The first blog post I published mentioned how I would hope to improve on the conciseness and clarity of my writing, in preparation for graduate school, and future endeavours. Reflecting upon the assignments I have completed, I witness true value in the giving and receiving peer reviews, and the opportunity to revise my work. Although the rigour of my other courses have prevented me from making immediate changes to my work upon receiving the feedback, editing my assignments after some time actually situates me in the role of a reader, offering new perspectives on how the writing was or was not effective. For instance, my peers were quick to point my tendency to over-use words, and would offer helpful rephrasing tips. However, there were certain assignments, such as the my progress report, where I became a little ‘stubborn’, and frustrated because I did not know how to condense my writing while effectively communicating my ideas. In retrospect, allowing more time before re-editing the assignment would have been helpful, or I could have asked those around me to read my assignment, but such difficulties contributed to vast improvements in my writing.
I am also appreciative of the instructor’s feedback, as the comments reinforced my efforts and dedication, allowing me to see that I am gradually improving. Near the end, with assignments such as the email memorandum to Evan Crisp, I had noticed a significant difference in the length of my assignments, in comparison to the beginning of the term. The You-Attitude and mitigation of imperatives professionally conveyed my ideas, and the writing process became more enjoyable, I was finally beginning to see a positive change in my writing techniques.
I strived to utilize the same writing style for larger assignments, such as my application package and the formal report, but eventually became overly concerned about the conciseness of each sentence. I would spend over 75 minutes on one paragraph, obsessing over the sentence structure and re-writing it so many times, that it began to sound awkward. After many editing phases, I have come to the conclusion that quality is much more valuable than quantity, which is an insight I will carry along with me as I embark my fourth year of my kinesiology degree, and my ultimate goal of pursuing research in human movement. I am passionate about the physiological and sociological aspects of the human body, but regardless of the masters and PhD program I pursue, the You-Attitude, conciseness, and an active, professional tone in my writing are new skills that I will communicate in applications, emails and letters.