Reflecting on my experience writing Essay 1, I learned that following specific instructions was crucial. For example, I now understand that when the assignment asked for a thesis statement about an idea in the Rader article, it was necessary to focus solely on that specific requirement. This meant carefully analyzing the Rader article to identify a clear and focused idea to center the thesis statement around. Additionally, I realized the significance of providing in-text citations for all attributed quotes, as demonstrated in the student’s essay. Understanding the importance of properly attributing sources and using citations has not only improved the credibility of my work but has also helped me avoid unintentional plagiarism. These realizations have changed my approach to writing assignments. I now pay closer attention to the details outlined in the instructions to ensure that my work meets the specific criteria, and I am more diligent in incorporating proper citations to support my arguments and ideas.
Daily Archives: September 30, 2024
Writing essay one was challenging for me because of the multi-layered aspect of this assignment. Even though this was an opinionative essay I struggled to write my essay following such specific guidelines. Due to these guidelines, for a while my paper felt “stiff”; it lacked flow and individualism. Another struggle I faced was critiquing the sample student essay. The process felt harsh, but to follow the instructions given to me, I had to ensure the student properly adhered to the guidelines given. One lesson I’ve learnt is the importance of having your essay line up with your thesis statement. I realized that while writing my essay, all my main points hinged on what is written in my thesis. It is also important to ensure the body of your essay is not contradictory to the thesis statement. Due to this realization, I approached my thesis differently. I spent extra time to ensure that I had a thesis that effectively expressed my thoughts on the sample student essay.
My experience with writing Essay Number One was an unexpected rollercoaster. I was so intent on ensuring everything was perfect. I wanted to include every quote seamlessly without skipping a point in the outline so badly that I forgot what the substance of the Sample Essay was really about. I had slipped up on something I should have noticed all because I wanted to make sure that I did the essay on time and that it made complete sense, grammatically. So I realized that sometimes I need to step back and take my time with my outline at first and not overlook the pre-writing assignments as just part of my homework but rather as a stepping stone for what my essay will consist of. This will change my approach to writing essays for the rest of the semester because for one, I haven’t written an essay in a long time and I feel a lot more comfortable now, and two, I think I finally got my rhythm of how ill be setting up my essays and to ensure I won’t procrastinate write a paragraph day by day so I can take time with my thoughts. I’m very excited about the next essay and I hope that my revision for the first essay is better than the last.
Writing Essay 1 taught me how important it is to have an established thesis statement. At first, I believed I could sum up the narrative without presenting a strong argument, but this criticism made it clear to me that the essay is guided by an insufficient basis. I’ve also discovered that providing numerous quotes and in-depth research are essential for bolstering my arguments. There was one instance in particular where I used a quote but forgot to clarify its meaning. This helped me realize that I need to make a connection between the quote and my main point in order to make it meaningful. In order to make sure I have a strong thesis and an obvious organizational framework, I intend to devote more time to outlining my essays in the future. Additionally, I’ll make sure to Increase the amount of supporting details and proof in each area of the essay; I’ve found that this makes the essay considerably stronger. This assignment has undoubtedly altered my writing style by putting more emphasis on the coherence and depth of my ideas.
In writing the Essay # 1, I realized that I struggled with proper formatting and misused quotes, which weakened my argument. My citations were inconsistent, and I did not integrate quotes smoothly into the text. Also after reading Professor’s comment, I realized that I used too much of the abstract language which clouded my message, making it harder to communicate clearly. These mistakes obstructed the overall flow and clarity of my essay. Moving forward, I plan to focus on improving my formatting by closely following MLA guideline. Additionally, I will work on selecting more relevant quotes and include them naturally, ensuring they support my points effectively.
My experience with writing essay 1 was eye opening. We were supposed to evaluate the student sample essay and critique it. I realized that writing this essay showed the many mistakes one can make. I originally said I liked the essay because I thought it followed the criteria and it was very informative. As I reevaluate, I notice there are some errors on the format and missing some of the criteria of the essay. When I said “The body of the student essay does follow the criteria of the essay.” I was wrong because the essay was missing some in text citations. In text citations are important because it tells the reader whose idea it was and it avoids plagiarism. If I utilize the pre-writing assignments it’ll help me stay on track and follow the criteria.
