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Ryan Davidson
Professor Beadle
English 115
3 December 2015
The Semester in Short
Entering the class as a first-time freshman, I did not know what to expect from this class.
At the very least, I expected to improve my writing ability, as well as write countless essays in
fifteen weeks. As the semester comes to a close, I can confirm that all expectations were met and
more. Not only did I improve my writing, by gaining more experience writing a plethora of
essays within the course of four months, I learned how to properly cite sources, as well as
distinguish between valuable, worthwhile sources from generic articles that are about as reliable
as wikipedia. In addition, I learned how to analyze graphic text, as well as concepts of gender
and equality. I strengthened my knowledge of ethos, pathos, and logos, the three rhetorical
appeals. Even on the first day I learned the difference between close-mindedness and openmindedness, and was surprised to find that I can be both. Even though I learned a lot this
semester, if I were to have done anything differently, I would have manage time more wisely (a
skill I am still beginning to acquire), instead of procrastinating frequently.
What I like about writing (and reading for that matter) is the personality of writing. Most
writing is somewhat biased in one way or another, as writing objective essays includes a point of
view that can be backed up by evidence. In other words, by learning to write, people learn to
create more educated opinions, as well as think critically. The personality of writing, in turn, is
the style and expression of peoples opinions, and what draws people in. Often the more passion

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and interest that goes into writing, the more attention it receives. However, with any type of
writing, especially in a classroom-based setting, much research and study must be done to
support claims. In addition, structuring, and citing sources can be somewhat of a hassle, which is
why I personally prefer writing more about abstract thought. As a result, I struggled a lot with
this class, because of the constant time and research that was needed before each paper was due.
Although writing is not always my best ability, I challenged myself by critically reading, and
marking quotes in each book we read so that I could use them later when I write. Looking back,
I like to think that many things have changed from the beginning of this semester.
Going into this semester, I have had many strengths and weaknesses. I have always had
good grammar and spelling, as well as good vocabulary. On the other hand, I have struggled
with embedding quotes, as well as starting and ending paragraphs. In addition, I have made
many run-on sentences that Is still struggle with today. However, the more exposure and practice
I have had this semester has really prepared me and improved my writing ability, and strengthen
the way I make arguments. The more criticism I have had from people on my writing, the more
success I have had in my work. As a result, I will continue to write and receive criticism on my
writing, as well as make as many trips to the learning resources center as possible in the future
when I am confused. My biggest goal from this class that I hope to accomplish is to prepare me
for future writing assignments that I will find in future classes and future career, especially my
senior thesis. So, if I could give advice for any future students of this class, I would say to
always work on managing time, and that the only wrong answer in writing is an argument that
lacks substance or flow.