Reflection Essay

Tim Haigh

I do not see a clear improvement of my writing throughout the semester, but I believe that I have
solidified the skills I had at the start of the class. The assignments completed in this class tested different
skills and introduced writing styles new to me. My ability to write was challenged in some of these
projects, such as the instructions packet and the workplace correspondence packet. These writing
assignments did not follow a traditional style of writing, where the white paper packet was familiar to
what I usually write. These assignments followed a similar tone and word choice, which is appropriate for
the respective audiences. The feedback I received on these assignments usually suggest changes to my
content rather than my writing style.
My goal of this course was to apply my skills to succeed on the assignments. As a Mechanical
Engineer, writing is not the focus of my major. However, it is still very important to effectively
communicate through writing through reports, papers, and memos. I was able to meet part of my goal by
submitting all of the assignments for the course. However, I do not believe that all of my projects
submitted were my best work. As the semester got stressful with assignments and tests consuming my
time, some of the assignments did not receive the amount of time required to write my best. I understand
that there is work that needs to be done, which is reflected in the changes made to my projects in the
portfolio. The directions were clear for each of these assignments, but I did not fully deliver on what was
required for the assignments. One of the confusing parts of the course for me was how some of the
assignments are told through the voice of a company created for the purpose of the assignment. I feel that
the white paper packet and the workplace correspondence packet could have used more clarity regarding
the intent of the company and how it ties into the voice for the writing. This especially confused me when
writing the email and memo, where I wrote for the wrong audience. My mistake cost me some extra
points on the assignment because I did not fully understand these details.
I am most proud of my instructions for the snare drum. The instructions presented a challenge of
explaining a set of directions for a process that does not follow a linear progression of thought. I feel that
I was creative enough to work around this issue and write a list of instructions that can be followed in
order without compromising the accuracy of the instructions. I was also happy with my grade on this
assignment, which reflected the work I put into completing the packet. If I were to add another
assignment, I would try to incorporate a presentation or speech into the class. This would benefit me
because I do not have a communication class for my major requirements, and any practice would improve
my skills for adapting to a live audience. This would be difficult for the asynchronous section, but it
would definitely make a positive impact on the synchronous sections. If I were to edit any of the
assignments, I would remove the application of the Reaktion novel from the workplace correspondence
assignment. I found it difficult to incorporate the two ideas together and believe that giving a consistent
prompt with a similar structure would be easier to write.