English Final Reflection

Elijah Lofgren

Dr. Antlitz

ENGL 1013-3

December 11, 2006

Final Reflection

My earliest memories of writing are letters I wrote to thank family members and friends for gifts that I had received. I did not always want to write the letters, but I enjoyed the satisfaction of completing them. Before sending a letter off, I would usually have my mom check it over to make sure that I hadn’t made any mistakes. Sometimes, my mom would find something wrong, and I would revise and print another copy of my letter. Usually, however, my mom would compliment me on my writing. This encouragement helped me to become a more confident writer. In addition to saying thank you, I usually included current news about myself in my letters. Thus, my letters became more than just a token of thanks; they became a way to stay in touch with family and friends who lived far away.

Writing used to be a simple, one or two step process for me. I would write something and immediately print it. After showing it to my mom, I might revise it based on her suggestions. However, when I came to LeTourneau, I learned that good writing requires much more time and effort that I was used to putting into it. For the first time, I used invention techniques such as free-writing. Drafting is no longer just a two step process: typing and printing. Peer review was a new concept that I have come to respect. The responses I’ve received have become an essential resource in aiding my revision work. Writing has become more challenging, but also more rewarding.

Invention strategies have become an integral part of my writing preparation. In addition to using free-writing for the first time, I found that using a combination of other invention techniques was the most effective method of coming up with a topic. Listing topics that came to mind worked ok, but conversation with peers about topic ideas made the invention work even more useful. When I had difficulty figuring out what to write about, I found talking with family members to be an effective way of coming up with topic ideas. Each invention method turned out to be a useful weapon in combating writer’s block.

When I’m interested in writing about a topic that I know little about, research is the key to helping me discover what to write. By making effective use of reliable sources, I have found it possible to write well, even if I knew very little about the topic before starting the project. I know that spending the extra time required for thorough research is better than writing solely based on my personal opinions because the resulting paper is much more authoritative and effective.

The time it takes me to write a draft depends largely on the type of writing assignment. A research paper takes me much longer to write than a remembered event because of all the preparation work that is required. The most effective method of invention that I have found is listing. I write topic and sub-topic ideas in a hierarchal list using a word processor which helps me organize my thoughts in a logical manner.

I am most comfortable writing using a word processor. In addition, I enjoy listening to relaxing instrumental music to help break the monotony of silence. I don’t usually take very many breaks while writing. I find long writing sessions help me to stay focused in my writing. Writing anxiety is something that I normally only experience before actually starting to write something. Once I start writing, I am usually able to focus on writing, not worrying.

There is one major thing I learned about revision. No matter how many drafts I have written or peer reviews I have gotten, errors can easily slip by unnoticed. For example, in my profile I found that I had allowed two run-on sentences to creep into my paper. Despite numerous peer reviews, Owlet reviews, and personal revisions, I never noticed the errors. This experience has taught me that I need to become more vigilant in my revision process. I need to start checking my drafts more carefully for even the most basic grammar problems.

The use of technology has been a great aid in my writing. While working on the creative non-fiction writing project, I used the “track changes” feature of Microsoft Word for the first time to receive and give feedback. While working on a draft, I will often highlight in red sections that I need to work on so that I will not forget to go back and revise them.

The Internet proved to be a valuable tool for conducting research. I relied on information gathered through email interviews as my main source of research while writing my profile. Instead of email interviews, I used the World Wide Web as my research tool while working on my expository essay and speech.

Each of the various writing projects that I completed this semester was helpful in teaching me new skills and writing strategies. While working on the Web Collage, I learned about some of the many design principles such as alignment and proximity that go into creating pleasing web pages and resumes.

Writing a profile taught me about using first hand research and sensory details to make a place come alive to a reader. Writing a profile also gave me practice in developing action plans and specific goals for my writing.

Designing a feature article was one of the more intriguing assignments that I completed this year. I learned how it is important to have short paragraphs, active language, and subject headings when designing a feature article. The long hours I spent creating the feature article gave me a new appreciation for the hard work that magazine publishers put into making an entire magazine.

One of the most challenging writing projects I encountered this semester was writing a creative non-fiction story. I really struggled on knowing exactly what to focus on and how to tell a good story. I started with a large number of ideas on what to write about, but I soon learned that I had to focus on just one of them in order to provide all the details necessary to tell a pleasing story. After a large amount of work, I ended up being pleased with the end result.

Practicing writing 5-7 page papers has definitely made writing them easier. However, writing continues to be a challenge, but the end result makes all the hard effort worth it. Writing for a specific audience also continues to be a challenge. Sometimes I have trouble knowing exactly how to write for a specific audience or even what my audience might want. Through it all though, the tips I’ve learned this semester have made me a better writer.

Of all my writing this semester, I like my remembered event essay the most. I wrote about visiting West Africa. One of my favorite sections was where I wrote: “The only waste management system was the goats and sheep who roamed the streets eating anything they could find. But contrary to popular opinion, goats will not eat anything, not tin cans and definitely not plastic bags.” I think it truly captured in a moment the vast differences between America and West Africa.

One paper that I received a large number of responses to was my profile. Some of the compliments I received were about my use of sensory details. Reviewing my essay, Beniah mentioned that, “It made me feel like I had almost been there with you. The description you use makes things very real.” I received comments such as “mmm… good sensory details to convey the scene” and “good description” about the following paragraph:

Supper time arrives, and suddenly a bunch of children and teenagers begin clustering around the campfire. Hot dogs, carefully held on roasting sticks, sizzle and drip juice into the fire. S'mores are created as marshmallows slowly change from pure white to golden brown or, in Jubilee's case, charred black because she enjoys catching her marshmallows on fire.

Although I received many compliments on my profile, I feel that my strengths as a writer lie mainly in doing detailed research on a topic and presenting my research in an interesting and informative manner. Areas where I need to work on improving my writing include watching out for simple grammar mistakes, describing characters better, and writing a more enjoyable story. My writing is gradually improving, and I would like to see that continue at an accelerated pace. In the future, I plan to do more writing for the Web and work on honing my technical writing skills.

In my reflection for the autobiographical web collage, I wrote: “Throughout all my writings, I tried to present myself as one who has learned many things and is in the process of learning.” I want to continue to do this both now and in the future. In everything I do, I want not only to learn, but I also want to share what I’ve learned with others.

The topics I chose to write about this semester reveal aspects of my personality. I enjoy computers and therefore wrote my expository essay about a free operating system that I have enjoyed using. If I was suddenly transformed into a really great writer, I would want to continue to using my writing to share about things that I enjoy. These things include topics that I have already written about such as camping, skiing, and computers.

Each project this semester has prodded me become a more effective writer. I am thankful for being able to come to LeTourneau and participate in this class. I look forward to developing my writing skills even further when I enter English Composition II next semester.