Reflecting More on My Writing Process

In this blog post, I will answer some questions about myself as a writer in English 109.

"Monday Morning Pugs," Olivia Wann (@nakedpugs via instagram).  

1. I think my biggest challenge this semester was grasping the prompts. I eventually got it, but I really wanted to understand, so that I could address all of the parts. I think my biggest challenge was project two, "You have been asked to write an analytical document by a distinguished professor in your department" (Bottai). This project took a few re-reads of the prompt.

2. I learned that I'm pretty good under pressure. Yes, I care about my grades and work, but I do not let it make me stressed out and worried. I like to have balance in my life- there is no way that I will now or ever spend hours everyday working on homework. I am able to get my writing assignments done pretty quickly.

3. Before this class, I wasn't too familiar with many genres. I now know different genres and understand that not every writing assignment is an "essay." There are many different genres to write in, and I actually love the QRG and Blog genres.

4. I will definitely be more honest and opinionated in my writing. It's refreshing to not write everything so formally, and I think that you see someone's true colors when they're able to express themselves in writing however they want.

5. I think that my most effective moment was in my 3rd project: "Artificial sweeteners are everywhere- stevia, splenda, extra...you’ve seen them. They’re pushed on diabetics especially because they contain no calories and make foods sweet. They’re FDA approved so they may seem safe, but studies show that they can have negative impacts to your body. Since they don’t raise your blood sugar, your brain doesn’t do as good of a job at telling you that you’re full. This can make you eat even more than you normally would. Also, they can cause changes in the content of microorganisms in your gut, which can also cause weight gain." I think that it it effective because it's simple but gets the point across.

6. I think that my least effective moment was in project 2: "When analyzing an act of public argument, it is important that you cover all of your bases. Doing research on the author is crucial because it can give you insight into their credibility and any biases that they may have. Looking into the target audience can show you why they use the techniques that they do to prove their points. Also, look at the strategies that they use. Are they focusing on one more than the other? Why do they use the ones that they do? In the field of nutrition, you must look at all sides of the story in order to provide the most unbiased argument as possible." I didn't really get the prompt as well as I wish I would have.