My Destination

To me, writing is a lot like driving. Just like driving, there are many simultaneous and tedious things that go into writing. The point of both is to reach a destination, an end goal. In writing, the topic is the road and every driver on a specific road is on their way to a similar destination, or outcome. On this road anything can happen, maybe you run into a roadblock, or procrastination, writer’s block, or you have to completely change your route or destination, starting completely over with a new topic. Things like this are bound to happen to you when you are out driving around, or when you are typing up your latest essay, the point is to not let it fluster you and be prepared to make adjustments.

Direction In Writing

 Direction is everything in regards to reaching your goal. You have to pre determine the route you plan to take the same way you outline and brainstorm what you are going to write. For example, for our Inquiry Essay, we were assigned to pick a model essay as a means to have a strong foundation before we started. The key was to pick a great model essay that had a clear format and direction of where the ideas were going. For me it had to be a model that allowed me to fully explain my evidence without creating lengthy paragraphs. This model allowed me to acknowledge and support my information in an efficient and effective way. The screenshot below shows a fairly small paragraph filled with tons of information and evidence.

Also, first and second drafts were great ways of improving the essays we wrote throughout the semester(See drafts below). Peer review and feedback in general is an important reflection tool to make your essay as great as it could be. You have to have peers that listen carefully and provide constructive feedback. You have to watch the people you let into your car. Having a good backseat driver that watches out, checks your blind spots for you is the same as having a peer who reads what you have and tells you how to improve and add on to it. Peer Review and feedback were an important part of class this semester. For every major essay, be it the Source Based Essay, or the Inquiry Essay, participating in peer review was necessary. Workshops with my classmates helped the most throughout the process. Specifically during the Composition in Two Genres and sourced based essay assignments. 

The feedback I received in this workshop helped greatly improve one of the pages in the essay. For the most part in the beginning of that assignment, I was not sure on what I could incorporate into my assignment. Based on multiple conversations with peers I had regarding my topic, I was able to come up with my two genres for the assignment. This paired with the feedback from Professor Jean Pierre, allowed me to create something that I am very proud of.

Navigating Sources

 On the way there will be plenty of turns that will shape and form your experience on the road, or creating your essay.  In this context, the other drivers on the road with you symbolize evidence, sources, what makes your essay credible. This is because you have to react to what they do, good drivers create a smooth and safe journey the same way good evidence bolsters you essay, but if the other drivers are reckless and hazardous then it becomes harder to navigate. In my experience this semester, I’ve had my fair share of sources that benefited me and ones that I had to cut out of my research. For example, in the Inquiry Based Research Essay, I saw myself struggling to find sources. This was because my inquiry question was not yet complete, it was broad to the point where I was finding sources that did not do anything for my essay. I was like a driver in a traffic jam, going nowhere and I needed to make changes. Once I narrowed my question and focused on a specific aspect of the bias against female athletes, the sources became credible, genuine, and informative, in turn creating a smooth and clear road to my final essay.  

My Perspective

As a driver in real life, I think I’m pretty safe and alert at all times. As a writer in the beginning of this semester? I was oblivious, inconsistent and for the most part indifferent about writing. I looked at writing as a chore, something that I did at school and only consisted of boring essays. I did not consider the credibleness of sources, or the content inside, or even analyze, or dig deeper at all. I was the driver that made everybody’s life harder on the road. Now at the end of my semester, I realize that there are many forms of writing, many genres and all require different types of writing styles. I also now see how important it is to plan my writing, brainstorming, drafts, etc, these are all ways to plan and perfect what I am writing.  I finally understand the significance of rhetorical terms such as audience, genre, and purpose. I did not After all the assignments this year, I believe now I think critically and analyze when I look at a reading, also when looking for evidence. I am able to see rhetorical terms and it makes writing much easier. Audience, purpose, genre, medium, tone, and rhetorical situation, are all important components to a piece of writing. Practicing them consistently across two english classes all semester has definitely improved my overall quality of writing as a college student.