As the semester comes to a close, I can reflect back on how you all have been a huge factor in my growth as a writer. The classroom community that we created has been supportive, creative, and inspiring to me. After the experiences from this class, I have learned a lot about the process of writing and researching.
During the research process, everyone was more than willing to share sources that they had found and believed were helpful. These suggestions put me on the right track for my own personal research. Along with this, those of you who I have worked with have reminded me many times to cite my sources and ensure that I was only gathering information from reliable authors and publishers. The importance of knowing when and where I was getting material from is something that I have been able to learn and master.
Finally, the writing environment that our class formed has been a very comfortable and supportive experience. Each time that I shared an unessay or a blog post, I got only helpful feedback in return. Although sometimes there were mistakes that had to be corrected, everyone gave me constructive criticism that allowed me to confidently revise my writing. Through being a part of this class, I have learned how much the environment can play a role in the outcome of my work. In order to produce writing that the author is proud of and has meaning to the audience, a supportive group of classmates is extremely important. I have valued this class and all of you for giving me the opportunity to grow as a creative and academic writer.
Ava Welch