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| Words https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=anVweXDcxhA |
Jim Diaz: a profile essay
This piece was a spur of the moment labor of love. While I was struggling to find a topic I felt was worthwhile I found myself looking at old topics I've covered before. I originally started with an idea of profiling Darth Vader. This interested me as I thought of giving it a twist that Darth Vader was a loving and caring father who just wanted a second chance with his kids. It fell through when thinking of how Anakin and Padmé broke up. I scrapped the idea and desperately began thinking of other figures I could profile.
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| Painting by Jim Diaz |
When I started writing I was not sure how it would turn out. I had never written a profile on someone before. I've kept a fairly detailed journal for some years cataloging significant events and experiences. I took this approach in writing the profile. I took on the perspective of myself, as if I had a camera when I met him, and edited it with "flash-backs" and other background information. When writing this piece I originally felt rushed, but once I had my topic the rest just flowed. I learned the enjoyment of writing not simply for detail and record, but for the joy or remembering. While writing I felt connected, warm, and loved. I have enjoyed writing for some years now, but this was different, and I think I will try this genre more often.
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| Philippians http://www.heartlandworship.com/sermons/sermon/2013-04-14/philippians:-destiny |
Philippians: a report essay
This piece was a bit more complicated to write, and was not as enjoyable as the profile essay. I am used to research papers, and I enjoy doing research. It is odd, when I was growing up reading was difficult, and writing seemed impossible. But as I've grown I have found a love, and a desire to read and write more than my first love of drawing. I had been studying the text of Philippians for another class and used that same study time to research for this report. Honestly, I was not passionate about this piece. I love the Bible, and usually that research consumes most of my research time. But the over saturation of the text made me feel less passionate or driven to write something I would want to read. This is not normal for me. I typically do not write things I do not enjoy or want to read and remember, which for me makes this the least favorite piece.
While I did not find the drive to make this piece the best it could be I stand by what I wrote. The topic was well researched, and the information is accurate. What I learned from writing this is not to forget why I love to write in the first place - the enjoyment of the process. I can write for hours, and it could be nonsense, but I would not have it any other way. Losing sight of the goal can make the reader lose interest, and that defeats the purpose of the practice.
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| Discipleship https://sawyersinuganda.com/discipleship/ |
The Great Commission - where it fits into the contemporary Church, and why it is needed: an argument essay
The research paper was, and is, something I am deeply passionate about. My concern while writing this piece was doing the topic justice. While the feedback I received was overwhelmingly positive I still had worries of if I did well. In deciding what I would write about the class was strongly urged to pick something that we had a strong opinion about. When it comes to discipleship I am a very strong supporter. Being a preacher kid I have been thoroughly educated on being active in the Church. I have been active in service since the age of twelve. I understand more and more why this is such an important issue in the Church the more I interact with unbelievers. Not simply because of how many there are, but in their view of Christians in general. We are like horrible pyramid scheme promoters/recruiters. All that matters is getting that person involved, once their in they are on their own. It is a sad cyclical system.
Discipleship is not getting converts - it is so much more. It is a relationship that positions itself to build people up, and keep them up. And inevitably when someone falls, discipleship restores them. What I gained from this assignment was why discipleship is so necessary, and what it takes to write with passion and without bias (as much as is humanly possible). The writing strategies helped immensely when I was in the various stages. I appreciated the input from my peers and professor. This helped me look more critically at my work. The outline and paragraph style choice guides were undeniably useful. Out of all the assignment for this class I feel the best about this research paper.
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| Homeless http://theodysseyonline.com/spelman/homeless-invisible/254703 |
Homeless on campus: a response essay
This article, we read to write a response to, caught my attention. It was while reading this that I remembered I don't need to write an agreeable response, I only needed to respond. My position toward the ideas raised in the article were heartfelt. My father ministered to the homeless in every city we lived in. Most of his ministry was in the Haight-Ashbury area of San Francisco. I have a heart for the issues of the homeless. While I can see the view of the author I disagreed with the plan of action. Homeless people could benefit from having other programs more than that which was suggested.
The précis format for a reading response focused my aim more sharply than I felt was necessary, yet after using it repeatedly I believe that the practice has been helpful. When reading through my responses I understand more of where I am being led than if I had formatted the introduction myself each time. I try to vary my strategies, but at times I get stuck and do what I did the time before, though it might not suit the genre, or topic. I appreciate the practice of having a specific format for responses, and the focus on constructing each paragraph. These strategies will be made use of more as I head further into my degree and my career.
Overall writing performance
While going through this course I set my mind to attain an A. I made sure I had the material I needed and that I understood what was expected of me. I used these to insure I would have the highest quality papers I can produce. I did well in applying varies techniques for paragraphs and research material. I adapted to different genre rather well, and I feel good about the papers I have completed. Though overall I believe I did well in applying what I have learned, I did not do so well with the quizzes. Something I need to work more on in the future is taking more time to understand the questions and find the answers. this was a struggle for me as I felt pressed for time.
Development as a writer
My previous pieces are products I am proud of. I have practiced my writing in and out of school, and I feel I can write well. In undertaking this class I feel I have grown most in learning specific styles and being intentional in each paragraph I write. sometimes I can fill the space with information that might add to one point or another, but does not help the paper as a whole. This discipline has helped me to be more focused and stringent in what I write academically. I fell in love with writing when I began writing poetry - therefore I will never put myself in a box completely, but only as the situation may dictate. I enjoy writing for pleasure, and I feel the skills I have gained here will only further my enjoyment in this field.
Writing habits
I have a variety of writing habits - it all depends on what my purpose is. Most frequently I will do an outline, but that is not always first, and the outlines vary as well. For academic purposes I write an outline with basic information - topic, intro, body, conclusion. I research, or I dig in my mind for relevant information and I add to the outline, this may be a website or a book page number, or a phrase that will job my memory. My academic papers usually have a few drafts, such as an outline with my thoughts. Then an outline partially filled in with resources and citation with notes to myself at the bottom or where I feel they are relevant. then I have an outline which is completely filled it, outline points taken away, notes added to bottom and crossed off as I go along and correct or add as necessary.
When I am not writing academically I usually let ideas flow onto the page I am writing. If I am driving I write in my head like giving a speech. I run through the thoughts, and if i feel I may forget something I go over it a few time stating it in different ways so I know I know the concept. Sometimes I will speak the whole paper from introduction through conclusion as I drive from work back home. This helps me process things and edit things that seem clunky or out of place and smooth out transitions.
When I write poetry I usually wait for inspiration. I will listen to music or read old poems of mine and go from there. Other times I take the poem and decide it would be better in a song. I get my guitar and start finding what type of song it will be, but this is rare. Most of the poetry I write stays in poem form.
I write when I feel there is an area that lacks education and I find a way to fill that void. While working for a church I was the Tech Director. I found training needed an overhaul as it was largely done with the tech siting side by side with the trainee. No manual or videos - no outside sources at all, which pulls on the resource of the tech continually. I wrote a manual for the tech team which I still have today. Written from a Christian standpoint I ran through every piece of equipment, and troubleshooting guide necessary to function as a sound tech. in that instance I compiled the list of equipment, then I listed the possible issues each could have and their corresponding solutions. once I had that information I worked from the standpoint of someone who walked in and needed to activate the system correctly and insure it would function, even though they had never seen a sound system. I included picture of the equipment we had including close-ups of certain areas that could be hard to see in other pictures.
My habits change to match what I am writing, but it all starts with an understanding of the knowledge I have and what I need to complete what i am trying to accomplish. Using an outline, whether in my head, on a paper - whether detailed or simple - I always have a guide of where I am starting and where I want to end. And sometime I start with the ending, like those maze puzzles, and work my way to the beginning. The only way to achieve a goal is to have a plan. The same goes with writing.
Performance in the course
I spent a great deal of time on my assignments. during this semester I have dedicated more time to this class than the other I am taking. I ran into a few bumps in the road to which I reached out to my professor and he was helpful and encouraging. this was with my final paper - i was working on the proposal and I did not know how to focus or which part of my passion to pick - I was at a loss. That piece is the one I am most proud of. I feel I have accomplished what I set out to do in writing it, that piece being on discipleship. I usually talk about my paper with my kids or my wife and gauge the feedback I get. But, during this semester I have not done that. These papers were written in my study time and were not shared, for the most part, with anyone but those in the class. The class provided a source of critique needed so as to push me on to a better quality finished product. I believe that success I have had in this class is largely due to the workshop time I had with each draft paper. But this is only helpful when the paper is ready for publication, and this gives that last bit to really polish the piece nicely.
Application & recommendations
I feel very confident in teaching this material. I have learned so much from classes before, and compiling that information with this I believe I can have a positive impact on student who are looking to start their journey. As I have said before, I love learning, and the only thing I love as much is teaching those who want to learn. I have already used some of the information from this class to help my son. He is using MLA in his high school courses. I have explained that there are many writing formats, and that he should be aware of the differences, such as with APA. Explaining how important it is to cite sources and use credible sources has helped him in his assignments. Before this class I had no idea about Google Scholar, and this information I have passed on as well. I have began using the internet researching strategies for other purposes such as my own research. I was propositioned to join a group which sales a certain product. The person seemed on the level so I heard them out. I later researched the company using more scholarly resources and found that company to not be so credible. This has saved me a few issue, and that is just one way in which I am using the information.
Writing is essential in academics, and beyond. I would recommend students to take this course as the demands for academic writing only increase the more years you are in college. Students should be aware of the various genres or types of writer there are. I would encourage them to find a genre they love, either reading or writing, and see how they can connect that with the various other types of writing they may not enjoy so much. I would also recommend that they find a way to make each piece personal. this makes the writing process more enjoyable for the author and the reader. A story that is passionately written is more likely to be passionately read.
Conclusion
In summary, I have learned a great deal from this class, both in writing and in the topics I have covered. i have been stretched in learning and applying new strategies, such as the importance of paragraph focus and intent, workshops for editing papers and peer feedback, and adjusting to different genre outside my normal reporting or persuasive/argument type papers. Also I found that while I am in school I can focus both on the class and my personal goal of community outreach by using my assignments to sharpen and focus my skills and efforts to be most effective. I am saddened, yet happy, that I will no longer require language arts classes. Saddened because I always learn so much, and I love learning. Yet I am happy because I am now able to move on and join other classes where I will be able to practice what I have learned here, as well as learning more about other areas of interest. I have a ways to go to accomplish my goals, but with the help I have received I know I will get there.
References
Diaz, J. (Personal communication, April 2016) Texted a picture of one of his paintings.
Discipleship photo, retrieved April 30, 2016 from https://sawyersinuganda.com/discipleship/
Homeless student photo, retrieved April 30, 2016 from http://theodysseyonline.com/spelman/homeless-invisible/254703
Philippians photo, retrieved April 30, 2016 from http://www.heartlandworship.com/sermons/sermon/2013-04-14/philippians:-destiny
Words photo, retrieved April 29, 2016 from https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=anVweXDcxhA
