Weir 1

Jeremiah Weir

Professor Litle

ENG.121001

25 April 2019

My Writing Metamorphosis

This semester has been a time of transformation and inspiration for my writing journey,

and an epoch of refining my compositional abilities. Prior to this time, I considered myself to be

an accomplished writer, but I had no idea just how many grammatical, syntax, and stylistic errors

I had been making throughout my lifetime. However, I can confidently affirm that I have made a

tremendous amount of progress throughout this semester, perhaps enough to assist my fellow

students with the components that I have learned.

I have learned a great deal about compositional genres that I was hitherto unfamiliar with,

such as: argumentative (Paper 4), summary and response (Paper 2), visual analysis (Paper 1,

Discussion Questions for Luc Pauwels’ “Visual Literacy and Visual Culture”), and annotated

bibliography (Paper 3). Throughout this time, I learned how to properly cite my sources using

the Modern Language Association format (Paper 2, Paper 3, and Paper 4), I learned to analyze

images and determine factors such as what the message they are attempting to convey is and who

their intended audience is (Discussion Questions for Luc Pauwels’ “Visual Literacy and Visual

Culture”), and what my purpose is with each writing (Paper 1, Paper 2, Paper 3, and Paper 4).

Finally, I have learned to properly format my compositions in conformity to specified parameters

(Paper 1, Paper 2, Paper 3, and Paper 4).

My understanding of the writing process has been greatly enhanced during this time, and

I now have a clearer understanding of the planning, writing, and revising stages involved in it
 Weir 2

(Paper 1, Paper 2, Paper 3, and Paper 4), I am far more proficient at conducting research and

utilizing academic databases (Paper 3, Paper 4), and I have gained a comprehensive

understanding of how to apply the conventions of writing to all of my literary work (Paper 1,

Paper 2, Paper 3, and Paper 4).

In Paper 1, I learned to not reference the assignment in my thesis statement, I began

learning how to properly structure paragraph transitions, and I had the honor of showing my

professor another way to use the word ‘ostensibly’ in a sentence (1). This first major paper

illustrated where I began with my writing abilities at the beginning of the semester contrasted to

the level of those abilities by the time I composed Paper 4. In Paper 2, I learned not to list the

assignment title in my work, how to correctly construct a quality thesis statement using the

conventions of composition such as organization, presentation, and style, not to end a paragraph

with another person’s idea, and how to use evaluative/critical reading competencies when

summarizing (1).

In Paper 3, I honed my skills for clarifying ideas and concepts, learned to give examples

when presenting data in order to provide my audience with a clearer understanding of what the

data is saying, and proper formatting conventions such as not including extra spaces between

paragraphs (1, 2, 3, and 4). During this semester, I have achieved proficiency in understanding of

the facets of audience, purpose, context, formatting, and genre, and I have learned what is

contained within each of the stages of writing from planning through the final revision. In the

process, I have developed a comfortable understanding of the protocols intrinsic to this system,

such as presentation, style, organization, critical reading skills, and correct source

documentation. I have also learned about grammar, mechanics, tone, syntax, and style, along

with how to correctly apply them in my compositions.

 Weir 3

For me, English composition is so much more than the things I have listed thus far. I

mentioned most of them because they are the required learning outcomes, but writing is far

deeper than mere grammar, syntax, and style. Words convey the ideas that can and do alter our

world, and composition is the medium through which those ideas are analyzed, polished, and

presented.

Many of the best writings that I have ever produced did not follow the prototypical

outline of the conventions that we learned about in class because writing is a living process that

in many instances simply flows through us independent of planning and the benchmarks of

grammar. At those times, it becomes the expression of the deepest territories of our hearts: our

longings, joys, sorrows, dreams, etc. Yet, through the conventions of composition, it is refined

and regenerated into an art form. It becomes a method for skillfully presenting our thoughts in

such a way that they will generate an impact on the hearts and minds of our audience.

Through this skill, we can captivate, inspire, empower, or even repulse. Writing contains

the powerful potential to positively or negatively influence others, and during this semester the

realization of that fact has inspired me to work toward perfecting my writing skills. It has also

motivated me to strive to enhance my critical, analytical, and evaluative reading prowess.

As this first year semester comes to an end, I am far more confident in my writing

abilities than I was at the beginning, but not so naïve as to believe that I have little room for

improvement. I am fully aware that this is a never-ending journey involving constant evolution

and improvement, but I now have an array of new tools and skills with which to navigate the

hills, valleys, deserts, mountains, and plains of composition. I am grateful for all that I have

learned in this class, and I know that it has fully prepared me for the next stage of my writing

journey.