- 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 your experience revising assignments?
- What, if anything, was particularly challenging for you in our course this semester and how did you overcome it (or attempt to)?
Professor Joshua Belknap | Co Req ML | Fall 2023
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Semester Reflection
Ā· How would you compare/contrast work you did early in the semester to now?
Itās been similar as I would be worried about the number of assignments at the beginning of the year and how they will slowly group up. Then I realized some of the assignments were due next month or similar, so I decided to take it a bit more calmly. Of course, I want to make sure everything is done.
Ā· What was your favorite/least favorite assignment and why?
My public speaking speech is due tomorrow. I have been working on it for a month and It has been stressful enough that I want to get over it as soon as possible.
Ā· What are some notable lessons that have stuck with you after completing certain assignments?
Honestly, I completely forgot. Iām only interested in my CST classes and a bit of math. But after doing math I completely forgot how to solve it days later.
Ā· What changed in your writing (reading, thinking) as the genres and assignments changed?
Just my reading as I have begun reading books this semester for self-help. Iāve been taking these books seriously and started critically thinking about them whenever something felt like my world.
Ā· How did you make decisions in your assignments about content and design?
What I do is write it down on a piece of paper and then read it if it makes sense or if itās unnecessary.
Ā· What were your early assumptions/beliefs about yourself and writing? Have they since changed? Explain.
I didnāt know my āstyleā of writing, to be honest. I would just write whatever is in my head. I did think about writing in a meticulous way but stopped.
Ā· What was your experience revising assignments?
Seeing how many times Iāve skipped words or not written a word correctly.
Ā· What, if anything, was particularly challenging for you in our course this semester, and how did you overcome it (or attempt to)?
If anything was considered complicated It couldāve been the essay due. But I Just read them and also asked help from friend to give their opinion about my topic.
At the beginning of the semester, we mostly looked at others’ narratives, and now we creating our narratives, talking about us mostly rather than others
My favorite assignment was the topic of our happiness because itās very interesting to find out what others think of happiness.
My least favorite assignment is anything by Baldwin, I don’t know why we even have his āworksā in college
To be honest no assignment taught me something new.
Perhaps nothing since I’m still the same, same reading and thinking
Think a lot more than it is supposed to take
I always thought I was a terrible writer, and it hasnāt changed yet, since I’m barely making progress unfortunately
I loved the feedback on my drafts, it shows my mistakes and I think it’s very important for me
Nothing challenged me this semester except math
My work from early in the semester to now is a little different. I feel like my writing has improved very much from early in the semester. Another thing that has changed from early in the semester is my work ethic. My work ethic has decreased from early in the semester. I used to work hard to finish my work but now i have gotten lazy. My favorite assignment so far has been the educational narrative. I liked the educational narrative because i had fun writing about the experiences that i had in my life. Some notable lessons that have stuck with me after completing certain assignments is to always start way before the deadline. I usually always wait until the day before the due date to complete assignments and it has backfired many different times. The things that have changed in my writing as genres and assignments changed is my ways of writing. I feel like my writing has improved very much. My early assumptions/beliefs about yourself and writing was that I could not go in depth sometimes in my writing. I feel like it has changed so much. I have not really revised assignments so far. Something else that was challenging for me during the course in the semester was when I was writing my educational narrative. I was struggling to get to 1000 words and i overcame that by going more in depth. I ended up with over 1200 words.
How would you compare/contrast the work you did early in the semester to now?
I have gained a better understanding of writing, including the use of persuasive methods such as ethos, pathos, and logos to enhance my writing. I’ve also improved my grasp of structure and can now confidently create annotated bibliographies, understanding their utility. Additionally, I’ve expanded my vocabulary.
What was your favorite/least favorite assignment and why?
I enjoy writing, so most assignments were enjoyable for me. However, I found the research aspect of creating annotated bibliographies challenging. Also, working on the article “Anzaldua – Wild Tongue” posed difficulties, though I can’t pinpoint exactly why.
What are some notable lessons that have stuck with you after completing certain assignments?
I vividly recall the content we read and watched, as well as the emotions those materials evoked.
What changed in your writing (reading/thinking) as the genres and assignments changed?
My approach shifted from emotional to logical thinking in my writing. I began prioritizing structure and the methods I could employ.
How did you make decisions in your assignments about content and design?
My decisions consistently aligned with the assignment’s requirements, both in terms of content and design.
What were your early assumptions/beliefs about yourself and writing? Have they evolved?
Initially, I believed that writing was a gift possessed by only a few, and I doubted my ability to produce good writing. Now, I have a more comprehensive understanding of writing and the tools that can elevate its quality.
What was your experience revising assignments?
Revising assignments can be challenging when done independently, but I persistently strive to identify and rectify my mistakes.
What, if anything, was particularly challenging for you in our course this semester, and how did you overcome it?
The annotated bibliography assignment proved to be particularly challenging. I overcame it by tackling it head-on, completing the assignments that presented difficulties, as is often the best way to conquer one’s challenges.
How would you compare/contrast the work you did early in the semester to now?
When I began this semester, I felt a sense of nervousness as it was my first experience attending a school in the United States. I quickly noticed some differences in the education system compared to what I had experienced in my home country. These changes intrigued me, even though I initially questioned the relevance of some coursework to my major. Over time, I realized that these courses could be beneficial for my future studies, despite the initial challenges. Being a multilingual student made completing classroom tasks difficult, but I persevered and started to adapt. I’m determined not to give up and remain committed to the mindset of “Let’s do it no matter what, even if it’s tough or challenging.”
What was your favorite/least favorite assignment and why?
I would say my favorite assignment was my first project in Unit 1, where I had to write a story about myself. I enjoyed it because it allowed me to think deeply about how to make the story more articulate, what character I should portray, and how to make it efficient. I also contemplated who my audience would be, what genre to choose, and how to make it interesting by incorporating a hook and considering the rhetorical aspects. I was constantly pondering these questions, striving for perfection. While I knew it wasn’t flawless, I was proud of the effort I put into it, and it felt like a small personal achievement.
What are some notable lessons that have stuck with you after completing certain assignments?
When I tackled the Unit 2 project, I faced a challenging situation when choosing a research topic. I dedicated a significant amount of time to thinking and searching on Google and Google Scholar to find a suitable topic with relevant citations. At one point, I found myself stuck and sought guidance from my professor, who provided valuable insights on how to approach the research. Additionally, I discussed the matter with my roommate, who offered their thoughts on research. Eventually, I made a decision on a specific research topic and gathered ample content and citations, which proved to be a successful approach.
What changed in your writing, reading, and thinking as the genres and assignments changed?
Engaging with various genres and assignments transformed my thinking, making me more critical. These writing activities were entirely new to me, as I had never encountered them in my home country. However, I learned essential concepts that enhanced my professionalism in writing. I gained insights into genres, how to perform rhetorical analysis, the importance of citations and bibliographies, reading like a writer, and creating effective assignments. This learning process has significantly improved my skills compared to my initial assumptions.
How did you make decisions in your assignments about content and design?
After extensive research, I made the decision to write about my country’s economy, particularly its significant reliance on the sector that contributes to 85% of the economy. I chose this topic to delve into the research, analysis, and writing, as it is a crucial aspect of my country’s development.
What were your early assumptions/beliefs about yourself and your writing? Have they since changed? Explain.
Initially, I had low confidence in my creative writing and reading abilities. It felt like I was in a metaphorical black hole, with no visible way out when I first started. I even had doubts about my potential for success. However, as I progressed through the assignments and learned new skills, I began to see a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. This experience has positively impacted my writing, reading, and critical thinking, even though I still have a long way to go.
What was your experience revising assignments?
Upon completing my projects for Unit 1 and Unit 2, I dedicated considerable time to revising, analyzing, and refining them to achieve a higher level of professionalism. This task proved to be challenging, especially considering that I returned to my studies after a long break of more than fifteen years. Despite the difficulties, I remain determined to reach my academic goals.
What, if anything, was particularly challenging for you in our course this semester and how did you overcome it (or attempt to)?
Throughout the semester, one of the most challenging aspects of the course for me was adapting to the new writing genres and analytical requirements, especially as I had never encountered them in my home country. To overcome this challenge, I sought guidance from my professor and engaged in extensive research to better understand the course materials. I also reached out to my roommate for insights and support. While it was a difficult adjustment, I remained committed to learning and improving, which helped me navigate these challenges.
From the beginning of the semester one of the comparisons would be the usual writing activities, and readings assigned which was pretty simple to complete compared till now, everything seems normal.
One of my least favorite is probably creating our education narrative. Usually when it comes to topics regarding experiences and more on, I don’t feel comfortable being too personal. One of my favorites is one of our recent assignments/topics of defining happiness, which made me think and question the purpose of happiness.
I don’t really have any notable lessons in mind, I just go forward and continue with the assignments given.
One of these changes is focusing more on the context of what I’m trying to point out and I can see that I’m being more descriptive?
Usually those decisions would be by planning it out from the start and keeping in mind what especially to have to do in assignments.
I don’t really had any assumptions or beliefs about myself, besides that so far nothing has changed.
I haven’t really had too much experience revising assignments, however I would say it’s one of the most important ways of looking back on specific improvements for the better.
If any of those challenges would prevent me from moving forward I would put in more focus on those challenges by improving on it.
Ā· How would you compare/contrast work you did early in the semester to now?
Itās been similar, but more understandable because Iām getting used to it.
Ā· What was your favorite/least favorite assignment and why?
My favorite assignment was doing grammar in classes.
Ā· What are some notable lessons that have stuck with you after completing certain assignments?
Usage of grammar, we studied in class.
Ā· What changed in your writing (reading, thinking) as the genres and assignments changed?
To use it more wisely.
Ā· How did you make decisions in your assignments about content and design?
Double-check, and triple-check.
Ā· What were your early assumptions/beliefs about yourself and writing? Have they since changed? Explain.
I assumed that my writing was not understandable, and it was very hard for me to write, it hasnāt changed since, but Iām working on it.
Ā· What was your experience revising assignments?
Good
Ā· What, if anything, was particularly challenging for you in our course this semester, and how did you overcome it (or attempt to
The unit 1 and 2 project was challenging for me.
At the beginning of the semester I was just typing but now I research more because I want my project to be perfect. My least favorite assignment was āhow to read like a writerā because i really tried reading it again āas a writerā and it was really frustrating and it took me a whole day and night. Things that have changed in my writing/thinking is that now i like to learn more about quotations and now i think about how to write and how to write it, genres, styles, who’s my audience, those little things have helped me in my writing. Now it’s better for me because now I really think about the decisions I want to make in my writing and the effects it would take and those decisions I make by taking notes and then combining those notes to make a paragraph. I have never written before and I didn’t know English classes were about writing because at high school they didnāt give me English like that, just ESL, and before starting college i was in a english program and they teach me a lot about writing and it was useful because in college i wouldnāt know anything. And itās important to know how to write not only if you want to be a writer but to write emails and be professional, and writing teaches you many things, like grammar, and how to read better. So I’m really thankful that I got some writing classes. I liked revising my assignment to do this paragraph because I was looking back and the process I have done. I know I’m a very smart person and I never miss classes and when I missed like 5 classes in a row because I really felt sick, I wanted to start over because I can’t see myself behind the others knowing I can do good like them. But I’ll just keep working hard and try to do better every day every semester.
to now?
i think my works did not change much, but my speed of writing and the organization of mt writing improve a lot.
What was your favorite/least favorite assignment and why?
my favorite assignment is when theres some work that i could express my opinion and doing something similar to debate, because i really like to doing these kind of critical thinking practice.
What are some notable lessons that have stuck with you after completing certain assignments?
the notable lessons i learn is from my first unit assigment about educational narrativem i was stuck on start that assignment for a long time because i’m not good at writing anything about myself, but later on i found that i could just drop down all the idea i have and compsoe them in to an essay.
What changed in your writing (reading, thinking) as the genres and assignments changed?
my analysis and the vocabulary words change a lot in my writing as the genres and assignments chsnged.
How did you make decisions in your assignments about content and design?
i usually give my self a lot of topic that i want to write about and them search about them, then finally make decision on which one i intrerst most and also write several draft to determine my design.
What were your early assumptions/beliefs about yourself and writing? Have they since changed? Explain.
my early belif about mt self and writing was to use the higher level vocabs in the essay, and i does not change, now i’m still tring to use the higher level words, and more precise and accurate words in my essay to prevent the vagueness.
What was your experience revising assignments?
i love revising my assignments because i can really feel that i’m learning and improving while i reviewing the comments.
What, if anything, was particularly challenging for you in our course this semester and how did you overcome it (or attempt to)?
the most chanllenging is the reading assignments since i’m really not good at reading. i just read several times and read slowly to understand the text.
My writing got better since the semester started. I now use convincing methods like ethos, pathos, and logos. I understand annotated bibliographies and structure more confidently. And I know more words.
I like writing, so most tasks were fun. However, finding info for annotated bibliographies was hard. The “Anzaldua ā Wild Tongue” article was my least favorite because I had to read a lot to understand.
What has been stuck with me is my research I made for UNIT 2 project. I learned so much how childhood trauma has affected the way I think today.
I think more logically now. I care about structure and how I do things.
I always choose what the task needs, both for words and how it looks.
I used to think only a few people can write well. Now, I know more about writing tools.
Fixing my work alone is hard, but I try my best to find and correct mistakes.
The most challenging assignment has been the UNIT 3 project. Writing in a new genre can be a bit challenging and scary.