The following testimony is a response to the prompt: "What aspect of your writing has improved the most and what advice would you give future ENGL 145 students?"
Fall 2022:
"An aspect of my writing that I feel has most greatly improved is “zombie phrases.” An easy habit to develop is using terms such as “it” or “them.” My advice for 145 future students is to learn from Week 1 to not use that terminology. Doing so will help a lot throughout the quarter."
"The aspect of my writing that improved the most is my attention to detail. I have learned more of the MLA formatting rules and started to follow them more closely by double and triple checking my essay before turning them in. My advice to future ENGL 145 students is to ask for help if not understanding the comments on your essay. I had not understood some of the comments that were made and continued to make the same mistakes, taking unnecessary points off my grade."
"My writing has drastically changed in several ways. I never used to take time viewing my works cited though it is very important. Even if you think you are a decent writer...this class will prove you wrong. As a GE course, Professor Hamilton teaches it in a way that makes you retain the information. Listen to the constructive criticism."
"The aspect of my writing that has changed from taking this course is using academic writing, not phrasal verbs. Another difference in my writing is the works cited, I now use it in every class. My advice to future students is definitely go to class and take attendance seriously, it will be worth it in the end, each class is valuable. Dr. Hamilton wants to help you succeed. Do not be afraid to ask questions and get help!"
"The most improved area of my writing would be my work cited. Some advice for future 145 students, start earlier than usual on writing essays as it takes time to remove errors such as phrasal verbs, contractions, and other zombie phrases which tend to show up a lot and are harder to pick out."
"When Professor Hamilton assigns a paper to you, immediately start outlining and forming your thoughts. I waited till the last minute most times, which always added more stress to an already stressful quarter. This class exemplifies “you get out what you put in,” so do not be afraid to volunteer in class to start discussions."
Winter 2023:
"Just pay attention. The idea of an English class was never that attractive to me, I hated writing essays and I’ve felt that in the past every English class is the same nonsense. Although, Dr. Hamilton makes the class engaging, he will teach you realistic and valuable information about how to improve your writing. Simply showing up twice a week and actively engaging yourself in the class will improve your writing significantly with very little effort outside of the classroom. So, if you find yourself at the end of the quarter, with a bad grade in Dr. Hamilton’s English 145 class – you have no one else to blame but yourself."
"One crucial piece of advice would be to start researching for essays weeks out in advance because the hardest part is finding resources in order to supplement the argument, as well as finding reputable sources as well that help make the paragraph flow more coherently. Another piece of advice would be to try and finish the writing portion of the essays a couple days in advance before the due date because proofreading and peer editing is crucial in order to make sure that each sentence and each paragraph follows the uneven U shape, as well as uses the correct academic tone. Allowing those buffer days and rereading can help tremendously as the essay will be up to standard, not being seen as rushed and last minute."
"I would advise students to spend more time researching concrete details and facts. The better information and concrete evidence make it a lot easier to understand and write about the argument being presented. Professor Hamilton is very helpful in source selection so ask first."
"Going to office hours at least once to check over your essay is necessary, as the edits Professor Hamilton makes will drastically improve your grade."
"1. Keep track of the search terms you use while doing research, and the dates you accessed your research. You’ll need it on your Works Cited page, and reverse-searching for a source is a pain.
2. Go to office hours and ask the professor every single question you have. When I was stuck on what to write, especially when it came to drawing out the significance of the essay, the professor made really helpful suggestions that I incorporated in my essay. Also, it seems not many people go to office hours, which is to your benefit. Once I went and stayed for the entire hour."
Spring 2023:
"One thing that I wish I improved upon is taking notes on the daily readings for class. While I did read for the class, some days felt as if I didn’t
read for class and wouldn’t be able to participate. Taking notes would have been beneficial in order to participate in class more."
"Students should be mindful of word choice. Doctor Hamilton emphasizes the importance of selecting words that enhance writing and words
and phrases that worsen writing in class lectures, so pay attention."
"Thoroughly consider how well an essay thesis can be supported by academic sources because some arguments are much easier to effectively
defend than others; choosing a thesis wisely will make the writing process go smoothly."
"A suggestion to future students is to thoroughly read the provided material and not only take notes on the content of the reading but also on
how it could be applied to argumentative writing and your essay. Taking personal notes on the readings as well as notes during lecture are both
highly beneficial."
"Instead of trying to find pre-existing arguments, read academic journals under a topic you are interested in. Your thesis will naturally be formed
by an understanding of controversial issues in your topic and the result will be a unique/interesting essay."
Fall 2024:
"I advise future students to finish major assignments early so you have time to go over and edit. I lost lots of points in this class to simple mistakes that I could’ve caught if I had given myself more time to edit my work."
"Take notes on the slides. Yes, he will post the slides on Canvas, and you could look at them later, but will you?"
"Start researching for an essay the day the essay is assigned, and do not procrastinate. Writing an essay with 2,000 is much easier when there is more time."
"The Daily Tasks were most helpful, because they made me practice formal writing twice a week, rather than just for the essays. Without those tasks, I must admit, I would probably have started my research the day before the paper was due."
"I would advise future students to always reference the ENGL145 website and every piece of feedback (from Daily Tasks and essays)."
"The most effective portion of this course was the Uneven U-Model and how it was integrated into my essays."
"One of the largest advantages enabling me to feel confident and successful when writing essays in this course was the deliberate selection of an essay topic. By choosing essay topics I was either interested in or passionate about, I found both the research and the writing to be much easier to complete."
"The largest piece of advice I can give to future students of English 145 is to communicate with Dr. Hamilton about any difficulties or struggles you may be having in class. Speaking directly with Dr. Hamilton through email or in person can provide more insight that will make the class easier to navigate."