The Final Reflection (and Optional Revisions)

The Assignment

For your Final Reflection of at least 500 words, you will be considering the following:

  • What have you learned about yourself as a reader, writer, and scholar this term?
  • How will you be able to use what you have learned this term and transfer that knowledge to other writing situations—either in college or in your community or in your career?

 

Other questions you may consider include:

  •  How would you compare/contrast work you did early in the semester to now?
  • What was your favorite/least favorite assignment and why?
  • What are some notable lessons that have stuck with you after completing certain assignments?
  • What changed in your writing (reading, thinking) as the genres and assignments changed?
  • How did you make decisions in your assignments about content and design?
  • What were your early assumptions/beliefs about yourself and writing? Have they since changed? Explain.
  •  What was particularly challenging for you in our course this semester and how did you overcome it (or attempt to)?

 

As evidence to back up your points, you must use at least two quotes from your own writing this semester in your reflection. Don’t just drop those quotes in there and expect your readers to figure out why you’ve chosen them. Introduce your quotations (In my Unit 1 essay, I stated, “…”) and explain to your readers what these quotations show us about your progress in the course.

 

Don’t simply answer the above questions in your final reflection in bullet points; they are just meant to help you brainstorm ideas.  When writing your reflection, there must be a main point in what you’re trying to say. In other words, be sure to organize your ideas into coherent paragraphs and a coherent essay. Remember that this isn’t just you writing off-the-top of your head; this is a finished piece of writing.

 

Optional Revision

You also have the option to revise your Unit 1 AND/OR your Unit 2 assignment! If you choose to revise one or both pieces, include a paragraph in the final reflection explaining the changes you’ve made and why. Be sure to reference the specific feedback you received and how you incorporated it into your revision. What makes your revision better than the original document?

 

You Will Be Graded on the Following

  • Attention to audience.You need to have a main point that you are trying to make. Don’t just list off a bunch of random opinions about your writing—write an article about what you’ve learned. Think about who you are writing for (hint: it’s not just me).
  • Attention to organization. This does not have to be a traditional organization, but you should have paragraphs (not just a 500-word paragraph, please) and some reason for why they’re in the order they’re in!
  • Evidence and analysis. If you tell me you learned something about yourself as a writer, show me proof! By proof, I specifically mean quotes from your own writing. All reflections should have at least two quotes from your own writing this semester although it doesn’t matter from what (homework, finished essays, anything will do). Don’t just drop those quotes in there and expect your readers to figure out why you’ve chosen them. Explain why they are important.
  • Proofread carefully, make sure you are meeting all requirements, and make sure it’s long enough.