Friday, May 15, 2009

Preface (blog 9)

Writing for me does not come easy. I have always done well in English classes and I always enjoy them, but the actual process of writing a paper is something that I struggle with and hope to improve. I am a firm believer in the saying, “practice makes perfect,” and this class was good practice. I learned what my favorite methods for writing are, I learned better techniques, and I was reminded of old ones.
I have always been a bit of a procrastinator, which I know is something I need to work on. I have found that when I try to write a paper well before it is due I tend to get distracted easily and can’t seem to focus and when I have a short time to write a paper my thoughts tend to flow easier and more quickly. This is something I am working on so this semester I started earlier on the position paper and the research project. I am much happier with the result of my research project, having started it earlier I had a better grasp on the subject I was writing about. I gave myself time to watch some National Geographic videos on global warming and was therefore better equipped to write. I also realized that making a detailed outline before I start writing makes the process much smoother and easier.
Though I did spend a lot more time than usual on the position paper, Socialized Medicine, I had a difficult time writing it. After I did the research for it I began to question my own opinion on the subject. I found that there is good and bad to both socialized and non-socialized medicine which made it hard for me organize my thoughts and get them out onto paper. Although I think I picked the wrong topic for me, I learned that I need to be absolutely sure of my opinion before I try to argue it.
I arranged my portfolio somewhat according to favorites. I wanted to start with one I liked, but did not want to end with one I did not like, so I started and ended with my favorites. I find it’s better to end on a good note. Because it had been a while since I’d written a paper I needed to be reminded how to correctly format a paper and a bibliography. Though I struggled a little bit, this class was very helpful in that area. I now feel more comfortable moving forward. This class was a good experience and gave me the skills I need for future classes.

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