This was the last piece of writing I have done for this class, but I feel it is important to read this first to get an idea of how my other assignments have developed me as a writer. I hope you enjoy it!

Introduction:

Writing classes have always been a reference point for me, the class that has been similar in curricula, but only higher standards every year. When new subjects like biology and chemistry were introduced to me, writing was always the comfortable norm that I could fall back on. Even with the increased difficulty every year, it felt like a home to reflect on and hone my skills for the future. Writing for Engineering was my first writing-based course in college, and I had a goal for myself to apply myself so I could get the most out of the curriculum. Through this essay, I will reflect upon the learning objectives, and how overall it has further shaped my perception as a writer. 

Acknowledging Linguistic Differences:

While understanding the differences in past experiences and drawing on them for a collective goal is something I feel has been explored during this course, I see it more prevalent in the class discussions regarding Technical Communication than in the actual assignments. Hearing other people’s thoughts on technical aspects like what are things to keep in mind when presenting, what is a common phrase of speech, and just writing in general has been very insightful. Hearing everyone’s different takes regarding these different parts of technical communication has introduced me to newer ways to think about writing formalities, and also strengthened my own beliefs when faced with an opinion that I didn’t necessarily agree with. 

The time I felt I had to develop rhetorical sensibility from this the most, was during the group project where my group members and I had to come together and create an invention. Considering that my group mates were all of different ages, and had different expertise in writing, it was very helpful when it came to diving into different parts of the project pertaining to our individual strengths. It was also a good learning experience for me, as I further learned to trust my group mates instead of trying to do everything myself. 

Enhancing Writing Strategies:

While I do feel that a lot of my writing has relatively developed (to a high school standard) before this class, I have definitely developed my strategies when it comes to revising and assessing the quality of my work. Given the different parameters for criteria as this is a Writing for Engineering class, I have learned to check whether my writing is concise and effectively completes the task at hand, and to make sure I finish it in a timely manner. Considering that this is also a college writing course, I have increased my own standards for writing, as the new environment calls for better writing from me.

Negotiating Goals and Expectations:

Personally, I have always held myself to a relatively high standard when it comes to my writing class. I wanted to do as best as possible in all my assignments, but I was willing to compromise with myself considering the new parameter of technical communication that I was learning to write within. When it comes to audience expectations for genre, medium, and rhetorical situations, I felt that I still had to apply myself to meet the standards before me. This I feel didn’t come too hard for me, with assignments like the Technical Description I feel being the first major foray into the field of technical communication, and over time throughout the class, I felt that I was able to further meet the expectations set before me. This was evident when it came time to make my Engineering Proposal, which I felt applied the same skill set as the Technical Description, allowing me to do my best to fulfill the audience’s requirements. 

Developing and Engaging Collaborative Writing Processes:

I definitely believe that when it comes to the collaborative and social aspects of writing, I have definitely developed my forms of communication in a group setting to make sure we fulfill our objective as a team. Making sure I am properly talking to my teammates, being accommodating to their schedules, and affirming that my expectations do not put more pressure on my peers is something I am very glad to learn for future collaboration. 

Engaging in Analysis and Composing:

The first point where I felt I tackled this goal of genre analysis and multimodal composing, was making the lab report. This wasn’t the first time where I had to synthesize scientific journals to create a point, but it was the first time I was analyzing their structure of composing the lab report instead of the contents themselves. This was a new form of analysis that I had to learn how to do, but the method to compose my argument felt similar to the work that I’d done in the past to develop a stance in my writing. 

Practicing and Strengthening Using Resources:

The practice of using library resources and online databases is something I felt I was generally good at already, so there wasn’t much to improve in that department. I did enjoy scouring for information for the Engineering Proposal, as what information I could use to form my conclusion was up to my own endeavors. Finding a research study talking about the logistics of refining biofuel became a crux for our proposal, and I happened to have found it on a random Google search. 

Conclusion/What is Writing?:

Overall, I do feel that I largely hit the goals outlined for me to develop in this class. It was largely through the specific assignments given and the work I have done with my peers for group assignments, or larger class discussions. While pertaining to my own personal experience I feel the goals didn’t make me grow too much as a writer, I have developed as a technical writer when it comes to specific proposals and documents. For my answer to the question of what is writing, I feel that my perception of the answer hasn’t changed, but only strengthened. I view writing as a form of communication that we can manipulate to achieve a multitude of goals, from writing a creative story to drafting a report. After taking Writing for Engineering, I have further defined this definition to include any professional works to further the works of engineers, from the text in a presentation to a developed proposal.