Lorenzo Munoz

Joseph

English 1302
Reflective Essay
One of my goals at the beginning of the semester was to become a better writer. My
biggest issue was the amount of sentences I quoted and not providing enough of my own ideas.
When it came to writing, I knew the topic well but I had a problem putting my knowledge on
paper. Its easier to use quotes especially when you need help with the word count. The word
count applied at certain pressure, if I didnt meet the word count then I felt like I wasnt saying
enough. The mentality I had was insert a quote and it will explain everything. Quotations
became a double-edged sword for me. I think my lengthy quotes made it seem like I didnt know
what I was talking about. For the same reason, it shows my extensive research in my topic as
well. Unfortunately, the reader may not understand things the way I do. I learned that I need to
explain my quotes and/or be more specific with my quotes.
I began to explain things more without sounding redundant. I still quote a lot of
information. However, in relation to my own ideas, there is now a balance. For example, David
Leroux contracted clostridium difficle. David, a paramedic, contracted the bacteria while
consulting at a hospital in China. When he returned to the States the doctor put him on an IV of
Ciprofloxacin, a broad-spectrum antibiotic for his diarrhea. Instead of fighting the C. Diff, the
ciprofloxacin cleared out the rest of the bacteria living in his gastrointestinal tract, the good
healthy kind. Thereby allowing the C. Diff to go from infecting part of his intestines to
colonizing the whole thing (Anderson). In Davids case the dangers of a wrong prescription
caused him the lose most of his intestines. Surprisingly enough, most superbugs are contracted at
hospitals. Patients staying inside hospitals for extended visits for a different aliment are most
susceptible to antibiotic resistant bacteria. The solution to slow down bacterias rapid resistance
varies. In my argument essay about the overuse of antibiotics and the dangerous bacteria it
creates, I used an anecdote from a person who contracted antibiotic resistance bacteria. It
increased the word count and it was relevant to my argument. A personal account from someone
else is far more convincing compared to statistics alone. I quoted material throughout the paper,
trying to be as concise as possible but still deliver the information needed. Antibiotics feed to
livestock are a perfect breeding ground to create antibiotic resistant bacteria. Livestock are feed
antibiotics to help gain weight faster for consumer consumption and to prevent disease among
the animals. However, in the process, farmers are creating stronger bacteria strains. The
antibiotics are given through the water supply in both poultry and swine production
(National Research Council). Instead of quoting an entire paragraph, I opted to take small
sections from the source material slightly curbing my quotation habit.
The semester is ending and I believe to a certain extent I am a better writer. I have
embraced my habit and improved upon it. If I quote a lot, I have a lot of explaining to do within
the paper. Ive learned to explain more and/or choose what I quote wisely.