Journal #7 - Improvements In Writing

First year composition at the University of Arizona has made me realize that I can always become a better writer, and that multiple drafts are always a necessity. In high school I always received A’s on English class papers and in college this has changed. English 102 specifically has given me the knowledge and skills for me to be able to critically analyze and improve upon my papers as well as my classmate’s papers. It has been surprising for me to realize how my writing can improve and how much I have grown as a writer since I came into college level English classes. My first paper in English 101 I was good at focusing on a purpose and writing for certain audiences and as the course of the year continued I became better and better at understanding the idea that it takes multiple drafts to create and complete a successful text. In high school and at the start of college I would generally complete two or three drafts and call my paper good, now however I complete four edits and am still realizing that there is more I can add, take out or change about my paper. I have always been generally good at formatting texts and controlling syntax, grammar, punctuation and spelling. In all my papers there are always some errors with grammar but overall I feel even with those errors I have improved. After going back through my first English 101 essay I also realized that I was trying to sound smarter and more intelligent by changing my tone, which I now know is not necessary. As I look back on my first paper I also realize I still wrote like I did in high school. I started my paragraph off with a question and my title was even a question.

Some advice I would give to students just starting out in first year composition would be:
1) Do not procrastinate! In English classes it will be necessary to start your papers right when you get the assignment so you can make as many drafts as needed, and you will need time to brainstorm ideas.
2) Go to your teacher’s office hours, the Writing center, and have your peers or critique your essays. It is always best to get the most feedback possible for your paper.
3) Realize that attendance is important in all your classes. In English coming to class is necessary to fully understand the assignments and to learn how to better rhetorically analyze different texts and peer editing in class also is helpful.
4) After writing your paper, read the paper aloud or have someone read your paper to you, often you will find you made careless mistakes that don’t sound right.
5) Use your agenda often and plan out a schedule so you don't fall behind in any of your classes.
6) Look up your teachers on ratemyprofessors.com or websites similar to this to make sure you don't get into a completely horrible class that will be hard to switch out of.