Anthony Cancellieri

Prof. Douglas
ENG 112 08
April 29th, 2015
ENG 112 Final Reflection Paper
Dear Professor Douglas,
I dont think my writing has really changed all too much. Theres a concept one of my high
school teachers had and I very much agree with him. It was that writing is a skill, and as a skill it can be
improved but as I get better and better, the amount of improvement gets smaller and smaller. I think this is
one of those semesters for me except for the creative writing in the multi genre project. If one takes a look
at my original daybook assignments and compares those to my polished writings, they would see that
aside from the topics I was a pretty consistent writer in Spring 2015.
In this semester, if I had to put out a weakness it would be topic development. For example, in
some of my daybook entries like the 1st Rhetorical Analysis I abbreviated the details in favor of a word
that implied the details, which would weaken my observations. To work on this I would just need to look
back at the nouns and see if a reader could see exactly what it is that I am writing about. If I am not
careful in the future, my readers may interpret something that I did not intend. Though, my weakness did
not keep me from seeing my writing as sub-par.
I liked pretty much all of my writing this year, and I think time management was the key to my
success in the polished writings. In them I would cut and rearrange sentences up to 3 times before I turned
in the final paper, and the peer reviews would always help me see something to adjust. My thinking
wouldnt change too much though, the main points were still there and most sentences in a paragraph
stayed in that paragraph with a change in their order. I wouldnt say that there are any revisions I made

this year that drastically changed my thinking on a paper, even in the annotated bibliography I just
expanded the research a little bit more and found a little more to say I learned.
I do notice a pattern though, and Ive seen it a little in past years but looking at minor daybook
assignments and at the rhetorical analysis I think I am strongest when writing a narrative. Now, when
someone makes the same connection I have made they will see that even with other peoples names and
writings I seem to tell the structures are much like narrative writing. I feel that the rhetoric leans in toward
that genre in every few sentences, like I really want to just tell a tale. In Backpacks and Briefcases I do
tell a personal narrative, and it can be easily compared with many of my other writings.
If you may feel strongly against this, I will point out that I actually pulled off a short narrative about my
narrative writing in this letter of reflection.
I dont want to seem smug or overconfident, but I do feel as though I am a successful writer, and
dont have significant problems with my writing. Of course, if I am missing the bigger problems I hope
that you, my teacher, can help me to see them. I am looking forward to our interview, Professor, and I
hope you have a great summer after this.
Your Student,
Anthony Cancellieri