Writing Experiences From Week 1

First of all, I'm just glad the first week of this class is over! I did all of my assignments and I think I did a good job. The summary critique was a good experience for me because I learned how to summarize in my own words what the author was trying to express in the argument. It helped me be objective in pointing out the strengths and weaknesses of the argument.

The research project is on a topic that I have a very strong opinion on: divorce and how it affects men and women. I've seen so many people that I know that are divorced and they seem bitter and lonely on the inside but they try not to show it. I can't wait to do more research on divorce to see why this is so and if it confirms my beliefs on it.

The writing assessment was a great opportunity to put my best writing efforts into action and see how I can improve. It was my first blog and I think I can get used to blogging! It's kind of fun to just write about anything that comes to mind because it means something to you.

The exploratory draft was a great way to think about my topic and write down what I know and what I need to learn. I like how the format of this assignment was to answer 5 questions in at least 5 paragraphs. It's a good starting point and a way to practice my paragraph writing skills.

The discussions were great for posting your thoughts and answers to the questions and also responding to other students. It's interesting to see what other students have written and it gives you ideas and different insights. It really helped my critical thinking and communication skills.

The only thing that was awkward in week 1 of this class was responding to our peer group's exploratory drafts because I was a little uncomfortable making suggestions and posting feedback on their papers. I didn't want to sound like I was insulting or disagreeing with their arguments. I felt like I didn't have the authority to do that. Other than that, everything was great!