Reflection

Ashley Estrada
07.29.2010
Reflection





What have you learned? How has your writing changed?

During the summer semester in English 102, there have been several things I have learned. This was only a two month long semester, but this instructor has really jam-packed our weeks with assignments. This was a good thing, and I am happy with all that I have taken from this class. There are multiple examples that I will give for things that I have improved on this summer. The things that I have learned this summer will not only assist me throughout the rest of my college career, but are practical things that will aid me throughout the rest of my school and work career, as well as being educated in life as a whole.

One crucial thing that I have learned throughout this semester is how to write a thesis statement. In this class, it was defined to me different than it ever has before, including high school. The way it was explained went a lot more in depth than I have seen it. It makes more sense to me to ask a question, and answer it the way you paper will as a whole for your thesis. Before, the only definition I have really heard for this was to draw the reader in. This didn't exactly say how to draw the reader in, or give any outlines whatsoever. I use to use questions as my thesis, because I thought that would draw them in. I assumed that asking a question for your thesis would make them want to know the answer then keep reading. I have never been corrected on this and I used it on almost all of my thesis statements.

Learning how to do blogs was actually something I enjoyed learning. This was not one of the lessons, but I would like to mention it because it was a fun way to turn assignments in. Adding pictures and links was a good way to make the papers we wrote more interesting. Most instructors wouldn’t require this with any essays that are turned in or word, but it is really fun that we did in this class. It made it more interesting, as well as forced you to make images in your head to put on the paper. After reading a story your mind usually has some images that you want to express, but it is difficult to put that on paper. I enjoyed being able to express that in this class.


The last thing I would like to mention that I enjoyed in this class was the refresher on apostrophes and run-ons. I have always understood apostrophes, even if I do not use them as much as I should, but a refresher on that was useful considering I will use them in all that I do forever. No matter what job I will do or continuing my education, that is something else that I will take with me. I can say that before this class I have only recognized extreme run-ons. I hope that I will remember this take it with me through life as well.

With that, this class was extremely helpful in teaching us things we will continue using. There was no useless information, and it was a fun class altogether. This was one of my more enjoyable classes and would recommend this to other students. There is a fun way of learning everything, it is just a matter of finding an instructor that can find and use this way. This class did use the fun ways to learn everything we went over.