Journal 2

In your opinion, what is close reading? What is its purpose? Are you learning anything about writing, or yourself, as you engage in close reading for Inquiry I?

A close reading is evaluating ones expression through writing. It is taking that extra step of not just seeing and hearing, but processing and interpreting what the author is meaning. A close reading also entails taking context into consideration. The beauty of writing is the ability to have imagination and interpret things in different ways. To be able to have discussions about a piece and share different opinions about what the author is thinking and feeling. At the end of the day, the author came up with their writing for a reason. Whether that reason be social, cultural, personal, political, internal or external forces- they created their writing based off emotions, context, opinions. It is the job as a closer "reader" to break that down, move past the words, and truly understand the 360 degree view of the writing.

As I engage in close readings, I am definitely learning more about myself as a writer. To begin, I have learned how much you can discover by writing and simply getting all your thoughts out on paper. I did a close reading on my brothers poem, and feel that I understand his opinions and montions more than I would have just listening to the poem one time. I also wonder if he truly recognizes all that he is "saying" in this poem. Does he realize the iner-working and forces that drove him to create this piece? I think a lot of subconcious feelings can come out in writing, and may not be obvious. However a close reading allows you to, at the very least, begin to discover this. It also makes me want to do a close reading on any of my work before submitting it. Who knows what others will draw from my writing-perhaps things that I did not even know I felt/intended to expess.

Journal 2

A close reading is a thorough review of the paper. Our aim is to notice all the striking features of the text including rhetorical, structural elements, and cultural references. The interpretation of the text or passage helps us to find a deeper meaning, hence creating a more connected and effective paper.

Doing close readings of my paper helped me to find the mistakes I make i.e. better choice of words and the missing details. It helped me to understand and correct them effectively.

Asking questions to myself about the repetitions, contradictions, and similarities helped me improve the quality of my paper.

Journal 2

What is a closing reading?   Webster’s Dictionary says a close reading is the interpretation of a brief passage of text.  Such a reading places great emphasis on the particular over the general, paying close attention to individual words, syntax, and the order in which sentences and ideas unfold as they are read.  Daniel Likavec says a close reading is digging deeper than what is on the outside, but finding out what the words in the text mean on the inside.  It is like the judgment of an individual person.  Say a hot babe walks by me.  She is gorgeous on the outside, but how do I know what kind of person she is on the inside?  I have to read and analyze each and every thing she does.  From the flick of her hair to the way she walks.  Each and every thing says something new about her.  This to say, when dealing with a text you have to pick apart each and every word, figure out its meaning and then explain how and why that word fits with the rest.  Finally, you analyze all of the words together, and come up with an explanation of why the writer wrote what he wrote, did what he did, and how he did it.  It takes time and effort to achieve this marvel, but I assure you that if I can do it you can do it too. 

Journal 2

A close reading is looking at a specific text and focusing on every single aspect of it. The close reading will help you figure out what the author is trying to say and by what means they are doing this. The purpose of close reading is to help you be able to understand a specific text. It will help you know what is really going on in the text as well as help point out specifics that come off as more important parts of the essay, what the text is stressing. As I began to start the revision process and after looking over your comments I realized that I don’t always provide the evidence that I need to be giving. There is tons of evidence in the book that I can use to help support my ideas and thoughts. But it is up to me to include this. Doing though should really help make my essay much better and help improve my overall writing by including the evidence that’s out there. I’ve also learned that as a writer I need to be more careful grammatically. There are plenty of times where I see that I spelled something wrong or wrote something that doesn’t make sense. So for me as a writer, I need to make sure I make these corrections. Last I learned that sometimes I could be somewhat repetitive. After reading your comments and going over the essay again I found my two introductory paragraphs to both have good information but be very repetitive. Doing a close reading and paying close attention to this stuff, and then revising should help make me a better writer.

Journal Two

To me a close reading is digging into the text and really getting to know and understand it. Normal reading is reading through the text and understanding what it is talking about on the surface and maybe catching some in-depth meaning every once and a while. When I close read I look for patterns that the author may use in his/her writing so that I can link this pattern with a possible hidden meaning. When I think of close reading I don't get especially excited because I know that I'm going to have to look into the text and truly try to understand everything that is going on. As we've started close reading in class I've continued to agree with myself on the fact that I still don't like it very much. Although I do realize that by practicing this skill, it will be advantageous in the future when I need to understand more than what's on the surface of a text.

Journal Two

A close reading to me is more than just taking in the words on a page. A close reading involves really digesting the meaning of the words, how they are arranged and why the author chooses to use those words for the text. A close reading is something that challenges the reader to look beyond the words and into their meaning and to pull out how those words relate to the reader.
A close reading is meant to make the reader do more than just read. A close reading, in my opinion, asks these questions: how does the text make you feel? Does the arrangement of thetext speak to you? How can you relate to the text and the way it is presented? I think that a close reading is meant to make us search within ourselves and really grasp on to how the text affects us.
For Inquiry I, I have already noticed that doing a close reading is changing the way I view text. For my close reading I chose the movie Bambi and as I anaylzed it rather than just watching it, I noticed that a lot of things popped out at me that hadn't before. This inquiry has made me realize how much text does affect me and rather it is in a negative or positive aspect.

Journal 2

As a reader, I believe that close reading is a way of analyzing a text. There are many different ways to analyze a text. If you are reading a book, you could underline or highlight important themes, ideas, phrases, descriptions, and much more, each in a different color to distinguish the various elements. You could also research areas and words that are difficult to understand to get the full meaning of what was stated. It also important to take notes in a notebook and in the margins. If, on the other hand, you are analyzing a visual text such as a movie, there are other ways to accomplish this as well. I find it helpful to view it several times so that you can notice all of the details including important ideas, wording, and themes. You can also take notes as you are watching the movie to help you recall the information and get ideas for you paper. The purpose of a close reading is to understand a text completely. By doing research, taking notes, and various other methods, you can find the full meaning behind the text and learn about how the text has purpose for the viewer in today's world. I have already learned a lot about close reading for inquiry 1 as I examine the BBC adaption of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Having seen this movie probably a hundred times, I still realize that each time I see it I notice something that I had overlooked previously. Now that I am paying attention to close details, I notice different elements about the movie and how they helped to shape my views on gender. Such things as the manners, language, clothing, scenes, and situations all play an important role in gender relationships. These elements have affected my personal beliefs and ideas about gender. Close reading of a specific text is really important to understanding its full meaning.

Journal Two

A close reading is getting down to the minute bits and pieces of a text. The reader examines what the author put into their text such as the tone, repetition, metaphors, alliteration, and most importantly, the meaning. Each person is going to read the same text in a different way, so no one meaning is the correct one. In fact, I believe the more interpretations people have, the better the piece of writing is because it gets people to think, maybe even outside their own comfort zone.
For my Inquiry I paper, I chose to write about Aladdin, my favorite childhood movie and is still one of my favorites today. By doing close reading examples in class, I can examine Aladdin in a totally different way: using gender and stereotypes to talk about the characters and storyline. Critically "reading" this movie will help me get down to those little bits and pieces in order to make my paper stand out. I never thought a movie could be critically "read". But, I would much rather write a paper about a movie that I absolutely love than a book that I didn't enjoy at all, like previous papers I have written.

Journal 2

To me, close reading is much more than just glancing at a text or briefly reading it. Close reading is the in depth analysis of the author's meaning. Everything that people write, they write for a reason, and close reading is the attempt to try and understand what the author wanted to say through his writing, and also why they wrote what they wrote. Everyone interprets texts differently when close reading, but as long as they are looking closely at the words the author chose, and thinking about why they chose them, and what this could mean, I feel that they are close reading. I have learned from doing my close reading for Inquiry 1, that a lot of books and movies from my childhood, have subconsciously shaped my views of gender. The books I read and the movies I watched as a kid, had a lot of hidden statements about gender, that I did not notice when just watching them carelessly. It was only after I began to carefully look at what was being said and why, that I started to see these ideas about gender.

Journal 2

For me, close reading is not plainly just reading a text and enjoying it. It's analyzing what the author is trying to say. When you are close reading you're trying to find the inner meaning of an author's work, peeling back all of the layers to grasp the entire message. I think the purpose is to find a deeper meaning in the author's work and really try to discover what points they hope to get across. An author is writing for a purpose, and it is up to the reader to realize what that purpose is through their texts and descriptions.

I believe that I am learning more about writing as I engage in close reading for Inquiry 1. I chose to write about a movie, and I have come to realize that the writer made decisions for a reason. Many details illustrate gender roles, and if you never really paid attention to the inner script of the movie, you would not see this. I have learned to really look into a text and find out why the author chose to write what they did, and read in between the lines, focusing closely on the hidden message behind the text.

A close reading is a very careful examination of any kind of text. You can do a close reading of a book or also something like a movie or a song. When doing a close reading you examine all the techniques that the author or creator used to make create his text. Its purpose is to be able to understand the deeper meaning of the text and relate it to your life.I have found that once you can relate to the text and make personal connection to it then you are more likely to understand it and have a better appreciation for the text.

Journal 2

Upon doing a close reading I have come to the conclusion that a close reading is when the reader provides a summary and an analysis of a short text.  The text should be short in length so maximum detail can be written.  The summary of a close reading is a short description of the main events, main characters and main controversy of the text.  An analysis is when you provide your own opinion of the main characters and main scenes of the text.

After looking at numerous texts to do a close reading on, I found that gender roles are evident in just about every text.  I chose to do a close reading on the movie ‘Happy Gilmore’.  This movie is about a crazed hockey player turned golfer.  ‘Happy Gilmore’ was one of my favorite movies as a kid; however I was not aware of the male gender roles that are displayed in the movie.  I learned that the reason why this movie was a favorite of mine was because it appeals to a male’s fantasy.  The basis of this movie is a man who will fight anyone or anything in his way.  I and other males see fighting as a way to show dominance over other men.  No one can beat Happy when he fights.  This movie also broke the stereotype that all golfers are ‘sissy’ men.  Being a golfer I enjoyed seeing Happy break this stereotype by fighting numerous people throughout the movie.

Austin Kelly

Journal 2

To me, close reading is analyzing a text. It’s dissecting a text piece by piece and then stating your view on what you feel the author’s message is. Evidence from the text must be used in order to support your idea. I feel the purpose of a close reading is to see if there is a deeper meaning to the text then what appears on the surface. Close reading allows a reader to really slow down and truly think about what the text is trying to say.

As I began to write my paper for Inquiry 1, I realized that not only the words speak in a text, but also, the illustrations can make an author’s message stronger or weaker. After doing a close reading on my favorite childhood book, Green Eggs and Ham, I realized there was a point behind the fun language and colorful illustrations. After inquiry 1, I have learned that if I truly take the time to analyze a text, I can discover a whole new meaning to it.

Journal 2

A close reading is a close analysis of a text; looking beneath the surface of the words and finding a deeper meaning, and really your own meaning and understanding. It's purpose is just that, to find a meaning in the text and to have a relationship with the text. I actually learned a lot about myself through Inquiry I. I thought the final draft was due this Tuesday so I wrote my final and for the rough draft I wasn't really sure where it was going but once I got to the final I really hit upon something and went with it. I discovered a root to some ideas and feelings I've had about the perfect guy finding me and sweeping me off my feet. And I found that I feel cheated having had this idea forced upon me.

Journal 1

A writer is anyone who has an idea or opinion that they fell they need to express through written language.  I think someone who keeps a personal journal is a writer, or someone who creates a protest sign with a message on it is a writer.  Anyone and everyone can in fact be a writer by just expressing themselves on paper. Personally, I have loved writing since grade school.  It takes me awhile to get past the introduction paragraph but once I've muddled through the words seems to flow my brain to the paper in a constant stream of consciousness. I think writing is important. I write when I'm mad or sad or happy or excited. I write for school, to my friends and family, to myself/for myself. It's a way to express yourself and sometimes a portal for your emotions. Although, in everything in life there is always room for improvement and writing is no exception. 

Journal 2

A close reading is not just simply reading a piece. It is so much more in depth than that. It is finding the hidden meaning behind why an author or director does something that they do. Why this character did this instead of that. What each thing in the work means. It is interesting to me that a close reading can vary so much person to person because it is all based off of someones opinion. The purpose to me of a close reading is to make the reader or viewer really concentrate on the piece. It makes the listener or reader really think and wonder why certain things are done how they are and what the process was and purpose was behind the occurring action.

In doing close readings, I have found that I tend to analyze the text as I read and I form my own opinion about the text without realizing it. I do tend to think in depth but I don't really consider it as close as when I do a close reading. Close readings to me have made me think about the gender role that plays out in everything I read or watch. It is interesting how much starting to do close readings has made me pay attention to everything I read on a deeper level.

Journal 2

Close reading to me is much more than just reading in general. Close reading is looking at analysis, diction, syntax, and critically thinking. The purpose of close reading is to pull out certain things from a text and analysis why the writer chose to put them in. Asking questions is a key component to close reading to establish a better connection with writer and reader. The purpose of close reading is to go into every little detail and ask why the author would do that.

Throughout Inquiry 1, I have learned many things about my writing and close reading. First, when I close read my picture book Enemy Pie I reread it multiple times and each time I noticed something different from the time before. Whether that difference was in the author’s detail, choice of words, to the true meaning of the story. I played close attention to the interaction of the father and son because I thought that was the most important relationship in the story. Secondly, I have noticed that my writing has become much more detailed and I’m able to follow certain things better. Also, my writing has become much more fluid and flows better from start to finish than normal. Overall, I feel that close reading and working on Inquiry 1 has given me more tools to use as a write.

Journal 2

In my opinion a close reading is not just picking up a text and understand its meaning. It is more about really paying close attention to every little detail, under lying meaning, and understanding why the author wrote the text. I think every piece of writing can have a different meaning to everyone, there is no right or wrong way to interpret writing. With that said I think a close reading is more about analyzing the texts meaning more than anything. Most times when I read something I read for a general understanding and move on. However, with a close reading I found myself reading over the text several times to form a deeper understand of what the text meant. Upon conducting a close reading myself, I found that it took me twice as long to read a piece of writing than it normally would have. I also found myself stopping on certain words to think about why the author chose that word, or how it was significant to the meaning of the entire text itself. In addition, I was writing notes in the margins on what I thought certain details in the text were hinting at. Overall, I feel that by conducting a close reading I definitely have a better understanding of the text, why it was written, and its significance.

Journal 2

Close reading, to me, means carefully considering a text and then reflecting on the analysis. I ask questions like how do characters and reoccurring themes contribute to the overall meaning of the piece? What is my responsibility as the reader?

Especially with Inquiry 1, I am learning more and more about the relationship between the author and reader. Jane Austen, the author of Pride and Prejudice, gradually instills great trust in her audience as the plot unfolds. This is because I find that the more I closely examine the story and its mechanics, I begin to notice where I fit in relation to it. By this, I mean that I start to associate myself within the thematic context. For example, I payed close attention to the protagonist, Elizabeth Bennet, whom I always thought of as just a main character; however, through this close reading I have found what makes her a heroin of Western culture and women alike. Careful examination of the dialogue is what has helped me to realize her significance.

What makes a strong and independent person (not just female), as I have come to understand it through the close reading, is the pursuit of truth, knowledge, and self-betterment. The idea of a close reading in relation to the reader is not necessarily about discovering how similar we are to a character, but how we feel we should act on behalf of this knowledge. For me, I realize that there is more I could do to become as strong a force as Elizabeth Bennet; however, I must also look to the broader context of the protagonist (and likewise my own life) to determine how to proceed.

Journal 2

In your opinion, what is close reading? What is its purpose? Are you learning anything about writing, or yourself, as you engage in close reading for Inquiry I?

Due: Thursday, Jan 27

Journal 1

Thinking and reasoning are things you do throughout the day.  You wake up and think about what you’re going to wear to school, what you’re going to eat, and whether or not you should squeeze in a study session before that dreaded chemistry test first period.  You reason that wearing sweatpants and a school t-shirt will suit your clothing needs for the day, no breakfast, and no studying.  High School.  The move to college changed each and every way I think and reason.  Wearing nice clothes to impress the ladies is the “in” thing to do.  Eating healthy, and studying your butt off in class will lead you into a bright future.  You think, you reason, and now you write.  Why do you write? I write simply to splash my logic obtained through thinking and reasoning on a blank white document. To understand why I do the things I do, to analyze my reasoning process, and to help think about life.  I write to explain myself to the world, a world filled with people who are willing to listen. Whatever kind of writing it is I take the challenge and grab the bull by its horns. The one unique thing about my writing is that I try to make people laugh, no matter what I am writing about.

I expect ENG 112 to be an insightful class filled with stories to further my knowledge in the subject of writing.  I still can say that I have no clear definition of what writing is or what a writer is.  However, I can say that I write, and that if I continue to write I know I will eventually know through experience. 

Journal 1

A writer is a person who wants to express his views in a manner, which is exciting and attractive to the readers. As an active reader, I am surely attracted by novel writers and their writing styles. This promoted me to write in different styles and hence, express my views in an open manner.

Albeit, I have written a lot free writing to improve my views and writing, I still think I need more practice to write in an attractive manner. Whether it is a business, English class or even leisure writing, it is very important to communicate using the simplest terms and create a visual in the readers mind, thereby griping him in the text.

In the past 2 years, my writing has improved a lot. I hope to further hone my skills this semester. I like to write. Hence, I would like to experiment with new styles, thereby improving my writing.

Journal 1

To me a writer is someone who does it professionally or as a passion. Writing for me has never really fit into either of those two categories. Throughout my high school years, writing was definitely my most challenging class. I never really liked doing it. However, last semester I took English 111. Although I would still not consider myself a writer I would say that I definitely enjoyed it a lot more than I did before. My teacher was able to make me see it from different angles. I was able to relate the art of persuasion back to my major, business. For the most part, writing is something that we do in every day life. I wouldn't consider myself a scientist even though I'm taking science classes so I definitely wouldn't consider myself a writer just because I use it in my everyday life. I write for several reasons. First off, I write to communicate. With technology growing at an exponential rate email communication has become critical in todays world. I also write for grades. Whether its English class, business class or even mathematics, all have required me to write for a grade. These assignment are also to learn though, the most important part of schooling. From this class I hope to enjoy English more and more. I hope to continue learning new techniques that will help strengthen my writing and reading skills.

Journal 1

I feel that often I am asked to describe myself as a writer. To be completely honest, I know I am a writer, I am just not sure if I would consider myself to be a writer. I realize that text surrounds us in our everyday lives, weather it is television, a newspaper, a novel, or the internet we are constantly surrounded by text. And I am always writing, whether it is a text, email, writing assignment, a letter to a friend, or a journal; I write every day. In that sense, I am a writer. When it comes to the proper way of composing a paper, writing poetry or an essay in the English language, I often feel lost. I am usually uncomfortable writing things that are forced out of me and choose not to write creatively. I do not write for pleasure, nor do I publish works. In that sense, I would not consider myself a writer. I sometimes enjoy writing but I find it difficult to get started and for my words to flow onto the paper like an actual writer's would. Because of this, I really appreciate the works actual writers produce because one day I hope I to be able to write like them.

Journal 1

I think that everyone is a writer, whether they realze it or not. Everyone writes in some form every day,whether it is for academic or professional reasons, or just in one's everyday routine of living and socializing. Most people will find themselves writng many reports for work or school, however, beyond that they will also find themselves communicating, organizing, and expressing their thoughts and ideas. Every day I, along with thousands of other teenagers, compose many text message throughout the day in order to communicate with my friends and family. Whenever I need to contact someone for mmy job, school, or volunteer work email is the best way for me to quickly and conveniently contact them. I enjoy using writing as a fast everyday way to communicate, because although it is ofen a much quicker method of communicating, it can aso allow me to think about what I want to say during this class.to the person, and edit my message as many times as I want, in order to make it perfect. even if people do not use writing as a means to communicate, or at their job, people do write all the time anyway. When people need to remember thinkgs they usually write it down or write a list of things they need to do. When they need to tell someone who is not presents, sometimes they will write them a note. Even though these types of writing do not seem like very challenging ways to write, everyone should be considered a writer because they all have the ability to effectiveky communicate their thoughts and ideas through writing, which is what writing is all about to me. Although I mostly write for a grade or to communicate, I feel that writing is an important part of everyday life. I have never been very good at expressing my ideas through writing, especially creative writing, so I hope to become a more effective writer

Journal 1

I do consider myself a writer because I use my writing skills continuously. Even though I may not realize it, I write in various forms every day. I email, text, take notes in class, write papers, do homework assignments and much more. All of these forms are considered writing. I do not have to write a best seller novel to be considered a writer. I write for different reasons. If I am writing to a professor via email I will be very formal, whereas if I am writing a friend I might tell them about some things that have been going on in my life and catching up on how they have been lately. I also text in different ways. If I am bored I may text a friend and chat back and for hours. If I am supposed to be meeting someone somewhere and am running late, I might text them to tell them I will be there soon. I use writing in taking class notes. I may abbreviate my notes or be very concise and clear depending on the subject at hand. When writing papers I usually just begin writing about whatever comes to mind about the issue. Later I will read over it and rewrite it until it sounds like a good paper to turn in to a professor. In this class, I hope to build upon my skills from the last semester. Last semester I wrote and found out about where my main issues and problems occur. This semester I want to fix and resolve these problems and issues, making my writing much better. For example repetition seems to be a problem in my writing. In this class I want to focus on this and really try to improve this. I can't wait to see the results!

Journal 1

Do I consider myself a writer? Yes and no. The term writer holds different meanings depending on the person. To me, the term writer means one writes stories or articles for a living. People like Ernest Hemingway and Tolkien are writers. I'm a writer in the context that I've written papers and I will continue to write papers as my education progresses, but it's usually not by choice. The main reason for why I write is to get a grade and pass the class. Though that sounds bad, that's how a series of bad English teachers has shaped my outlook on writing. In this class I hope to achieve a better understanding of writing and how it can be done for a grade,but also somewhat enjoyable at the same time.

Journal One

I consider myself a writer and I don't consider myself a writer. If I looked up the definition of "writer" in the dictionary, I would expect a picture or description of an author of a book to show up. Those are accomplished writers and get paid for the work that they do. I consider myself a writer because I have written many different papers throughout my high school and college career. I don't consider myself a writer because I am not a published author and I am not getting paid for what I write.
I write papers in order to pass a class. If I have to pass English 112, I'm going to do all the work that is asked of me to do and write all the papers and do my best on every single one. I need to create well-written papers in order to pass my classes. This may seem like the typical college student response, but I only say it because that's what seems to come across from my teachers throughout high school and during my first semester at Miami.
I know English 112 may seem like just another Miami Plan course that I need to pass in order to graduate, but I also want to enjoy my time in it. My classmates, my teacher, and my effort toward work will all contribute to how well I can succeed in this class. And I WILL succeed.

Journal 1

I consider myself a writer. Writing to me is an easy form of communicating that allows me to express myself through words. I believe that everyone is a writer but certain people are more advanced in their writing or enjoy it more than others. My writing can put my emotions on paper and make me feel like I’m changing someone’s viewpoint if they read my writing, or at least allow them a different perspective. For me personally, I write to earn the grade that I want for my academic classes. Writing for English class can sometimes be enjoyable but I don’t always like every topic. Writing allows me to communicate with anyone and can take the place of verbal communication. In addition to writing for English, I write to family and friends using various technologies. Whether that’s through email, facebook, cell phone, or by mail there are many ways to get my point across.

For this year I’m hoping to accomplish a few things. The first is to develop my ideas and take them the next step. I need to continue asking my self so what, when I come up with an idea. I’m also looking forward to taking a piece of literature and finding an idea and then writing an essay using the text and the idea. I’m hoping to expand my writing skills and learning new technology in this class. I look forward to a great semester.

Journal 1

I have never considered myself to be a writer. It has always been a struggle for me to do well in all my English classes. Up until I got to college I always found English to be extremely boring and I hated writing essays. I do not think that I have ever written something for fun. Whenever I am assigned to write a paper they are usually a struggle for me to complete and I am never happy with the final product. I can never seem to get the words in my head onto the paper in a way that makes sense. Last semester when I took ENG 111 that was the first time that I actually enjoyed an English class and did well. The assignments where a lot of fun and it was nice to get out of the 5 paragraph format essays and just be able to write. I am hoping that my ENG 112 experience will be very similar to my ENG 111. I felt like I grew a lot in my writing last semester and hopefully I will continue to do that this semester.

Journal 1

I, along with many others, consider myself a writer. I believe that everyone is capable of writing as long as they have learned the necessary tools. I see writing as a form of art. It's a way for people to express themselves and be able to release any emotions they may be feeling. We all choose to write in different ways. For example, I write in order to earn a good grade for an English class. But I also write to family and friends using e-mail, Facebook, and texting. When I was younger, I used to write short stories for fun, no matter how pathetic they were. It was a way for me to think of something completely different from my own life, and create a story baed upon my imagination.
In this class, I hope to find more resources to back up my papers, that way I have a variety of strong and factual information. I also want to learn how to create interesting papers when writing about texts, such as a book or magazine, so that the reader can visualize my descriptions. I hope to build from my previous knowledge that I have obtained from my English 111 class, where I was encouraged to construct my own paper, never having to follow specific guidelines.

Journal 1

I would consider myself a writer because I have never disliked writing. Writing is a wonderful alternative for me to communicate my thoughts when I need to take time to think about what I want to say. As a writer, I can't be rushed. Writing is a task I can't do at any moment in time. I need to be in the writing mood and be inspired in order to write efficiently. I find myself getting frustrated when I can't put my thoughts into words or can't think of how to begin a particular writing piece. Once my thoughts begin to come together, I feel a sense of accomplishment in my work. My writing has been completed for grades, leisure, communication, and work. Although many pieces of my writing have been completed for school related assignments, I find myself inspired to write when a significant event occurs in my life. After the death of my grandpa in 2008, I used writing as a way to express my feelings. I have also entered numerous writing contests throughout high school and won several awards for my writings. Through this ENG 112 class, I hope to develop a new perspective on writing. I want to break out of my usual writing routine and become more rounded as a writer.

Journal 1

I do consider myself a writer. Anyone who has learned to write can be a writer. I think writing plays an important role in being able to sort out ones thoughts or to release stress. When I write I usually write to clear my head. That doesn't go without saying that I do write for classes and I do write online and to my friends from home. I write on my e-mail and on text messages. Who I am writing to plays an important role in how and what I write. When it comes to assignments, I tend to be more formal than if I am writing to a friend to tell them how my day was.

In this class I hope to further my writing skills. In the last two years my writing has improved immensely, but I would like to be able to write an organized well thought out piece that doesn't need fifty sessions of revising. I like to write, but I tend to write how I speak. I hope that in this class the papers that are assigned are ones that I can voice my opinion and let my voice shine through my writing.

Journal 1

I definitely consider myself a writer. Writing is one thing that come rather easy to me and i simply enjoy it. Sure, there are many topics I am required to write about that I have no interest in, but overall I love to write. I have not always enjoyed writing though, not until my sophomore year did I really begin to enjoy writing. I came to this realization in Mrs. Betke's composition class. Mrs. Bertke was a very interesting teacher who always wanted to hear our opinions and thought on the topics covered in class. She let us write about whatever pleased us and there was never a strict format to be follow. This freedom was not something i had experienced before in high school, and after writing papers upon papers, I realized I loved to write.

I really enjoyed the writing assignments I was given in English 111 and I hope to be assigned similar assignments in English 112. I am excited to have more in depth topics at hand to write about. I love writing about topics that are new to me. Upon completing this course I hope to further improve in my writing and to think more creatively while tackling assignments. I am eager to get atarted with this course!

Journal One

I consider myself a writer. I think everyone is a writer in some way or another. I love to write and I love to put my words onto paper to convey a message clearly to a particular audience. I think that I have always had a love of writing, as I have never really grown up playing with Barbies or playing "house." I was always making up stories and writing anything down that was created in my head. I think that I write not only for class and work or for other professional means, but for myself as well. I used to love typing stories on my computer at home, and I love typing long, descriptive emails to relatives and friends. Writing is something that I love to do, so only limiting it to within the classroom isn't something I would do.

From this class I hope to gain a more mature analytical thought process when it comes to writing. I hope to expand the writing techniques I have learned from English 111 and be able to apply them accordingly. I also hope to learn how to properly take literature and really dig into it to create a well-written, concise paper about it. I'm really excited for this class and I want to become a better writer and a better analyzer as well.

Journal 1

I think we define ourselves by what we do, either our occupation or the things we do well. For example, a student who plays on two collegiate sports teams may call himself an athlete, or the guy who plays his guitar on the subway may deem himself a musician. Likewise, I know myself by what I have been obsessed with doing for as long as I can remember, writing creatively.

The first time I remember being engrossed by the creative writing process was in first grade. Ms. Freezen, our teacher, asked the class to write an alternative ending to a movie we had watched recently. The fun part of the assignment was discovering that I already had an idea in mind before coming to class: My imagination was constantly running wild, and this was an opportunity to relay the ideas I toyed with in my head in a way that could be understood by everyone.

Most of the writing I do is to better myself in all areas of writing, whether it is creative, analytical, business, etc.; however, my ultimate goal is to communicate. I am fascinated by the human experience and the relationships that give it structure, and I think that it is in sharing our common/universal stories that lead us to a greater appreciation of our condition, as well as develop a greater awareness of others.

For this class, I am most excited for the workshops because that is how I best improve my writing, by learning from my classmates. At the end of this course, I want to feel like I have a firm grip on analytical writing, as well as have more confidence in my style and approach to prompts.

Journal 1

Do you consider yourself a writer? Why or why not? In addition, why do you write—is it for a grade, leisure, communication, work, etc.? What are you hoping to accomplish in this class?

Due: Thursday, January 13

Welcome!

This is our class blog, where I hope you'll enjoy reflecting on issues that matter to you and our class. I look forward to reading what you have to share.

Leigh