English
Throughout this semester I have learned a lot of things in my English class. I must confess that Professor Duckworth was very supportive of my initiatives and taught me a lot of skills on how to write. For the first time, I learned how to use Ethos, Pathos and Logos in sentences and how to use emotions to state strong statements to provide credibility. I have learned how to state my thesis clearly now, and I can structure and organize paragraphs quite well. I learned also come to understand how I need to close a subject by including a strong conclusion that restates my thesis. I can now argue for and against a particular topic and present them in front of my class with confidence. I learned many useful things in this class and I would like to explain in depth and provide examples of what I learned and how I developed my skills throughout this class.
The first rule I learned was that whenever I thought of writing something, I should understand the audience to whom I am addressing it to. This is very important, as I know that writing is about expressing or conveying a message that needs to be understood by the targeted audience. It would be illogical to write a professional letter to a child and write a shoddy and misconstrued letter to a professional businessman. In order to show ho well I have developed my writing skills, I have collected a few of my earlier works, and presented them according to the period in which they were written. My fist example was from one of my earlier writings and the last was something more recent. The difference in style and txt can be noticed and this only enhances my view that I have learned to write better with time.
In ‘Rhetoric Analysis,’ for example, while quoting a source, I wrote, “The strike affected the national mail system. In his second imprisonment, which took place in 1917, Debs was charged of publicly taking an opposition side to the draft system rendering him a traitor in accordance with the Espionage Act of 1917, which prohibited movements against the actions of the military. Also, in the same paper, I made a statement which read, “In his statement he declares top the charge that he is opposed to the current social system and that he was advocating for a fundamental change in a peaceful and orderly manner.” I have understood that sentences should be broken up into manageable proportions; as otherwise, there could be grammatical complications and, readers may find it difficult to understand what is being stated or written. The second sentence lacks clarity as the word, ‘tops,’ seems quoted out of context.
In “Google Glass,’ an assignment written after Rhetoric Analysis, I began the assignment by writing, “The advent of science and technology seemingly takes over lifestyle and fashion. Over the years, product discoveries and inventions have come in various comfortable shapes and attractive forms that invite people to purchase and use it for their own special purpose.” I must admit that when I read these lines now, I am a little perplexed by what I wrote. In ‘Green Energy: An Informational Argument,’ written much later, and after a period where I had the privilege of having Professor Duckworth spend more time with me on developing my writing skills, my opening statement went like this; “Many people are arguing whether the U.S government should invest in green energy or not. This argument derives from the relevant question issues on climate change and ways to slow down global warming.” I must confess that I was definitely seeing a personal change in my writing style. The two sentences are quite clear in their subject and tone and I was delighted to know that unconsciously I was beginning to improve my writing skills.
And when I wrote, ‘Banning Smoking in Public Areas,’ my opening statement read like this; “Banning smoking in public places is essential in pursuit of achieving a clean and healthy environment. By adopting such a law, it means that smoking will not be allowed in recreational and sports facilities, educational and religious areas, parks, workplaces and health facilities.” I have come a long way from where I started. I do believe that the final opening sentences of mine in Banning Smoking in Public Places shows the clear disparity between a beginner and a much improved writer. I must confess that had it not been for Professor Duckworth’s constant support and appreciation for my efforts, I would never have been able to write this well.
Every time I write something these days, I always make it a point to understand the topic, the level of the audience, and for what I’m writing that paper. These points have helped me develop my writing skills and I have also made it a point to minimize the number of words in sentences so that any reader will understand what I’m trying to say. I hope you will all agree that there is a definite change in my writing skills today.
