This week, we primarily worked on Feeder 3.2. We submitted our rough drafts on Monday and had an in-class workshop on Tuesday. I felt that the writing for this assignment was similar to the rhetorical analysis essays I wrote throughout high school. Literary analysis is not my strong suit, as I sometimes find it difficult to look beyond the surface-level meaning of texts. Scientific writing that consolidates research and makes strictly factual claims is more straightforward to me. After Tuesday’s class, we revised and submitted our final draft of Feeder 3.2 by Wednesday.
We also continued to explore digital literacy this week. During Tuesday’s class, we learned more about concepts such as multimedia compositions, visual literacy, and media in preparation for constructing our third and final unit project. Watching model video essays prior to Thursday’s class helped me better understand what was expected of me in this unit. I was able to observe how past students incorporated visual and auditory media to create their video essays and express their analyses in a more engaging format. Continuing to look at model video essay compositions in class on Thursday helped tremendously.
The end of the semester is approaching and it is a great time to reflect on the past. I was able to explore many fields in this class, gaining experience with writing in different formats, oral communication, and digital literacy. I have gained valuable knowledge that I am sure I will be able to apply in the future. I am very thankful for Paul’s support and feedback throughout the semester. I believe I was most successful at scientific writing in Unit 1, as I am most comfortable with it. My grades from the feeder assignments also reflect this, as my highest scores are from the Natural Sciences unit. However, I also thought Unit 2 was very engaging. Prior to this course, I have never written for the social sciences and found it quite interesting to conduct primary research and draw observations. I am glad to have gotten the opportunity to engage with ethnographic research. I believe my writing skills have improved throughout this semester. Though it may not be a linear growth pattern, I have improved in how I approach writing assignments, plan essays, and construct arguments.
As finals draw near, it is easy to become overwhelmed with stress. Most of our classmates, including myself, are first-year students facing this stress in a new environment for the first time. Remember to take care of yourself and be forgiving. Do your best, but try not to hold impossible expectations. A technique that I have used this semester is to plan out my tasks and focus on one at a time. This has helped me to prioritize important assignments and not get lost thinking about everything I have to do.
In other news, Tuesday was Election Day. I voted for the first time like many of our classmates and would like to think that I am doing my part in making my voice heard and exercising my democratic rights. With only four more class sessions, this course is quickly coming to a bittersweet close. Enjoy the holidays, keep rooting for our sports teams, and as always, remember that it’s a great day to be a tar heel!
Featured Image Source:
Google Images, Creative Commons license