Writing Course Reflection

At the University of Utah, and most higher education institutions, an academic writing course is required. Coming into this class, I thought it would be just another required course, teaching me how to prepare papers. Of course, I did learn how to paraphrase, synthesize, and collaborate, but I also learned how to enjoy writing and explore new concepts. Despite the label of requirement I thoroughly enjoyed and learned a lot from Ms. Cottam’s writing class. The evolution of my papers became more clear, concise, and credible, a pivotal part in writing academic papers. Looking back on the semester, I learned that my writing is often unclear and long winded. I discovered that I have difficulty accurately explaining my argument and identifying clear

A paper that has strong organizational aspects typically has a clearly defined thesis. Over the semester, my writing improved mostly due to a stronger thesis. For example, the change between the literature review and the contribution paper, organization became more developed overall. The thesis being the foundation, created a persuasive argument in the contribution paper. “HICs should support health service projects in LMICs to secure economic success, challenge climate change-health related problems, and protect against repercussions from globalization,” here the the claim is made- “HICs should support health service projects in LMICs” and it is backed by three clear sub claims (Willis 1). The difference between the contribution paper thesis and literature review thesis is clarity and organization. The thesis sets up the paper, foreshadowing how the argument will fall. Creating a strong thesis is necessary for developing a strong argument. An academic paper is only as good as its research. Being able to properly research and cite a topic is undeniably an important aspect in writing papers for higher education course and careers. Prior to Writing 2010, I had some experience in writing research papers. I knew the gist, plug a couple broad terms into Google, narrow it down, then add sources to a Works Cited page. Now, I can find useful peer-reviewed journals; I am able to quote, paraphrase,

I think I will benefit most from having clear and concise papers in STEM based classes. Scientific journals are often very blunt and to the point. Something which I struggled with (and still do) earlier this semester. However, as I developed my writing technique in the class, it became more apparent how to put together a successful scientific paper. Instead of entailing listless details with flowery imagery for a biology course, I can write with clear statistical style. For a creative writing class, I am able to adjust into a more lengthy and thoughtful technique. With the knowledge I have gained, I can apply style and technique appropriately depending on the current