Assignment: Success Skills Journal | English Composition I

Success Skills Journal – Introduction

To get, and keep, a job you typically need a repertoire of technical skills. Dentists need to know how to fill cavities. Secretaries need to type 100+ words per minute. Accountants need to be certified.

Beyond the technical skills, though, which dentist do you go to? The one who is pleasant and takes time to answer your questions; or the one who treats you like a number in a long line of numbered mouths?

Which secretary do you retain when times are lean? The one whose attitude is positive and upbeat, and who is always willing to help; or the one who is inflexible and has a hard time admitting mistakes?

Likewise, think about accountants. The one who has a great work ethic and encourages his colleagues is the one who will, most likely, excel in his position and organization.

In these situations, and all the others like them, it’s the soft skills that matter.

While your technical skills may get your foot in the door, your people skills are what open most of the doors to come. Your work ethic, your attitude, your communication skills, your emotional intelligence and a whole host of other personal attributes are the soft skills that are crucial for career success. – “Why Soft Skills Matter: Making Sure Your Hard Skills Shine”

This module addresses “soft skills” that are necessary for success in both college and professional life. While these skills aren’t usually taught in school, you will be expected to have them in order to do well in classes and to succeed in the workplace.

The Success Skills Journal will ask you to reflect on the individual components addressed in this module of the course. You will assess how strong your own “soft skills” are at the moment, and what you might do in order to improve them.

Assignment Details

Look for the Try It pages along the way to help you complete the Success Skills Journal project. Examples of successful journal entries will be provided as a model.

Rubric

In order to successfully complete this assessment, a submitted journal must reach “Meets or Exceeds Expectations” in all categories.

Ratings

Criteria
Habits for Success Journal Entry	Meets or Exceeds Expectations 200–400 words long fully addresses question(s) of prompt demonstrates thoughtful consideration and planning relevant to the topic demonstrates application of writing process, to include careful editing and proofreading	Approaching Expectations 125-200 words long partially addresses question(s) of prompt demonstrates some consideration and planning relevant to the topic may not demonstrate application of writing process, to include editing and proofreading	Does Not Meet Expectations less than 125 words long, or not included in journal does not address question(s) of prompt does not demonstrate consideration or planning relevant to the topic does not demonstrate application of writing process
Critical Thinking Journal Entry	Meets or Exceeds Expectations 200–400 words long fully addresses question(s) of prompt demonstrates thoughtful consideration and planning relevant to the topic demonstrates application of writing process, to include careful editing and proofreading	Approaching Expectations 125-200 words long partially addresses question(s) of prompt demonstrates some consideration and planning relevant to the topic may not demonstrate application of writing process, to include editing and proofreading	Does Not Meet Expectations less than 125 words long, or not included in journal does not address question(s) of prompt does not demonstrate consideration or planning relevant to the topic does not demonstrate application of writing process
Time Management Journal Entry	Meets or Exceeds Expectations 200–400 words long fully addresses question(s) of prompt demonstrates thoughtful consideration and planning relevant to the topic demonstrates application of writing process, to include careful editing and proofreading	Approaching Expectations 125-200 words long partially addresses question(s) of prompt demonstrates some consideration and planning relevant to the topic may not demonstrate application of writing process, to include editing and proofreading	Does Not Meet Expectations less than 125 words long, or not included in journal does not address question(s) of prompt does not demonstrate consideration or planning relevant to the topic does not demonstrate application of writing process
Writing in College Journal Entry	Meets or Exceeds Expectations 200–400 words long fully addresses question(s) of prompt demonstrates thoughtful consideration and planning relevant to the topic demonstrates application of writing process, to include careful editing and proofreading	Approaching Expectations 125-200 words long partially addresses question(s) of prompt demonstrates some consideration and planning relevant to the topic may not demonstrate application of writing process, to include editing and proofreading	Does Not Meet Expectations less than 125 words long, or not included in journal does not address question(s) of prompt does not demonstrate consideration or planning relevant to the topic does not demonstrate application of writing process
Computer-Based Writing Journal Entry	Meets or Exceeds Expectations 200–400 words long fully addresses question(s) of prompt demonstrates thoughtful consideration and planning relevant to the topic demonstrates application of writing process, to include careful editing and proofreading	Approaching Expectations 125-200 words long partially addresses question(s) of prompt demonstrates some consideration and planning relevant to the topic may not demonstrate application of writing process, to include editing and proofreading	Does Not Meet Expectations less than 125 words long, or not included in journal does not address question(s) of prompt does not demonstrate consideration or planning relevant to the topic does not demonstrate application of writing process

Criteria

Habits for Success Journal Entry

Meets or Exceeds Expectations

200–400 words long
fully addresses question(s) of prompt
demonstrates thoughtful consideration and planning relevant to the topic
demonstrates application of writing process, to include careful editing and proofreading

Approaching Expectations

125-200 words long
partially addresses question(s) of prompt
demonstrates some consideration and planning relevant to the topic
may not demonstrate application of writing process, to include editing and proofreading

Does Not Meet Expectations

less than 125 words long, or not included in journal
does not address question(s) of prompt
does not demonstrate consideration or planning relevant to the topic
does not demonstrate application of writing process

Critical Thinking Journal Entry

Meets or Exceeds Expectations

200–400 words long
fully addresses question(s) of prompt
demonstrates thoughtful consideration and planning relevant to the topic
demonstrates application of writing process, to include careful editing and proofreading

Approaching Expectations

125-200 words long
partially addresses question(s) of prompt
demonstrates some consideration and planning relevant to the topic
may not demonstrate application of writing process, to include editing and proofreading

Does Not Meet Expectations

less than 125 words long, or not included in journal
does not address question(s) of prompt
does not demonstrate consideration or planning relevant to the topic
does not demonstrate application of writing process

Time Management Journal Entry

Meets or Exceeds Expectations

200–400 words long
fully addresses question(s) of prompt
demonstrates thoughtful consideration and planning relevant to the topic
demonstrates application of writing process, to include careful editing and proofreading

Approaching Expectations

125-200 words long
partially addresses question(s) of prompt
demonstrates some consideration and planning relevant to the topic
may not demonstrate application of writing process, to include editing and proofreading

Does Not Meet Expectations

less than 125 words long, or not included in journal
does not address question(s) of prompt
does not demonstrate consideration or planning relevant to the topic
does not demonstrate application of writing process

Writing in College Journal Entry

Meets or Exceeds Expectations

200–400 words long
fully addresses question(s) of prompt
demonstrates thoughtful consideration and planning relevant to the topic
demonstrates application of writing process, to include careful editing and proofreading

Approaching Expectations

125-200 words long
partially addresses question(s) of prompt
demonstrates some consideration and planning relevant to the topic
may not demonstrate application of writing process, to include editing and proofreading

Does Not Meet Expectations

less than 125 words long, or not included in journal
does not address question(s) of prompt
does not demonstrate consideration or planning relevant to the topic
does not demonstrate application of writing process

Computer-Based Writing Journal Entry

Meets or Exceeds Expectations

200–400 words long
fully addresses question(s) of prompt
demonstrates thoughtful consideration and planning relevant to the topic
demonstrates application of writing process, to include careful editing and proofreading

Approaching Expectations

125-200 words long
partially addresses question(s) of prompt
demonstrates some consideration and planning relevant to the topic
may not demonstrate application of writing process, to include editing and proofreading

Does Not Meet Expectations

less than 125 words long, or not included in journal
does not address question(s) of prompt
does not demonstrate consideration or planning relevant to the topic
does not demonstrate application of writing process