Provenzano 1

Mia Provenzano

Vyvial

ENGL 1302

7 May 2017

Reflection

Over the course of the ENGL 1302 class, I learned how to write a multitude of essays.

Each essay, the textual rhetorical analysis, the causal, and the proposal, had their own unique

requirements. The same thing can be said for each of the short answer responses. Each

assignment presented new obstacles that forced me to analyze differently, think differently, and

write differently. For example, the causal essay required me to present facts in such a way that

proved its negative impact without sounding extreme or dramatic. Throughout the course, I was

able to further better my analysis skills as well as my ability to incorporate information from

sources that it pertinent and relevant.

One new skill that I acquired over the course of this semester was how to use facts and

information to adhere to my argument. This skill was acquired when writing my causal essay in

which I had to use information that depicted media as being the cause of body dissatisfaction.

Due to the fact that this skill was fairly new to me, I hope that I can enhance and improve the

effectiveness of finding relevant information. When this English class is over, I will be able to

apply this new skill in my college applications, scholarship essays, and any other writings I may

need to do.

Among all the essays, the information that I had to shape to fit my argument in the causal

essay made it the hardest, I was forced to practice a skill I had never really used before. The

textual rhetorical analysis was, by far, the easiest. Analyzing and understand pieces of writing is
 Provenzano 2

perceptive. This allowed me to write about the impact the George W. Bush speech had on me,

without being in first person. The causal essay taught me how to shape information to appeal to

my agenda. When writing the causal essay, I learned a lot about how things are understood by the

audience and why. This helps me in the real world because I can see exactly how and why

advertisers, writers, and the average person structure their argument. Having to go through the

thought process of how to appeal to my audience in order to persuade them of something is the

same technique that other people use to alter my thoughts or beliefs. My efforts in writing the

causal essay will aid me in detecting when someone is using the same tactic to convince me of

something.

Each essay and short answer responses taught me something different. The things I

learned most were not specifically about writing itself, but more about how people understand

and listen to arguments. I learned about how to write essays that allowed the audience to

understand what I believed in without explicitly stating so. English 1301 and 1302 definitely

changed how I write. Among the vast ways that I have improved from writing these essays,

simply being clear and unbiased made the biggest and most positive impact on my writing.