What I Have Learned in Academic Writing

And How it Have Impacted me

Robert Ununger
Antioch University of Santa Barbara
5 March 2015

About 9 weeks ago, I stepped into the classroom without having any idea of what this
class would be like, although I could have guessed. My first thoughts were that it would be
similar to the previous writing classes that I took at Santa Barbara City College, containing
articles in which I would read, annotate and then argue for and against, but right after first class I
realized that it would be completely different. We directly jumped into the importance of genres,
how this class not was about Social Justice, although we were kind of going to write about it, but
also not, because the important focus was writing. After the first class I had still no idea of what
to expect, more than a loaded class with a lot of interesting lecture were about to begin. All these
lectures - which have included definition and meaning of specific words, weekly writing/process
tips, class readings and assignments, and journal questions - have developed my understanding
and skills as a writer.
The first lecture that changed my view of writing was when we discussed about the
meaning of genres and conventions - not the rules, but the norms and expectations of the
audience. It was about how all the different features (conventions) were added up to a whole
product (genre) to satisfy a specific type of customers (the audience). It was a new way of
thinking of genre, as I before only knew it as type of films. It made me realize that everything
that we make, or do in writing, or communicating are done in a specific genre, to satisfy the right

audience. This will definitely help me to adapt my writing depending on who I am writing to as
well as what I should, and should not include, depending on the genre.
Another thing that has been very stimulating and important for my development towards
becoming a better writer, is the weekly tips that we have recieved after each class. Each tip has
often been small, but important to in the long run improve my writing and the process towards a
finished product. For example, a placeholder (___) is a great way of effectively prevent me from
stop writing when I forget a word, but still am on fire with my pen. It will help me to keep my en
on fire, and later on I can get back to that word to add it. Some other helpful tips were about
when to put the comma (The oxford comma) and the difference between hyphens and dashes.
Although I have never known the difference between putting the comma before and or not, as
well as, when to use dashes or hyphens, I still have always used them in my writing. It may seem
like minor changes that improves my writing, however I still feel relieved to have the knowledge
about, which I did not have before.
Readings and assignments due before class have been very helpful to both bring
awareness and basic knowledge in each topic mentioned in class, as well as make me understand
the bigger picture. For example, Anne Lamott argued in her writing, Shitty First Drafts, about
how everyone is always doing a bad first draft, it is natural. Not even the best writers in the
world are done with their work the first draft, it is impossible. Although I knew before I read her
article that first drafts were necessary, I did not really understand the bigger picture of it. I
usually started writing until I was done, that was it. Sometimes I draw a cluster map or an
outline, but the first draft was often close to my final paper. With help of both the readings and
the lecture we had, I have changed they way I work with my papers - I now see the bigger
picture of the whole process.

Another reading in class that have developed me as an writer is each cartoons chapter that
has explained different meanings of words like rhetoric, arguments, or pathos, logos and ethos.
As a more visual person, I found it extremely captivating for me to read the texts with visuals
attached rather than just plain pages of words, words, and even more words. Reading a plain text
full of words will not catch my attention, however, lectures containing a combination of visuals,
reading and listening will. Therefore I have been very satisfied with the combination of the
teacher explaining something, at the same time bringing up examples on the whiteboard as well
as the computer in a word document used for each class. I also believe that everyone agrees with
me when I state that combining all these communication with us students have increased the
interest, as well as our attention in each class. This in combination with the journal writing have
been most appealing for me.
Lastly, I would like to give a gold star to the journal questions that we have been able to
answer during each class. The first time I used a journal was in my writing class at SBCC. It felt
great to write about everything that I had on my mind and let it out on a sheet of paper. In the
Academic Writing class, we have focused more on writing about our thoughts from the readings
in our journals. It has been helpful in many ways. First of all it has helped me to remember what
I was actually reading, and what of it I could remember. There are many times where I skim
through a text, and after finish it, I have not remembered more than a few things. By writing it
down, I know exactly what I remembered, and the rest I could get through the others which leads
me to the second reason. The journals have helped the class to as a group, come up with different
ways that the reading was helping us, and by putting all of our thoughts together, we came up
with pretty awesome ideas for every class. Everyone thinks differently, and therefore the input
from everyone has been beneficial for all of us. Last but not least, I think that hearing others

voices from their journals have been very helpful because listening to the same person for a long
time (in this case the teacher), could after a while make each and one of us lose interest and
attention. By involve everyone, and hear different voices, the class have been great from the start
to the end. It has not been one single class where I have felt bored, for another reason that we
actually are lectured in three hours, which is very long time.
Each single class have helped me to become a better writer, and I have developed a lot in
these 9 weeks that we have spend together. I look forward into use my new obtained knowledge,
and apply it in my future writing. I have still plenty to learn, but I feel much more secure now
when I grab my pen, or open my word document on the computer. I cannot remember many
other classes, in which I have learned this much, that I will have use for in the future. That must
be a good sign of my what I have learned in Academic Writing this quarter.