Unit Reflections

In this project, I feel that I have definitely improved in planning and coming up with ideas for my project. I really struggled in that area during my first few projects but this project I didn’t take as much time planning as my other projects. I also had issues with phrasing in my last essay and I feel that I did better in this one. The area of weakness that this project highlighted for me has to be word choice. I feel that there were not very many good academic words other than marijuana because all the other words for marijuana are more slang words. I felt that I was being very repetitive in this essay. The most stressful part of writing this essay had been the word choice because I was afraid that I was being repetitive but I also felt that I couldn’t really use any other words. I think if I could do this project over I would change my angle on the subject and just focus on the economic side of legalizing marijuana or I would look at the criminal side of it and focus on how legalization brings down crime rates and allows law enforcement to focus on bigger issues going on in cities. Also if I focused on the criminal side I could talk about how the use of opioids has gone down in the states that have legalized marijuana to some extent.

I feel like in project #2 I improved in all aspects of my writing especially my grammar and sentence structure. I also think comparing it to my project 1 essay I improved in the structure of my writing as a whole. I am really not sure what weakness this project highlighted for me. I feel like the most stressful part of completing this project was doing this essay on a video. I struggled with watching the video than trying to come up with ideas based on it. I feel like it’s easier for me to do an essay on writing pieces rather than videos. I really just pushed through it and watched it over and over again to make sure I had what I needed as well as making sure I understood it. I feel like this unit really strengthened my analysis aspect of writing. It has never really been my strong suit but after this unit, it gave me a better understanding of it.

1. In what ways have your writing skills improved as a result of completing Project #1? Be specific.
This project really helped me in the format aspect of the essay. I feel that I have improved in writing an organic essay rather than just a five-paragraph essay.

2. What areas of weakness in your writing did this project highlight for you? Be specific.
My greatest weakness for this project was planning. I had a really hard time trying to come up with ideas and how to start the essay. It took me a couple of days of planning before I could even start writing. I still don’t feel that I was able to get all my ideas across.

3. What was the most stressful part(s) of completing Project #1? How did you attempt to overcome that stress? Were you successful? Be specific.
The most stressful part of this project for me was the time. I wasn’t really sure that we had to read the book until a few days in and I am a very slow reader. So it took me a lot of time trying to read and comprehending it all. By the time I was finished I didn’t have a whole lot of time writing the essay. I feel that I was successful but it was definitely not my best work.

4. What’s something about your learning in this unit that you want to be sure to remember when it’s time to compose your Epilogue Post at the end of the semester?
I want to remember the importance of critical thinking and active reading.

For each major essay assignment, you will complete a long-form reflection about your experience writing the paper. Your teacher will provide specific instructions for these reflections.