David McGowanUWRT 1102-026Midterm Reflection

I think I have developed aspects of my writing in this class, although I feel that I have a lot to improve on. I feel challenged by this class as writing takes me out of my comfort zone. Although I feel that many of the 10 Key Concepts are interrelated, I have selected a few to discuss in detail.Since returning to college and taking this course and the previous undergraduate writing course, I have noticed a significant improvement in my critical thinking. This advancement has come from a combination of pushing the boundaries of my comfort zone when writing, but also from analyzing assigned readings. I have noticed these improvements in both my college reading and writing, and also in my personal reading. This improved critical thinking has also been beneficial in making connections in my writing. For example, in My Roundtable paper I was able to compare the ideas of several sources when I wrote, Goodyear would likely have a different viewpoint on food production than Moskowitz or the farmers in Food, Inc. While this course has helped me in making connections in my writing, the fact that I am a returning student with previous experience may have also played a role. Exploring Charlottes local food culture has shown me that I have independent inquiry skills. I am used to writing about rugby, sports, and Ireland. These are topics that I am fairly comfortable with. Focusing on the local food movement is a chance to write about something new that I find interesting. At the same time, being exposed to a variety of sources has also opened up different ideas I want to explore. For example, many of the sources I have considered portray the dark-side of food production processes. My biggest difficulty is the writing process. Procrastinating has always been the biggest obstacle in my writing process. While I have noticed improvements in my writing since August I have not seen any improvement with regard to my procrastinating. It is most notable when I try to begin writing a paper or assignment. Often, I find myself sitting in front of a blank Word document. For example (full disclosure) I didnt start writing this paper until the night before it was dueeven though I had time to complete it beforehand. Kicking off an assignment remains difficult.I also find giving and receiving feedback somewhat challenging. One reason may be that I am an adult student, so Im often giving and receiving feedback with students ten years younger than me. We often have different perspectives. I also have high expectationsfor others, and myself and become frustrated when I receive little constructive feedback on my work. In addition, because I do not have much experience with written work, I often struggle to give helpful feedback to my classmates. I know that in our peer review worksheet (Improving Peer Review- ENGL 1102) tells us to TALK with each other as much as you can but I find these small groups sometimes difficult. During the remainder of this semester I hope to find a more efficient approach to my writing process. I feel that procrastinating is a major stress trigger for me. It negatively impacts my participation in college assignments. I hope that improved interaction and better peer analysis will, in turn, help me improve my revision of my own work.