Steinbrunner 1

Niklas Steinbrunner

Professor Waggoner

ENG 1201

February 21, 2021

Reflection

When comparing two versions of the song “Over the Rainbow,” I discovered many

positive techniques as well as several areas for improvement. By breaking apart the writing

process into three steps: research, writing, and review, I can achieve a more desirable outcome.

Through this reflection process, I discovered that my biggest hurdle is tunnel vision, and how a

lack of structure reduces my ability to write effectively.

One positive aspect was grammar and punctuation; all the sentences were complete with

a subject and a verb. By rereading the essay aloud multiple times, I was able to refine the paper

and make it more precise. Unfortunately, the mistakes in my paper became more difficult to

notice as I developed tunnel vision from repetitive reading. For example, while I did have works

cited, I missed inserting in text citations. I probably missed this important step because I waited

until the end to insert it when my tunnel vision was the worst. I also forgot to insert my thesis

statement. It is something I also insert at the end to make sure it ties in well with my paper.

My primary form of references is Google which has been a lucrative resource. I

recognize that because there is an abundance of information available, it is important that I am

cognizant of the sources that I obtain. I believe another positive aspect of my writing is the

generous portion of time budgeted to ensure I can properly explore ideas and concepts without

feeling rushed. While I invest a lot of time into my writing, a short fall of mine is the tunnel

vision I run into after a few hours. Moving forward, before submitting my assignment, it will be
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advantageous to take a quick break and then evaluate my work with fresh eyes. Lastly, having a

clear understanding of the expectations of the paper before I begin writing is also an area for

improvement. Before and after writing, it would be beneficial to reference the grading criteria to

ensure that nothing was missed.

In the future, my strategy is to implement greater structure in my writing process. My

previous approach to writing was attempting to complete the entire paper in one sitting. In

hindsight, this strategy, while efficient, is prone to mistakes. The structure I plan to implement

would be to break my writing into three parts: research, writing, and review. In between each

part, I will make sure to get up and walk around and clear my mind in order to break the tunnel

vision that impairs my writing.