Unit 7 Blog Response

My Writing Process & Journey

This Term has been a real 'mixed bag' for me in terms of my writing. Having a lot of externalities happening in my personal and household background on a reasonably regular basis is not exactly conducive to my having cogent and clear writing. Writing well is not always the same as simply having to write for writing's sake. By extension, academic writing has a formality and different dimension to it by comparison with everyday written expression. Regularly reading peer-reviewed journal articles certainly helps to keep my academic 'voice' more free and flowing. This isn't to say that I don't have my own struggles with developing and drafting my Final Papers. I do!. I like to use the Writing Center's Paper Review Service at least once a Term. The service that they provide is a really important resource in my continually improving my writing as a college student.

My writing is also definitely better supported and made a whole lot easier by my having reliable access to a good quantity of up-to-date research material. I have a preference for using mostly peer-reviewed articles from estalished journals. Although, an added advantage of the internet is quicker access to electronic journal archives, whenever I need them.

My writing isn't static. I certainly have plenty of room for improvement and simplification in my written expression. I am frequently re-editing my own material, as well as sharing my material with others who wish to look at it. Having a second (or even third, fourth and fifth) pair of eyes scanning my writing can often pick up on errors of mine that are right there in plain sight.

My writing 'process' is an ongoing one. If I no longer enjoy it, then perhaps that will be a sign for me to simply quit and to start over again.

August 18, 2010

Whether the Weather be: Cloudy (50F)
In the News: Obama says economy is in recovery, slowly but surely (Source: AP)
Events of Note: Unit 7 begins.

* A bit of a stressful day, yesterday, completing work for A&P. Flew through the module exam just fine, with absolutely no difficulties. Yet, my final project paper for A&P, on a dynamic organ system and organ, has some lackluster writing, at best. Today's agenda is getting my Comp II Draft Outline in (thanks, Dr. Sands-you're the first and only instructor to grant me an extension in my whole career!).

* On this day in August, 1998, I went through a life-changing event that came very close to costing me my life. For a few fleeting seconds, I was faced with the possibility that I might never see my loving and close family and friends again. Then, likely because of adrenaline, my fight instinct in my 'fight or flight' hardwired response, kicked in. The days, months and years immediately afterwards were difficult and challenging. Thanks to a good support system, I was slowly able to begin to re-build my life again, and to see the goodness in humankind because of others faith in me and who I was/am.

* In spite of a rotten migraine headache that is plaguing me at the moment, I need to go and look at some legal regulations for part of the content for my Comp II Final paper.

So, here's to Unit 7-the downhill run!. See you on the Boards, and in blogs!.