In my experience with Essay 1, I kinda did struggle because I didn’t know if I was understanding the instructions correctly. I still have not gotten graded for my first essay so I don’t really know how I did. I did learn from a teacher perspective that it’s hard to follow an essay if it’s not organize. Something I did learn was how important it is to follow the instructions. The instructions are like the outline of the essay and making sure you are checking each point really does help to see what you miss and keep the essay organize. This is something I never really put much attention to and because of that I also struggled in how to start an essay. Something else I learned is how to make a proper thesis and the importance it has when making an essay and why it should not be a statement.
Daily Archives: February 26, 2025
After not having been in school for a decade, I feel really proud of myself for Essay 1! Having not written an essay in such a long time, I was concerned that I may miss something detrimental or wouldn’t be able to follow the instructions. Because of this, I kept rereading my essay and wondering if it was good enough. Essay 1 helped me prove to myself that I am capable of doing well on assignments of a similar nature which well help me be more confident going forward. Something I could have done to get a higher grade was to read the class instructions more closely. For example, I lost points because my quotes were three sentences. I remembered reading that a class rule is that quotes can’t be longer than three lines. But that’s just the thing I wasn’t absorbing correctly! Three lines not three sentences. Specificity is key, and I will be sure to be more attuned to these particularities going forward!
My essay was a valuable learning experience, and I gained important insights into writing. I discovered numerous ways to enhance my work, including the importance of closely following instructions and staying focused on the main topic. One key takeaway was the necessity of being specific and incorporating quotations correctly. I also realized how crucial vocabulary and grammar are, especially when transitioning between ideas to maintain clarity and flow. Based on the feedback I received, I’ve realized several areas where I can improve my writing. One major issue was my introduction—it did not properly introduce the title and author of the story and article, which is essential for clarity. Additionally, I need to ensure that I fully understand and respond to the assignment prompt. Instead of addressing the task correctly, I misrepresented the argument of the Rader article, which shows that I need to analyze sources more carefully before writing about them. Another key area for improvement is clarity and specificity in my language. My feedback contained vague statements that did not clearly explain my points. Moving forward, I will be more precise by identifying specific background information and evidence rather than making broad, unclear statements. Formatting is another aspect I need to work on. I overlooked discussing the student’s formatting and also need to review MLA style for my own work. This will help ensure my citations and overall structure meet academic standards. while my essay had some strengths, I recognize that I need to refine my thesis, improve my clarity, and pay closer attention to both content and formatting. I will use this feedback to strengthen my future writing and produce more polished, well-structured essays. I put in my best effort, but I also acknowledge that there is always room for improvement. Moving forward, I will apply what I […]
After rereading my essay with the feedback I received, I see the areas I can improve. When I stepped back from my first essay experience this semester, I realized I doubted myself through every step to the point where I deleted sentences that could have helped at the end. This overthinking led me to believe that I was being too personal in the essay, but when I reviewed it again with the feedback I realized that I could have used it to my advantage instead. This experience also helped me see the need to manage my time better. I will give myself more time to review each reading carefully and jot down anything that comes to mind instead of dismissing my ideas. This also extends to giving myself enough time where I can step back from my final draft and come back to it with fresh eyes so I can trust myself as a writer and be confident that the work I send in is what I really feel.
