Reflection on my Writing

The fourth blog post that I wrote, titled “I Reviewed an Article and it took a Really Long Time”, is focused on the findings of a study that researched the benefits of making plans in long distance relationships. With this assignment, my thesis was “certainty is something that LDDR couples strive for because of infrequencies in visits and actual physical contact.” I was attempting to highlight the positive side of making plans in any relationship, much more specifically a long distance one. My audience for this post, and all other posts, was college students who happen to be in an LDDR or someone who may be considering one.  I demonstrated my ability to analyze by breaking down the authors arguments in each paragraph, noting his weaknesses and highlighting his strengths. In terms of this article, I think that I worked with the authors work very well, I gave credit where credit was due and I was not afraid to point out the few weaknesses that his claim had.

For our last assignment, the almighty research paper, I chose the pressing issue that is budget cuts in art programs across the United States. With this assignment, I was trying to make my audience aware of the fact that art programs are in dire need of financial attention. My audience for this one would have been my fellow students and maybe even the school board. I responded to them by telling the facts about what is being cut, the effects art has on human development, and the learning process. My thesis statement was, “Today’s visual and performing arts programs are key to sustaining a well developed education for students. When budgets are tight, schools should look in other areas before they decide that the arts are the place to take from.” I feel that my thesis statement was well defined.  It is clear that these ideas are my own and I have outlined a clear context, subject, and claim. I demonstrate my ability analyze all throughout the essay. I took numerous sources and used their information to strengthen my claim. Just as the last, I feel that I worked with another’s work really well, by giving credit where credit is due and by using the sources to back up what I have to say.

My academic writing now, as compared to early in the semester has changed drastically. I am now way more informed on what it takes to write an essay with academic tone, and how to address certain audiences. At the beginning of the year, I would say that my skills on citing sources (especially those in APA format), was less than shady. But now I can do it with ease! In blog post one, I failed to note which ideas where mine and which were the author’s. This is an easy mistake to make, but compared to my most recent work it is silly to think that failing to cite was ever an issue for me. Overall, this class really taught me how to write a college level academic essay. This is a skill I will be using for years to come!