Kyle Sheehan

FYS 100 Section 50 – Social Utopias

Dr. Watts

October 18, 2015

 

Assignment: Self Reflection

 

While looking through the papers I have written this semester thus far, I found

multiple strengths, weaknesses, and changes in my writing style and technique. I would

consider the greatest weakness in my writing to be my topic sentences. My greatest

strength as well as my biggest change throughout my writings lies in my ability to

analyze the text. I can attribute this new found skill to what I have learned from our first

year seminar class.

 

Throughout my papers, I have noticed a pattern of weak topic sentences to start

my paragraphs. Topic sentences should accurately and effectively represent what will

be included in the paragraph to follow. In a few of my writings, my topic sentences failed

to explain the paragraph they precede. In one of my earlier response papers I began a

paragraph with “Justice is by far the most prominent discussion point spoken about in

the republic” (Response Paper 2 p1 line5). This sentence is despite its relation to the

thesis and paper, did not in anyway roadmap the paragraph that follows it. This flaw in

my writing technique was first pointed out to me in the one-on-one meetings to review.

After looking through and analyzing my other works, I have noticed it occurring multiple

times throughout my response papers and essay. This is definitely something I intend to

improve upon over the rest of this semester as well as my next writing assignment.

 

The greatest improvement in my writing is in my ability to analyze the text. In my

earlier response papers and writing assignments from this semester, many of my

citations were simply general interpretations of the text. However, as my writing and my

ability to analyze the readings progressed, my citations became more detailed and

stronger. Instead of citing pages and interpreting the idea in a general sense, I began

citing sentences and breaking down the text on a sentence to sentence basis. This

allows for a deeper understanding of the text. I feel that the first real essay, my latest

writing assignment, was my strongest in terms of analyzing the text. Most citations were

citing a couple of lines as opposed to a paragraph or full page. Another improvement I

have noticed in my writing style is my ability to introduce quotes. In my earlier response

papers some quotes seemed out of place and poorly related to the rest of the paragraph

or sentence such as the block quote in my third response paper. However, in my more

recent essay and response papers, the quotes are all introduced smoothly and relate

well to the rest of the sentence.