Reflection Assignment 1

In the first assignment, I learned how to better understand writing in my field of study.  I've never taken the time to step back and reflect on the nature of writing in biology until this assignment.  I mainly considered writing in biology to be a completely formal area of writing until I learned the different types of informal, or nonacademic writing such as pamphlets at a science museum.  I also learned how to better source things and how to quote pieces from sources and interviews which will be important down the road. 

As I said before, most of my assumptions were that writing in biology were purely formal and that was definitely challenged.  Although, my assumptions for the types of academic writing were almost spot on when discussing the types of paper and styles within those papers.  During my interview is where most of my assumptions were supported and only once was my assumption of nonacademic writing proven otherwise because the interviewee brought up note taking as a nonacademic form of writing.

Challenges of this paper were finding good sources that gave me some good information about the nature of writing and I couldn't really find any amazing sources that provided me with the true information I was looking for, so to overcome that I just worked with what I had.  The paper could have been much stronger with better sources.

Now as a writer I would say that am weak in using the information I have into a more detailed and expressed way.  I could have probably used better vocab as well in order to spice up and enlighten my paper.  Strengths would be that I believe I had a pretty sufficient introduction.  Also I think I did well with the information I was given and I made that the best that I could.

I thought that the group conference was useful to the point where we met with our peers before we set up schedules with our partners.  So basically to me the best way I see fit for us to do papers and conferences are to do one class with a small peer review with our peers and schedule conferences for 15 minutes another day.  That way we can have more time with you and also get another set of eyes on our paper another day.