Here is the link to my editing skills checklist:
Isenkul_Editing_Skills_Checklist_3
Reflection Essay 3:
Now that This semester is coming to an end, and I am almost done with the class University 150, I have come to realize how much this class has improved my writing skills. On the midterm, I scored an eighty one percent, which is a passing grade on the writing sample placement test. This is the test needed to enter into the first college level writing course. Although some say that the class UNIV 150 is not worth taking, I have come to the conclusion that the class has made me more confident and boosted my writing skills because I have now fixed my grammar and punctuation errors, while also showing me how to properly word a college paper.
On the midterm essay, I made a couple errors that I should not have missed. I did not have a lot of time to edit my paper because it was a timed assignment, which meant I only had an hour and a half to complete the essay and I did not plan enough time at the end to edit it completely. I learned that before I write my next essay, I need to leave more time at the end to edit my paper and create a better strategy on finishing the paper. This was my biggest mistake on completing the midterm exam.
My eportfolio page is now almost completely finished for this semester. I have submitted my last 5 journals and the editing skills checklist for essay 3. This website has shown me how to work with technology and improve my skills online. I am happy with the way my website came out because it I have been able to improve it over the semester and make it appealing to others viewing the site.
Even though I did not fix all of my mistakes before I had to submit the midterm, I feel as if my papers are improving. My sentence structure has improved because I am having less grammatical errors, while my punctuation is improving since I don’t have comma splices in my essay anymore. The eportfolio site has also given me the opportunity to share my work with others and future employers. I believe that UNIV 150 has made me fully prepared to enter into the college level writing courses and made a huge impact on my ability to write papers. I have seen myself improve in numerous ways.
Journals 11-15:
11) I believe there should be less testing in college for many reasons, for instance, college students go through lots of stress because they have to worry about the workload from each class. During each semester Students will usually take 5 classes, which is around fifteen credits. Each credit is worth one hour of class each week, so it sums up to an average of fifteen hours of class each week. Trying to find time to study for all of the tests and quizzes in each class can be difficult. I have found that with all of the work that my professors have given me, it is hard to find time where I can sit and study for 5 exams at once. If colleges took away testing and grades, it would also increase the amount of time I have to learn about each subject. Without having to worry about and stress over a test I could use that time to research information about each class. Job interviewers are also looking at college grade point average to determine if the applicant is eligible for the job. When I graduate college and look for a job, if I do not have a high grade point average, many interviewers wont give me a chance in their company. This is why I believe that if I did not have to worry about testing and a high grade point average in college, I feel as if I would be more educated and more prepared for a job.
12) Research Papers are an essential part of college writing. When I write research papers, it educates me on topic I chose to write about. It also teaches me how to properly cite an author to the original source of the information. In college when I write a research paper, it gives me the opportunity to research a topic that I am interested in, while also teaching me writing skills. When I write a paper I am interested in learning about, it is easier for me to write about and I do not stress out while writing the paper. When I write a research paper, it is essential to properly cite the author of the source I got the information from. If I don’t cite the author, I could be charged with plagiarism. It is defined as wrongful appropriation and it is a legal issue. Because it is such a serious offence, some of the charges that I could get kicked out of college, sued, and even jail time. In some cases it can even be considered a felony. That is why I believe learning how to properly write research papers is very important in college writing courses.
13) In college, I believe the library is one of the most useful buildings on campus. There are many different resources in the library, such as the writing center, tutoring centers, and quiet places to work. I use the writing center when I need help editing my papers after I finish writing them, which helps me get a better grade on the paper. Going to the writing center is also a useful source to learn how to edit my papers on when i’m on my own. The tutoring center is also very useful when I need help in my classes. There are tutors for every class and each tutor is trained to help me with each class I am taking. I go to the tutoring center before my tests to make sure that I am prepared to take each exam. My favorite part of the library is how there are quiet places to work. When I study in my dorm there can be many distractions and it can be difficult for me to get my work done. In the library there are private desks and rooms where you can sit where it is quiet which helps me focus. There are many helpful buildings at Old Dominion University, but I believe that the library is the most helpful building on campus.
14) For my first semester of college, I took the class University 150. It is a writing class that prepares you for University 110, which is the first level college writing course. In UNIV 150, I learned how to properly write a college level paper, edit my work, and fix my grammar and punctuation. I believe writing a paper in college is very different than writing papers in high school. In high school there were less requirements on how the assignment had to be written and my teachers would not grade as hard. Before I enrolled in UNIV 150, I was not as educated in editing papers and I did not know how to fix my mistakes. I struggled to get good grades on papers because I never was able to edit out all of my mistakes correctly. My grammar and punctuation were also struggling at the beginning of the semester. As the class went on, it has helped me improve on my sentence structure and where to properly place punctuation marks. Because I took the class UNIV 150, I believe that I am now prepared for college level writing.
15) In today’s world, the internet is taking over. I believe that Professors at college should take advantage of the rise of technology by putting more work online. There are many advantages of putting the classwork online, such as it is easier to track when the work is due, there are many helpful resources online to help me out with the work, and it automatically grades the work when I complete it. When all of the work is online, it helps me track when it is due by sending me reminders on an online calendar. Online calendars are useful to keep all of my work in each class organized, which makes it easy for me to stay on top of my work. Another reason why professors should focus on online assignments is because there are many helpful tools online which help me understand the assignment. The online resources can also explain the lesson talked about in class by explaining the parts of the lecture that I didn’t understand. Lastly When Professors put assignments online, it makes it easier to grade the work. Some sites will instantly grade the assignment when it’s submitted, which saves the prossors time. Because the internet is now used in almost every day to day use, I believe that college professors should switch over to doing work online.