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Emily Toman

Samuel Amendolar

English 130

8 December 2023

Major Assignment 4

Fall semester of 2024 was one full of learning and growth. New skills have been learned,

and old ones revisited. Some skills I learned are how to work in a group to write a paper, how to

write a cover letter, how to use databases to find credible sources, how to use self-citations in

new writing, and how to use rhetoric. The areas I have grown in are using quotation sandwiches

and explaining my thoughts to a fuller extent. I have improved in my writing an ample amount

throughout this semester. Now, I can use this new knowledge that I have obtained in my

assignments and jobs that are to come.

This semester there have been a variety of projects assigned, yet they all tie together in

one way or another. The first major assignment, the recommendation report, required research.

This research was found using credible databases. An assignment helping navigate and find

credible sources on the databases was assigned prior to Major Assignment One. The assignment

was named, “Library Visit #1: Conducting Research.” This assignment had set a foundation for

the first paper. It taught me how to pick out credible sources in a sea of faulty ones. On the first

major assignment, I used research from databases found while filling out the library worksheet.

This major assignment was the longest paper I have ever written: eight pages. The length of the

paper was frightening when I had initially started the task; I had no idea how I was going to have

enough information to write about. I finished this assignment by tying the research to my own
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life. By figuring out how assignment prompts apply to my own life, I have found that it is

significantly easier to complete the writings to the best of my ability.

Major Assignment Two was a collaborative and creative project based on assignment

one. In English courses, I have never worked with a group. This was a completely new skill I

learned this semester, and it was not necessarily the easiest assignment. This task required a

whole new form of thinking: creative thinking. After this assignment, Major Assignment Three

was introduced. This assignment was like the second assignment as it also allowed for creativity.

Additionally, I also wrote a rhetorical analysis for my public mini genres. A rhetorical analysis is

something that I have never written before. This is an essential skill I learned this semester.

Being able to describe and explain my writing choices will be important in any future work I

complete.

In the drafting process, I start out by handwriting my notes and ideas in my notebook or

on any scratch piece of paper I can find. I often think of little ideas to write about at random

times throughout my day, so I always carry sticky notes to jot down these ideas. My next step is

to type an outline for how I would like to format my paper. This outline helps me brainstorm

more ideas on what to include in my writing. I then fill in my outline with bulleted information.

This allows me to expand on these ideas later. I find it extremely difficult to just sit and write on

a blank document, so all these little habits help me immensely. Once I believe that my draft is

finalized, I read my paper aloud. In my process note for Major Assignment One I wrote, “The

peer review helped me since I read my paper aloud to my group. My group members did not

have much to say about my paper, but reading my work aloud helped me make sure my wording

made sense.” Reading my work aloud is my last step in the writing process. This helps me ensure
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that I have made no grammatical or spelling errors. After this last step, my work is done, and I

submit the assignment.

Physical planners and notebooks are the perfect aid for me in academics. I map out a

timeline of assignments in my planner. I plan out how many pages I want done in a certain

amount of time. However, I am not the best at following this timeline. With an extended time, I

have the bad habit of waiting until the last minute to complete my assignments. For assignment

one, I wrote an ample number of notes while researching. I feel that handwriting my notes makes

typing my essay easier and more efficient. Also, writing my notes by hand helps me think of

ways to elaborate on my thoughts and ideas. Notetaking is one of the biggest aids for me when it

comes to writing. I find it difficult to sit and type at a computer for a long time. I also print out

my drafts so I can annotate them by hand rather than on my computer. As the semester went on, I

found that there are a lot of little notes that I have written myself. If I had any ideas relating to an

assignment, I had written them down somewhere. There were more notes for the most recent

assignment than the other two. These notes are incredibly significant in my writing process, and

they make me a better writer.

This semester I have learned valuable lessons: communication, collaboration, balance,

and time management. These have always been skills that I have had, but this semester I have

grown in all areas. Time management is my biggest downfall, and I still have plenty of room for

improvement in this field. All three of these skills are needed in numerous areas of life. When

applying for future jobs, an applicant with these traits would be viewed as extremely valuable in

the eyes of an employer. Additionally, knowing and understanding how to read and write

effectively is especially important for other academic courses. As a marketing major, effective

writing is crucial. Major Assignment Three taught me the importance of writing for a certain
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audience, and this will be helpful in my future career. In Major Assignment Three I stated, “For

example, a student may be drawn to a colorful and eye-catching piece, such as a flyer. In

contrast, a professor or administrator may want a more formal method of presentation that is sent

directly to them, such as a slideshow or email” (1). This assignment made me aware of how

different audiences are attracted to different forms of presentation. This realization will be vital

in the marketing field and will be a beneficial skill for me to have in my future career.

One of my greatest skills is the ability to ask questions when needed. My brain is

constantly forming questions and seeking the answers for them. I look up any questions I may

have, and if I cannot find the answer, I ask someone else. I also believe my planning has gotten

better since I started using outlines to frame my work. Planning out my assignment ensures that I

cover every part of the prompt given to me. I believe that I will always be forming questions and

mapping out the format of projects, not just in an English 130 class. These habits work very well

for me, so I will continue to use them throughout my academic years and after them as well.

Some people see too many questions as an issue, but I believe that having a lot of questions

allows for more learning and growth.

After Major Assignment Three, the use of rhetoric has changed my view on how writers

make their decisions. There are oftentimes decisions that do not seem vitally important, but after

this previous assignment, I realized even the minute details can change something entirely. I had

also never understood how to find multiple credible sources until taking the English 130 course.

After the first assignment, I understood how these sources were located. Databases supply

valuable sources to writers, which makes their writing reliable. Prior to taking the English 13

course, I had never really thought about the reasoning behind writer’s decisions and never

understood how they found credible sources, but I have no learned and thought about both.
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Working collaboratively is one of my strongest skills, but this semester I wrote

collaboratively for the first time. I feel that I am a valuable member of a group when writing

collaboratively. I also believe that I provide valuable feedback to those that I work with.

Additionally, I am a very trustworthy team member, and my group can rely on me to get my

work done on time and completed to the best of my ability.

To me, writing skills are the ability to convey the intended message successfully. Writing is a

terrific way to spread a message. This semester I produced a few things that show my written

communication skills: a cover letter, an email, a presentation, and a flyer. These four things show

my attention to detail when communicating an idea. I will continue to improve these writing

skills in my upcoming marketing courses. To be successful in marketing, I need to have excellent

writing skills, so I believe that these skills will develop even more in the future.

Lastly, my professor should know that I feel this course has had an enormous impact on

my writing, research, and collaboration with others. I feel as if I have grown very much

throughout this one semester. The course challenged me and pushed me to become a better

student. English 130 urged me to learn better time management; however, my time management

could still use a lot of work. Along with this, learning how to use databases to find credible

sources is something that will be helpful for future courses and essays. I also believe this course

pushed me to become a more creative thinker. There was only one heavy research assignment,

the others required a more creative outlook. Tremendous growth in my writing, research, and

thinking was noticed throughout the past few months. This semester has been extremely valuable

to me.