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Maya Suchecki

Mr. Smith

H 11 ELA

25 January 2024.

Mid Year Reflection

Going into this 2023 semester, I had previously been in college prep. English and

Literature classes. This class is a challenge and quite competitive. With this first semester

coming to an end, I have learned valuable skills in reading and writing. It is easy to admit that I

could be a more substantial writer in the class, but I am always eager to improve my

understanding and word composition. This semester, I have learned to advance my writing by

synthesizing and analyzing evidence against my thesis and topic claims. Reading is something

that I have always enjoyed, only when it is books of my choice. I have never been interested in

the books and excerpts required for school reading. I have always been able to identify a theme

or central idea when analyzing texts. However, this year, I have reached a level of proficiency

that I previously had yet to obtain. The argumentative essay - revised version- is the best

example of the progress in writing I have made during this semester.

Creating a solid thesis statement like “ Physical exercise benefits the mind and mental

health, but long and aggressive exercise will significantly harm the body if one is not adequately

equipped to endure this strenuous exercise”(Suchecki). I established a complex combative thesis

statement that is integrated and streamlined throughout my essay, synthesis, and analysis to

complete the thesis statements, unlike previous essays, had not. I still struggle with the MLA
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formatting and citing sources used in the essay properly. During the Into the Wild essay, I

demonstrated a lack of proficiency when integrating quotes;“ Walt, Chris’s father, spoke in

distraught, “Chris was very much of the school that you should own nothing except what you can

carry on your back at a dead run”(Suchecki). Achieving proficiency in MLA formatting

requirements includes correcting headings and formatting, like sizing and spacing of essays.

Quotes are adequately integrated, and the essay is structured in an organized, engaging, and

functional format. This example is a quote integration from the Into the Wild essay, which

establishes a precise, engaging signal phrase leading into the quote. Reflecting on my Into the

Wild essay, it was probably the essay that needs to be improved or my weakest piece of writing;

in contrast, my American Dream essay was the strongest. When comparing what makes each

piece of writing either weak or strong, It comes down to the evidence and synthesis or analysis of

said evidence. Jumping between ideas is another component I want to enhance during the second

semester. For example, in The American Dream essay, “ During the effort to overturn Roe v.

Wade, there was talk of a nationwide abortion ban which would be approved by Congress and

enforce nationwide abortion even in the pro-choice states. There would be no exception for

incest, rape, or medical complication. In an Article, the Human Rights Watch organization

provided, “ Why do they want to make me suffer again?” By Karen Toro, readers are exposed to

a woman, Sara, who lives in Quito, Ecuador, where abortion is illegal with no

acceptions.”(Suchecki) During this body paragraph, I jump from the U.S. ( where the essay

primarily focuses on Equador), which is irrelevant to a U.S. issue.

My goal for semester two is to incorporate strong evidence that is easy enough to

synthesize and connect back to the thesis statement in the introduction paragraph. I would like to

broaden my vocabulary in my writing. I tend to be repetitive or redundant in my writing, using

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words like good and important when I could use more complex words, which are the areas I plan

to improve most during this upcoming semester. Achieving these goals will help me improve my

writing in this class and set me up for success in college and other subjects like history or writing

reports. I plan to carefully select my word choice and eliminate repetition or reduce it in my

essays and reflections. Working to strengthen my word choice and analysis will push me towards

a potentially advanced level of writing, which I aim to achieve at the end of the school year. The

lamp project will allow readers and me to reflect on my writing pieces from the beginning of the

year to the end. I plan to evaluate the first synthesis essay compared to my last writing of the

year and see the visible improvement in my writing and how I structure each paragraph.