Mid-semester Reflection Writing Assignment: 25 points.
For this assignment, you will write a one-page, singe-spaced reflection on your growth throughout the first half of the semester. I want you to address the ways you've grown as a reader, writer, student, and human being. I'd also like you to discuss any struggles you've had so far and how you've gotten through them (or plan to). The reflection should end with a numbered list of five goals for the remainder of the course. These goals may address any aspect of being a better writer, reader, or student. Some examples might include: "I will decrease the number of adverbs in my writing, replacing them with stronger verbs." "I will look up all words I don't recognize while I'm reading to expand my vocabulary." "I will create a better schedule for myself so that I don't procrastinate."
Questions you might answer in this assignment: How have my writing and reading skills improved? What challenges have I overcome with my writing and reading? What concepts have I learned? How have I learned to apply these concepts to my reading and writing? What specific problems did I have with certain assignments? What has been the most difficult assignment? How has the learning process complicated and eased my anxiety about my skills? What has changed about the way I approach the writing process or a reading assignment? How have I changed/grown as a student? What new learning skills have I acquired? How has my approach to my work changed? How has my experience in the course differed from my expectations? How have my own skills differed from my expectations of them?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
This semester I have learned how to organize my papers better. I learned how to organize them in the most effective manner and to analyze ideas right after stating the ideas. I've also learned what "stronger verbs" are and how to replace them with adverbs.
ReplyDeleteDoing many drafts before the final draft has eased my anxiety about writing papers because I don't feel like I have to be very organized and perfect my paper right off the bat; that's what the second and third drafts are for. Doing drafts has helped me focus on one thing at a time.
Another thing I've learned is about rhetoric and how it is tied into literature. I've also learned how to use rhetoric in my own papers. This was very helpful in the class and I'm sure will be very helpful in the future.
I was slightly concerned about having to take another english course, but the course was much better than I had expected. I never felt like I was being rushed to get papers done which eased the nervousness of writing them. I feel like this class has helped me become a better writer overall.
Five Goals:
1. I will create and update a schedule for myself so that I don't procrastinate.
2. I will focus on one thing at a time so that I don't get stressed out.
3. I will read through my sources carefully so I can use them effectively in my paper.
4. I will create strong arguments in writing assignments to come.
5. I will try to use stronger verbs in my papers.
I feel like my writing and reading skills have improved some this semester. The biggest thing that helped me write good papers was that you taught us to leave the word "it" out of them. Also I feel like writing three drafts has also helped me become a better student and writer because I have to go back and read it an extra time through than I am used to and I have an extra draft to write which helps me word things better and find more grammatical errors.
ReplyDeleteThe most difficult assignment was the second essay where we had to write a letter to somebody. It was hard to keep it all on one page and I had to cut out things I thought were important to the paper.
The struggles that I have had and have always had when writing papers is that it's hard for me to get started. My introductions are always weak and then the conclusions are just repeating the introduction it seems like. I don't know if this was just poor teaching when I was in highschool, or I just didn't pay enough attention. I plan on overcoming this by just spending more time on them when writing papers for future classes.
Coming into this course I thought it was going to be a lot harder than english 101, but it really isn't. I was never really good at enlgish in highschool and I feel that english 101 helped me greatly to write better papers. This course expanded on what I learned in english 101 a lot and taught me the easiest ways to write papers.
1. I will write better introductions and conclusions.
2. I will not procrastinate as much when writing papers.
3. I will try to expand my vocabulary more in future writings.
4. I will keep my gpa at a 3.0 or higher.
5. I will try to stop getting distracted by music or t.v. when I am doing homework.
Breanna Watson
ReplyDeleteMarch 25, 2009
I think I have grown as a writer more than anything else since the semester has began. I am learning and still learning how to write and believe I am much better than I was at the beginning of the semester. Although I have errors such as vocabulary, and grammer, I believe I will be a decent writer and student at the end of the semester if i keep up with the good work I am providing now. As a student I’ve learned how to analyze. However learning how to analyze, it wasn’t easy for me to learn. It was tough for me to comprehend and write about. However in time, with help with Ms Brady and follow students I was able to figure out what to do and fix where I went wrong. I’ve also learned how to specifically add pathos, logos, and ethos into my writing. I believe so far that I am learning what I need to know and will continue learning anything else provided.
1. Learn how to write a annotated bibliography
2. Expand my vocabulary skills
3. Stay on topic of what i am writing
4. Have any question’s just ask.
5. Schedule my time a little better to be able to be a better writer and learn more.
This semester, I feel as if I've grown alittle stonger in writing papers and giving enough information without being wordy. I have learned new techniques on what to do when I am brain blocked and can't think of how to start something or what to even write about. English has always captured my attention. I like to read and write and I feel that if you know how to write correctly it helps you as a human being. Not only in school but for work and social events. I admire people who can write a paper, article or book and capture somebodies attention or have it be so deep of a reading that it changes that person.
ReplyDeleteThe things I struggle with and still need help to overcome them are:
1) Writers Block writers block
2) To have my papers be better organized
3) Wordiness
4) Being able to read something and actually finish it without having my wonder off
5)Broaden my vocabulary
Some papers are better than other when it comes to those things but I want to get to the point wehre I don't have that worry in the back of my head.
Changes I have noticed when it comes to writing are that, I don't have to have everything planned out in my head before I write. I can just brainstorm and it doesn't have to be organized. I can just write down everything that is on my mind and get everything out so I'm not stressing when I actually start my paper. Once I brainstorm, I can start to write but it still doesn't have to be organized and once I finish my first draft I can then go through and change what I want. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE PERFECT THE FIRST TIME AROUND. I love thinking that to myself now and knowing that even the best writers struggle with what I struggle with.
I also need to learn to not procrastinate as much. Some of my best work comes from pushing the assignment off but, in the process of that I should carry a piece of paper around that is specifically there to jot down notes or words for that paper so when I sit down to write the paper I'm half way finished.
One of the things I hope to accomplish by the time I graduate is to write "the perfect paper". Or atleast the thing I consider as being perfect. Well organized, large variety of vocabulary, not wordy, gets to the point, attention getter and good solid information.
I think I have become a stronger writer and reader in some areas and in others i still need improvement. I've always liked English so I'm not going to give up easy on that.
In the beginning of this semester I felt confident that I would be able to write all essays given to me. Although, I did stumble and stress over the first paper. I didn't really expect anything out of this class, but was nervous. I was nervous because my English 101 teacher told me that English 102 was all about arguments. So immediately I thought debating and discussions. The two things I am really not good at. I hardly give my opinion and when I do, I never can back myself up. After this half of the semester though, I see that is nothing like that and I am feeling more comfortable. I don't think I grew as much as I wanted to as a reader. I have been so busy with other classes that I still do not have the time to read a good novel, a newspaper, anything. Summer is approaching and that is always a great opportunity to read. So hopefully I will have a chance to do so. Altogether, as a student, I feel like I have grown in the sense of managing my time. That was the hardest thing to overcome for me. After school, I go to work, and after work I do homework. My weeks are pretty packed. I still have trouble though trying to get everything together so I started making lists. I cross tasks off when I finish them. When I look at myself as a human being, I realize that I am independent. I share an apartment with my oldest sister, I have a pet bunny who is a handful, and I am a cashier at Giant. This might sound silly, but it shows me that I can do this. Most importantly- I'm O.K.
ReplyDeleteGoals.
1. MANAGE MY TIME BETTER.
2. STOP STRESSING.
3. I will never say never.
4. I will ask questions instead of staying
confused.
5. I will make time for reading.
At the start of this course, coming out of my previous composition course, I felt strong in alayzing literature in terms of symbolism, imagery etc. That was always something that came naturally to me, finding hidden meanings that the author put in the story, but I struggled with finding my own ideas. This composition course has taught me to reflect my own thoughts on pieces of work, and find my own meanings in each assignment even if it differed from the original author. I almost find it more difficult to write from my point of view rather than a more "scholarly" paper. I like that we are given the ability to write several drafts which I think helps me zero in on the points I really want to make and helps weed out any distracting thoughts, at first I struggled with this. Having the multiple drafts also help me stay organized and not procrastinate as much as I probably would have. As well I feel like my grammar and basic English has been refreshed. It has been a long time since highschool and having little refreshers is helpful. Last semester was the first semester I had used any sort of citation in a long time and it was mainly APA format. This class has helped me refamiliarize myself with MLA format, I know that I will also learn more of this in the future of this class. 1. My first goal is to stay on top of my work and not get behind in my writings. 2. My second goal is to attend every class so I don't miss any important information/feedback. 3. My third goal is to check my citations and use my handbook. 4. My fourth goal is to ask questions on things I really don't understand and look for feedback. 5. My fifth goal is to read the works carefully and take notes when needed, also not to stress out.
ReplyDeleteKaila Robbins:
ReplyDeleteAs a reader, I have grown by learning to slow down and actually read what I just read. Instead of skimming over the writing and trying to remember what i just read, i take the time to study the writing and understand it not just guess. As a writer I have grwon to think more deeply and try harder. I used to just write to get the assignment done and now I actually think about what it is that I am writing. I try to use bigger and better words, I guess you could say. I try to make my writing sound better each time I rewrite a paper. When I turn a paper in, I want it to be the best that it can be. As a student, I have improved very little. I work alot so therefore I have very little time to study or do homework. When I do get the time to study or do work, it is either really late at night or half way done. This is an area that I have always struggled in. I wait to long to do an assignment or I completely forget about it. I really need to improve in this area. As a human being I have grown to be more kind. I realize that just because I am having a bad day, does not mean that others should suffer for that. If I am in a bad mood, I just distance myself form others so I do not hurt their feelings or put them in a bad mood as well.
One major struggle that I have faced this semester is learning to sit time aside to study my school work and actually learn it. For example, my A&P class is very hard and I am not doing very well in this class because I do not make the time to study. I work almost full time and I go to school full time. I literally have a full load this semester. It is obvious that the classes are not going to get an easier. I need to make it a priorty to set time aside to study my school work and not worry so much about work.
MY GOALS:
1. TAKE THE TIME TO STUDY.
2. IF I HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT AN ASSIGNMENT, ASK THE PROFESSOR, DON'T JUST GUESS.
3. I WILL WORRY MORE ABOUT SCHOOL THAN WORK.
4. I WILL TRY TO CATCH THE MISTAKES IN MY WRITING BEFORE I TURN ANY PAPERS IN.
5. I WILL TRY TO WORK TO MY FULLEST IN EVERY CLASS AND ON EVERY ASSIGNMENT.
This semester has goon by very quickly for me. English is one of five classes that I am currently enrolled. My writing has definitely improved for this class. I have done well on all the assignments so far, so I feel I must be doing something right. As for struggles so far this semester, I would say having a full understanding of the assignments has been a problem for me. But, I have been able to go back and change them to meet the requirements. I have learned a lot about citing sources in this class so far. That is something that I will definitely need in my college classes. As a person I would say that I am more organized this semester than I was in the past. I am doing very well in this class, and I hope to finish the semester on this same high note.
ReplyDeleteSome goals that I have for the end of the semester include:
1. I will have a full understanding of the assignments before I try to work on them.
2. I will try to use different words rather than repeating myself in my writing.
3. I will have the assignments finished before the night that they are due.
4. I will try to not analyze the assignments as much and just do them.
5. I will try to learn as much as I can, rather than just coming to class.
I have renewed my love for writing because of this class. I forgot how much I loved it, writing and reflecting on what I am writing has been a release and learning experience for me. I love it, but I just don't do it enough. I would love to continue writing after this class.I have learned to be confident in my work and to feel comfortable reading and sharing my writing around other people.I have been able to appreciate critique of my work and learned from it. I appreciate that we are able to write about what interest us and it has helped me to see a different side of an issue sometimes.
ReplyDeleteMy goals for the rest of the class are:
1. To work more to "NOT" procrastinate. I have always been this way and I need to find a balance for work,home, and school work.
2. I would love to feel more confident about work citing my pages. This has been the stressful part of writing for me.
3. I would love to become more comfortable with the computer. I love that I am now a blogger but there is so much more to learn that I just don't get yet.
4. I want to understand and appreciate poetry! I like how we analized poetry and how we all perceive things differently. I might even try and write poetry.
5. The grammar side of english makes me nuts! Adverbs, adjectives,conjunctions, pronouns, this is a struggle for me and when I try to remember what goes where and what they are in a sentence. I get frustrated. So, I would like to feel conflident that I could retain and remember more instead of looking it up all the time.
This has been a good semester for me so far, and for the most part I have enjoyed this class and the work we have done. It was just last semester that I really discovered that I enjoyed writing more than I had expected, and I think that I have continued to become a stronger writer this semester.
ReplyDeleteAt first I had not liked the idea of sharing my work through the writing workshops that we did in class, but after doing the first one, I began to get over my fear. I had to get over myself and not be ashamed of my opinion or what I had written about. So I have grown in that way throughout the first half of the semester in this class.
I really enjoyed the first essay is which we analyzed a song. This assignment helped me to think more about certain things in general. As I was working on the paper and analyzing the song, I also began to analyze different songs, what I was reading, and situations in my life more than I had before, which was really neat.
I am excited about the assignment that we are working on now, and hope that the second half of the semester is as good as the first half!
Five Goals:
1. I will try to start assignments as soon as I get them and not put them off until the last minute.
2. I will continue to become a stronger writer in any way that I can.
3. I will not stress out about assignments, just work through them one at a time.
4. I will focus more on what I read and not just get through it so that it is done.
5. I will continue to work on getting over my fear of sharing my opinions through my writing.
This semester I feel I have grown in a lot of ways as a reader and a writer. The biggest thing I have noticed that I have improved on, is handling constructive criticism. Before when someone would read my paper and comment on certain parts and grammar, I would get angry and block out what they were telling me. This was not helping me improve as a writer at all, because you need to listen to other opinions and use them in your paper. Another thing I believe I have made a significant improvement on is my overall word choice. In my other English classes I didn't spend a lot of time on what words I was choosing when presenting a thought in a sentence. My papers before this class all used elementary styled words and improper punctuation. My punctuation still needs to be improved tremendously, but I feel I have come a long way, from high school.
ReplyDeleteI also think I have grown as a person as well. I now love to read and listen to other people's writings; I find it so fascinating and interesting. In previous classes I did not spend a lot of time reading or paying attention to my peer’s writings, but now I have an appreciation for it because of the in class writing workshops we have done. Also by listening to my peer's writings, I believe has helped me incorporate ideas for my papers. The in class writing workshops helped with my creative process a lot; when we did the critique of a song paper there were so many different views that it kept me focused. As well the workshops helped me focus more on what I was writing in my paper and how I could take others ideas and incorporate their ideas.
I have made a lot of improvements in my writing within this semester. However I still feel that I need to make a few personal goals to become a more efficient writer. I believe that if I achieve these goals I will be a more proficient writer in later English classes I will take. I have five goals that I want to achieve by the end of this semester. My first goal I will improve my grammar and punctuation so that, my professor will not work as hard to correct my errors. I will continue to look up words that I am unfamiliar with to improve my vocabulary so I am a more proficient writer. I will work at not using comma splices. I will not have run on sentences in my paper any longer. Lastly I will use fewer infinitives and more adverbs to make my paper sound stronger and more scholarly.
i really am not sure how i have imporoved in my writing. One thing i am sure of is that i have learned how to write an essay in a short amount of time on something i learned as i was writing. When i first start out it takes me a while to get down my first paragraph but after that i seem to grasp it. I have learned about ethos, pathos, and logos and how they can draw in the reader or even shange their opinion.
ReplyDeleteMy biggest problem is that i have no confidence in myself as a writer. I know that my skills are not good and i sometimes dont even think i know what i am talking about. This semester I have tried to trust myself and stop over thinking my topics. I still have much to improve on and hopefully i will.
I have learned that recently this year i have found it is better for me to think about my essay a little bit a few days before it is due and then doing it at the last minute. It seems to push me harder to get it done and make sure it is right, because there is no time to fix it. It makes no sense but it works I think so i keep doing it.
My goals:
1- trust myself.
2- find another way to write instead of waiting till the last minute.
3- work on organizing my thoughts.
4- pic topics i already know a little about.
5- to get my thoughts together faster and more clear.
This has definately been a very difficult semester for me regarding my personal life. I've had to deal with a lot of struggles that were thrown my way that has put my classes and assignments lower on the priority list. On super bowl Sunday my brother was in a serious car accident that left him in the Hershey ICU for several days that was really difficult for my family, because at one point we thought we were going to lose him. Two weeks after I was hospitalized for four days when my A and P class began to get intense that left me very stressed, because I couldn't be there for my tests. Two days after I was released from the hospital my Dad had to go for surgery and still continues to get medical tests and biopsies done. My whole life I have always been stressed about school and always worrying that I was never going to have good enough grades. Getting good grades is still very important to me, but I've learned that it's not the end of the world if things don't always work out the way you had planned. Failing a test or getting a bad grade on a paper doesn't feel good, but with the the obstacles that I was given over the last couple of weeks makes everything else seem so small. As long as you try your best you shouldn't have any regrets is how I'm starting to look at it.
ReplyDelete1. I will learn to not be so hard on myself. Even if I didn't do as well as I thought I would and I will give myself credit for trying my best.
2. I will learn to not put off my school work for something that's not important so I don't feel as stressed.
3. I will not rush through something to just get it done.
4. When I'm stressed and feel that I can't get something done I will tell myself that I will hand in that paper, because I have never not done a paper before.
5. I will try not to look at school as a burden, but a life changing experience.
Jared Helwig
ReplyDeleteThis semester has been great and horrible for me at the same time. With regards to each of my classes, I have tried to devote an adequate amount of time in which to help further my goals of dean’s list, but have come up short in all but one, this class. Since I have realized this fact, I have put more effort into making sure my essays were clear, what the topic was asking for, and to help strengthen my writing skills. I feel that my writing has improved since I have been in this class, but still feel it needs to improve. This was more my fault, because I thought I could just coast through and be happy but I cannot.
One problem I have is that I still don’t trust what I write. I will pick the topic think about what points I can discuss, and write what I think is good. But then since I don’t trust myself I usually add in points that should not be in the paper, or even bad grammar, adverbs, and even punctuation. I had some problems with the latest paper we wrote in trying to fit all I wanted to say in one page, and make it a strong argument.
I feel that since I have been in this class I have become a better overall student. All of my other classes I am still doing very well in, but this one still has room to improve. And with putting more effort and time in I feel that this can be accomplished.
1. I have cut down the amount of hours I work a week to help improve the time I have to devote to this class
2. I will decrease the amount of time I procrastinate
3. I will not rush through my work just to get it done
4. I will help myself grow as a writer
5. I will keep my goal of getting a B in this class
In the first half of the semester I have grown a lot as a writer, reader and person.
ReplyDeleteI have grown as a writer by making rhetorical arguments and learned how to use more direct verbs and words in my writing to persuade my audience. I have also learned the feel of different words and how strong words can add to the tone of your overall paper. I have struggled with using passive voice a lot in my writing, but have learned the proper ways to correct passive voice. I have also struggled with my use of adverbs in writing and how to change words like "very" and "really". to more decriptive words.
I have grown as a reader because I learned that when I am reading out of the textbook, I should skim and take notes on things I do not understand and then find the answers to them after I have finished or to ask them in class. I have also learned a lot from peer review and in order to get good criticism, you must also give good criticism. The textbook also helped me learn about rhetorical strategies and pathos, logos and ethos, and how to use them in my writing. Reading the text has aided me in becoming a more prominent writer.
The first half of the semester I have grown as a person. I have found my voice as a writer and learned the correct strategies to use my voice and relate to my audience. This semester will help me grow as a person in social situations because I will better understand how to use an active and persuasive voice in communication when projecting my opinions on others.
I have also learned that in order to get the best out of my writing, I must take the time to analyze it in every angle. The reason I feel for any missed points I have had on my essays is because I did not take the time to fix every problem and analyze and use peer review to my greatest advantage. My experience in the couse differed from my expectations because I thought that this class would be more reading and homework and tests. I have experienced a more hands on and developmental form of English that has helped me grow and aquire knowledge simultaneously. I learned that anyone can be a good writer as long as you carry out the steps and use wording and strategy correctly depending on what you are writing.
My goals for the rest of the semester are:
1. To be able to stretch my writing into several pages without being wordy or overlapping thoughts.
2. To use peer review to my advantage.
3. To not drift from subject to subject in my writing.
4. To use words that enhance my writing and my vocabulary and still keep my voice in my paper.
5. To use my time given to write an essay more efficiently and not procrastinate until the night before.
I believe that my writing skills have improved over the course of the first half of the semester. By learning how to properly create drafts and just to get my thoughts out on paper, I have seen my writings grow. As a student I have also grown in just the first couple months, now that I see my writing improve and the positive feedback that I receive it encourages me to try harder and to make the papers the best that I can. The techniques that I have developed I have already applied to other classes and the papers that I have assigned in those as well.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I have improved through the first half of the semester I still have some things that I struggle with. Procrastinating is probably one of my biggest obstacles in just about all of my classes but when I have to write a paper I tend to procrastinate the most. I wait until the night before and stay up until 2 a.m. to finish it. I also struggle with using adverbs and not using active language the correct way.
Some goals that I would like to meet by the end of the semester are:
1.To not push my assignments off to the night before
2.Take my time to do my assignments and not rush
3.To use more appropriate language when writing
4.Actually do the readings that are assigned
5.Find time to read a book for pleasure to exercise my reading skills
First off I must state that I don't think this class is nearly as significant as it is being made out to be. I'm sure it is different for the people that outside of class never read, or write anything. I am happy to say that I am not among them. So to answer the questions of how I have grown as a reader, writer, student, and the most laughably human being are more difficult to answer because I do not feel I have aquired significant growth in any of these areas as a result of this class. Basically the only thing I have learned that I can apply to reading would be Aristotle's use of rhetoric that was taught at the beginning of the semester. In terms of writing I don't find any of the assignments to be fundamentally different from previous assignments I have been subjected to in previous classes. As a result in my educational confines my writing I feel has not evolved much, other than for example writing a paper on a topic that I have written about before I can learn from the mistakes on the former papers and use my knowledge on the topic better. This speaks to experience through many classes over time not just this one. I don't see how you can really grow as a writer in one semester anyway, unless you are one of those people that never write unless an assignment is handed to you. This I believe relates more to persons ability to follow directions that it does to skills at writing. If a person can follow the guidlines of an assignment and write what is expected of them, then that person has proved himself as a trained monkey, not as a writer. This is not meant as an insult, because you're either a writer or not. If you can imagine you life without writing you're not a writer, it's very simple, and no class can alter that. With that being said my goal for the class is to be the best trained monkey I can be. I want to do the assignments, whatever it is that is being required of me to the best of my ability, and hopefully recieve the best possible capital letter as a result.
ReplyDeleteSo far through the semester I know my writing has improved a good bit. The first writing assignment I struggled with ideas and a foundation to work with, but it opened up my creative process and thinking. Writing multiple drafts and just reading over my own drafts and having the blog to look over other people's drafts helped me grasp the ideas of what you were looking for with the rhetorical analysis paper. The second essay was much easier for me, being able to pick a topic I felt strongly about and being able to write about something that mattered to me and was an important topic. I found out that I sometimes struggle with an idea for topics, but once I find a topic that interests me I can work very well and easily to get that piece of writing done. The third and fourth essays shouldn't be that hard since I will be working solely with a topic that interests me. My main struggle so far was just the first essay, where I had a hard time tying rhetoric in with my writing and analyzing whatever song/music video I had chosen. I still struggle with that today. I second guess myself too much, even in my writing. Instead of just writing, I question myself and what I'm actually writing about too much. I feel like it should come a lot easier for me, but it hasn't been so far this semester, but it is getting easier for me to complete my thoughts and ideas and writing assignments.
ReplyDeleteMy five goals that I have for the rest of the semester is to 1. Organize my thoughts better, 2. Don't procrastinate so much with the writing and do it more promptly, 3. Ask questions earlier if I have them or ask for help more quickly if I need it, 4. Do a better job of editing my own papers and rewording certain parts of my writing, 5. Have better writing practices, and include notes and jot down ideas that I could use instead of just working from scratch on essays.
Looking back on the past few weeks in class, I feel I hve grown as a writer, but still have many areas to improve upon. I felt somewhat confident coming into the class,just knowing I can write, Its not great but it's usually sufficiant. The thing is, I want to write a paper that is GREAT, not just sufficient. (This could be considered an extra goal for me.)
ReplyDeleteI have definitly struggled in this class incertain areas of actually understanding what exactly we are writing about. I had no idea what rhetoric was prior to this class to grasping that and writing a paper on it in a week was tough at first. Being able to write two first drafts I found has been helpful. One of my first goals involves improving on my first drafts. I'd like to get better, solid ideas dwn on paper the first time around, so I have something more organized to work with when I write my second draft. I seem to get overwhelmed with what I want to say and how I want to say it, this makes me procrastinate writing my first draft. This bring me to my second goal, which is to focus on ONE SINGLE aspect of the paper at a time (i.e. Topic, The Thesis, Good solid ideas) rather then getting overwhelmed by the entirity of it being due.
I find that I get sidetracked alot when Im writing and can go off on a tangent and actually deviate from my original thought and the thesis. This is my third goal which is to not get sidetracked and stay on topic.
My fourth goal is to better manage my time, and not procrastinate. Get all my ideas down and then work with the good ones.
My fifth and final goal just for this semester, is to read more of my English book so I can actually understand the goal in writing the assignment; to understand what type of paper Im actually writing so that it makes more sense.
In summary my five goals are:
1. Improve on my first drafts. I'd like to get better, solid ideas dwn on paper the first time around, so I have something more organized to work with when doing my secnd draft.
2. Focus on ONE SINGLE aspect of the paper at a time (i.e. Topic, The Thesis, Good solid ideas) rather then getting overwhelmed by the entirity of it.
3.Not get sidetracked and stay on topic.
4.Better manage my time, and not procrastinate.
5.Read more of my English book so I can actually understand the goal in writing the assignment.
My five goals:
ReplyDelete1. To not procrastinate on any more of my assignments for the rest of the semester.
2. Work as hard as I can on each paper rather than just writing something to get it done faster.
3. If I need help with any more of my assignments find some way to go talk to the professor about it rather than just stressing out about it and writing a bad paper.
4. From now on I need to show up to every class because when I miss a class it's difficult to make up what I missed.
5. I need to focus more on schoolwork then on other activities that I put more time into.
When I came to this class on the first class and received the sylobus, I admit that I looked at it and thought this was going to be a pretty easy class. I was wrong. I'm not saying that it's an extremely hard class and I'm wishing I didn't take it because overall I did enjoy the class. However a lot of hard work was needed and I did need to put a lot of effort into this course. When I realized that I was going to have to write three drafts for each essay, I thought I could easily slide through each draft, but I couldn't. The good thing about making three drafts is that it made it harder for me to procrastinate becasue I am awful with that. Of, course I still do and that is something I have to work on but it does make it much more difficult. I consider myself a pretty good writer so at the beginning of the semester I had the expectations that I would be getting A's on all of my paper. While I haven't gotten any bad grades on my paper, my experience in the class just showed me that I can't just figure something like that I have to actually work toward the grade. I think that the most difficult assignment was the letter becasue it is hard for me to pursuade someone to do something that I believe should be done. I realized that I did have to work much harder to make a valid argument out of that paper rather than the rhetorical analysis paper. A big problem that I have when writing is sitting down and brainstorming. For many people that is probably the easy part, to just sit down and write anything that they're thinking without having to put it in a certain order. I can't do that because I hate writing something without having it in some kind of order. I don't need it to be in a perfect order, I just can't sit for half of an hour and ramble on and on about one topic.
My experience in the first half of the semester in English 102 has been very resourceful. The way we use three drafts has been a useful tool to improve the steps towards getting my papers done and making them better with each one. I have learned different writing techniques with the rhetoric styles and the use of outside sources. Unfortunately I still am grammar retarded, but that’s just because I’m lazy, but the three drafts thing has helped to improve my grammar and use of comas. With this course I don't feel I’ve improved on reading things, except maybe other people’s papers and peer editing them. My editing skills have improved because I’ve learned to listen to every detail and comment on them. The poem analysis was fun and helped to break down writings that we've gone over in class. Problems that I encountered were pretty minimal, just mostly grammar issues and with the argument about the rhetoric of a song paper I never worded it right.
ReplyDeleteFor the rest of this semester my five goals are as follows:
1. Improve my grammar skills
2. Get 100% on a paper
3. Do well on this essay #3
4. Cut out all my “filler” content of my papers
5. Get my Final grade as an “A”
Sarah Stifler- Mid-Sem Writing Reflection
ReplyDeleteAs a reader, I have grown throughout this semester. I have begun reading more at home, and in school. It has become easier for me to concentrate on what I’m reading for the assignments. At the beginning I struggled with concentrating on what I was reading. I would usually forget what I have read by the time I’m finished. Something I need to work on is finding more things to read about, because right now my interest in books doesn't renge too broad. I have to become open to reading more, and also have to figure out other things I could find interesting to read about. I have also grown a bit as a writer. I think my writing has grown to a higher level, and is more organized than it used to be. When starting this semester, it was really unorganized and had a lot of mistakes. I am now a bit better at finding those mistakes on my own. For the rest of this class I am going to try to write at a higher level, and try to be clearer at what I am trying to say in my essays.
I am very happy as who I have become as a student as well as who I am in life. As a student, my grades are staying up; I am pretty satisfied with them at this point. I have learned how to organize my time and get things done without rushing to do so. My life right now is great. My relationships right now with friends and family are good, as well as with myself. I feel that I have accomplished a lot and I am staying kept up with everything I need to be. Something for myself I want to do is to have more free time for myself and use it for something other than sleep, which I don’t need. At home, I need to keep up with chores, and not only focus on the school part of my life.
Goals for the rest of the Semester-
1. I will try to write at a higher college level than I am at now.
2. I will try to be more organized and especially clear when writing the last essays.
3. I will keep up with my assignments and with having a planned schedule to do things.
4. I will try to find more books I am interested in to further my reading.
5. I will also focus on all aspects of life, including relationships, school work, my job, and keeping myself healthy in many ways.
This semester I find that I am already getting better at critiquing my own work. My growth may have been born out of necessity, but it continues to excite me and I hope to continue to improve until the end of the semester. I have enjoyed all the critical-thinking papers we have done. They have opened my mind to larger issues that I never knew about and have renewed an appreciation in me for the things I am blessed to have in my life now. I have also learned how to write on a more academic level. I have been working on eliminating adverbs and empty subjecs and I have been trying to use stronger verbs. I have applied these changes to all my writing in every aspect of my life and I believe I have become a more advanced and sophisticated writer because of them. My biggest struggle has been with pre-first draft work. Before,my brainstorming was scribbling a few notes or a general "subject of each paragraph" outline, nothing too fancy. I would add in sources as I wrote my first draft, sometimes after I had completed the draft without any sources. I still prefer this method of writing, but I can see how a more formal and complex draft would help for a bigger project.
ReplyDelete1. I will continue to improve my self-editing skills.
2. I will decrese the number of adverbs and "to be" verbs in my writing.
3. I will work on varied sentence structure and cut back on "fluff."
4. I will keep as schedule so I don't have to stress doing my whole paper the night before its due.
5. I will look up words I don't know to better understand the material I am reading.
Laura Sneeringer
ReplyDeleteMid-semester reflection
I believe that I my writing has gotten better though out the semester. I now understand that it really does help to write a couple drafts rather than just turning in the first thing you write. By writing several drafts you can help change you word chooses and you can see what works and what doesn’t. I have struggled in this class; the biggest thing that I have struggled with was finding the right topics. This has always been as problem for me because I cannot take time on writing something that I don’t care or know anything about. I think that I can do better in this class it I start choosing topics that I care about rather than just picking the first thing that comes to my mind when I sit down to write the paper. I feel like if I took more time to write the paper that in the long run it would help me for what I have to write later for other classes. Other than the things that I know I have to improve in my other classes and not just this one, I feel like my writing skills have improved. I feel that my writing has improved greatly for last semester. I know what is really important to the paper and also what I can leave out. I also feel that I know what phases are ok to leave in the paper and what I can change to make my writing stronger. I feel like that things that I have learned on this class can be carried over into others classes, so that I can improve in those classes to. So far the most difficult assignment for me was the first one we did. I feels like I didn’t really understand the assignment fully so it was hard to write, but after the second draft and working with others I found that I was writing about the wrong thing, but once o corrected that then I was all good from there. The only other thing that I feel that I have to work in this class it the grammar part of the paper. I feel like one I can fix all the grammar issues that my papers will be better.
Goals
1. I will work on procrastinating, and not doing it as much
2. I will work on spending more time on writing my papers, so that they have a better content
3. I will work on spending more time on my homework so that it is done to the best of my ability
4. I will work on my reading skills so that I can understand the things that I read the first time I read them
5. I will try to use better vocabulary in my writing
Mid-semester Reflection
ReplyDeleteWhen I started this class, I was anxious to get back into writing again. English has always been an easy class for me, so I was interested to see what I would be writing about and what I would be reading. I usually have a good time in this class and have been lucky with the teachers I have chosen.
In the past, I never really went past a first draft and a final draft. I did not realize I was skipping important steps in the writing process. Also at times, it seemed that my writing was rigid and really did not provide anything other than the required content. I have struggled with expressing my thoughts in a required amount of pages. These are all traits that I plan on improving in.
Throughout the class so far, I have been able to recognize what I can develop more on in my writing. My writing skills have improved since the beginning of class. I have learned to go through intricate steps of a writing process proposed by the teacher. So far, I feel a little less of a struggle to get a lot of content on paper. I learned a lot about writing from reading the text book and from workshops in class. The most challenging and interesting assignment was the song analysis. It was hard for me to come up with my own interpretation of a song and then argue that point. However, I really enjoyed the assignment and hope future students will as well.
Goals
1.) Stick to a regiment and have things done BEFORE due dates
2.) Feel comfortable about writing in any subject
3.) Put more personal style in writing
4.) Incorporate more personal experiences in writing
5.) Spend more focus on outlines and early drafts
With being able to do an assignment like this and look how my writing and reading skills have changed, I can see a big difference. My writing skills have changed the most. I am starting to look at my papers and assignments more than once instead of just doing them and turning them in. My reading skills are changing gradually. I am beginning to understand more of what I read. I can notice some changes that I have overcome with my writing assignments. I am starting to use better word choices. I am finding grammatical errors more as I write, and I am starting to find myself read my papers out loud to see if the paper flows and if it makes sense. I can also notice some changes that I have overcome with my reading assignments. I am starting to take notes in the margins as I read to help me remember what different sections of the reading are about. Some concepts that I better understand now are pathos, logos, and ethos. Before this class, I was never really taught about what pathos, logos, and ethos were. I like how this class goes step by step with the writing process. It helps to gradually do the project by step instead of doing the whole project at once. Going step by step with the writing processes with each assignment eases the anxiety from it. As a student I have changed big time for the better. I use different learning skills when I read. I also use different writing skills. One learning skill that I have acquired include better note taking. I approach my work in a different way since I had the chance to take this class. I do all my writing projects gradually and step by step so that they are more effective and so that I know they are done to meet the requirements.
ReplyDelete1. I will better arrange my schedule so I have more time for studying.
2. I will not procrastinate on any of the papers or assignments I am assigned.
3. I will focus more on my assignments such as reading and writing paper, so I understand it better, and not just do it to get it done.
4. I will continue to work on my writing skills to become a better and effective writer.
5. I will use a better and more powerful vocabulary when I am writing to make my writings better.
Throughout this semester, I've faced many struggles, most of those struggles being time. I don't have enough time to sit a write a paper a couple times especially since I have other classes and a busy life, so I'm going to try and really work on that. I've also had problems writing my papers, finding topics, actually getting my paper started, and then trying to fix it once it's corrected. I know if i take my time on the papers maybe it would help me solve these problems, however i also know that i can go to the writing center or to my teacher for help, i just need to make the effort to get there. In this class i don't think i've grown in my writing because the writing assignments are so crammed together and i'm rushed all the time to get them down, that i fell that i'm not doing a good job on them. However, i have learned what rhetoric is and how to use it in some of my writings. I still don't know how to use it in all of my writings and i still get confused between the differences of logos, pathos, and ethos, but i'm getting there. This course is one of my challenging ones because i have never had assignments due one right after the other and that take up so much of my mine, and sorry but writing isn't my favorite so i'm less likely to want to write.
ReplyDeleteGoals:
1. i'm going to try not to procratinate in any of my classes or assignments, but i can use in it outside of school as well.
2.i'm going to try and rewrite my papers for better grades
3.i'm going to try and figure out exactly what rhetoric means and remember it, and apply it right to my writings
4.fully understand the assignment before i do it
5.i want to get an A in this course
Amber Lescalleet
ReplyDeleteProfessor Brady
English 102
Mid-Semester Reflection Writing Assignment
While taking your class this semester, I have grown as a reader, writer, student, and human being. I have overcome some obstacles other than others, but am still continuing to work through them and become even better.
I have looked into techniques that have made me a better reading which has helped my reading comprehension. This allows me to understand what I read the first time I read it.
A writer, I was always decent at writing but always thought I could do better if I took the time to be better. This class has introduced me to more interesting writings rather than just the same old boring ones. I have always enjoyed writing and it always continues to grow on me.
Being a student in high school, I always tended to procrastinate and we both know when in college you cannot. I have learned that procrastination just makes you stressed out and can lower your grades. It usually does not show your better potential, meaning you are getting a lower grade than you could have deserved if you actually took the time to actually look at it sooner. I have noticed a change in my grades for the most part and I am very happy with them. I actually enjoy school somewhat and I am a lot more relaxed.
By fixing my procrastination skills in the classroom (studying and homework), I have also learned that it can help you at your job. It gives you the push to do what is known at your job before you have to be told. You can be awarded for those good deeds, which is even better!
This semester has been a difficult one for me. My classes are tougher than the last and from what I hear it will just get worse. Psychology and A&P are definitely kicking my butt, but I am trying to work at it to get through.
I have grown incredibly and am continuing to do so. Since college I have learned to respect myself and realize that a little more work to do my best really is not that hard. I want to continue learning new things, meeting new people, and doing my best to make me a better person in the future.
So far for this semester i feel that i have improved my writing skills, thus far. I feel that my grade doesn’t show it but while I’m writing my papers I have all these great ideas and suggestions and I feel that the paper turns out more smoothly . I feel that all those ideas tie it together. I also have been experiencing some struggles. I feel that when I’m writing a paper I can't start my introduction. Every paper I write it is hard for me to come up with an intro because I feel that I have to for the body of the paper first. As the class has processed through this semester, I feel that I have gotten a better feel for the way to start my papers. I think about what is going to be in the body of my paragraph then put some thoughts in to my into and just explain them better in the body. Another struggle I have is forming a conclusion. I feel that I have said all that I needed to say and in the conclusion I would be repeating myself. I still am working on fixing that but, I think before the semester is over in will overcome that struggle.
ReplyDeleteI have learned that there are many different styles to writing and I like to include those styles of writing in my papers. Like rhetoric, pathos, and ethos. It gives the paper this touch and emotion that the reader can connect with. There were some assignments that I had troubles with and one being the letter we had to write. The letter of a concerning topic you had with the community. I thought it was hard because I really didn't know what to write about. The letter had to involve feels, feeling that I really don't express much as far as anger towards the topic. I'm not a very angry person so I don't like arguing a topic that I don't know much about.
Goals:
1. Plan my Schedule better
2. Improve my grammar
3. form better introductions and conclusions
4. Reread my paper a few times before handing it in.
5. My final grade for this class to be an "A"
Mid-semester Reflection Writing Assignment
ReplyDeleteSo far throughout this semester I feel I have grown as a writer. I know I am not the best writer and I know that I am still learning to be a better writer but I feel that as I keep writing I will keep getting a little better. So far this semester I have learned various things that I did not know about before. I have learned about pathos, ethos, and logos and I think I understood those fairly well. However, when it came to analyzing and rhetoric I didn’t really understand these two things. I tried to analyze everything to the best that I could but it was just something that I couldn’t catch on to. For rhetoric it was just something that I never really heard about before so it was something new to me and I just didn’t really understand it and I couldn’t really catch on to it. I also feel that I have learned how to be a better organize my papers. I also have learned that by doing a couple of drafts before the final draft has helped me better with my paper. This way I feel like I can focus on one thing at a time and I feel that I my first draft don’t have to be completely organized and perfect. I also am working on expanding my word choice so that I am not only using the same words all the time but expanding to using better.
My goals:
1.Broaden my vocabulary and word choice
2.Learn to write better introductions and conclusions
3.Become better at grammar
4.Ask questions if I am confused
5.Manage my time better
Mid-Semester Reflection Writing Assignment
ReplyDeleteI enrolled at HACC last summer after being laid off from my job of two years. It has been a long time since I was in school, so this was a very big step for me. My first class was English 051. I had to re-learn basic grammar, sentence combining skills, thesis statements and the development of ideas. While taking this class I realized how much I enjoyed writing. I have furthered this with English 101 and now 102. I have grown so much this past year as a student and as a person. I have learned that I am capable of learning at age 42 and I have managed to get almost all A’s in my classes. In high school I was a C student because I was more interested in other things than an education. As a writer I have learned how to implement different writing techniques and how to use different appeals to connect with my audiences. I had never heard term pathos or ethos before this class. By using them in my writing it can help with my arguments success. I also learned how to write a proposal, which I had never done before. The essay we are working on now is more intense than the others and I feel a little over whelmed but I am much more confident in my ability to gain knowledge of new things. I find myself paying closer attention to my words as I write. I use a thesaurus to help. I just can’t think of a subject and start typing aimlessly like some of the other students. I still need time to get my thoughts down on paper. The five goals I would like to meet by the end of the semester would be:
1. To get all A’s in my classes.
2. I would love to start on my book.
3. Learn how to do citations better.
4. Learn how to be a better writer.
5. Keep learning new skills.
When walking into english 102, I was not sure what to expect. Honestly, I thought that this class would put my workload over the top. This, however, is not the case. 102 has offered great discussions and we have a great class to share our opinions with. Kate also pushes us to see things outside the box, and from unorthodox views. This allows me to better understand a situation, problem, or topic.
ReplyDeleteI have learned that I can write a good essay without having to sound scholarly. Plain vernacular can provide stimulating essay, just as academic language can (and its probably easier to understan). I have also learned to be much more descriptive in my writing by using rhetoric, especially when assessing an argument.
Although I can not recall specific stuggles in my writing, I know that I do get frustrated when I can't seem to pinpoint what I am trying to say in an essay. I have learned that sometimes that best thing to do in this situation is nothing at all. It helps me so much when I simply step away from my essay, and don't think about it for a few hours. This allows me to return to writing with fresh ideas and an open mind.
I am sure that english 102 has much more to offer, and the second half of the semester will be just as entising as the first.
Goals:
1. Don't stress over school work- its not the end of the world is everything isn't perfect.
2. Let my future just come to me
3. Don't put everything off until the last minute.
4. Read on a daily basis.
5. Broaden my vocabulary