Anny Sam
Professor Graves
ENG 2150
5/21/19
I noticed I have always struggled with 3 things in writing, having a professional voice, providing more analysis, and backing up my claims which are also generalizations without evidence. Both assignment 1 and 2 tackle all these problems. I’ve learned to begin to know my boundaries when writing with a casual voice depending on what I’m writing. I’m getting more used to providing more analysis and detail to my papers and connecting my claims to my argument is getting to be a lot easier. I remember struggling with finding a central theme in my papers back in highschool and ENG 2100 but now it has become much easier. I have gotten more used to (but never will be completely used to) the papers that exceed 5 pages in length. That was probably the longest paper I have written back in high school and to think my first year in college my papers have been longer than 10 pages.
In addition, I’m probably most proud in being able to connect all my ideas together because I honestly remember that being such a problem for me back in 2100. But now, connecting my ideas to my central argument is becoming easier and probably is one of the most improved skills I have received since fall term. Analyzing things in different aspects were difficult for me as well and I feel like I have come a long way since the beginning of my freshman year. Analyzing things either zooming in or out is still on the learning curve for me. But, that curve is going up as it is getting easier thankfully! When you said to analyze more in my first assignment, to see what the point of everything was and what the bigger picture was of the song and episode, surprisingly did not take me long to realize what the scene and song represented as a whole. I think that is a sign that I’m doing better at analyzing things and I’m truly grateful for that. I still struggle with making generalizations when writing. It’s like when I read over my paper I know what I mean and I automatically assume that its general logic but I need to step out of my head because that is hurting my writing. What’s ironic is that when I read other people’s paper I notice all the generalizing they do but I don’t realize it in my own paper. Or even when I know I’m making a claim that is general, I thought I explained it and backed it later on in the paragraph but I guess not because it’s still too vague. Thus, I need to work on stopping myself from making generalizations and backing my claims with evidence so they won’t become generalizations.
If I’m being honest, I have no idea what challenges I still face as a writer as I head into my future courses in my major. First off, I’m planning to switch my major from marketing to accounting to try that out and I have no idea how that’s going to be like so I’ll have to see on that. And also, even thinking about both majors, I don’t know where writing comes to play. I guess for marketing, I would have to write and persuade in presentations so whatever I say makes sense and makes it look like I know what I’m talking about. Writing what I’m going to say beforehand would help on that. Making an argument clear about a product or something, which I have learned to do in this course, can apply to my marketing job. As for accounting, I don’t know. I don’t really know too much about accounting as a career but I assume it’s all numbers so words don’t really get involved. But hopefully this class prepares me for the workload in English 2850.
Your courses have been one of the heaviest workloads out of the 4 other classes I’m taking, and it’s English. My English teacher (you) gives me as much work as my Business Law class, but I’ve learned a lot so I’m grateful to have had you for the past 2 semesters, especially in my freshman year. You have given me a warm welcome into this school and you have been one of my favorite professors, if not my favorite, I’ve had throughout my freshman career and I couldn’t have been more thankful to have had such a great professor. I know you said I don’t need to flatter you, it’s just a pure and honest thank you for giving me the honor of getting to know you and being your student. I’m very upset I won’t be having you again as a professor but I hope you remember me if I’m ever in the English department.