Returning to college after five years was daunting, but I initially believed this English Composition course would be the least challenging, given my existing interest and skill in reading and writing. Yet, as a non-traditional student, I felt intimidated walking into class on the first day. My professional background as an early childhood educator and in customer service required some composition skills, like using proper Grammar and Usage in professional emails and engaging in Writing as a social act when communicating with different groups (parents, colleagues). My work also involved writing as a process through drafting and editing reports on students, but it lacked the crucial elements of deep reflection and formal research. My strength was, and remains, in creative writing, where I am able to easily produce entertaining and unique poems and short stories. Yet, when it comes to analyzing other people's writing, I have a harder time grasping the rhetorical situation and genre of fictional and creative works. I especially enjoyed analyzing pieces like "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman and "Thing" by Eliott Ku, in class. As a Criminology major, I knew my previous surface-level writing wouldn't suffice. My primary goal for this course was to significantly increase the depth of my analysis and comprehension, moving beyond creative fluency to analytical precision when reviewing complex texts and documents, such as speeches, news articles, and especially factual statements relevant to my field.
I am ultimately pleased with the knowledge and insight I've gained into my strengths and weaknesses. I’ve successfully increased my analytical depth by consistently engaging with the rhetorical situation and genre of various texts. I learned to look past the surface content to understand why an author chose a specific claim, medium, or strategy. The writing experience I feel most confident about is the rhetorical analysis essay. This is where I truly mastered the outcome of Research—using writing as a way to discover information, examine multiple perspectives, and ethically integrate those positions as supporting evidence. The resources provided, such as the library tutorial and sample essays, were vital in helping me understand the structural expectations of academic writing. However, I still feel a little uncertain about fully analyzing all the ways different languages, dialects, and styles function effectively within a text. While my fluency in standardized English has improved, my ability to appreciate the varied uses of language described under Grammar and Usage needs more attention. I met my course goals by using reflection even if that was in the form of conferring with peers after class to help me evaluate my learning and development.
The immediate area of writing I need to improve is the final stage of writing as a process: thorough revision and proofreading. I sometimes rush the final edit, which can lead to mechanical errors. In my future Criminology coursework, where precision is essential in legal and research documents, this level of detail must be flawless. I will know I've improved when my written work requires fewer comments about text structure errors and when I do have to reference so many sample assingments/essays to feel confident to proceed. My goal is also to further enhance my capacity to analyze complex governmental and legal documents, continually using research for focused inquiry in my major. The most valuable takeaway is the comprehensive understanding of Writing as a process. The cycle of planning, drafting, revising, and editing is a foundational skill necessary for success in all academic and professional fields. Equally important is the concept of writing as a social act. Understanding that communication changes based on the audience—whether I am addressing law enforcement, academic researchers, or the general public—will allow me to choose the appropriate tone, genre, and terminology for any situation. Finally, the deliberate practice of reflection and thinking about my own choices and how they affect the outcome of my writing will be the essential tool for continuous self-improvement in all aspects of my life.