Now that you've turned in some papers and we're looking at definition essays, I'd like you to reflect and compare what you've read in the past couple of days with your writing. What have you learned about your writing? What can you do to further improve your writing?
My writing could be up to the potential of the writers we have read. When I write, I write about things I'm passionate about. You can see my enthusiasm in my writing. For me, I would like to improve. I think structuring my essay better could help my writing improve. Also, better word usage. I would love to learn how to write as if it's just flowing from my mind. I think I just need more practice.
ReplyDeleteI'm definitely not working up to my full potential, and I'm fully aware of that. I apologize for my lax school work ethic lately. I know you'll say, I'm only hurting myself, and I can clearly see that. As for becoming a better writer, I think that my vocabulary could use some boosting, and I have obvious structure issues. I love to write; possibly more than any thing else out there. My number one problem is my endless book of excuses. I promise I'll burn the book and get back to where I need to be. It'll take some time, but I'm almost positive I can do it. Thank you Ms. Dyal.
ReplyDeleteMy writing skill is clearly not up to any other writers. I know I have not try my best in my essays. I know you will say that is not good and that I should already be better than before. I would like to improve on the usage of words and vocabulary words. I would like to learn a way that I can use my thought to express and describe what I really mean on paper. I will need time to practice my writing.
ReplyDeleteFor me, when I write, I sometimes write from my emotions too much and do not put enough facts into the essays to back up my point. I base my essay on emotions rather than factual events and that kind of messes up the whole structure of the essay. I would like to improve that throughout the rest of the school year and somehow learn how to balance the structure with the emotions out because I write with my emotions intact.
ReplyDeleteMost of my essays have been about my family and I think I learned that maybe that is the factor that I am most strong in. And I know that I have defintely improved my writing skills. I learned new ways to write essays and how to express things. Although I do hope to improve the structure of my essays and the word usage. But thank you for everything Ms.Dyal :)
ReplyDeleteEvery time I write my essays, I usually put myself in the audience's shoes. I want to write what they want to hear and also what I want to say. Sometimes, it does not make sense the way I structure my essay or talk about certain events but it all works out in the end. And reading the following essays by some authors, I feel as if I am writing a certain way as well. The way they use sarcasm or take an object and just keep describing to the point where it does not feel used or anything. I enjoy writing in this style as well and I think that with a little practice, I can try to create MY own style. However, I am glad Ms. Dyal provides us with so many essays by various authors because it teaches me to write in my own voice and style. :)
ReplyDeletethere are a couple of things that I've learned about my writing and things I need to work on. Sometimes I would write something and I would reread it and it wouldn't make any sense. So I need to figure out what's going on in my head before I write or go through twenty different drafts to get it perfect.
ReplyDeleteI would like to improve on the structure of my essays. I am still trying to break out of the five paragraph way of writing that I have used for all of my life and even now in APUSH. However, in terms of content and the style of my writing, it has improved quite a bit since taking this class. I think it is due to being able to choose our own topics. It is much easier to write about something you have feelings towards compared something that a teacher gives you. The semester isn't over and neither is my education of writing so I know that I have a bountiful amount of time to improve.
ReplyDeleteAs I reflect back on my writings I can pick out my favorites. The ones that I like the most are the ones where I got to choose the topic of my choice. For example I enjoyed about a place because I was able to describe a place where I love to be. However, when I had to write the comparison essay I think that it was not as well written because I was comparing two stories that were not that interesting to me. That’s why I feel that if I am writing about a topic of my choice my writing is better. However, I feel that by writing a variety of essays it's helping me in the long run. My writing has improved! However, I hope to become a better writer in which the topic is not of my choice.
ReplyDeleteGetting into more precise details of my writing I think there is a lot of room for improvement. I would like to use better vocabulary words. My transitional sentences also need help, I think that sometimes my writings lose flow because my transitional sentences are weak.
Writing to me hasn't always been the easiest of tasks to complete. Though, I've improved in last few weeks, it's still a difficult thing to complete entirely and in a meaningfully way. I know it will take determination, and time management in order for me to excel in my personal writing. Now, certain elements in my writing that I would like to improve are essay structure and vocabulary. Which because of this led me to carrying a small dictionary in my backpack. And knowing that in a few weeks the end of the semester will be here, I am hopeful that things will change soon.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I think that my writing could be up to par with many of the writers that we have read. I wish that I could just spit my thoughts out on to paper and they form magically into a fantastic essay. Obviously that's not how it works. The essays we read were not the first or second draft ; They were the result of many drafts written over and over again by the author. The authors anyalyze every word and phrase of their essay until it is absoulutely and positively perfect.
ReplyDeleteThat is what makes the diffrence between the writers we have been reading and me.
I find it hard to sit down and meticulously look at every word and phrase to see if it is conveying the message I want it to. I have never had the time or patience for this. I think this is because up until know it didn't matter if I turned in essay at the second grade or pulitzer prize level. It didn't matter.I would still get and A plus because the teacher was just grateful that I turned in an essay that was actually coherent and looked like I somewhat tried. I know, I know. If I want to become a better writer, I need to learn to break this habit. I think that I am slowly but surely breaking this habit.
Not only have do I have a hard time proofreading my essays, I have had a hard time developing my "voice". I still don't understand what that truly is . Like, How do you make your voice come across paper if you are not talking about something personal? I think that my problem is that I have a hard time writing in a way that does not sound academic. I have spent my entire life writing about topics that I am not passionate about so I approach all of my writing assignments in the same acadamic boring way. I think that my non-academic "voice" still needs a lot of working on. Although given time and practice, I think that I could a better job.
I have learned although it may not be perfect is still my writing and the only way it is going to get better is if I put work into it.
Wow. I only slightly over wrote. :)
My efforts at essays have deffinately given me valuable experience. I find that I have really grown from the first essay I wrote already. I feel that sometimes I do not let myself go enough- I try to stick to the points, and structure, and say what the audience needs to hear. I'm sure that I have higher potential, if I could get the essay flowing freely with with thsis still intact. This is where I need to get. Perhaps a better balance of proffesional and personal ...
ReplyDeleteThankyou for the experience Ms Dyal!
Dear Rachel Kassa.
ReplyDeleteYou are an overachiever. (:
told you i'd comment on your comment that is more like an essay (:
Over all with each lesson I feel like I am growing and improving. I think it's amazing how just learning a few simple tricks and styles of write can all of a sudden change my view towards writing. I think that definition writing is interesting because you don't really notice it until you know about it. I personally (before the definition lesson) wouldn't have thought the reading were definitions they seem more like narration or example essays but now that I understand definition essays I am really enjoying them. The readings are really interesting because I feel they have more meaning than some of the other stories we have read. I was surprised at how different writers defined different things. This unit it very intriguing.
ReplyDeleteI think that my essays definatly have room for improvement; I honestly think that I could write better and possible have better evidence.
ReplyDeleteBecause the structure of our essays are free style and not the basic 5 paragraph essay, I get thrown off when Im writing, so I somehow always go back to that structure.
A different structure is something I can work on.