Reflective paper

Kameshia Williams
December 4, 2007
Reflective paper



In my English 1010 class, when I first attended class it was fun and I though it was going to be like my other English class. Toward the middle of the semester, it had become one of those training for professional writers. The college-level readings and the writing skills. With me already taking an English 1020, some of the material was already familiar to me. One down fall I still lack is too many grammatical errors, but I feel I have improved a lot from last year. Therefore, that prepared me for academic grammar and the usage of appropriate writing style.

Wendy as a person is so wonderful. I just love her because she was so full of energy and understanding. Wendy-Summer Winters, her name explains everything because she is so seasonal and all around. She relates to everybody problems, she makes sure everybody is comfortable and knows what’s going on. Her energy just made me feel more engaged in the writings and reading that she prepared me for. When I got there I though she was going to be one of those off and on teacher but she proved me wrong.

The readings I read in Wendy’s class were so easy and had a flow. I could relate to all the reading to some part of my life. We didn’t do too many readings from the Language Awareness book. Wendy pulled a lot of online text for us to engage in. I read essays like “Street Haunting” by Virginia Woolf, which was complicated. Another reading that was complicated was “Hashish in Marseilles” by Walter Benjamin. Also “Going to Japan” one of the text from the Language Awareness book by Barbara Kingsolver.
The essays which were easy to me was “The Rake”, “Under the Influence”, “ In the Woods”, “So Long Ago”, and others which I could relate to. From family problems, drinking, and beating and memories all concluded the reading I mentioned earlier. Other ways Wendy helped me as a student were the blogs we were to do once a week. Which were basically free writes and some of the essays I did in class. I liked the blogs personally because it helped me mentally to have an open-mind.

The process which I must have to go though for a well written paper is not that long anymore. The authors made my writings more simple and effective for me. When I write now the reader can get a clear understanding, and the number of steps in a first draft paper. By reading the real world situated papers I can tell each author’s detailed and know what they were trying to get across to the readers. All the authors have their own techniques and points of views. Each essay were appropriate, so I was able to relate to the authors to master what message they were sending me as a reader.

The writing I did in class helped me as student to develop the ability to write different style I was taught in writing a essay. While writing these essays made me feel as if I was repeating my whole writing process over. While writing these essays I learned to combine my ideas with my readings in the text, so I can recognize the appropriate writing style. While writing, I learned to document my writing; that way I would not be borrowing authors’ words. I know I learned this process while in high school and also from my teacher from last semester stress this issue so strongly because its like stealing. Using quotations taught me the importance of using (MLA) format properly. After writing so many essays, the teacher brought in the processes that go along with writing my essays. I organize my essays by putting my ideas on paper, to create a draft which I can revise my work.

Peer review was used to share my ideas, and let others help me see some of my mistakes I made on my paper. Peer review, which was the best way to seek advice. To comprehend the writng process, I had to demonstrate quality for an academic college-level paper. As of now, I have gotten to the point were all of this is a refreshment and I’m pretty such it meet the requirement of an academic paper to get an A. I learned the flexibility of knowing what each type of essay meant. In the beginning I did not, but now after learning the next step in the essay process, it is not all that complicated. I discovered in writing all essays are not alike and I failed to realize that fact to now.

Each essay has a theme. To understand the theme, I must analyxe each type of essay. For instance, when quotations are used an author’s words are taken from an essay and put in my paper. The usuage of summary is when the author’s ideas and words are direct, but my opionion does not belong on the paper. When I paraphrase I must take direct words and put them in my own words. Parphrasing is summing up what I read. Synthesis, I learned that I must be able to tell what the authors are saying and compare and contrast the relationship of a group of essays. When using all the writing strategies in my paper, I have recognized and identified each standard academic grammar way of writing for a satisfactory grade. I have come to realize some factors that I am using to complete the requirements for being a successful writer.

Looking back from when I took my English 1020 class I thought I would never finish Wendy’s English class. I have done atleast five different types of essays, but all of them I have particully passed. I have a clear understanding of each essay, so I think if I could go back and do this class over and redo each essay I will succeed at a actual college level. Me knowing that I improved and knowing what I know now, I would get all A’s on my papers for my up coming 1020 class that I have to take over next semester. I have engaged in developing college-level papers and know what to expect so I am ready for what the road have in front of me, and I will continue to know so from now on and through out for any class that consist of writing.