So far this class has been very interesting and certainly a bit challenging for me. My biggest challenge has been in terms of incorporating quotes. Paraphrasing and incorporating research is something I am just getting comfortable with. I am a bit rusty with using citations and quotations properly, but I know I have improved quite a bit in a short period of time. My biggest success, in my opinion, would be my unique writing style and my ability to use a broad vocabulary.
The readings in this class have affected me more than I had anticipated. Reading about the more painful aspects and situations in life is intense, but it leaves a lot of room for self- realization. The characters that are going through distress in most of these writings have it far worse than most of us. The anguish from these situations is described explicitly which leads to feelings of sympathy and it educates me as to how bad circumstances like War, really are.
Literary analysis is certainly new to me, but I like it. Most any paper I have written has been summary or basic research. I like the critical thinking aspect analysis brings. It is fairly easy to reiterate someone else’s thoughts without doing much work mentally. These texts we are reading are meant to be dove into. Without the analysis, the structure of these writings would be taken far too literally. The language used is very figurative and requires further interpretation.
My main goal for this semester was to really get the rules of citation down. Practice and research is getting me there. I have improved the flow and structure of my papers as well, especially my thesis statements. Mixing all these elements and maintaining fluidity is tricky but fun!
What I did not anticipate with this class was the amount of technology used. I have never written a blog before so I found it a bit challenging learning how to navigate a new website. Embedding videos and visual representations was also a foreign concept to me. After many attempts I am finally feeling comfortable with the process. I am even considering creating my own personal blog now. I really like mixing thoughts with pictures. This is a fun way to do that and share.
I feel I still have much to do in terms of polishing my pieces, but I have a nice foundation. I plan on continually revising my essays even after our class is over out of personal desire. Each time I read something I have written, I find something I’d like to elaborate or understand more. This is the beauty of an English class. It inspires students to analyze their own level of comfort with reading and writing. Self-improvement is an ongoing process and I always strive for it!
Thank you to my peers and especially to Mrs. Cline. All of your comments from discussion boards and edits are greatly appreciated and helpful. I hope you have a wonderful holiday season and cheers to the New Year!
Sincerely,
Amanda Colwell
hi
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