During this semester we’ve been given 6 complete essays to write. Although I am unsure of how I’ve done or if my writing is successful, I have found that throughout this experience I have developed many new approaches to my writing I had not before explored.
Written tasks have never been my strong suit so the separation of each paper into weeks at a time really helped manage my work. It kept my time management in check so that the stress of the task didn’t build up on me. Admittedly I left the ‘reflective writing’ too long as it was the most daunting task to perform as said by many of the class and the lecturer. This was a poor decision of mine as it then made the next task slightly more rushed.
When writing the paper on ‘ethics’ I found coming up with ideas was a lot easier. In the lecture everything was very interactive and therefore as a class we shared opinions, and this inspired some of my work. I found it easier to find things to say as the photo we used in regard to the topic as it was very bluntly questionable. When I saw a bit more passion towards the subject the whole experience was less taxing and took a lot less time to write. It also came to my attention that when a topic is so controversial you will find a number of papers from activists or researchers who want to stop or reduce the stigma perceived in society. This also then made it relatively easier to find academic quotes and also quotes from regular people too. In result of this I plan to, whenever I am in need of breaking down an image, choose something topical and relevant to really stimulate myself.
The problem I found with finding sources was that I mainly searched the internet but it is very hard to tell sometimes If a source is reliable to quote of if the ideas are entirely the writers. Surprisingly the library became an easier source than I thought based on how specialised to our subjects it is.
I found learning to Harvard reference in the academic integrity essay exceptionally helpful as with everything I write I can now give appropriate credit to areas where it is due. This will definitely be a skill I will take forward to me and that has already been proved through the use of it in further essays. Also posting my personal work onto a shared blog made me think with more consideration as I was putting it out there for everyone to see and judge and I personally find this kind of pressure helpful.
Looking back at this entire process it is clear to see that I have developed my understanding but also identified some weaknesses in myself that I need to work on and now I may do so and continue to improve my work. I look forward to one day using these skills professionally.