Blog Post 6: What Have You Learned
Thus far, we’ve been focusing on the graphic novel Freshman, and we’ll return to it one last time before the semester ends. Now, however, is time to start thinking about what you’ve learned thus far in Engl 165 and what are still your biggest concerns with completing the semester successfully.
To accomplish this, look back on the chapters that your’ve read in both the Understanding Rhetoric and the They Say, I Say books, as well as the chapters we’ve completed in Academic Writing. Consider the following questions to guide your response, or go out on your own:
- What have been your favorite chapters thus far and why? (Give details)
- What have been your least favorite chapters thus far and why? (Give details)
- How do you honestly feel about your own writing?
- Where do you see your strengths?
- Where do you see your weaknesses?
- What kind of plan to you have to overcome your perceived weaknesses?
- What do you know thus far about Structure, Language, and References in the four disciplines that constitute academic writing.
One of my favorite chapters has been a more recent chapter, chapter 3 of understanding rhetoric. In this chapter it goes over identifying and writing identities. To go deeper into the chapter it explains what identity an author should be. For example should an author be personal, conversational, impersonal or mannered. Each one has a different reason to be used in writing. In my own opinion I really don’t have a least favorite chapter. I mean some are boring but they are very informative and key components in advancing in writing. I feel okay about my writing. I sometimes go more in detail in more things than others instead of having a balance in my writing. I see my strengths in having a good separation and transitions in my writing. I see most of my weaknesses in grammar and going off on things that I should not and get side tracked in my writing. I plan to overcome my weakness by writing more and trying to stay focused while I am writing and taking more breaks than I usually do because I like to write in long sittings. I have learned alot about Structure, Language, and References in the four disciplines that constitute academic writing. In each of the four disciplines Structure, Language, and References are different in each. For example, structure is different like for a humanities paper you follow the general guidelines like MLA format but for a scientific paper you are going to be more APA format.The next one is Language you are going to be more to the point in a Mathematical paper than a humanities paper. Lastly is References for MLA papers like humanities you are going to have a MLA references for a historical paper you are more likely are going to have a chicago style references.
Throughout this semester, I have learned a lot about myself as a writer and the foundations of academic writing. Looking back on what we’ve read in Understanding Rhetoric, They Say, I Say, and Academic Writing, I can see how much my approach to writing has developed. My favorite chapters so far have been from They Say, I Say, especially the ones that focus on entering the conversation and using templates to frame arguments. I liked these because they showed how writing is not just about expressing personal thoughts but responding to others and joining a broader discussion. These chapters helped me understand how to integrate quotes, counterarguments, and evidence smoothly. My least favorite chapters have been from Academic Writing when it discussed citation and reference structures. Although important, I find those sections a bit tedious and repetitive. However, I recognize that mastering citation styles like MLA and APA is essential for credibility and professionalism in academic work. Overall, I feel more confident in my writing now than I did at the start of the semester. My strengths lie in developing ideas and crafting introductions that hook readers. I also think I do well with tone and maintaining clarity. My weaknesses are time management and editing; I tend to rush through my drafts instead of revising carefully. To improve, I plan to dedicate more time to outlining before writing and to peer review before submitting assignments. From what I’ve learned so far, structure, language, and references differ across disciplines. Humanities papers focus on argument and interpretation, sciences value precision and data, social sciences rely on analysis and evidence, and professional writing emphasizes clarity and purpose. Understanding these distinctions helps me adjust my writing depending on the context, which I think will be one of my biggest takeaways from this course.
Dear Daniel,
I love how you gave specific details and examples of why you love Chapter 3. I totally get what you mean by sitting too long when writing, cause I do that too. I don’t have a favorite chapter, but I do like how the book offers tips for becoming a better writer. It is okay to go into detail on some things, but, as you said, you also need to maintain a balanced writing. I like that you know your strengths and weaknesses, because it makes you a better writer. If you didn’t know your strengths and weaknesses, then you might not know what to fix in your essays, and you could then become very frustrated. As a writer, you need to know that you become what you start writing. If you don’t know who you are as an author, writing will be extremely hard. I like how you are managing your writing very well. Even though you take more breaks from your writing, that’s good because you could spend your break doing other work for other classes. I totally get having a weakness in grammar. I feel like that is a common thing that a lot of people struggle with. I have an app called Grammarly that has really helped me with my grammar. I suggest getting it. This has really helped me with things like sending emails to professors, writing essays and assignments, and more! Knowing the four concepts is important for writing. If you don’t know them, you could have a hard time trying to write a paper. Knowing your paper’s structure will help you a lot with how to set it up. I am glad that you know what you need when it comes to writing, sitting down, and actually getting to work. I enjoy reading your blog post.