Reflection Essay

Jayden Nguyen

English 1213

Professor Hammett

On the day this course began, I was nervous, thinking I would struggle with the work and already dreading the massive essays that were required. Since English has always been my weakest subject, I knew writing would be hard, especially when it came to giving enough evidence. When I explain my ideas, I often struggle to include enough evidence to fully support my claim. I started with my first essay on depression, and I wrote it without much struggle, thinking I was doing well. However, when project 2 came, I realized I was not as close to being a good writer as I wanted to be. I also noticed that I did not always put my full effort into my rough drafts, which damaged the quality of my essays. Because of my weakness in writing, I felt like I was going to struggle a lot in this class. However, as I continued, I improved by learning how to use more evidence and pushing myself to put more effort into my work, which helped me become a better writer and understand how to create a strong essay.

One of my biggest struggles was not using enough evidence. I would make my claim and argument, but the evidence I presented was not strong enough to prove my argument. Because I lacked evidence, my essays did not meet the full points I wanted it to have. My weakness was even spotted by Professor Hammett, as she states, “Content is good but is at a rough draft stage and needs evidence in many places” (Prof. Hammett’s Feedback in Blackboard). This feedback made me realize that even though my ideas are good, they were not strong because they lacked evidence. It made me realize that a good essay is not having only a good idea, but having the idea supported clearly.

As the course went on, I realized that my first essay on depression was more organized and had stronger explanations than my second essay, which showed I could write well when I took my time and researched for more information. My second essay on Kurt Vonnegut felt rushed and not fully developed, like how Professor Hammett described it as a rough draft when I turned in the final draft. I recognized that my writing is not consistent with my work and it depended on how much time and effort I chose to put into my thoughts. This helped me understand that writing is not just about finishing an essay, but about making sure you have a strong essay before fully turning it in. 

Overall, this course helped me understand the elements of how a strong essay is formed. A good essay is not just about having ideas but having ideas that are supported by enough evidence and explaining them carefully and clearly. In the middle of the course, my writing lacked evidence, making it a weak essay. Now, I have learned my objective of focusing on being clearer, more supportive, and putting more effort into my essays, which made them more effective. I am also glad I took this class because it helped me realize my weaknesses and gave me the opportunity to improve them through the course.