Being in my second year of college and writing numerous papers throughout high school, I feel as though I’ve finally began to understand what it takes to write a decent paper and include all the important aspects a paper should contain. Such as being aware of whom the audience is, using evidence to support argumentative papers, and staying organized and keeping focus throughout the writing process.
After completing many exercises and having lots of practice I always make sure to remember the audience I am writing to. Depending on whom the audience is, tone, voice, diction, and even theme need to be altered to fit the needs of the audience. In example, writing a children’s book may be more informal as opposed to writing a letter to a state representative which would be much more formal and proper. In my two papers linked below, I used generally formal writing directed towards my classmates because they are adults.
Since writing numerous research papers and argumentative papers, it almost came naturally for me to look for evidence for support to back up the information and persuasion in my proposal and argumentative paper. I immediately knew I would be looking through sources and finding evidential support, which is clearly shown in my research and persuasive paper below because it is filled with facts. In a research or argumentative paper, the supportive information throughout the body is what makes the paper informative or persuasive. Reaching out to outside sources such as books from the library, internet databases, and news articles provide all the necessary information to make a paper. It is the building blocks to place in the outline of a good piece of writing. As far as analyzing, it is important to explain each portion of information to prove its relevance to the topic. Breaking it down allows the audience, who is once again the main focus, to follow along with the organization of the paper.
I generally enjoy the writing process. The hardest part for some is choosing a meaningful topic. To me, if there is general interest and a little background knowledge on a topic I have no trouble being informative or persuasive. For example, I chose to write my research paper below on global warming because I care about the Earth and am interested in helping reduce the effects to save humans, wildlife and the environment. My personal writing process consists of choosing a topic, writing an outline with an introduction, a body, and conclusion with bullets under each body paragraph. Researching information, plugging the facts in to where they fit, and finally writing out the paper. I make sure it is organized, easy to follow, and flows so the audience will feel the same. Proof-reading and proper format is a number one component to composing a good paper. I also make sure to cite the references and sources I used to help build my paper because giving credit to the author is extremely important.
Although I am studying business, I see the importance of English and why one should learn to write properly. I’ve learned many skills throughout the years that will be and have been very helpful when writing out a resume, essay for scholarships, or even a letter to grandma. Proper writing comes in hand all throughout life and I couldn’t be more thankful I obtained the skills I have today.
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