TOW #28: TOW Reflection

From the many TOWs that have completed over the span of about seven to eight months, I am able to see growth and improvement in my writing through: changes in my ability to write clearly and fluidly and the establishment of a more sophisticated tone. As I re-read the TOWs from the beginning of the year, I noticed my lack of topic sentences; therefore, I was unable to properly introduce the purpose of the paragraph. In addition, I saw that I did not create strong theses with consequences that connected them to a bigger idea. However, as time passed, my writing progressed. Not only has my writing improved grammatically, but I was also able to create my own voice that now distinguishes me from my peers.

Rather than mastering, I believe that I have greatly improved so that I am on my way to mastering my writing skills. Over time, I think that my ability to create a stronger thesis has immensely improved; I now understand the importance of the three components that a thesis must consist of: context, claim, and consequence. In addition, I try to have a stronger conclusion that answers the question of "So What?" All these improvements reflect, in my opinion, how I have almost mastered the mentality and mindset I am to have as a writer. I now have a better idea about the mind and thoughts of my audience, and I try to accommodate my writing to provide as much clarity as possible.

Despite my improvements, there are still many areas in my writing where I can improve and grow. I can always strive for being more concise with my writing; I often find that the peer advice given on my Timed Essays suggest being less repetitive. Another thing I can strive to improve is my vocabulary so that I will be able to express and relay my ideas and messages in a better, clearer way.

Overall, I believe that the results I have received from the many TOWs I had to write was well-worth the effort. The TOWs constantly made me practice my ability to analyze different types of texts. I think this reflected in my increasing scores for my Analysis essays; the Analysis portion was my weakest section, yet now, I am more confident when it comes to analysis. The practice that I have received also prepared me for the Mock and the AP Exam. With a diverse group of texts, from visual texts to autobiographies, I felt ready to tackle any kind of analysis that I was expected to complete.