A Comprehensive Reflection on Writing Course Journey
You MUST talk about the GA and IP + Craft Essay, since they were the major assignments of this quarter. Discuss 1-3 major issues you had to contend with each. An easy way to do this is to compare drafts. For example, you can talk about the flaws with your thesis from the first GA draft and then point out the improvements you made to it in your second draft. How did your ethos change with each IP draft? How did the GA prepare you for the IP Craft Essay?
Do reference all the writing samples you included in this portfolio. How do they connect to one another? For example, the Frog Prince Discussion Post taught you about arguable claims, which helped you write an arguable thesis in your first GA draft.
You can also talk about how your understanding of genre evolved over time. For example, what were your impressions of fairy tales before starting this class and how did they change after reading the assigned stories? Maybe you first associated fairy tales with Disney before Roald Dahl's Little Red Riding Hood poem changed all that.
Subject and Section
Professor’s Name
June 15, 2023
A Comprehensive Reflection on my Writing Course Journey
As I reflect on the last quarter, I'm surprised by how much my writing skills and understanding of different genres have grown. I've learned a lot, and my thinking about literary analysis has changed significantly. Two essential assignments, the Genre Analysis (GA) and the Interpretive Problem (IP) Craft Essay, have been critical to this transformation. These tasks were challenging, but they helped me learn much about writing.
When I started on the GA assignment, it felt like I was trying to solve a tricky puzzle, with many different pieces of genre understanding to figure out and put together. This assignment was a deep dive into the world of genres, which was exciting and a little scary.
Personally, one of the significant challenges I faced early on was coming up with a clear and strong thesis statement. My first attempt at a thesis for the GA needed to be narrower and more focused. This made my argument weak, and my analysis needed to be clearer. It was tough, like trying to build something solid from a hard-to-grasp idea.
However, I was undeterred by this setback. I chose to look at it as a learning opportunity, a stepping stone to progress. My experiences with the Frog Prince Discussion Post came to my rescue as a beacon guiding me through the murky waters. The lessons gleaned from this exercise were invaluable in understanding the art of crafting strong, arguable claims. The experience of dissecting a fairy tale and forming persuasive claims enriched my understanding of how to create a solid, arguable thesis.
Additionally, I realized that harnessing this newfound knowledge, I approached my GA draft with renewed purpose and clarity. This transformed my previously vague thesis statement into a robust, cogent one. The difference was striking: my new thesis gave my argument a sharp focus and offered a comprehensive framework for the rest of the analysis. The transformation was akin to finding the North Star in a cloudy night sky, providing a clear navigational point and paving the way for a structured and impactful analysis.
The journey of reshaping my GA draft illuminated the intricacies of writing a well-crafted, compelling thesis, emphasizing its crucial role in guiding the direction and coherence of the entire analysis. This experience was nothing short of enlightening, and it highlighted the critical role of perseverance and continuous learning in the quest to enhance one's writing skills. As I reflect, I cannot help but acknowledge how these experiences have enriched my understanding of genre analysis and significantly influenced my overall growth as a writer.
But again, I didn't let this difficulty stop me. Instead, I saw it as a chance to learn and get better. I remembered what I'd learned from the Frog Prince Discussion Post, and it was like a light showing me the way. That exercise taught me a lot about how to make strong arguments. Analyzing a fairy tale and making strong claims helped me understand how to write a solid, arguable thesis.
With this new understanding, I returned to my GA draft with a clearer idea of what I wanted to do. I could change my broad thesis into a strong and clear one. The change was pronounced: my new thesis focused on my argument and laid out a plan for my fundamental analysis. It was like finding a guiding star on a cloudy night—it gave me a clear path forward for a structured and robust analysis.
Going through this process with my GA draft taught me much about writing a good thesis. It showed me how important a thesis is to the direction and coherence of an analysis. This experience taught me so much and showed me the importance of persistence and ongoing learning to improve my writing skills. These experiences have deepened my understanding of genre analysis and helped me grow as a writer.
Another assignment where I met some difficulties was the the Interpretive Problem (IP) Craft Essay. It was the second big assignment of this quarter, and it gave me a different kind of challenge and a way to improve my writing. This task forced me to move bey...