Reflecting More on my Writing Experiences

In this post, I will reflect on my writing experiences.

Downing, Jenny. "bubble." 05/17/2012 via Flickr. Attribution 2.0 Generic License. 

1. What were the biggest challenges you faced this semester, overall?

• Firstly, I am very much a procrastinator, so I was worried that those traits would get in the way of my success. However, I think I managed to achieve a good amount of productivity within the semester with these habits and am quite pleased with myself. Also, having no background in the many types of writing was a difficulty. I was used to writing purely academic essays and learning the QRG genre was my favorite. 

2. What did you learn this semester about your own time management, writing and editorial skills?

• My time management skills definitely need some work, because I always found myself in a rush to get many things done, and I reached maximum stress levels many times. My writing skills are pretty decent, I think, so I am happy with them. They probably grew a bit with the many contexts we wrote in. My editorial skills definitely grew, as I was looking to change individual things every time I edited, and that was a great skill to have. 

3. What do you know about the concept of 'genre'? Explain how understanding this concept is central to being a more effective writer.

• Writing in many genres has taught me to be aware of many different styles and types of contexts. A genre is like a set form of writing, with specific characteristics and formats. It includes unique images uses, tone uses, rhetorical strategies, etc. This is absolutely essential to being an effective writer, and I will use the skills I learned in this class for future use. 

4. What skills from this course might you use and/or develop further in the next few years of college coursework?

• I will use the skills I learned in this class for my future science writing. The research aspect of this class was very useful in helping me develop what kinds of resources are truly credible and which are not, as well as help me choose what information is crucial and will help my build my argument. I want this skill to grow, so I can better grades on my lab reports. 

5. What was your most effective moment from this semester in 109H?

• My most effective moment(s) in this class were whenever I had to write my final drafts. My rough drafts were always pretty rough, but I did really try on the finals, and I was always pleased by the end of the project. I really enjoyed the different aspects of every project that I had to conform to, because it was challenging and helped me adapt my skills as a writer. 

6. What was your least effective moment from this semester in 109H?

• My least effective moment in this class was the week that I published four posts a day late. It had been a pretty busy week and I was very tired, so I fell asleep the night before on my laptop, even though I was trying to finish the weeks blog posts in a few hours. It made me realize that I needed to pull myself together, and I haven't turned in anything late since.