Reflection on English 102
Coming into this course I was nervous about my ability to succeed in a college class as a high school student. Despite doing well in English 101 I was still nervous about how my writing would compare in a college setting. In a few short months, I will be moving to Tuscaloosa to enroll as a full-time student. I plan on majoring in International Studies while on the pre-med track, which means I am going to be spending almost another decade of my life in a collegiate setting. Therefore, writing effectively at a college-level is a skill that is going to be crucial in achieving my goals. Areas in which I have improved in this class include the learning outcomes employ at least one system of citation correctly, and synthesize ethically summarized, paraphrased and quoted source material into academic arguments. Through this class, I have become a better writer and am more confident in my ability to succeed in college level courses after demonstrating
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an improvement in English 102 learning outcomes yet, I know I still need to improve in other areas of my writing. After this course, I am more confident in my ability to employ at least one system of citation correctly.
In my high school, we had always used MLA format, therefore when I began English 101 I felt like I would have no trouble with this aspect of my courses. However, there was a recent update to MLA format, and so much of my experiences in English 101 and 102 was my attempts to learn the new format. However, the majority of this focus was in English 102. My instructor’s comments on my final draft of my Annotated Bibliography reflected that there were many aspects of my Works Cited entries that needed to be fixed. For example, spacing issues, periods and commas, or not including something, such as a permalink, that needed to be there. However, on the draft of my Exploratory Essay, my instructor’s comments were in reference to my Works Cited enteries were, “They are perfect!!! Excellent work!!!” This reflects upon my mastery of this learning outcome, as I successfully employed this system of
citation. Through this class I also improved on my ability to synthesize ethically summarized, paraphrased, and quoted source material into academic arguments effectively. The majority of this class is building up to a final research paper within which you must effectively use sources. When I began this class I had difficulty distinguishing between when I needed to quote a source and when it was better to try and paraphrase or summarize. This was reflected in the comments on my Final Draft of my Rhetorical Analysis Essay. These comments showed that while I was using sources well, I still had room for improvement, especially regarding the form I use to include my evidence into my essay’s. In my final draft my Researched Position Essay I showed that I had mastered the ability to know when to quote and when to paraphrase and thus received high marks and excellent instructor’s comments. The learning outcome on which I can still improve is continuing to apply the writing skills learned in English 101. Specifically, I need to continue to improve on my grammar usage and mechanics. Throughout all of my assignments, many of my comments on my peer review assignment related to issues with grammar, such as comma placement. Additionally, I need to continue to work on my process writing, because there were several times throughout this semester in which I would put less effort into assignments such as outlines, or journal assignments, which resulted in a less than perfect paper. For example, with my Annotated Bibliography I hurriedly completed the Research Worksheet Assignment which preceded the paper which resulted in me being under prepared for the actual paper. Throughout this course I realized that the more effort which I put into prewriting assignments, the better prepared I would be for the actual assignment and the higher score I would receive. While I learned this lesson, my bad habit is to complete the bare minimum for an assignment just so I can turn it in to get a grade. This means that while I know what I need to do, I will need to continue working on executing it in my future classes. While writing my reflection for English 101, I discussed my future in college as if it was far in the future. I suppose at the time it must have felt like it was. However now as I reflect on my experiences in English 102 I realize that my future is already here. In one month I graduate high school, and in another two I will move away from home and start my life as a full-time college student. I am grateful for the chances I have had to take college classes while still in high school. The writing skills I have gained will be something that will help me throughout all of my many years as a college student, and the confidence I have gained at my abilities will make the transition from high school student to college student a much smoother one. I know that I still have much to learn. In fact, even with the learning outcomes I explained how I had mastered I know that there is still something more I could learn, and that I am human and I will not be perfect on every assignment. Perhaps the most important lesson I have learned from this experience is how important communication with your professor is. Mistakes are going to be made and there are going to be things you are confused about, but that does not have to be the defining characteristic of a class as long as you communicate your struggles with your professors. Therefore, in my future classes I will make sure I feel comfortable going to my professors with problems I am having so that I can get help, so that I can continue to improve not only in my writing, but in every other aspect of my education so that I can accomplish my goals
During my first semester at the University of Alabama I wrote several essay including a response essay, a rhetorical essay, and annotated bibliography and a research essay. Although these assignments each had different objectives, they were all written to work towards reaching the Student Learning Objectives for English 103 that were provided at the beginning of the semester. This semester I worked to further my skills regarding my ability to employ writing strategies appropriate to each assignment’s purpose, locate assignment-appropriate sources from multiple places, and ethically use source material in academic arguments.
As a student, I have learned many different skills that I will take with me throughout my journey from this course. We have traversed many different types of writing styles, which any college student, or any person for that
For my Final Reflection Essay I attempted to focus on the most obvious adjustments I made from writing high school papers to producing college level essays. This approach compelled me to examine a few of the papers I submitted in high school and look back on the steps I took to write them. By reviewing my previous work I realized that during Dr. Kennedys English 111 class I have effectively learned how to apply an outline, utilize research, and incorporate that research into my final paper. English 111 has helped me to understand the importance of the multiple steps of writing a great college level essay by forcing me to complete each step individually. My overall performance in this class has been above average and I have really demonstrated dedication to improvement.
This trimester I began the class English 101 with mixed feelings. Depending on the topic and style, I could really enjoy writing. However, there were occasionally times where I just did not feel much inspiration, and consequently, my writing quality was not exactly remarkable. My previous course to English 101 was AP Literature, where I learned how to analyze writing and write powerful papers. Although, to my disadvantage for this class, the teacher was more concerned about content than presentation and grammar technicalities. I learned to create good ideas and responses, and while I did possess the ability to convey them with proficiency, I could not express myself at a college level. Nonetheless, I can happily report that I have acquired these skills throughout English 101, learning to curb my near addiction to prepositional phrases, in addition to halting my use of coordinating conjunctions to begin sentences. I find it pleasing to read and compare my first essay to my latest one, seeing all of the differences and enhancements. My writing has improved through the trials of in-depth analyses and short deadlines, enabling me to perform my best no matter the style or topic. Overcoming the oppositions found in the class and my own
Throughout the semester I have learned an astounding amount of information. The English 101 curriculum has not only taught me how to write in general, but also taught me a variety of ways to get my point across to the reader. Before I took English 101 I was an average writer at best, but now that I am taking a class that focuses on writing strategies I feel that I have been able to improve as a writer. During the course we were taught how to write an informative essay as well as how to write a persuasive essay. The type of writing that this class has taught me will most definitely help me with future classes as well as my future in the real world. Throughout the English 101 course I have been able to improve as a writer by composing essays
When I first entered this class, I already knew that it wasn’t going to be easy just because I 'm not good with putting things into words and explaining myself with proper grammar. I can honestly say English 101 has really inspired me to be a better writer. This class affected me in a lot of ways it showed me that writing takes time and you can 't expect a paper to be great without any revising or editing. That has always been a mistake of mine, I would tend to free write a lot it seemed to be the only way I could get my thoughts processed on a paper. I would forget periods, commas and misspell words without even noticing. I never cared much for punctuation, but once I got into this class I knew it was much needed. The topics we wrote on were not just any random topics which in a way made it more interesting to write about things that are actually important and things our generation should be informed about.
When going through life learning is an everyday occurrence as each day is constantly filled with information that is used throughout the course of your life. Each day we get stronger and stronger in whatever we decide to put our minds to, weather that be academics, sports, our jobs we are constantly learning and growing on a daily basis. This semester I have grown in English as I personally felt that through the English 102 course I have been able to grasp some key concepts and writing techniques that will better me for the future. In this class there was a list of goals and outcomes that the instructor felt would be achievable and the best way to learn throughout the course. In each goal throughout this process I feel like I have improved to some degree but there is other things that I do need to touch up on a bit more to further my writing education outside the classroom.
I have always known that writing was not my strong point. Entering writing 101 in September I was very much afraid. I knew that the expectations would be very high for this course; thus it would be more difficult than any other writing class I had previously taken. At first writing was a nightmare for me, but thanks to the assistance from professor Smart and my tutors, I have improved drastically in my writing skills and, as a result I am now a better writer. During the course of four months, I have learned so much. There were a few bumps in the way throughout the semester, but I managed to overcome them. It is hard to believe that my journey in writing 101 is coming to an end. Through my hard work and dedication, this class has helped me to build confidence in my writing that will help me throughout my college life.
I have noticed that I am using grammatically correct sentences within college essays and within my daily conversations. I had never used APA format, therefore, it has been difficult for me as a writer to overcome the MLA format that was taught to me as a student throughout my childhood. In addition, I think this class has helped me to get rid of the “bad habits” of writing that other professors would let slide by. As a future healthcare professional, I think this class has been very beneficial to my career. As I am working as a respiratory therapist I want to be able to write papers in a professional manner and the information to come naturally without having to worry about simple things like grammar or format to ruin it. I have really enjoyed the TED videos we have watched throughout the semester, they have put a new perspective on the way I view life. The discussion posts have taught me a lot about how research influence every aspect of the hospital including respiratory therapy. Therefore, it is crucial that I do my research and stay up to date on the new research as it is published in the field of my study. I think by doing research it allows a healthcare provider can provide the best possible care to the patient through training, knowledge, and
The MLA format and citation is something that should not hold up writers by the time the enter a college level class, but nontheless it was something that plagued me in my writing. The use of MLA format on my papers incorrectly was a major part in the points lost on my papers in the past, so for me fixing that was a major accomplishment. With reading and help from my friend I was able to perfect my MLA format over my papers in this class. This also help me with citation of my papers that helped me give true credit to the people who sources I took from. Then it felt satisfying to have a perfect work cited page for all of my sources at the end of my essays.
During the course of the semester, all of the writing and research skills I developed helps to strengthen my self-confidence in many areas and it aids me in achieving my goals for the future. By developing more effective research approaches for finding and citing sources, I advanced from an inexperienced writer to a confident writer with the suitable knowledge to create effective essays to capture my audience. Having confidence in my abilities to use the skills I learned will help me to become a success in college. With more practice and valuation of my strengths and weaknesses, I can continue to improve and become an excellent communicator in the future.
Throughout this fall semester, I have learned many things. Before this class, I have never had to buckle down and plan out my writing so tediously. The many outlines, rough drafts, and final drafts have crafted me into a much better writer than I would have ever expected to become. While I have always considered English as one of my strong subjects, through this class I have learned that English has many more components than I originally thought. One of the most substantial of these components is a transitional sentence and through this class and the writing practice it has brought me, I have learned how to properly write them.
Upon acceptance to the University of Alabama at Birmingham, I knew not the circumstances to come my way: I did not understand what adversities would appear to me unsuspectingly. Furthermore, I faced these adversities and I had confidence they would inspire growth. Adversity in college also presented itself in this English course by challenging my identity as a writer in the same way that UAB has challenged my identity as a person and a student. When enrolling to UAB, I knew how to write a thesis statement and how to use MLA, but this course helped me develop and hone my skills in an academic setting. This course taught me how to make two-prong thesis statements in a conflicting viewpoint paper and focused on using my rhetorical skills instead of writing on symbolism as I did for the majority of high school. Being a member of EH 101 has helped me develop as a writer, student, and person by challenging me to consider challenges from multiple
At the start of this class, I made a goal to develop my writing skills to better prepare me for other courses for my degree. I knew English 106 would be different compared to any other English or college courses that I have taken. I knew English 106 environment will let me grow in diverse writing dimensions. My long serving years of experience in the military has exposed me to many cultures around the globe. In just seven weeks of the course, I have seen some improvement in my writing. This course has afforded me with several techniques that have made writing not only a little bit easier but also more in-depth resulting in a higher level of academic writing versus my normal military style writing. Now I understand the writing process and
Language. It is a sign of who we are and where we come from. As language defines us, so does it unite us, but it can also impose barriers that drive us apart. As our society aggressively pursues globalization, individuals who maintain cultural sensitivity and strive for effective communication despite language barriers will be an increasingly important commodity; individuals who can also pass the gift of adept communication to others will be invaluable. On the eve of my college graduation, the culmination of four years ' immersion in language and communication and the beginning of a lifetime of educating others in these disciplines, I feel increasingly the weight of