“Writing is an exploration. You start from nothing and learn as you go.” -E. L. Doctorow
A word, either spoken or unspoken, does not come without meaning. It may hurt many, or it may simply bring joy to the lives of few. No matter the outcome, the world still strives to create and recreate what has yet to be said and what has been said hundreds of times before. It's a matter of the meaning behind the text that makes a word great. Many people pass through their lives without really being able to see that meaning. When one begins to look at and analyze another person's work, then they are opened up to another side of writing that has yet to be forgotten. From this point, one is opened up to their own world; a world where they are free to express themselves. For me, analytical reading/writing has proven to be...somewhat different from what I expected. It has really pointed out some strengths and weaknesses a beginner such as myself can learn from, but it has also challenged me to step outside of my zone of comfort and think above a level I hadn't anticipated.
When thinking back to the readings of the past few weeks, two words come to mind: confusing and complicated. There really is no other way for a freshman college student such as myself to describe them. Although they were extremely difficult to grasp, I know that I walked away from each and every one of the readings with the knowledge that I had been challenged. I had been challenged in a way that really managed to get the gears turning, and I found myself beginning to think. I'm talking about real thinking, not just everyday “run of the mill” thinking that everyone experiences. I began looking at these readings and soaking in what they had to offer. In turn, the new knowledge I had gained became very evident when I was reading from other sources. Instead of just looking at a source and gaining the main bit of information it had to offer, I was actually analyzing them and using those analysis' to my advantage. I was stepping back to connect the concepts of my sources with that of other people's work, and that of future work I have yet to engage in. It's as if, by analysis, the literary world becomes a web of inter-connectivity; opening up new pathways every time one exhausts and old one.
In my eyes, the use of literary analysis, with it's emphasis on critical thinking, can push a person to become a better writer. It's effect has somewhat of a lasting impression on the way one might view the literary world around him/her. The events this semester have already began to push my writing in the direction of a more academic sense, given the topics we have written about. One of my most recent works was written about a piece I had read concerning active learning:
“I feel that the push to incorporate active learning in classrooms should continue for years and years to come. Bonwell and Eison hit the nail right on the head when they said, '[...] a significant number of individuals have learning styles best served by pedagogical techniques other than lecturing'(Bonwell and Eison). The majority of students, in any type of learning environment, would prefer to be actively engaged in a subject rather than sitting in a seat listening to a monotone lecture for an hour. Not only does active learning eliminate this, it causes students to better retain and understand the information being taught” (DeGraw).
Being only part of my piece, one can begin to see how I analyzed what the original author had to say, then in turn, incorporated it with ideas I felt would better strengthen my research. If I were to mix in bits and pieces of my own personality with that of the academic side of my writing, I believe it would greatly strengthen what I can bring to the table.
In regards to my academic writing, nothing has been built without the basis of reliable sources. It has become apparent that not a single bit of academic writing can be done without first exploring what other people have to say. It's not a matter of how much one has to say, it's a matter of how well they say it. When choosing a source, my method of selection is one that some wouldn't favor as much as the next. To me, a good source is one that fits great ideas into a short space. I think of a good source as one who doesn't visit and revisit a part of a subject over and over again. I don't enjoy repetitious writing, it gets very dull. So, when finding my sources, I rely on the ones that have completely plausible information crammed into a few short pages. In respect to my sources, I believe that having all the information and ideas laid out in such a short amount of space gives way to a better understanding of the information. If one is able to view all the ideas and information close together, instead of having to flip through countless pages to find what they are looking for, then it creates that little academic bubble-like environment. I enjoy this type of research because it allows me to slow down and analyze all of my sources ideas, and in turn I can combine them with my own ideas that create a basis to write my papers from. This way, one can also dive into the critical thinking that fuels just about any academic piece of writing.
It is self-evident that I have much, much more to gain from the topic of analytical reading/writing. As I venture down the path that leads me through this semester I predict that this concept will open up to me in a much bigger light. I hope to gain the skills that will help me become a better writer throughout the entirety of the semester. In light of my upcoming experience with ANSER charter school and my studies of analysis, I believe that I can challenge myself to new levels of thinking I have yet to experience. A word leaves it's mark everywhere it goes, I just hope that mine will create the same lasting impression that others before me have succeeded in imposing.
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