Keaton Wardell

Professor Cole
Eng. 2010
May 6, 2015
Reflection Essay
Throughout this course I have learned many things about writing, from learning how to
support my arguments to how to better present my issues and information. Not only that, but I
have also learned how to better myself and my papers through peer review and revisions.
For this English 2010 class we were asked to write many different papers using many
different writing styles. We were to write a memoir, an evaluation, and a proposal paper along
with a PSA video for our final project. This taught me so many different ways to go about
writing a paper, and how each way can affect how you reach your audience and get your point
across.
Before taking this class I wasnt quite sure how to go about finding the most credible
sources at my disposal. However, by taking this class I learned how to better support my papers
using scholarly and peer reviewed sources, using websites like Ebsco. Along with that I also
learned how to better cite these sources and make my essays more professional.
I have also never been the type of person who worried or really cared about civic
conversations, but after having to write and participate in these conversations I have gained a
much greater respect for them. From writing about the learning of homosexuality in schools to
writing about gender roles and how we perceive gender as a whole, I have learned how to be a
better contributor in our social and civic conversations.

When deciding what I wanted to write about I looked at myself and thought about issues
in todays society that I have an inside look at and can relate to. I found myself wanting to write
about something that had great meaning to me, not something that was the most popular topic or
the most talked about. This is why I decided to write about homosexual and gender related
topics; I had a different point of view on the subjects than most people.
Peer review was another big part of this class that I took full advantage of. When getting
my essays reviewed I asked many questions and used their responses to help make my essays the
best they could be. I loved getting another persons point of view and opinions on my essays and
the topics I wrote them on. This helped me improve upon my essays and make them the best they
could be.
Lastly, as the class started coming to an end I had my final portfolio to complete. For this
I was required to do a final revision of my proposal paper on homosexuality and queer culture
being taught in schools. Along with that I was to write this course reflection and post both items
to my online e-portfolio. All in all, this whole class was a great experience and really helped me
so much with my overall ability to write and get my opinions and thoughts out.