English 101: Reflection

English 101 has introduced me to many different types of papers that I did not know even existed. From summary, response, critique, rhetorical analysis, and informative synthesis, I have learned how to properly and effectively write each different kind of paper, and my writing has improved in many ways. One way my writing has improved this semester is that I have learned how to accurately organize information, and decide how to clearly present the material. Looking back at the first paper, it is easy to see that I did not have a lot of experience with organization. In the first paper, I would jump from subject to subject without any awareness of organization. Since the first paper, I have took the time to write out how I am going to present the information, and how to transition effectively from one paragraph to the other.  One important aspect of organization is to decide what main points I want to focus on. From there, it is important to state what author or topic I am discussing at the beginning of each paragraph. This will allow the reader to read through the paper without any question as to what I will be discussing in each paragraph.

Not only have I learned how to effectively organize information, I have also learned what is proper language for writing a formal paper. In high school, it was okay to use contractions and second person. Since writing the first paper, I have had to make a conscious effort to not use contractions. Contractions have become apart of our daily life through the use of texting or tweeting. When you approach writing, it is crucial to distinguish when it is appropriate to use contractions and when it is not. I have also learned that it is possible to write a paper without the use of second person, although it can change your approach as to how to begin or conclude the paper. I am thankful that I have made this conscious change in my writing style because I know that writing papers will only get more and more challenging as I continue through college, and even through my career.

One paper that I was able to effectively execute what I have learned is the very last paper we had to write. The informative synthesis paper, although technically it was the most difficult, proved to be the easiest to organize. In the informative synthesis paper, we had to gather four different sources and combine all the information into one clear topic. I was able to properly do this by first, reading through each article, and annotating the important pieces of information that I wanted to use. After that, I had to write out how I wanted to present each point that was in my thesis. I then had to include each source in each paragraph. Making an outline and writing out what quotes I was going to use where allowed me to clearly discuss each topic, and incorporate each source within the paper. Even though this paper required the most work, I enjoyed it the most. Since writing four other papers prior to this one, I have learned how to effectively approach each paper by taking the time to organize the information, and fulfill all the requirements of each assignment. Using what I learned from the previous papers allowed me to put forth my best work, and this provided me with the best grade I have made on any of the papers.

Although the informative synthesis paper was the easiest for me to write, the very first paper I wrote for this class proved to be the most difficult. The reason for this is because I did not know how to begin writing. I just sat down and wrote what first came to my mind. Since I did not have a distinct plan for how to gather and annotate the information, the paper turned into “word vomit”, with no sense of direction.  I also did not know how to fully develop and support the points I was trying to make. I have learned that it is important to support statements with quotes from the articles I am using.  The first paper taught me how to take the time to organize the information, and to think through how I want to present this information. It is important that the information is presented in a way that the reader can easily read through, and understand the direction of the paper.

This course has provided me with endless opportunities to learn how to effectively write papers. Before this class, I had little experience as to how to construct a proper paper. It has taken experience, and getting average grades, to teach me how to accurately write. Although this course required multiple papers to be turned in, I am thankful to have been able to learn from my mistakes and grow as a writer. I have always loved writing, but now I am able to successfully and effectively write within certain guidelines. This growth as a writer is truly priceless not only for English 102, but for any and all aspects of writing that I may come across in the future.