‭Andrew Round‬ ‭Round‬‭1‬

‭Writing 2‬

‭Maddie Roepe‬

‭11 December 2023‬

‭Meta-reflection of Writing 2‬

‭For this reflection, I've been tasked with composing a meta-reflection on my experiences‬

‭and the progress made throughout the quarter. As I reflect on this period, I've come to realize the‬

‭substantial advancement in my writing skills. I firmly believe that every word I've read, written,‬

‭or contemplated has contributed to shaping the writer I am today. In this essay, I aim to‬

‭synthesize all the readings, projects, writing tasks, reflections, journals, and lectures into a‬

‭narrative that demonstrates the evolution of my writing abilities. Unfortunately, I must omit‬

‭some details for the sake of brevity and to respect your time as readers, because the scope of‬

‭what I wish to convey surpasses the available time I have to write. I've chosen to start from a‬

‭year ago, when I was crafting my college essay, as a point of reference for gauging my growth‬

‭this quarter, concluding with this meta-reflection.‬

‭Earlier this quarter, I had the random idea to revisit my college application essays. As I‬

‭reexamined my U.C. application essays, I was struck by how subpar they appeared. They lacked‬

‭substance, complex sentences, a cohesive structure, sophisticated language, a consistent style,‬

‭and overall coherence. How could I have ever deemed this as good writing? Why did I submit‬

‭such work? Then, a realization dawned on me: It wasn’t necessarily terrible writing, at least not‬

‭for its time. Instead, I had evolved since I had written them. In the past quarter alone, my writing‬

‭had undergone a nearly complete transformation to the extent that it was almost unrecognizable‬

‭from its former state. This remarkable change began as early as week zero of Writing 2.‬
 ‭Round‬‭2‬

‭Reflecting on week zero, I now realize the wealth of crucial ideas covered. We received a‬

‭document packed with threshold concepts that, initially, I failed to comprehend or appreciate‬

‭their significance. However, as the class progressed, these concepts gradually unfolded for me.‬

‭At the outset, I anticipated an ordinary writing class—expecting to earn Cs on assignments and‬

‭barely secure a B in the course. Yet, in the very first lecture, there was an unusual energy in the‬

‭air, a sense of something distinct, hinting at impending change.‬

‭The turning point arrived in the following week, week one, marked by profoundly‬

‭influential readings from 'How to Read Like a Writer' by Mike Bun, 'Writing about Writing' by‬

‭Macmillan, and 'Thinking Two Types of Thinking' by Peter Elbow. While 'Writing about Writing'‬

‭didn’t strongly impact me due to its extensive length, 'Thinking Two Types of Thinking' and‬

‭'How to Read Like a Writer' proved pivotal for the course. 'Thinking Two Types of Thinking'‬

‭enlightened me on segregating my creative process from organizational aspects. Previously, I‬

‭attempted to write and immediately grammar check—a challenging approach. Now, I engage my‬

‭creative mind during writing, reserving the organizational phase for later revision. 'How to Read‬

‭Like a Writer' instilled in me the practice of reading not just for comprehension but also to‬

‭discern the author's deliberate choices—a skill crucial for deciphering future readings.‬

‭In week two, I encountered my second most impactful reading, 'Make Your Move' by‬

‭Brad Jacobson, alongside a significant step in grasping the concept of genre. 'Make Your Move'‬

‭stands as one of my top two readings. Its effect on me is akin to the discovery of the Wardrobe in‬

‭Narnia—it transported me to an entirely different realm. This text introduced the notion of‬

‭rhetorical moves, delineating the parts of a text that serve distinct purposes. Armed with the‬

‭concept of rhetorical moves, I found myself capable of analyzing any given article, reading, or‬

‭essay with ease. Additionally, 'Navigating Genre' by Kerry Dirk provided a deeper‬
 ‭Round‬‭3‬

‭comprehension of genre, transforming it from mere categories of writing into means by which‬

‭communities communicate among themselves. On a side note, the weekly journals significantly‬

‭enhanced my creative writing prowess, offering a space to express my thoughts without‬

‭excessive concern for errors or grades—a freedom rarely afforded during my high school years.‬

‭In week three, I encountered my top-ranked reading, 'Reflective Writing and the Revision‬

‭Process: What Were You Thinking?' by Sandra L. Giles. This article introduced the concepts of‬

‭reflection and revision, both of which were previously unfamiliar to me. Prior to this, my‬

‭approach to revision was minimal—I often neglected it entirely. Reflecting on writing seemed‬

‭mundane and unnecessary. However, this article transformed my approach. Now, for any‬

‭significant writing project, I prioritize revising beyond the teacher's requirements and always‬

‭take extra time for a reflective process, even if it's not mandated. This shift has significantly‬

‭elevated my writing. I've learned to identify errors and enhance my writing in ways I hadn't‬

‭thought possible. Essentially, I've doubled the improvement in my writing by eradicating errors‬

‭and replacing them with stronger, more refined content. I now perceive revision as the‬

‭paramount phase of writing, particularly crucial for Writing projects one and two. I also want to‬

‭mention 'Changing Your Mindset About Revision' by Lennie Irvin, which also played a pivotal‬

‭role in improving my writing.‬

‭Week four marked the introduction of my first writing project (WP1), a profoundly‬

‭influential piece for me. WP1 acted as a pivotal benchmark, allowing me to gauge my learning‬

‭from the initial three weeks. I had the opportunity to observe how I analyzed genres using‬

‭rhetorical moves and applied my newfound revision approach. Reflecting on WP1, I‬

‭acknowledge its improvement over any prior writing attempts, yet it fell short of my potential. It‬

‭resembled more of a transition, merely reformatting existing information into a newspaper‬

‭article, and the reflection component was notably weak. In retrospect, I failed to thoroughly‬

‭analyze all my sources, impacting the depth of my reflection. However, this by no means renders‬

‭WP1 useless. It served as a platform for honing my reflection, revision, and genre analysis skills.‬

‭It was somewhat expected that WP1 might not excel, as initial attempts often involve a learning‬

‭curve. Nonetheless, it provided valuable lessons. I intended to leverage these insights from WP1‬

‭and apply them to WP2.‬

‭Weeks five and six seemed to pass swiftly as there were few standout moments in the‬

‭class. Week five marked the commencement of WP2 with Project Builder 2. At this point, fully‬

‭engaged in the course, I opted for a more personal approach with WP2 by selecting an academic‬

‭discussion centered on learning disabilities. I initially presumed I comprehended research‬

‭communities and academic discussions due to my exposure to my mother's research during my‬

‭childhood. Unfortunately, the articles I initially chose didn't align with the academic conversation‬

‭I aimed to explore in WP2. On a lighter note, the Halloween playlist during week five was‬

‭outstanding. In week six, no readings were assigned due to Halloween, leaving Project Builder‬

‭Two (PB2) as the sole task. Regrettably, I made a critical error similar to PB1. My sources didn't‬

‭correspond effectively with my chosen academic conversation. I mistakenly relied on my‬

‭presumed expertise, failing to dedicate enough time to find more suitable articles. Looking back,‬

‭I realize I should have set aside my confidence and invested more effort into sourcing‬

‭appropriate articles.‬

‭In week seven, the consequences of my earlier mistakes resurfaced as I worked on‬

‭Project Builder Three and Four. While summarizing my sources, I realized they had little‬

‭coherence. This sudden realization prompted a frantic search for three additional sources to align‬

‭with my Writing Project, leading to rushed and subpar PB3 and PB4 submissions. Reflecting on‬
 ‭Round‬‭5‬

‭this situation, I recognized a neglected yet vital aspect of writing: planning. Historically, I‬

‭seldom planned my writing—partly due to the emphasis on short quick writing in AP literature‬

‭and Language, and partly due to my own inertia. Now, I understand the immense value of‬

‭preplanning. Considering the prompt in advance and crafting a detailed plan for executing my‬

‭writing, including sourcing, time allocation, and essay structure, can significantly enhance my‬

‭work. In terms of the readings, 'Understanding Style' proved beneficial. It imparted techniques‬

‭for refining writing clarity, emphasizing the avoidance of overly intricate sentences, words, and‬

‭phrases that could hinder the clarity of my writing.‬

‭During week eight, my main task was to complete Writing Project 2 (WP2), which, in‬

‭hindsight, taught me the most about writing. Similar to WP1, WP2 acted as a trial for applying‬

‭what I had learned in class. However, in comparison, I arguably performed worse on WP2 than‬

‭WP1. Initially, I devised a quick plan outlining the main writing portion and the cover letter for‬

‭WP2. However, I made the mistake of attempting to write almost the entire WP2 in a single day.‬

‭Although I believed I had produced quality work, peer feedback revealed that I had‬

‭misinterpreted the prompt. Instead of generating a conversation based on my sources, I merely‬

‭summarized them. I failed to effectively employ the writing preparation strategies I had learned‬

‭in the previous week. Consequently, I had to rewrite WP2 into the form of a Reddit conversation‬

‭within a day, which proved to be a challenging task. Nevertheless, this process allowed me to‬

‭extensively practice my revision skills. These errors weren't the only ones I made on WP2, but I‬

‭only recognized them during revisions for the final portfolio. Overall, WP2 imparted several‬

‭valuable lessons: ensuring sources align with the prompt, accurately understanding the prompt,‬

‭spacing out writing over multiple days to reduce errors and prioritizing completion of the prompt‬

‭over meeting the word limit.‬

‭In weeks nine and ten, I focused on the final project, dedicating time to revisiting all of‬

‭my Writing Projects for revisions. Initially, I started with a swift project builder session to plan‬

‭out my writing for the forthcoming two weeks. This planning proved invaluable, especially after‬

‭the challenges I faced with spacing my writing during WP2. Creating a structured plan allowed‬

‭me to space out my writing, offering flexibility in my schedule, ensuring I could review my work‬

‭multiple times, and avoiding last-minute rushes, akin to what happened with WP2. Additionally,‬

‭I had the opportunity to meet with my teacher, Maddie Roupe, who provided highly pertinent‬

‭feedback on my writing and guided my revision process. One aspect highlighted in the feedback‬

‭was my struggle with the translation of WP1. I realized my translation was more of a summary in‬

‭a different format rather than a true translation of the article. Leveraging my improved‬

‭understanding of genre since WP1, I revised my newspaper translation by conducting a thorough‬

‭rhetorical move analysis of all my sources, adding or omitting information as necessary. I then‬

‭supplemented my original reflection of WP1 with a reflection on my revision process, creating a‬

‭comprehensive but lengthy document. Using rhetorical moves analysis once more, I discerned‬

‭and eliminated irrelevant information from the reflection.‬

‭With regards to WP2, revising it was quite an endeavor. The feedback highlighted that‬

‭my Reddit post didn't quite capture the essence of an actual Reddit post, and my reflection lacked‬

‭the format of a cover letter. Before diving into the revisions for WP2, I took a moment to reflect‬

‭on the common issues between the cover letter and the Reddit post. It dawned on me that a lack‬

‭of creativity was a recurring problem. My tendency to adhere to the formal, academic style from‬

‭high school left my writing lacking in creativity. However, the weekly journal sessions offered a‬

‭space for me to practice creative writing. With this realization, I approached the revision of WP2‬

‭with a renewed creative mindset. For the Reddit post, I made substantial changes, emulating the‬
 ‭Round‬‭7‬

‭appearance of a genuine Reddit post by incorporating profile pictures, upvotes, simplifying the‬

‭language, and fostering a more conversational tone between the authors. As for the reflection, I‬

‭drew inspiration from online and initiated it with the salutation 'Dear Reader' as if it were an‬

‭actual letter.‬

‭As for this meta-reflection (yes, a reflection within a reflection), I find myself navigating‬

‭within a limited timeframe. Even though I followed the Project Builder plan outlined in week‬

‭nine, external commitments, particularly my English twenty-two’ final, consumed a significant‬

‭portion of my writing time. Consequently, I have a wealth of content to cover within this‬

‭reflection, but time constraints led me to cut some out, and somewhat generalize the rest. Rather‬

‭than delving deeply into the specific meanings of course readings, I focused on how they‬

‭influenced me personally. I omitted specific examples showcasing writing improvements, such‬

‭as 'before and after' sentence revisions, as I believe most of my progress stemmed from a shift in‬

‭mindset rather than merely enhancing technical writing skills. It feels like there's so much more I‬

‭could express, yet I struggle to articulate it onto the page. I hope that despite these constraints,‬

‭I've effectively conveyed my experiences in this class.‬

‭In summary, this course has been transformative for both my writing and personal‬

‭growth, primarily in reshaping my mindset and commitment to writing. I've learned that writing‬

‭is inherently social, never perfect, always open to improvement, revision is the cornerstone of‬

‭good writing, and there exists infinite potential for growth as a writer, facilitated by regular‬

‭reflection. These fundamental principles have drastically altered my perception of writing,‬

‭especially when juxtaposed with my high school perspective, where I harbored a fear of writing‬

‭due to anticipated low grades. This course equipped me with invaluable skills and ideas,‬

‭instilling newfound confidence in my writing abilities. The journey of improving as a writer‬

‭won't end here; in the upcoming winter quarter, I'll be enrolling in Writing 50E. I aim to refine‬

‭my writing skills, particularly in engineering-related contexts, where I still encounter challenges‬

‭in highly technical writing and academic reports. I anticipate that the genre and rhetorical moves‬

‭analysis skills I've developed will prove beneficial in Writing 50E. Perhaps in a year's time, I'll‬

‭revisit this reflection and perceive it as 'awful writing,' recognizing the extensive progress I will‬

‭have made by then.‬

‭Work Cited‬

‭Bunn, Mike. “How to Read Like a Writer.”‬‭Writing Spaces: Readings on Writing‬‭, vol. 2,‬

‭Parlor Press, Anderson, SC, 2022, pp. 71–86.‬

‭Dirk, Kerry. “Navigating Genre.” Writing Spaces: Readings on Writing, vol. 1, Parlor‬

‭Press and WAC Clearinghouse, pp. 249–262.‬

‭Elbow, Peter. “Embracing Contraries: Explorations in Learning and Teaching.” New York‬

‭Oxford UPress 1986.‬

‭Giles, L. Sandra. “Reflective Writing and the Revision Process: What Were You‬

‭Thinking?” Writing Spaces: Readings on Writing, vol. 1, Parlor Press and WAC Clearinghouse,‬

‭pp. 249–262.‬

‭Jacobson, Brad, and Christine M. Tardy. “Make Your ‘Move’: Writing in Genres .”‬

‭Writing Spaces, edited by Madelyn Pawlowski, vol. 4, Parlor Press and WAC Clearinghouse, pp.‬

‭217–237.‬

‭Wardle, Elizabeth, and Doug Downs. “Exploring Threshold Concepts of Writing Though‬

‭Inquiry .”‬‭Writing about Writing‬‭, 5th ed., Bedford/St.‬‭Martin’s, Macmillan Learning, Boston,‬

‭2022, pp. 0–98.‬

‭Williams, Joseph M., and Joseph Bizup. “Understanding Style.”‬‭Style: The Basics of‬

‭Clarity and Grace‬‭, Pearson, Boston, 2015, pp. 1–7.‬

‭Chat GPT for Grammer corrections‬