Summary on article - Air Pollution and Coronavirus

In the article “What We Do and Don’t Know about the Links between Air Pollution and Coronavirus,” written by Alistair Levis (2020), an atmospheric scientist, understands that air pollution is as dire as the current coronavirus situation, especially in cities. He supports this statement by stating the similarities of health conditions issues between smog and coronavirus that increase the number of deaths. Alistair also mentions that exchange of views by people on “how air pollution affects the rates of mortality from the disease” was tough to conclude considering the strong connection between both. He examines how the virus was transmitted globally to heavily populated cities, creating a platform for “rapid growth in infections.” Other than the exposure to air pollution, the frequent use of public transportation and high rates of poverty also “increase the prevalence of underlying health conditions” of individuals. When these factors pile up, those with the virus may have their health deteriorate further. Besides, lockdown not only helps people realize that the air got cleaner but also reduces “the effects of the virus.”. If the disease spreads far from the origin city of infection, it may be possible to track the relation of the environment with the virus itself. Overall, it is questionable that improving air pollution will proportionally ameliorate the spread of the disease.

Alistair Levis (2020). What We Do and Don’t Know about the Links between Air Pollution and Coronavirus. Retrieved from https://theconversation.com/what-we-do-and-dont-know-about-the-links-between-air-pollution-and-coronavirus-137746

No of words: 204

Draft 1: 28/09/2020

Draft 2: 01/10/2020

Draft 3: 4/10/2020

Formal Letter

Subject: Self-introduction about myself

Dear Professor Blackstone,

Good day to you.

I am Nurul ‘Izzati Zulkifli and the purpose of this letter is to introduce myself to you as your effective communication student. I recently graduated from Singapore Polytechnic with a diploma in mechanical engineering. I am interested in engineering as I hope to be a part of a team who can build buildings, protect and improve the environment. The systems in buildings intrigue me, which is why I decided to further my studies in sustainable infrastructure engineering.

One of my communication strengths is listening. I believe that I can understand better what one is saying if I am an active listener to respond appropriately. There are many instances where my friends would approach me to share their worries when they need a listening ear. Communication goes both ways and being a good listener can create trust between two people.

One of my weaknesses in communication is with the usage of hesitation words. I often use words like “uh” and “umm” which may express uncertainty and ambiguity in what I am trying to put across. This is especially obvious when I am doing presentations and questions are being directed to me. This often affects my self-confidence when I am in front of a group of people.

Two goals that I would like to achieve at the end of this module are to be responsible and critical in my choices of words whether I am writing or presenting and to be confident in my writing skills so that I can put across my messages easily and clearly.

I believe what strikes me out of others is that I am an adventurer who is always willing to try out something new despite having to do it on my own. Although I sometimes self-doubt in my capabilities in the things that I do, I hold on to the opportunities that allow me to grow through the experience. One example would be how I managed to handle a new application all on my own during my internship. I had to self-learn its functions and meet the demands of the department that I was working for. Thankfully, I braved through that challenge and managed to give what the department needed.

Thank you for your time.

Best Regards,
'Izzati

Updated: 21/09/2020

Read: Valencia's, Sarmila's

"Employers identify communication as one of the basic competencies every graduate should have, asserting that the ability to communicate is valuable for obtaining employment and maintaining successful job performance.”
Sherwyn Morreale, Michael Osborn & Judy Pearson, Professors of Communication (2000)

I believe that through communicating, we can easily get our messages and needs across and that's essential in and out of work to avoid any issues in getting our work done. In the workforce, we are expected to communicate to the different stakeholders in the company/organisation, hence, being able to communicate well may allow us to only meet more stakeholders and make the positive changes/contribute more in the workplace.