Five years ago, I decided to return
to school after a 25-year break. I had
nothing but Basic English language skills acquired in my home country,
Mexico. I have had no formal schooling
here in the U. S. until I decided to obtain my GED certificate. It has been a
long road, but I have been lucky enough
to find excellent professors along the
way, classmates who care deeply and provide me with feedback and encouragement.
I may never write correctly, but I put my
best effort in every written piece I create. I discovered the human services
program and immediately knew this would be my career. This program is writing intensive, and that has been intimidating.
The University Catalog website states that in order to achieve writing proficiency the students must learn the writing styles and conventions of their discipline. In addition, the students will learn the techniques for integrating evidence into scholarly papers (Western Catalog, 2015). Throughout the program, I have applied the requirements mentioned above in several courses. I have also developed writing proficiency in different writing styles or voices. Different writing voices speak clearly and efficiently to different audiences. The Voices I have used throughout the Human Services Program are Academic, Advocacy, Creative, Professional, and Reflective.
Academic Voice “Formal writing such as reports or research is done using an academic or scholarly voice that follows the specific writing conventions of a discipline” (Kincaid, 2009)
The academic voice is the most used in this program. In Portfolio Learning in Human Services (HSP 304) I was introduced to the American Psychological Association style formatting. I was able to cite The Student Guide to Capstone Portfolio for the first time in my essay, Capstone Portfolio Definition (Appendix D). Within the academic voice, it is important to support our writing with scholarly sources and to cite them correctly. One of the most challenging courses was (HSP385) Applied Research Methods. In that course, analyzing data, comprehensive reading along with the integration of the writing conventions of the American Psychological Association (APA) were crucial in developing a research proposal. My topic for that assignment focused on the risks associated with elder self-neglect (Appendix B). In the beginning, the components of the proposal, the abstract, the review of literature, methods, feasibility, and appendices seemed foreign and daunting, my professor's feedback was very welcome. I will continue to use the Academic voice as I continue my path through graduate school.
Advocacy Voice
“Sometimes called a persuasive voice, the advocacy voice is used when wanting to effect or influence policy or opinion” (Kincaid, 2009, p. 13)
There is evidence of the advocacy voice within the Needs Assessment for Program Planning and Evaluation (HSP 485). My assignment, Hispanic Community Needs Assessment for Snohomish County (Appendix E) identifies the lack of services for Spanish- speaking individuals with a diagnosis of dementia. It is also a proposal of sorts that describes the methods to collect data to support the main claim. The advocacy voice is persuasive and provides the reasoning and motives behind our cause allowing us to identify needs, ask for support, or overall, speak on behalf of others.
Creative Voice
“A creative voice is used for original work that expresses your unique and artistic interpretation and application of knowledge” (Kincaid, 2009, p. 13)
My creative voice gives me the freedom to be myself. In Human Services Professionals and Personal Systems (HSP 301) in my essay Who am I (Appendix F), I told my story by identifying and describing the systems that affect me, the systems I affect, and the life journey that brought me to the Human Services Program. The creative voice allows for fun, creative or artistic ways of expression, whether through poetry, narrative, or play on words, this voice showcases our personality and traits.
Professional Voice
“A professional voice is used when writing case notes, case histories, correspondence, conference materials, staff interactions, legal documents, and court reports” (Kincaid, 2009, p. 13)
During my first internship at Hope Options, I was able to write case notes based on follow-up phone conversations I made to some of the already established clients. Due to ethical considerations and confidentiality, I cannot reproduce those case notes here. I can share the case study I created for (HSP 435) Case Management and Interventions (Appendix G). The case study had several components, a description of the situation, an overview of the population, a service plan, a list of resources, and examples of models of case management suitable for my client. It also included ethical concerns, laws, and regulations that could affect the delivery of services. Finally, I included the sources of funding for the services suggested to the client in this document. I am confident in my ability to examine a situation and present my findings to colleagues and superiors in a clear and concise manner. The Professional Voice is important because it allows for comprehensive, succinct communication perfect for use in the workplace.
Reflective Voice
“A reflective voice is used when looking back with the intention of relating theory to practice and integrating new knowledge with existing knowledge” (Kincaid, 2009, p. 14)
In the Human Services Program, we have used reflective writing to connect concepts and experiences. Several courses have required us to write synthesis or analysis papers focusing on the concepts and experiences of the quarter. In Human Services Professionals & Small Group Systems (HSP 305), I wrote about the interconnectedness of everything and my place within the system. This Legacy of Learning essay (Appendix H) allowed me to examine my performance in a dyad while striving to develop a partnership that dealt with conflict, compromise, and collaboration with effective communication. The reflective voice allows for synthesizing our learning and expressing how we incorporate new and existing information.
I am pleased with the development of my writing skills over the past two years. I did not know I had the capacity to write such complex papers. The fact that I had the full support of my professors made all the difference, and I believe that these skills are incredibly valuable and will be crucial in my professional life.
References Kincaid, S. (2009). Student guide to capstone portfolio: Revised 2009. Bellingham, WA: Western Washington University.
Western Catalog. (2015). WWU writing requirements. Retrieved from: http://catalog.wwu.edu/content.php?catoid=5&navoid=411
The University Catalog website states that in order to achieve writing proficiency the students must learn the writing styles and conventions of their discipline. In addition, the students will learn the techniques for integrating evidence into scholarly papers (Western Catalog, 2015). Throughout the program, I have applied the requirements mentioned above in several courses. I have also developed writing proficiency in different writing styles or voices. Different writing voices speak clearly and efficiently to different audiences. The Voices I have used throughout the Human Services Program are Academic, Advocacy, Creative, Professional, and Reflective.
Academic Voice “Formal writing such as reports or research is done using an academic or scholarly voice that follows the specific writing conventions of a discipline” (Kincaid, 2009)
The academic voice is the most used in this program. In Portfolio Learning in Human Services (HSP 304) I was introduced to the American Psychological Association style formatting. I was able to cite The Student Guide to Capstone Portfolio for the first time in my essay, Capstone Portfolio Definition (Appendix D). Within the academic voice, it is important to support our writing with scholarly sources and to cite them correctly. One of the most challenging courses was (HSP385) Applied Research Methods. In that course, analyzing data, comprehensive reading along with the integration of the writing conventions of the American Psychological Association (APA) were crucial in developing a research proposal. My topic for that assignment focused on the risks associated with elder self-neglect (Appendix B). In the beginning, the components of the proposal, the abstract, the review of literature, methods, feasibility, and appendices seemed foreign and daunting, my professor's feedback was very welcome. I will continue to use the Academic voice as I continue my path through graduate school.
Advocacy Voice
“Sometimes called a persuasive voice, the advocacy voice is used when wanting to effect or influence policy or opinion” (Kincaid, 2009, p. 13)
There is evidence of the advocacy voice within the Needs Assessment for Program Planning and Evaluation (HSP 485). My assignment, Hispanic Community Needs Assessment for Snohomish County (Appendix E) identifies the lack of services for Spanish- speaking individuals with a diagnosis of dementia. It is also a proposal of sorts that describes the methods to collect data to support the main claim. The advocacy voice is persuasive and provides the reasoning and motives behind our cause allowing us to identify needs, ask for support, or overall, speak on behalf of others.
Creative Voice
“A creative voice is used for original work that expresses your unique and artistic interpretation and application of knowledge” (Kincaid, 2009, p. 13)
My creative voice gives me the freedom to be myself. In Human Services Professionals and Personal Systems (HSP 301) in my essay Who am I (Appendix F), I told my story by identifying and describing the systems that affect me, the systems I affect, and the life journey that brought me to the Human Services Program. The creative voice allows for fun, creative or artistic ways of expression, whether through poetry, narrative, or play on words, this voice showcases our personality and traits.
Professional Voice
“A professional voice is used when writing case notes, case histories, correspondence, conference materials, staff interactions, legal documents, and court reports” (Kincaid, 2009, p. 13)
During my first internship at Hope Options, I was able to write case notes based on follow-up phone conversations I made to some of the already established clients. Due to ethical considerations and confidentiality, I cannot reproduce those case notes here. I can share the case study I created for (HSP 435) Case Management and Interventions (Appendix G). The case study had several components, a description of the situation, an overview of the population, a service plan, a list of resources, and examples of models of case management suitable for my client. It also included ethical concerns, laws, and regulations that could affect the delivery of services. Finally, I included the sources of funding for the services suggested to the client in this document. I am confident in my ability to examine a situation and present my findings to colleagues and superiors in a clear and concise manner. The Professional Voice is important because it allows for comprehensive, succinct communication perfect for use in the workplace.
Reflective Voice
“A reflective voice is used when looking back with the intention of relating theory to practice and integrating new knowledge with existing knowledge” (Kincaid, 2009, p. 14)
In the Human Services Program, we have used reflective writing to connect concepts and experiences. Several courses have required us to write synthesis or analysis papers focusing on the concepts and experiences of the quarter. In Human Services Professionals & Small Group Systems (HSP 305), I wrote about the interconnectedness of everything and my place within the system. This Legacy of Learning essay (Appendix H) allowed me to examine my performance in a dyad while striving to develop a partnership that dealt with conflict, compromise, and collaboration with effective communication. The reflective voice allows for synthesizing our learning and expressing how we incorporate new and existing information.
I am pleased with the development of my writing skills over the past two years. I did not know I had the capacity to write such complex papers. The fact that I had the full support of my professors made all the difference, and I believe that these skills are incredibly valuable and will be crucial in my professional life.
References Kincaid, S. (2009). Student guide to capstone portfolio: Revised 2009. Bellingham, WA: Western Washington University.
Western Catalog. (2015). WWU writing requirements. Retrieved from: http://catalog.wwu.edu/content.php?catoid=5&navoid=411