The initial Definition Assignment was quite challenging in terms of appropriately defining a word in multiple variations. The term “contingency” was quite complex and therefore there was struggle to simplify the term in a parenthetical definition. However, after further thought “contingency” was simplified, with the goal of being informative yet brief. Another obstacle of this assignment was providing a visual definition as there was a challenge with finding a diagram which guided and elaborated the definition rather than complicating the term. The compare and contrast extended definition was also challenging because comparing contingency to something more well understood and relatable was difficult to find.
The peer review process was extremely beneficial. Discovering new ideas for writing concisely through peer review was a new experience. Often times, understanding writing is simple when conducted alone, but when peer reviewed, there is more awareness towards weak or unclear sentences. Being provided with feedback from an individual who may not be familiar with “contingency” is the best way to receive feedback on clarity and conciceness.
Self editing this assignment was helpful in comparing the first draft to the final as it was noticeable that there were vague definitions. Additionally, students are often not granted this opportunity to revise an assignment after it has been graded so it challenging to be aware of areas where improvement is needed. While self editing, interpreting writing was different than before and it became easier to pick up on errors that were not stated in the peer review. Additionally, while revising , there was difficulty with leaving old writing habits behind and opting for conciseness as this is feedback received during peer review. It was noticeable that there was repetitiveness using “of” rather than being possessive while discussing the “home’s conditions” rather than “the conditions of the home”.
Overall, this three process assignment was very beneficial. To brainstorm a definition of contingency in six different ways and to use peer review to aid in revision was helpful.