Nicolas1

Toby Nicolas

Professor Lee

EN-111

January 27, 2017

Pre-Instruction Reflective Self-Assessment Essay Prompt

In EN-110, I learned the basic ways of writing and composition in college. In my

English class last semester, I had a teacher named Miss Verna. She was a good teacher, and she

taught us a lot about writing our way in college. There were many techniques and skills that I

have personally learned from her class that I can use for any class that includes writing in the

future. I think after having that EN-110 class I have achieved the learning outcomes for that

course which is to achieve clarity and precision in writing, and by using standard mechanical and

grammatical conventions of written English.

After having EN-110 I believe that I can successfully achieve clarity and precision in my

writing. Clarity means being clear and particular. In EN-110 I learned how to have clarity in my

papers. We learned how to organize our thoughts and ideas so that the message of the paper

would be clear and understandable. In a college paper, there should be something called a thesis.

This is the map for the paper, and it tells the reader where the writer is going. Also when writing

a paper it is important to have an intro, three body paragraphs (support), and a conclusion. Using

this formula helps the writer achieve a more clear paper. I also learned that it is easier to write

about a specific topic rather than a topic that can be about anything, or random. Clarity in

writing also has to do with what type of words you use, and also the diction. You have to use the

correct words for the each assignment in order for the paper to be a great one.
 Nicolas2

Precision in writing is just as important as clarity. In EN-110 I learned how to be more

precise when writing a paper. Last semester we learned how to use an active voice when writing.

We also learned to use more complicated words to show that we have a better understanding of

the topic we are talking about. Another technique we learned was the use of imagery and time in

writing. When imagery is in writing, then it would help the paper seem more clear and precise.

Imagery also helps readers understand the message that the writer is trying to illustrate. In that

class, we did many writing assignments too. We wrote about past experiences, memories,

recollections, and we researched about a specific topic of our choice. And through these essays,

I was able to improve on my precision in writing.

Lastly, EN-110 has taught me the importance of the usage of standard mechanical and

grammatical conventions of written English. Standard mechanics in English writing are the

way a person writes. In that class, I learned it is important to use the right type of sentence

structure and punctuation. If you did not use the write punctuation or sentence structure, then

that paper would be less clear and understandable. Grammatical conventions of written English

refer to a persons way of using words and sentences. I learned that it is important to have both

mechanical and grammatical conventions in English so that the essay would be coherent, and

thought provoking. If a person had a good thesis, but lacked mechanical and grammatical

conventions, then the whole paper might not be good. That is why it is important to use standard

mechanical and grammatical conventions of written English.