Reflective Essay

Christian Vargas on Writing

    At the beginning of the semester I thought of myself as a rather proficient writer. I was relatively confident in my writing skills, having already taken one semester of college level English. Unlike last semester, I knew what I was walking into, and this time around I didn’t walk into the course feeling intimidated, and anxious. From the very beginning, I was deeply aware that there were still some things I needed to learn and have reiterated, such as the importance of a well structured introduction and thesis. This second semester of English 114B well-appointed the fundamental principles of a well structured thesis. In short, my first semester of college level English was quite interesting, and since English and writing have always been some of my favorite subjects throughout my years of education, I was undoubtedly looking forward to undergoing the second semester.

    This semester I was expecting or hoping to explore more exercises that involved creativity, similar to past assignments in English 114A. My hopes and expectations were definitely met through Project Web, Project Space, and Project Text. Within these projects, I was given the liberty to create a descriptive and educational website about Google, explore how Ralphs supermarket uses particular methods and tactics to get you shop, and analyze dense literary works such as Watchmen. Personally, I find it terribly vital and significant for a literary piece to be constructed in a form that gives the writer a voice, a personality, and I feel that these three projects demonstrated that.

    Reflecting on this second semester, I learned a wide variety of disciplinary applications in writing I didn’t notice last semester, such as never beginning a paragraph with a quote to introduce a new source. To get your paper off to a great start, you should try to have a first sentence that engages your reader with your ideas. Think of your first sentence as a hook that draws your reader in. As you researched your topic, you probably discovered many interesting anecdotes and quotes, but these should be used to back up your claim and not simply just to make your claim. An engaging introduction should introduce your ideas as well, not just someone else’s. In short, I learned this semester that its little things like this that create a strong beginning.

    This semester, techniques in avoiding “hit-and-run” quotations were also reiterated, which are situations in which the writer fails to introduce the quotation appropriately or explain why he or she finds it worth quoting. The writer simply abandons the quotation in his or her rush to zoom on to another point, because of this, the reader is undeniably entrenched in an arduous situation, because the lack of tools and explanation. It makes it completely incomprehensible for the reader to not only understand what you are trying to say, but also what the author you are quoting is arguing. Neglecting quoted words doesn’t explain how the author’s words connect with anything you have to say. Undeniably, a writing application like this is awfully imperative in the Art of writing; I’m glad I had the opportunity this semester to master the principle.

    Another application that I didn’t necessarily learn, but was reminded of it’s importance,
was having a solid introduction and conclusion. Throughout the course Professor J. reiterated the
lesson with each of our writing assignments, similar to last semester. The introduction is the most read section of any paper or document, so it holds countless significance.  Mainly because it usually determines your reader's attitude towards the whole work, and if it is boring your reader might not pay proper attention to the rest of your essay. As for the conclusion, it should make your essay complete and leave the final impression on your reader. One thing I will never forget about a conclusion is how it should not contradict or deviate significantly from the main idea of your essay. A strong conclusion is essential, because it’s what your reader remembers last.

    As a writer, I now feel confident in writing solid thesis statements. I’ve become skilled at writing a rich thesis statement, and setting a vibrant tone in the framework of the entirety of my papers. A thesis statement is considered critical because it captures the whole argument in just a single sentence. It’s also important because it informs the reader of your purpose in writing the paper, and the direction you plan on taking. Last semester I felt like I still needed a bit of improvement on writing thesis statements, luckily this semester really enhanced my ability on writing a concrete thesis.

    I plan on continuing to improve as a writer through my upcoming years in college and in my future occupation, by understanding how writing is a form of communication. In the real world, academic writings that consists of a well articulated framework is essential for your career. In short, utilizing writing in my personal life will enable me to accomplish my goals in my chosen career. In the end, English 114B not only helped me understand these points, but broadened my horizons of the literary world.