What I Learned from English 102 Research Paper Example

What I Learned from English 102 Research Paper Example What I Learned from English 102 Paper What I Learned from English 102 Paper ENG102 Prof 11/24/11 Reflective Essay When the semester began I thought to my knowledge that my writing was that of good quality. Though I had a good basic understanding of the format of an essay or letter I still had a lot to learn. My writing changed in many ways such as learning to eliminate unnecessary wording in my thesis, the use of synonyms, analyzing quotes and writing abstract to concrete thoughts or ideas. This Class not only helped enhance my writing abilities but to also better evaluate the writings of others and forced me to acknowledge the rigorous work of future courses in college. The thesis was and still is at times a task for me. I have always had the right perspective when it came to my thesis yet it was always very broad. I learned, though my thesis was pointed in the right direction I had to eliminate the unnecessary wording and make my statement clear and to the point. For example before the revision my thesis was â€Å"It is human nature to attain freedom at any cost than to live in madness or misery and the life of torture†, after my acquired knowledge I edited my thesis to â€Å"It is human nature to attain freedom at any cost than to live in madness or misery†. I acknowledged my bad habit and a run on of thoughts which I have come to correct. At times I find it funny that I couldn’t figure it out myself. The usage of synonyms was a concept I had to remember from grade school. It was pointed out to me that I had a repetitive use of words in my writing. In one of my previous essays I used the word freedom a bit too often, so I had to edit and make changes from â€Å"Madness can be an imprisonment that forces one to seek freedom† to â€Å"Madness can be an imprisonment that forces one to seek autonomy†. This was better when used synonyms because it keeps the reader interested. The use of synonyms creates the play of words, keeps the reader enlightened as they go along and helps the writer broaden their own vocabulary on an intellectual level. When a writer has analyzed a quote then he has analyzed the book itself. Issues can arise if a quote is not correctly evaluated. You must be positive that what you are saying coincides with your work for example in â€Å"The story of an Hour† the doctors said â€Å"she died of heart disease-of joy that kills†. When one is looking at this, one does not actually think there is a disease as such but there is a deeper meaning to it. I took this and realized the meaning by going back to the story. I could tell by the characters actions after the news of her husband’s death that happiness and freedom were emitting off her as never before. I had to envision this characters emotions to her joyous relief which made me appreciate the doctor’s quote. Going through the process of understanding a character helped me to comprehend the deeper meaning of certain quotes in the books I have been reading. This procedure aided me to incorporate this information into my essay as a developing writer. Writing abstract to concrete thoughts or ideas is very important. To speak about love which is abstract, one would have to express the emotion given by another that would be concrete as hugging or kissing. I found this to be very significant because when reflecting on abstract thoughts I learned to be specific and by evidence or explanation so to be concrete. In my paper â€Å"Price of freedom† I stated â€Å"madness can be an imprisonment that forces one to seek autonomy†, that is an abstract thought but it was made concrete by the verified information from the book â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper†. I stated from my understanding of the book that â€Å"a women is isolated and told to rest by her husband†. â€Å"She descends into madness and construes the hallucinations of the wallpaper being real†. I made clear of my abstract thought to be concrete. I learned this helps the reader to better acknowledge the perspective of the writer. This class not only help me improve my writing skills but also prepare me for the painstaking work of future courses in college. Being able to read, write and discuss multiple books or documents on an intellectual level is more than a requirement; it is necessity for any and all students who would want to advance in today’s world. I do not believe one would be hired for a professional job if that person is speaking on a mere fifth grade level. I take great pride in the knowledge I have gained here. I can look at another student’s paper and discuss whether or not it is well written or needs improvement; that is an accomplishment in it of itself. In conclusion to the reflective look back on my journey, I can see how far I have come. I have come to appreciate writing, yet more so for reading because there was a time where I would dread the idea of reading, but I have come to recognize that reading is more enjoyable when it is something I favor. Writing has become very important in my life and at times it is my only way to speak. I am thankful for the great professor I have had a chance to work with because a good teacher makes the difference between professional advancement and utter failure. I can truly say I have learned much and am stronger to take on the educational system.