Peralta 1

Gabriel Peralta

Dr. Sindelar

ENC3250

12 December 2023

Reflection Essay

Throughout this semester I have found that overall my writing has improved. During

most of my first assignments earlier in the course I was very worried and felt unconfident in my

abilities as a technical writer. But whereas before I would often struggle to articulate myself

when writing instructional or technical information, I now feel much more comfortable. This is

primarily because of what I have learned about using plain language, research, revision, and

other important tools I have learned to use like making use of visuals to help clearly

communicate my ideas to an audience.

My main goal in this course has primarily been to improve my skills as a writer in the

writing style of technical communication, since it had previously been an area of writing I was

not familiar with. I think I have accomplished that goal by listening to the advice given to me in

class lectures and using the ideas I have learned in class in my assignments. This course has also

helped me to reach my main goal by having me write in styles that I had previously never written

in before. It has also taught me techniques and ideas to keep in mind as a writer that I will

remember for the future.

Of all the assignments I have done in this class the one I am the proudest of is my

instructions assignment. It was especially challenging for me since I was writing with the intent
 Peralta 2

of targeting people who had no experience on a topic that I was familiar with, made the writing

process a little more challenging. But looking back on it I am proud of the work I did it and I feel

good when I think about all the positive feedback my peers gave me for it. I was told that it

looked like a genuinely professional set of instructions on how to play the guitar and that is the

kind of feedback I really enjoy getting. I learned the most from that assignment too since writing

a set of instructions is something that had previously been very out of my comfort zone as a

writer.

One assignment that I would most want to edit is the White Paper assignment. I think I

could have touched on more than just solely focusing on poaching. Especially when discussing

such a broad problem with multiple reasons behind it like the endangerment of Venus flytraps. I

regret not having put more time and planning into my white paper and I think I could have done

better. One assignment I would have liked to add to the course is the presentation and listening

assignment. I think this assignment would have helped because I think reading your writing

aloud can be a good indicator of how well written it is, and I think a presentation assignment

could have been valuable in teaching that. I also would have found it enjoyable and interesting to

listen to everyone discuss the topics they had chosen to write about for the semester.