Veiga1

Jaida Veiga

Mrs.Tubbs

English 1301-054

August 11, 2020

Final Reflection

When I first joined English 1301, I was afraid that I did not have enough experience in

writing. In my previous English courses, I was not taught proper grammar skills, how to write

lengthy papers, and was not prepared for college-level classes. This class definitely made my

point of view of English and writing turn around. Throughout the time I spent learning in this

class, I have improved my writing skills and developed new skills that will help me in the future.

While taking English 1301 with Mrs.Tubbs and my fellow peers, I developed an ability to

improve the way I write essays. Before this course, I had a very hard time thinking of topics to

write about and how to revise my work. I hated taking criticism from my peers, but have since

learned that they are only trying to help me. By engaging in activities like peer views and

breakout rooms, I learned that I have to start looking at the strengths and weaknesses of my

essays. For example, I have improved on my ability to revise and edit drafts but still have

problems with incorporating detailed descriptions in my essays, and that is okay. A very

important moral that this class taught me is that it is okay not to be perfect the first time. My first

drafts are never perfect but as time goes on they will get better.

During the time I spent in this class, I also learned how to use the writing process and

how to improve my writing skills. I was taught how to properly use the MLA format, how to use

citations, how to write a literacy narrative, and how to paraphrase quotes. Concerning my writing
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skills, I was very bad at editing and revising drafts. Before this class, I always wanted my first

draft to be the best and disliked deleting sentences for some odd reason. I have since learned that

deleting sentences or even paragraphs can be a good thing. Now, if a sentence does not make

sense, flow in a paragraph, or correlate with the thesis statement, I am comfortable with deleting

it from the essay completely. Another new skill I developed was the use of macro and micro

editing. In previous classes, I was told to just remove inappropriate punctuation in essays. With

the help of this class, however, I learned that grammar, words, and the overall effect your essay

has on a reader are equally as important as punctuation. The writing process was another thing

completely new to me. With this class, I now have a better understanding of how to brainstorm,

draft, edit, and revise papers to make my writing seem more confident. I wish I could have

learned the strategy of writing a terrible first draft to use each step to make it a great essay earlier

in my academic career.

To wrap this course up, I have learned many new skills through the assignments provided

by my teacher. This class has taught me how to write lengthy essays, how to use the writing

process correctly, how to edit papers, and most importantly, a new moral that will stay with me

until the end of my college career. In the future, I hope to continue my experience with writing

and use the skills I learned within this class in all fields of education.