Steven Guo

Writing for Social Sciences

5/19/2023

Self-Assessment Essay

                                 What Makes Me a Better Writer Than Before?

I made substantial progress toward meeting the course learning objectives and honing my writing abilities over the semester. In this article, I’ll discuss my development and offer examples of how I’ve applied each of the course’s learning objectives. The eight course learning objectives, CLO that I will be discussing are to 1, acknowledge your and others’ range of linguistic differences as resources, and draw on those resources to develop rhetorical sensibility (sensitivity), 2, enhance strategies for reading, drafting, revising, editing, and self-assessment, 3, negotiate your own writing goals and audience expectations regarding conventions of genre, medium, and rhetorical situation, 4, develop and engage in the collaborative and social aspects of writing processes, 5, engage in genre analysis and multimodal composing to explore effective writing across disciplinary contexts and beyond, 6, formulate and articulate a stance through and in your writing, 7, practice using various library resources, online databases, and the Internet to locate sources appropriate to your writing projects, and 8, strengthen your source use practices (including evaluating, integrating, quoting, paraphrasing, summarizing, synthesizing, analyzing, and citing sources). Using all of these learning objectives, I will demonstrate how I developed as a writer and thinker.

The first CLO is to “Acknowledge your and others’ range of linguistic differences as resources and draw on those resources to develop rhetorical sensibility”. This course’s main goal was to foster rhetorical sensibility while recognizing and utilizing linguistic diversity as useful tools. I’ve grown to value the variety of viewpoints and voices in writing, both those from my own linguistic heritage and those of others. I have expanded my knowledge of many rhetorical techniques and successfully incorporated them into my own writing by connecting with literature from various cultural and linguistic backgrounds. 

The second CLO is to “Enhance strategies for reading, drafting, revising, editing, and self-assessment”. Enhancing strategies for reading, drafting, revising, editing, and self-assessment was another important objective of the course. Through regular practice and feedback, I have honed my skills in each of these areas. I have become more adept at critically analyzing texts, identifying key arguments, and evaluating evidence. Furthermore, I have learned to approach the writing process as a recursive one, embracing multiple drafts and revisions to improve the clarity and coherence of my ideas. By incorporating self-assessment techniques, such as peer review and reflection, I have become more self-aware of my strengths and areas for improvement as a writer.

The third CLO is to “Negotiate your own writing goals and audience expectations regarding conventions of genre, medium, and rhetorical situation”. Negotiating my writing goals and aligning them with audience expectations regarding conventions of genre, medium, and rhetorical situations was a crucial objective of this course. I have developed a deeper understanding of the importance of context and genre conventions in shaping effective communication. By analyzing various genres and their specific rhetorical features, I have been able to adapt my writing to different contexts. Additionally, engaging with diverse audiences, both in-class and online, has broadened my perspective and helped me tailor my writing to meet their expectations.

The fourth CLO is to “Develop and engage in the collaborative and social aspects of writing processes”. Active participation in collaborative writing processes has been another significant aspect of this course. Through group projects and peer workshops, I have learned to effectively collaborate with others, valuing their input and integrating it into my own work. These collaborative experiences have not only enhanced the quality of my writing but also taught me valuable skills in teamwork, communication, and negotiation.

The fifth CLO is to “Engage in genre analysis and multimodal composing to explore effective writing across disciplinary contexts and beyond”. Engaging in genre analysis and multimodal composing has been an eye-opening experience in exploring effective writing across disciplinary contexts and beyond. I have learned to identify and analyze the unique features of different genres, including written, visual, and digital forms. By experimenting with multimodal composition, such as incorporating images, videos, and hyperlinks into my writing, I have been able to enhance the overall impact and engagement of my work.

The sixth CLO is to “Formulate and articulate a stance through and in your writing”. Formulating and articulating a stance through writing has been a continuous goal throughout this semester. I have practiced constructing clear and concise thesis statements, supporting them with relevant evidence, and effectively communicating my perspective to the reader. Through this process, I have gained confidence in expressing my ideas and developing a distinct authorial voice.

The seventh CLO is to “Practice using various library resources, online databases, and the Internet to locate sources appropriate to your writing projects”. Moreover, I have strengthened my research skills by utilizing various library resources, online databases, and the Internet to locate credible and relevant sources. I have become proficient in evaluating sources for their credibility, integrating them into my writing, and properly citing them according to the required citation style. This has improved the overall rigor and validity of my research-based projects.

The eight CLO is to “Strengthen your source use practices (including evaluating, integrating, quoting, paraphrasing, summarizing, synthesizing, analyzing, and citing sources)”. In all of our writing assignments in class, we consistently came across the concept of a Critical Literature Overview (CLO). This required us to utilize sources we had gathered for some of our essays and condense their key points to enhance our understanding and improve our essay writing. Through studying these sources and appropriately citing them in most of our essays, my arguments were strengthened and my papers became more persuasive.

In conclusion, I have made significant progress in achieving the course learning objectives throughout this semester. I have developed a greater appreciation for linguistic differences, refined my writing strategies, negotiated audience expectations, engaged in collaborative writing processes, explored effective writing across genres, formulated clear stances, and improved my source use practices. This course has been instrumental in expanding my skills as a writer and equipping me with the tools necessary for future academic and professional endeavors. I am proud of the growth I have achieved and look forward to continuing my development as a writer beyond