“Practice makes perfect”. A statement that has been applied to every kind of endeavor there is, no matter if that endeavor is athletically, musically, or, in this case, writing related. However, the truth is that perfection can never be reached. There will always be room for more improvement even in the slightest areas and, with there being many areas of writing, there is always something that can be improved. An amazing paper will still have many flaws and things that could have been done differently, even if it is something as simple as placing a comma in the correct location or rearranging a few words. It was throughout this course that I began to realize that there is no such thing as a perfect paper. There were always things that I could …show more content…
There have been several occasions when I was writing a paper that I believe conveyed my stance or ideas on the topic properly. However, I found that I was incorrect in that belief. My critical analysis assignment, “Tweet Less, Kiss More Analysis” (4), was an example of when I incorrectly conveyed the topic that I was assigned. As it was an analysis paper about the article, “Tweet Less, Kiss More” by Bob Herbert, it was expected that I was to actually analysis the article. I, of course, believed that I had been doing that when it was brought to my attention that instead of analyzing the article, I had given my stance on the topic discussed in the article. It was because of that that I came to the realization that the structure and information put into an essay can completely change the readers’ views of the paper. Instead of the reader forming their own opinion or stance due to the article and my analysis of it, I had unintentionally only given my own stance on the topic that the article discussed. The information and structure of a paper is essential to the quality and clarity of the paper. A good paper cannot have one and not the other and that is something that I learned throughout this
As I look back into my high school years, I thought I wrote papers well. But then coming into a college environment, my papers were mediocre. By overlooking at my past papers, I found that they were unorganized, sloppy and had bad use of diction. From now on, I will use the tools I learned in English 1100-40 as a foundation for the future papers I intend on writing in college. Following the criteria of organizing ideas so that they flow, impacting the reader with diction and also by being creative, will help become an ideal writer. Following the criteria of staying motivated in short and long term goals, taking responsibility for actions and finally the ability to study well will help me develop into a supreme student.
Prior to taking English 1301 my method of writing simply involved writing the first thing that I felt made sense, this unorganized strategy resulted in essays with multiple grammatical errors that made absolutely no sense. As an English 1301 student, I am fortunate to have a professor who has mastered the art of writing. In assigning group work activities and the literary analysis of songs, I was able to learn from my professor, that writing is a process not a product. Working in a group divided the workload and gave us more time to observe each other 's paragraph, in doing so we were able to revise, edit and rewrite, this process taught me that a terrific paper is not an overnight miracle. Analyzing a musical selection was tremendously difficult for me; as a mediocre writer it took me a long time to grasp the concept; after continuously rereading and analyzing different lyrics for multiple meaning, I acquired the skill of reading between the lines, by simply taking the time out to ask questions and research information. Participating in these activities helped me understand writing as a process, and also encouraged me to work on my critical thinking
However, these techniques that I fostered as a child proved lacking when I entered middle school. It turns out that in comparison to my previous writing, I was no longer writing for my own self-improvement or joy; I was now writing to please someone who was grading the work. After many dissatisfying remarks about my writing, the self-conscious feelings I had as a child crept up on me once again. I felt the need to impress and be perfect. For every paper I wrote from then on, there was that little voice in the back of my head telling me that I had to try twice as hard because English was my second language. For a very long time, I was not able to write a paper without scrutinizing it harshly. “The oppressor,” as Anne Lammot states in “Bird by Bird,” kept me from what I truly wanted to write and made me focus on the unattainable goal of being perfect. Perfection is something that “… limit[s] us…[and] keep[s] us from experiencing life” (Lammott 30). The purpose was not to write for me, but for others, and that was my flaw; I was just writing to please. Technicality was my only worry and I did not worry if what I was writing actually had
In Daniel Coyle’s, The Talent Code he studies talent and tries to explain how people become talented by going to several “talent hotspots”(12). In the chapter, “The Sweet Spot”, Coyle explains that people who struggle to do something “increase their learning velocity” (5-16). By struggling to do something you are more likely to learn faster. Coyle calls this method of training “deep practice” (16). Coyle tries to explain this deep practice by giving many examples of people who have unknowingly used this method before. For example, Coyle visited Brazilian soccer players to learn about how they became talented playing soccer. He finds out that they play a unique Minigame called futebol de Salao which is like soccer, but in a confined area where
Several people have trouble writing college level essays and believe that they are unable to improve their writing skills. In “the Inspired Writer vs. The Real Writer,” Sarah Allen argues how no one is born naturally good at writing. Sarah Allen also states how even professional writers have trouble with the task of writing. Others, such as Lennie Irvin, agree. In Irvin’s article “What is ‘Academic’ Writing?” states how there are misconceptions about writing. Furthermore, Mike Bunn’s article “How to Read Like a Writer” shows ways on how one can improve their writing skills. Allen, Bunn, and Irvin are correct to say how no one is born naturally good writers. Now that we know this, we should find ways to help improve our writing skills, and
I came into this class under the impression that I already wrote well enough and wouldn’t need to improve. However, as I progressed through the semester I learned that there is always room to grow. The first paper I produced was not at the level I was hoping but after I actively decided to improve my writing my papers became much better. Looking back on my work in the class I wonder how much my writing has changed and where I still have room to improve. Without evaluating my work I can’t hope to become any better. Through this class I have grown much as a writer but there is still more I can learn.
The answer lies in the perfect formula, mastered through trial and error, to arrange success. Now listen closely. The trick was to use the exact same writing style and essay structure that got me the grade I wanted freshman year, all throughout high school. As long as I got a decent grade, my writing skills would be good enough. Why would I seek improvement, when the end product would be praised? Unconsciously, I was getting into a habit of a fixed
The first question to ask when you read an article is the one with the most obvious answer: “Who wrote this?” This is the rhetor, and it has two parts: the author, the one who actually sat down to write the piece and whose name’s at the top of the page; and the others, those that helped the author by adding to their argument through evidence or support (Grant-Davie 269). As high school students preparing to enter the wonderful world of college research papers, it’s important to understand who’s making the points you reference in your own work, and you can do that by analyzing the rhetors. An exam...
‘How dare they say bad things about my paper?’ I thought to myself. From here, I went back into my essay, and looked at what they had told me were errors. It was then that I realized that they were right. My introduction needed more background information, and my evidence should have had more of an introduction.
We would do research on a subject or a person, and write about them. We, once again, were not allowed to be unique in our writing or think creatively or critically. This is the time when I was taught the five paragraph essay. As stated in Gray’s article, the five paragraph essay is detrimental to students’ writing. This format for writing is damaging because it doesn’t allow students to express their own ideas about a topic. It does not allow for any creativity or uniqueness in a paper. In tenth grade, I wrote many papers for my English class, but I never once got an A on them. I was led to believe that my writing was weak because I could not relate to what I was writing about. I did not have any emotional connection to the research papers I had to write, and it made it harder for me to write them. I had grown up not being allowed to think critically, and therefore, my papers in high school lacked creativity and deeper
In the past three months I feel like I have accomplished a great deal. As the semester comes to an end I find myself reflecting not only how I have survived the first semester but also what I have learned. The most important thing I have learned so far is how to become a better writer. I did not think it could really happen to me. I did not think I could handle all the work. I did not think I could actually become a better writer. Some how after all the hours of writing, and putting effort into the papers that I wrote this semester, I became a better writer. I did this because I concentrated on two very important areas, with the attitude of, if I could just become better in those then I would become a better writer. With help from an awesome teacher and a reliable tutor I have become a better writer by improving my skills in the areas of procrastination and content.
The first writing project I was assigned in this class was an analysis of the film, Gran Torino. During class, I learned there was so much more to the movie than what we see; there was a meaning behind every little thing from the clothes to the hair to even the cars on the side of the street. It all meant something. The key features of an literary analysis include “an arguable thesis, careful attention to the language, attention to patterns or themes, and a clear interpretation (Norton Field Guide 85-86).” Critical thinking is an important skill, not just behind a desk, but also in the real world. The second writing project was a workplace writi...
When I read “Proficiency” by Shannon Nichols I really felt for her. I understood and resonated with her story perfectly, especially when she stated “After I failed the test the first time, I began to hate writing and I started to doubt myself. I doubted my ability and the ideas I wrote about.” (83). After I failed my writing assignment I was so embarrassed and didn’t want to write again but obviously, I had to. I always doubt the things I am going to say or which order I am going to organize the essay in. I try so hard to make sure all my sentences are cohesive and all my ideas connect to each other and the main concept but sometimes it just seems that when I keep messing with one little sentence or paragraph I just makes things worse.
It would be foolish to claim that I have never overanalysed and disregarded conveying ideas and theories properly, in the interest of impressing my reader. Nevertheless, this aspiration indicates there is more to academic writing than simply passing information.
During the course of this semester; the variety of writing styles and essays assigned to me in my communication skills class encouraged the development of my writing skills, as well as provided me with more self-assurance in my abilities. My writing, research, and presentation abilities enhanced through practice, determination, and the understanding I gained during this course. With every single writing assignment, I learned new innovative approaches and skills, which enhanced my abilities to improve my thoughts logically, enabling me to write more clearly, and to organize my papers more effectively. At the beginning of this semester; despite the fact that I already knew the terminology MAP: message, audience, purpose; I never really understood the significance of MAP. For this reason, my writing lacked clarity, organization, and my writings appeared less focused on the topics. As a result my research papers and essays did not flow as smoothly from one passage to the next. Furthermore, I was unaccustomed with the precise procedures used when writing an essay. For instance, my previous classes before college, although requiring a reference page, did not require me to include proper citations in my writings. After evaluating the quality of my writing toward the end of the semester, I recognized vast improvements in several areas of my writing. By concentrating on the beginning stages of my writings, I could distinguish ahead of time my audience and my message. As a result, my essays are clear, and I remain on topic. In addition to that using transition phrases efficiently also helps my writing to flow smoothly. The proper use of transitions makes my writings easy to follow from one topic to the next. I also learned that pre-writing...