Gonzalez 1

To: Mr. Okrasinski

From: Victor Gonzalez
Subject: Rationale and Revisions
Date: 11/18/19

Mr. Okrasinski,

One of the many ways I define revisions in my work would be to correct or make any
parts of my essay as good as I could. I would best formally define revision as the act of
altering or adapting one’s paper in order to make it more suitable for the given
audience. During this semester, I took different approaches when revising my paper
because every paper we were assigned was targeted towards different audiences.

One of the approaches that I have used includes peer evaluations. Peer revisions have
helped me to see errors that I may not have noticed or that I would not have thought
were incorrect. Additionally, it has helped improve my grammar and taught me how to
create sentences that flow, instead of ones that come off as choppy. Another technique
I used was re-reading my essay. A handful of students tend to forget to read their essay
entirely, which causes them to miss obvious mistakes that could have been corrected
before submission.

During the semester, the 3 difficulties that occurred when writing my papers were
purpose, audience, and context. These gave me a hard time because they forced me to
think outside the box whilst also keeping these components in mind. I had to explore
new audiences and be able to connect and communicate with them. Furthermore, while
connecting with the audience, I had to follow the purpose of why I was writing the paper
in the first place. Personally, I would not say that all the context was necessarily hard to
read, but my issues lay more so in when I had to integrate the context into my own
paper.

When my classmates would review, they were doing me a favor. They could see
mistakes that I had not seen, which has helped fix my mistakes and turn in a better draft
than my old one. In addition, when seeing examples from other people, it helps to give
me ideas on how to make my paper better. By following these guidelines, it has given
me the opportunity to become a better writer.

I believe that the most important component when writing a paper is a clear
understanding on your topic. When the writer does not have a clear understanding of
their objective, it can lead to a bad grade on their paper. Another component is
supporting your claim or idea. When the reader is not given enough information, it
produces a broad paper with no direction, which leaves the audience confused and
feeling like they’ve learned nothing.

I believe that my strongest essay this semester was my third essay. Not only did I feel
more comfortable while writing it, but I also took my time on revising each step I took.
 Gonzalez 2

Since I was able to relate to the topic and audience, it was easier to write my essay.
Furthermore, it flowed naturally because my audience was expansive, including not only
college students, but also the community. I also felt a strong connection with writing my
third essay because it was a topic I was going through in my current life, making it
easier for me to express myself fluidly and deliver as much information possible.

One of my goals this semester was to improve my grammar, while also improving my
vocabulary to make my writing less boring and more entertaining. One achievement I
am proud of is the way that I can use the information given to me and put it to good
work. A struggle I’ve had this year was organizing my writing correctly. It feels that
though I’ve seen some improvements, I’m still not at the level I would like to be at.

As for my revisions, I chose the first two essays of the semester because I wanted to
implement all the new things I have learned over the semester. Additionally, I wanted to
revise them because I feel my confidence as a writer has grown. In the beginning of the
semester, I was shy and afraid to express myself in the best possible manner, a
problem that I feel has diminished.

When writing the two essays, I tried to make a style that would help me to stand out as
much as possible. In my first style, I took on a sarcastic style of writing, while I hoped
would help me to organize both my thinking and my writing. However, I was unable to
follow through with this because I did not want to confuse my reader or cause them to
not follow my ideas. In my second essay, my confidence was strengthened due to my
personal connection with the task. One problem I had with the second essay was that I
could not detail my connection very well.

As for improvements, I would consider slowing down so I can make more sense about
my writing. I would like to be able to organize my ideas better, so my audience wouldn’t
be as confused, making my essays more understandable and to convey my point more
concisely.

By making my focus clearer, it would mean I am able to introduce my ideas in a more

appealing way, in a form where the audience can connect while also understanding my
point of view. Also, the structure of my essay must correspond in a fluid motion, so that
my reader doesn’t get lost with overseeing my ideas. Furthermore, I must use the
correct grammar in the correct places. Sometimes, the shortest or most simple
statements are the easiest to understand. I also explained that I wish I could have used
more vivid details in my second essay because I would have been able to build a better
relationship with the audience, showing them that I had a deep connection to the topic
of my essay. Finally, I tried to make each snippet of revision as important as possible,
so I could show both my effort and interest in revising, so that I was able to gain a better
grade from any parts of my first work.

In conclusion, by not only revising my essays, but by also following the three
techniques, I have improved both my essays and all my writing in general. I have
become a writer who is confident with their skills and uses them correctly. Over the
 Gonzalez 3

course of the semester, I have employed learned topics and relied on given resources,
such as my peers.

Best regards,
Victor Gonzalez