Reflective Writing Assignment

In the beginning, my college writing experiences were fraught with frustration. This aggravation was caused by the absence of a formal writing foundation. When writing my early college assignments, I struggled with each sentence, and assignments that should have taken someone thirty minutes took me four hours. This attitude caused me to fear any writing assignment that was going to be longer than a few sentences including personal letters and short thank you cards. I was not exposed to the proper frameworks required for writing, and there were only a small number of writing assignments that I took any pride in. Although my early writing was not founded on solid principles, the following pages will give some insight into the ways my writing practices, rituals, and attitudes about writing have improved.
When I decided to return to college, in the spring of 2009, my first class at Tarrant County College was English Literature. I was hoping we would read a few books and take some run of the mill multiple choice tests to determine our grades. That was not the case. Dr. Ruth McAdams wanted us to write and write a lot. This was not what I wanted to hear. Our first writing assignment was on the book, The Train to Estelline, by Jane Roberts Wood. We were given a set of analytical questions to answer about certain aspects of the book. These answers were supposed to be constructed in college essay form. I assumed this would be no big deal and proceeded to go home, sit down at the family computer, and start banging away at the answers. My writing environment consisted of a twenty dollar desk from Target, a 1996 computer that had Microsoft Word, a television, and a family buzz for background noise. I was writing my first college paper and it was easy, so I thought.
When I received my paper back from Dr. McAdams, I was shocked. According to her my writing was an atrocity against English Literature. I had failed the basics of thesis, body, and conclusion. I did not use the material to support my argument and my grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure were poor. This piece of criticism was the beginning of my writing reformation. Dr. McAdams gave me some basic tips on writing mechanics and told me to look up the rules for comma usage. In addition, she recommended I set aside some personal time for writing. In other words, create some positive writing habits that do not include television watching or unproductive background noise. I needed a writing overhaul.
My next writing assignment was a response to the book, The Good Old Boys, by Elmer Kelton. I needed to redeem myself, and I was in search of the tools required for my liberation. My search took me to Office Depot to purchase a laptop and to Costco for a new desk. My writing time would no longer be interrupted by television programs or family distractions. The writing area was new and large enough to satisfy all of my needs. I was now ready to engross myself in the writing. My results were staggering, as far as I was concerned. I was complimented by Dr. McAdams for my improvement and was told that I had true potential. It was this support that gave me a new sense of self confidence that was missing from my writing. By the end of the semester, I had developed my rituals, writing styles, and attitudes that made me a successful writer. Now I was ready to tackle any writing assignment and Texas Wesleyan was going to give me that opportunity.
In my first semester at Texas Wesleyan, I was required to write a research paper for Dr. Matthews’ Industrialism and Imperialism class. This project was to be twelve to fifteen pages in length with ten primary and five secondary sources used for supporting evidence. This was a colossal undertaking for such an inexperienced writer. My topic was Teddy Roosevelt and how his manliness shaped his life and Presidential policies. I was determined to use what I had learned from Dr. McAdams to make this a successful paper. In addition, Dr. Alexander had given me great research tips in her History Workshop class. Armed with the writing rituals and practices established in my English class, and the tips from Dr. Alexander’s History Workshop, I began my research paper with delusions of grandeur.
I quickly learned that my argument was not going to hold up because the primary source material was debunking my thesis. The things I had learned in Dr. McAdams’ class would come in handy during this dilemma. With well established writing habits in place, it was easy to be flexible when it came to re-writing a thesis statement. I made an easy transition into the new material and started putting the pieces together. The process was long and filled with some hurdles, but the paper was a success and the journey was rewarding.
In the end, my college writing experiences that began fraught with frustrations were quickly conquered by well established principles. The principles given to me by Dr. McAdams changed my attitudes toward writing and relieved the struggles associated with the process. Although my early writing was not founded on solid principles, I quickly gained confidence in my writing practices, rituals, and attitudes that ultimately led to my success in simple writing assignments and complicated research projects.