Name: Joel Alex

Course: ENGL 210

Instructor: Julia Brown

Date: 05/20/2025

Over the course of the semester, this Writing for Engineering class helped me to grow as a communicator and writer. Entering the course, I had a limited understanding of how technical writing differs from academic essays or creative writing. I learned that technical writing requires a clear and purpose-driven approach.. Throughout the semester, I worked on a wide range of assignments which challenged me to think critically and work collaboratively with my colleagues. In this self-assessment, I will reflect on my progress in relation to several course learning outcomes such as enhancing strategies for reading, drafting, and self-assessment; negotiating writing goals and rhetorical situations; engaging in collaborative aspects of writing; and strengthening my use of sources.

Enhancing Strategies for Reading, Drafting, Revising, and Self-Assessment

At the beginning of the semester, my writing process was generally the same for all of my writing. I would brainstorm quickly, write a draft in one sitting, and make edits before submission. I found peer review as a very effective way to improve my writing. In my initial draft for my technical description, my writing was vague and lacked technical depth. After reviewing feedback, I revised the document to include accurate terminology and clearer structure. The revision process helped me to understand the importance of clarity and precision in technical writing.

I also started implementing outlining techniques during drafting stages for my writing. I learned that creating a structured outline before I start writing helped me to organize my thoughts and ensure that I didn’t miss any important technical components. I didn’t do this as frequently at the beginning of the semester, but I incorporated this as part of my regular process for my general writing, including outside of this course. Through personal reflection, I learned that outlining is more than just simple planning. I learned that outlining is a critical step in making my writing more effective.

I also developed flexible reading strategies. While working on the engineering proposal, my group and I conducted background research on urban heat islands and green infrastructure. I used online databases and library resources to evaluate sources for credibility and any potential bias. While working on the proposal, I became more comfortable skimming articles for structure and focusing on only useful sections. This skill helped my research skills to be more efficient.

Negotiating Writing Goals and Audience Expectations

The course emphasized how writing changes depending on who our intended audience is. In particular, the lab report helped me to learn how to align my writing to audience expectations. Unlike the proposal, the lab report required the usage of objective presentation of procedures and findings. In my final draft, I was able to successfully present my analysis in a professional, yet comprehensible manner to my audience. By the end of the course, I was able to successfully adjust my tone and structure depending on the type of assignment.

Another example of this was in our discussion board posts. My tone was more casual and reflective in these discussion posts. I learned that writing for peers required a different tone than writing for  instructors or professional audiences. In these posts, I was able to experiment with expressing personal opinions and asking open-ended questions. This helped me to build my comfort in writing for various rhetorical situations. I learned that good communication relies not just on communication, but also how the content is delivered to audiences.

Engaging in Collaborative and Social Aspects of Writing

Another major learning outcome that I experienced was the collaborative nature of writing. While working on the engineering proposal, I learned the importance of being able to communicate openly and respect different perspectives. I also learned how to better communicate with my colleagues. I was responsible for writing and presenting the budget section, but I also participated in outlining the proposal problem, brainstorming solutions, and participated in revising the final document. I also worked on the slide design. 

Our shared Google Docs for our proposal helped us to give each other real-time comments and suggestions on each other’s work. This feedback helped me to become a more flexible writer. I also learned how to coordinate tasks and work together with my colleagues to meet task deadlines. 

Strengthening Source Use Practices

Before this course, I often relied too heavily on direct quotations and sometimes failed to integrate them smoothly into my writing. Throughout this semester, I worked on improving my citation practices. In the Engineering Proposal, I effectively implemented multiple sources to support my solution to reduce the urban heat island effect. I practiced paraphrasing and summarizing key points and cited my sources in APA format. The peer review process helped me to refine my sources and used them to better support our proposal.

In my final draft for the engineering proposal, I successfully combined research findings with my own analysis. I would not have been able to do as well if I had done the engineering proposal in the beginning of the semester. I also became more confident in evaluating the credibility and relevance of my sources. The skills that I have learned in this course will help me to better analyze academic research and other technical documents. 

Conclusion

Reflecting on this semester, I am proud of the progress that I have made as a writer and communicator. This course challenged me beyond just fulfilling word counts and formatting requirements. It helped me to think about audience, purpose, and clarity for all of my writing. I learned that writing is not simply about expressing ideas, but also about effectively organizing and conveying these ideas to the reader. Every assignment helped me to better organize and develop strategies that I will carry forward into the future. 

There are still areas that I would like to improve in my writing such as being more efficient in outlining ideas and polishing my transitions. I feel more confident that I will be able to continue developing in my writing since I now have the foundational tools. My self-assessment is not just a reflection. It shows how I developed as a writer and where I’m heading next as a student, writer, and engineer.