Throughout this semester we were able to effectively use the eight-course learning outcomes in our assignments. This enabled me to acknowledge both my many strengths and weaknesses. My strengths throughout my papers included acknowledging the audience’s linguistic differences, negotiating my own writing goals, engaging in genre analysis, formulating a stance, and using various library sources. For example, throughout the first project, the Technical Description, we had to find an object and break it up into at least five parts explaining its various functions and its uses. I chose the DC OG Legacy shoes and throughout the paper, I had to use various library sources on the internet including news articles, magazine articles as well as first-hand reviews of the shoes. I used these different library sources in order to take a stance and show the audience what these shoes are used for and in detail how all the different parts work to serve the main function of the shoe. This example is also my least favorite work because of my weaknesses. In this paper, some learning outcomes I neglected were drafting, quoting, and citing sources in the correct Apa seven format. If I could go back I would spend more time on fixing my citations under all the figures and the grammar by taking a closer look at my draft. Another example is the Rhetorical Analysis paper which is my favorite paper from this course. We were able to take a close look at a research paper done by scholars throughout the CCNY database in order to learn how they formulate their research paper and take notes. In this paper my strengths were engaging in genre analysis in order to explore their effective writing and implement it into mine. Such as the way the paper was organized and the different models used such as CARS and IMRaD. My weakness once again was looking over my draft. If I had more time I would go over my draft and make sure it is grammatically correct.

My writing as a whole was decent but there is always room for improvement. In all the papers I had more strengths than weaknesses based on the learning outcomes. Some examples of this as shown in the examples above prove I did well on acknowledging the audience’s linguistic differences, negotiating my own writing goals, engaging in genre analysis, formulating a stance, and using various library sources. Grading wise all of my papers came back as 80s or higher, implying there is room for improvement. In order to improve I have to take a closer look at my drafts to fix my citing and quoting errors and write them into the correct apa seven format. I also have to work on my group work skills in order to get my points across to my peers. From these skills I want my work to portray my ideas in a way that the audience can understand my point and even think about it after they are done reading. This is a powerful tool in life which is used throughout anyone’s work and social life. Someone that is able to convey information and ideas in an understandable way is heard more than someone who isn’t. As if now my work is understandable and shows I am capable of getting work done. Although it is still not perfect I hope to keep learning in order to reach my maximum potential.

This course has enabled me as a writer to take into account the importance of being able to express my ideas or findings in a literate manner. In the past I wrote just for the grade and followed the classic five paragraph essay style. What I didn’t notice were the many other writing techniques such as the ones we used in this class. My plain and simple writing was able to achieve filling out all the prompts and word counts but this class has enlightened me with new knowledge such as the different learning modules that can be used as well as all the different formats we used throughout our papers such as the rhetorical analysis and technical description. Using this knowledge I can now with confidence say I am able to properly use some of these learning modules as a strength. I was able to learn the importance of what format to use and the appropriate way to cite sources even if it’s still one of my weaker skills. This course has taught me the importance of being able to write in a way that gets my ideas across to the audience to the point where they can not just understand it but even discuss and add on to the ideas.

Some of my writing habits and processes include first understanding what is being asked. This is where I start formulating an idea of how to tackle the prompt. From here once I am certain of my stance I am able to organize how I want to write my paper. From here I take about two sessions of just sitting down and writing in order to finish my paper. This usually works very well for me with most of my papers coming back as 80s or higher. With that being said since they aren’t all 100s a lot of improvements can be done. For example some of my flaws consist of finishing my paper and not taking the time to review and forming new drafts. Finishing my paper in two sessions is probably a habit or technique I should improve on. Instead of two maybe a third session is required just to go over my paper. For example a proof of this is shown in my Rhetorical Analysis paper. On my first submission the paper received a lot of feedback from my professor with comments that I might have caught by myself if I had reviewed my paper. The feedback comments left on my paper by professor Susan Delamare such as “You need to add clarity. This paper creates a research space (CARS) by answering a question about the extent to which students lose or retain knowledge over the summer break.” This helped me review and edit my paper by adding new sentences. I was also able to format it in apa seven style. After my resubmission I was able to get a much higher grade which I was content with and serves as proof that these new techniques or habits can positively impact my writing.

In this course I was able to understand and implement new learning techniques into my writing. I think I overall did a good job in this course with keeping track of my assignments and making sure to attend the classes. We also got the chance to collaborate with others which is where I participated the most to figure out our collaborative project. Through these breakout rooms we were also able to have a conference with our professor and ask questions. I did not visit the writing center which I should from now on but a big part of what helped my writing was the feedback provided by the professor and the breakout room activities where we gave each other feedback. This allowed me to give a more detailed answer, improving my overall writing.