Reflective Essay

          As this semester comes to an end, I would like to talk about the progress I have seen in my own writing skills. I feel like I have come a long way when it comes to my writing skills. The social epidemic research topic I chose was depression, because I felt that it would be an easier topic to research since it is so common. I have seen a dramatic improvement in my writing style, writing format, and using citations throughout this semester.

At the beginning of the semester, I struggled with organizing my papers and staying on topic. I would get distracted by information and would add in information that was not needed. I often ended up with a very confusing essay because nothing was in order and wasn't written smoothly. I got some help from different people so I could turn in and submit a decent essay. I am still working on staying on topic, but it's a lot better now than at the beginning of the semester. I am still working on staying organized and not going back and forth to different paragraphs.

         Writing my argumentative essay was challenging at first because I have never used APA format and it seemed a little scary at first. Before this class I really didn’t know anything about writing an APA formatted essay let alone us it. I was taught how to use MLA format, so it was difficult at first, but I think after using this format I think I like it better than MLA. As the semester went along, using this format got easier and I didn’t have to think about how to set papers up. When I was writing an argumentative essay, I became more confident in using the APA format.

         I have never been really good at making citations but doing them in a different format than I was used to was differently a struggle. I was taught how to use citations in MLA format, so when I had to use them in APA format, I was defiantly scared at first. After watching videos and looking at examples, I learned how to use them correctly, so it wasn’t so hard to use them. I would still second guess myself when trying to put them in the essay. I spent a lot of time trying to make sure I did the citations correctly. When I was writing an argumentative essay, I got more comfortable using them.

         Overall, I have learned so much from this class and it has also helped me become a better writer. This class has helped me so much with helping my writing style improve. I also learned how to use a different writing format than I am used to. I don’t think I ever thought that I would have to use a different writing format other than MLA, but I am so glad I got the opportunity to. This class has been really helpful and beneficial to help me become a better writer.