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Matthew Fox
Professor Dorhout
English 1001-017
29 July 2016
A Reflection
It is amazing to think that I started this English class at the end of May and now it is
ending. There is no doubt that I have learned a great deal about grammar and have written many
papers these last few months. As this class now draws to a close, it is time to reflect on this
semester of college and leave it behind; not as a relic of the past, but as source of information
from which to learn.
When I started this class, I did not know what to expect from a college English class
other than that I would be writing papers. I had very little experience writing research papers or
researching effectively. I did know a bit about debating from taking an Intro to Public Speaking
class at Clermont College during the fall of 2015. I knew some grammar and some mechanics,
though my biggest concern was the comma, semi-colon, and colon usage.
In this class I wrote a variety of papers to familiarize myself with researching topics,
arguing theses, and citing sources. Some papers focused on specific topics like critiquing sources
or analyzing information, whereas other papers covered a broad set of topics to bring what we
learned together. Overall, I think I came into this class knowing very little, but now I am leaving
knowing far more than I had previously, especially in the area of research. The following
paragraphs explain what I learned from writing the assigned papers.

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The first of two papers I wrote was the visual analysis paper. It was this paper in which I
learned how to analyze an advertisement. I felt like it was a good start for me. The grammar and
mechanics needed work, but it was overall a good way to get my feet wet. The next paper I wrote
was the annotated bibliography. I learned a great deal with this paper; such as how to find
sources, how to analyze those sources, and how to critiques them. I feel that these were an
excellent learning opportunity.
The third paper was a research paper. Out of all our assigned papers, this one I worried
about the most. It was difficult in some ways to find sources for my topic, the new interchange in
Eastgate. I chose this topic because I was interested in how different interchange designs could
influence traffic flow and congestion. I learned how to write a research paper in a better fashion
than what I already knew. This will be helpful as I write papers for other classes and for my
career in the future. It was at this point that I learned how to apply the skills that I had learned
thus far in the class in a paper that would be similar to what I would likely write in a real world
scenario.
The fourth paper I wrote was the Evaluation essay, which I think was my best paper. I
decided to write my paper about Boys State and the rank of Eagle Scout. I felt this topic was one
I could write about with enthusiasm. This topic also had some meaning to me because of my
participation with Boys State and Boy Scouts of America. I feel as though I did an excellent job
in finding an idea and successfully write about it.
I have learned a fair amount from this class. I have learned how to analyze sources, how
to argue a thesis, how to counter-argue, how to decide what needs to be cited, and various ways

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to cite my sources in my writing. I think as I progress through my college career I should focus
on improving my grammar since that has been a constant problem throughout the class for me.
I feel that Professor Dorhout was a great help in teaching me these skills. I think this class
has taught me things that I will use greatly as I get ready for college and after college. It is
because of this that I feel that this class was ultimately a success for me.