It's a wrap

My first quarter in college is coming to a close. It's different than high school and it took awhile to settle for a good daily routine. At the start of my academic writing class we were asked who we were as a writer. I have stated many times that I am an average writer. These past ten weeks have given me a good view of how skilled I really am at writing. I am still average at best, but I have improved based on new research methods. As previously stated I have excelled in critical thinking and it has affected how I research a topic. I have also learned through the research process to closely read my resources to help pull out crucial points to support my argument on the topic. Everything has been helpful to improving my writing style. Who am I as a writer? I would say that I am someone who gathers as much information as possible to support my argument through research, and I make sure to receive feedback to help me find fix my mistakes, so I can become a better than average writer.

Critical Thinking and Writing

As previously stated I am an average writer, but with key elements I have improved my skills over the fall quarter. Critical thinking is actually something I have had success with in the past. I have used critical thinking extensively in academic writing. The research papers required me to integrate outside sources to support my arguments. I found the view they were trying to portray and I synthesized it with my point of view to make the overall paper better. Critical thinking has been helpful when I have to write the dreaded 5 page essay. Most of the time I would usually sit around and try to gather enough information on the thesis and I tend to only find a little at a time. Relating critical thinking into my writing process has made my papers more organized and understandable. Quoting outside sources to add further support to my thesis has been affected by thinking critically as well. Overall I have become a better writer, especially when it comes to research, due to the ability to add critical thinking to my study habits.

Reading and Research

Who am I as a writer is something I have thought about since the beginning of my acedemic writing class. It was the first question we had to answer for the class and I said that I was an intermediate writer who needs time to revise. After sitting through class the last few months I think I have improved as an overall writer. Some of the techniques I have improved include locating key points through close reading and using academic articles as research topics. I have never been the biggest fan of reading, but this year I have pulled many key points out of the text to add to my papers. The books contain material that support my point of view, but I had to read closely to find. Close reading can be heavily tied to research. The research I have had to do this quarter has almost driven me crazy, but it can provide key supporting evidence towards my essays. The best thing to research is an academic article because it is from a reliable source. These articles have assisted me in organizing my thoughts, which makes me an overall better writer. Without reading and research I would not have been able to improve my writing skills.

Whatever comes to mind

I usually go with whatever comes to mind in everyday life. The revision process is the same way. When I first write a paper I will combine my research with my own personal thoughts. The first time through I get everything I need and basically have it listed throughout the paragraphs. When I revise is when everything tends to come together. I go over every sentence and change it so it fits to the topic. Mainly I'll add whatever comes to mind about the topic that can make the paper better off in the long run. How boring would something be if you did not add your own personal ideas into into work. I think I would personally fall asleep if something was not written with personality added to it.

Essay 2

All this time off from class due to weather and holidays has given me a chance to focus on the essay. It is not the hardest paper I have ever written, but right now my essay seems to be in good shape, and I'm not sure if it's too long or not. Another aspect I am not sure about is if I have enough structure to relate Kathleen West's article to the identity of my blogger. Some possible feedback I may need to form the best possible essay has to relate to my grammer, quotations, and if my essay can relate to West's article. I also tend to have repetative word choice in my writing and I want to be sure that my essay doesn't say the same thing more than it needs to. I feel that my essay isn't too far off track, but with feedback I can be sure whether my research has been affective and my paper complete.

Crossroads

Right now, all I know about essay 2 is that I am going to use option 2 and choose an online blog as a source of identity. I will probably stick with a sports theme, so I do not have to alter my research strategies. I am not sure if I will stick with football or move to another sport. I might even consider following 1 team instead of a division. With the many probabilities I have come up with for this essay, I am at a crossroad when it comes to picking the best possible blog. My main struggle from the first essay had to do with the identity of the blogger. After successfully completing essay 1 and having access to multiple resources on blogger identity, I think that this project will not be as much of a burden as the first. Whatever struggle I may face, I plan to face it with a better understanding of bloggers and their identities.

And another article

Right now for essay number 2, I still need to find a blog that has a fun por interesting identity. I haven't really looked for a blog yet, but I do have a good source that can relate to the possible topic I might consider researching. The article,http://jcmc.indiana.edu/vol10/issue2/huffaker.html, examines online identities of teenage bloggers. It gives helpful differences between how male and female bloggers have similarities and differences as well as the flaws of online blogging. I don't know if it will help me or not, but this is the best I have found so far. It at least relates to the other material we are using for our essays. Until I can find a good blog to follow I am stuck with plenty of research with no subject. Overall, I think having three reliable sources is way better than having none on a subject. It broadens the number of blogs I will consider using for essay 2. The more the better.