Tyler Thompson

Angela Miss
UWRT 1101
30 November 2016
Digital Database Critical Reflection
Throughout the semester I truly feel that I have grown as a
writer. At the beginning of the semester I thought of University writing
as merely another writing class that I had to get through. However, as
we got further into the semester my initial opinion changed juristically.
It still was just another writing class; but little did I know it would
inevitably help critique and improve my writing style. In addition to
helping me learn how to read and write critically and creatively. But
most importantly the class helped me fully understand the concept of
rhetoric and the many other SLOs involved in the class. This class
helped me develop as a writer. This was all evident in my digital
databases. As I compare the writing I did at the beginning of the
semester to writing I did at the end the difference is pretty apparent. I
can clearly see differences in word choice, formatting, and the use of
rhetoric and other different SLOs. University writing ultimately turned
my weaknesses as a writer into my strengths.
To begin, coming into the University writing program I felt as
though I already had a lot of strengths. Strengths being the ability to
properly format and outline an academic paper, the ability to create a

good hook and thesis statement, and the ability to connect the ides in
my paragraphs so that my writing flows better. I also consider my
citing ability to be a pretty imperative strength. However, when we
moved further into the semester I came to the realization that I had a
lot more weakness than I initially thought. Not only did I have the
weaknesses I initially thought I had, but I also found that I had
weaknesses I did even know existed. My weaknesses being the
improper uses of commas and semicolons, sentence fragments, the
use of rhetoric and the many SLOs, writing style, and techniques for
different styles of writing. Nevertheless, as the semester went by these
newfound weaknesses in my writing initially became addition to my
strengths.
To begin, when the literacy memoir paper was initially presented
to us I was immediately intimidated. I had never written in the style of
story telling. In high school I wrote nothing but academic papers. And I
never really wrote outside of school. Hence, this was all new for me. I
had to develop a new writing style for a whole new genre. I struggled
at first. I had to scratch my whole first draft and start all over again. My
first draft wasnt telling a story it was merely an academic paper on the
art of creating a good caption. I came to the realization that I had to
incorporate both the academic and storytelling genres together. This
was inevitably difficult at first but the more I wrote the more I got the
hang of it. I was ultimately able to successfully and efficiently complete

my literacy memoir paper. All the while I learned how to effectively

revise and remediate my writing. I also took the criticism I received
from my peer to revise my paper.
In continuance, In the process of writing and revising my literacy
memoir I unknowingly and successfully used 3 of the Student learning
outcomes. They were composing processes, critical reflection, and
rhetorical knowledge. I had to critically reflect on my first draft in order
to successfully complete my second one. And I used composing
processes throughout the whole writing process and during the peerediting workshop. Lastly, I used rhetorical knowledge in my literacy
memoir when I transitioned from an academic voice to a story telling
narrators voice. I feel as though the unintentional use of critical
reflection helped me during the writing of my e-resource reflection
paper. When I first attempted to write my critical reflection paper I was
tentative. I wasnt entirely sure what was expected of me. Yet again,
this genre of writing was something new to me. I first had to
comprehend what critical reflection really was. I had to analyze our eresources website and determine, what we did. What we could have
done better? What our process was? What we didnt do? This process
directly correlates with I did in order to revise my literacy memoir.
When I started writing the paper I only partially understood the
concept of critical reflection. However, the further I got into the paper

the more I comprehended. I feel as though I have mastered the

concept and understanding of critical reflection.
In conclusion, for my last reflection paper I think Im going to
reflect on how I initially grew as a writer and how my weakness
inevitably turned into my strengths.

In addition to how I was

unknowingly using some of the classes Student learning outcomes.

Now that I know of and understand the classs student learning
outcomes, I can inevitably to make my writing even better. Due to the
fact that now I can purposefully use our student learning outcomes to
help me format, formulate and revise my writing.