Well, here we are. The final assessment. This is where I will talk about the writing process, complete with my strengths and weaknesses. Originally needing this course as a requirement for my degree, this has proved different from other English courses I have taken in the past, providing useful and real world applications to writing that will be used in the real world.
Over the course of this term, we dove into many writing techniques and scenarios I never experienced before. I improved my ability to write in professional situations, and began employing the YOU-attitude, which will be an invaluable tool for future writing exchanges outside this course. Shifting from use of pronouns and imperative verbs to “-ing” verbs proved difficult, but there has been refinement in the style of my writing throughout this course. Writing the reflection blogs were the most enjoyable assignments for me, as I prefer the casual tone acceptable in a blog style post.
On the other hand, this course has highlighted areas of weakness. Towards the end of the term, these assignments challenged my time management skills, often resulting in stressful finishes of assignments that I struggled to push through and feel confident with. Academic writing has never been my strong suit, but having a peer review process proved helpful. Being put in the role of reviewer increased my awareness of writing styles, tones, and abilities which could take into consideration for my assignments. I still have to be actively aware for my excessive use of pronouns, but this course has been great for bringing attention towards this fault. Another trait of mine brought to the surface has been use of redundant words. I have a tendency to try and sound more sophisticated than I need to be, leading to unnecessary or overly-complicated word choices and sentences. I believe this awareness is the first step to beginning to adjust and change those habits.
I believe the progress I made throughout the term will become helpful once I am required to write professionally, and my ability to adjust to comments and critiques are important in any situation. I learned how to explain terms that may need more detail depending on the audience, how to provide reviews of others work in a positive and respectful tone, and the importance of re-writing and improving my work. This course will without a doubt prove helpful for my future.