resourc-
es, or evaluate effectiveness.

• They can produce a written product individ-
ually or in a team. Written assignments may
take the form of brief responses, multi-section

reports, poster presentations, multimedia pre-
sentations, or verbal presentations assisted by
engaging handouts.

• Require students to use writing styles, manu-
script organization, citation, and reference
formats appropriate to the profession (Muller,
2010; Northey & McKibbin, 2009).

• Promote learning by discussing student prog-
ress with assignments, giving formative feed-
back, and asking students to develop a portfo-
lio to illustrate ongoing learning (Yu, 2010).

From my own experience of using these techniques,
I have asked my social work students to write a let-
ter to the editor responding to a newspaper story
about poverty reduction. Many found it challen-
ging to use a persuasive writing style that asked the
reader to perform or support some action. Another
assignment required students to compose a note that
described an initial interview with a client that they
observed on video. They often struggled with instruc-
tions that told them to first describe what they see
and hear. However, separating empirical observation
from interpretation is an essential practice skill, and
distinguishing descriptive and analytical writing styles
helps students learn this. This type of assignment also
compels students to recognize the development of
their professional competence. In the workplace these
notes ask the employee to communicate observations
and assess a specific person or event rather than com-
pose a summary of literature reports. My social work
students are also asked to develop a research proposal
that would address a real-life situation in their as-
signed field internship. They must produce a litera-
ture review that supports the action that they propose
and create an implementable action plan. They also
create a poster that they present in a public forum.
This requires students to summarize the most import-
ant aspects of their proposal, clearly and concisely
communicating these ideas, and presenting content
in an engaging and persuasive manner to the public.

Student Reactions

Student feedback indicated a number of benefits

199Teaching Writing Skills That Enhance Student Success in Future Employment

from the writing content in my courses. They re-
ported that writing exercises challenged them to
clarify thinking and recognize writing organization
and formatting appropriate for their discipline. The
writing exercises also helped them improve written
assignments in other courses and prepared them for
writing requirements during internships or employ-
ment. Writing descriptive case notes helped them re-
duce biased statements, and developing clearly stated
thesis statements improved the logical organization
of case notes and research reports. Many tended to
characterize writing as a utilitarian chore or school
requirement and had not considered the implications
of writing as a career skill.

Competent writing skills are an essential learn-
ing outcome of college and university curriculum.
Both basic writing mechanics and compositional
styles used in discipline-specific occupations are ne-
cessary for effective job performance. Students’ chan-
ces of successful transition to post graduation careers
increase when courses identify written documents and
writing styles used in their discipline along with the
inclusion of writing skills in course learning modules.

References

Alter, C. & Adkins, C. (2001). Improving writing
skills of social work students. Journal of Social
Work Education, 37, 493-505.

Alter, C. & Adkins, C. (2006). Assessing student
writing proficiency in graduate schools of so-
cial work. Journal of Social Work Education,
42, 337-354.

American Psychological Association. (2010).Publica-
tion manual of the American Psychological As-
sociation (6th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.

Baker, W.H. (2005). Writing for today’s workplace.
Government Finance Review, 21(6). 48-50.

Beaufort, A. (1998). Transferring writing knowledge
to the workplace, Are we on track? In M.S.
Garay & S.A. Bernhardt (Eds.), Expanding lit-

eracies: English teaching and the new workplace
(pp. 179-200). Albany, NY: State University
of New York Press.

Council of Science Editors (Eds.). (2006). Scientific
style and format: The CSE manual for authors,
editors, and publishers (7th ed.). New York:
CSE Books.

Gibaldi, J. (2008). MLA style manual and guide to
scholarly publishing (3rd ed.). New York: Mod-
ern Language Association.

Haberstroh, J. (1994). PR graduates don’t measure
up as writers: What the pros think and what
you can do about it. Public Relations Quar-
terly, 39(4), 22-24.

Harvard Business School Press. (2007). Writing for
business. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Muller, J. (2010). Writing in the social sciences: A
guide for term papers and book reviews. Don
Mills, ON: Oxford.

Northey, M. & McKibbin, J. (2009). Making sense:
A student’s guide to research and writing (6th
ed.). Don Mills, ON: Oxford.

Polk, C. (2009). Workplace writing skills: Developing
clarity and accuracy. Retrieved from http://
sabes.org/curriculum/instruction/workplace-
writing-skills1

Purdue University. (2010). Purdue online writing lab.
Retrieved from http://owl.english.purdue.
edu/owl/

Quible. Z.K. & Griffin, F. (2007). Are writing defi -Are writing defi-
ciencies creating a lost generation of business
writers? Journal of Education for Business, 83,
32-36.

Strunk, W. & White, E.B. (1999). The elements of
style (4th ed.). Needham Heights, MA: Long-
man.

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White, C. (1997, August). Effective writing for the
workplace. Writers Write: The Internet Writing
Journal. Retrieved from http://www.writer-
swrite.com/journal/cew1.htm

Wolff, A. (1996). Preparing MBA students for the
world of professional communication. Busi-
ness Communication Quarterly, 59, 86-94.

Yu, H. (2010). Bringing workplace assessment into
business communication classrooms: A pro-
posal to better prepare students for profes-
sional workplaces. Business Communication
Quarterly, 73, 21-39.

Biography

James P. Coyle is an Assistant Professor in the
School of Social Work at the University of Wind-
sor. His research interests include resilience in fam-
ilies, youth, and communities, and the efficacy of
specialized writing skills as a learning outcome in
university curriculum.