Writing Project 1
Revisiting Past Writing: Unpacking the Complexity of Circumstance & Context
Kylee Smith
Writing 340: Advanced Writing for Arts & Humanities
Professor Tomkins
Spring 2024
Writing Project 1
Revisiting Past Writing: Unpacking the Complexity of Circumstance & Context
When reflecting on my writing history I am able to point out the assignments that were crucial to my growth as a writer. Entering college marked a transformative chapter in my academic journey, a phase characterized not only by the acquisition of knowledge but also by a profound evolution in my writing experience. As I reflect on the contours of my time in college, I’m aware of the dimensions that form through different writing styles. Understanding that the history of my writing intertwines with my environments and different expectations is shown through every new prompt that has been assigned. From analytical essays to research papers, each piece exemplifies my growth and exploration as a writer.
My freshman year of college I attended San Diego State University where I was able to get really comfortable with my writing style. The writing assignments within this year allowed me to begin writing about issues occurring in the world at that current time. Though my written experiences prior to college helped me define who I was as a writer, I was very stagnant with what I was writing about and had not stepped outside of academic writing prompts. My freshman year writing class was called Rhetoric and Writing Studies, where we practiced persuasive writing using current instances during the time. The course was sectioned off into three segments in which we read three different articles on a topic and would form an essay that persuaded our readers into what we wanted them to believe was the right perspective. The sections were divided into race, environment and the ecosystem. One of my first assignments discussed the idea that racist crimes and misogynistic attacks can happen simultaneously. We read an article and were asked to either agree or argue against her statements made within the text. Reading about substantial issues and being able to express our opinions about what we read was exciting and motivated me to want to do the work. This class was also where I learned to cite APA for the first time after referencing MLA in my prior years. The structure of this class brought passion into my writing, helped me respond to feedback positively and taught me how to write persuasively.
When first transferring over to USC, I was not satisfied with my writing nor was I enjoying any of the prompts assigned to me. My first prompt was for my History of California class in which I was required to complete weekly reports on our discussions from class. Even though there were no rules on how to complete the write-up, I had no interest in the class itself which caused me to be unmotivated to complete the reports each week. Being lost in the weekly discussion left my papers dull as it felt like a task rather than something to look forward to. However, my professor during the time gave me great feedback on my papers which allowed me to understand the type of writing style I was being asked of during the semester. As a business major I took an accounting class the following semester where I had no expectations of using my writing techniques. Until I was aware that my two midterms and final exam required me to write two to three essay responses about what we were learning in class. This was one of my greatest challenges with writing since attending USC as I was not only confused on how to turn math into writing but I was not enjoying it either. This however, expanded my toolbox of writing styles which is something I can appreciate when writing for jobs or internships. My GE classes brought me to the realization that academic based writing does not motivate me like voluntary writing does. A majority of my writing assignments throughout my first three semesters at USC felt forced and did not inspire me to want to write. Since then, I have entered more courses surrounding my minor and have been given more prompts that excite me such as writing a report for a football game or creating an outline for a sports radio show. Being able to relate to my hobbies and do research on things that make me happy has shown to help the outcome of my writing. My writing experiences at USC thus far have elevated me tremendously and has forced me to step out of my comfort zone as a writer.
I find writing for a position or job has been one of the most difficult throughout my writing history. Even though it is considered to be voluntary writing, I feel there is so much pressure to fit the style of the company or person reviewing your application. Finding a balance of showing my authentic self while simultaneously impressing them is often challenging at times. My communications class last semester worked hands on with us and our cover letters and resumes. I was unaware of the amount of depth but minimalistic details that went into writing a cover letter, as you are required to draw in the attention within the first paragraph but also being able to showcase who you are as an individual. Understanding what to take out and what details to emphasize about myself and what I could bring to the company was the hardest thing to do. However, the more applications and interview prompts I have been able to practice with overtime has allowed me to sound more professional in my writings, which has helped me to communicate more effectively with not just employers but future authority figures.
The environment I am in while writing plays a huge role in the outcome of my papers. One of my favorite ways to write happens to be in my bed. This can be extremely controversial as most people tend to get distracted or lazy while working in bed, but I believe I write best when in a comfortable space. During this process, I usually have study music playing in the background whether it's meditation sounds or LoFi on youtube. Technology has shifted our writing styles and normalized technology being our core source for writing. As I’ve adjusted to these styles I have created a routine that works for me to carry out a smooth process. When given articles to read, I find myself highlighting key information that I can quote or refer back to during my paper. Doing this allows me to retain the facts that I want to use as support for my essay while also staying organized by knowing where the quotes are. When prepping for any writing assignment, I like to speak to outloud about my plans for the paper and follow up with an outline. In this outline I usually jot down any ideas that I want to touch on, so I don’t forget the points that come into my head. Doing this can get messy, but it is important for me to carry out an open thought that I had rather than getting back to it and possibly forgetting the direction I was going in. My biggest struggle that I encounter with every single paper is always my introductions. Whether it be finding a hook or just formulating a first paragraph, it can take me hours. My writing preference does not allow me to move onto the following paragraphs without finishing my introduction first so this has created a lot of blockage for me in the past. These problems have brought me to having a preference of structure with the assignments I'm given, yet still having that window of expression that allows me to expand on my thoughts.
Contextual Analysis
When reflecting on my past assignment, I was able to see my writing from a different perspective. This was my first time looking at this assignment in two years and I enjoyed being able to see the growth I have encountered since writing this paper. The paper I am referencing was based on the article “How Racism and Sexism Intertwine to Torment Asian-American Women” by author Shaila Dewan. Because the main focus of this essay was to give insight to the hardships of an Asian American Women’s life, I would deem this essay is an informative essay. The vocabulary used in this essay was intended to persuade the reader into understanding the idea that crime incidents can occur and are able to be a race and misogynistic attack simultaneously. Words such as “allegations” and “allows” were used when defending the author’s argument to further implicate which side the writer was on. With the way the text focuses on showing how the issue of racism against Asian American women is an occurrence in today’s society, it is clear that the document is for the people who know of Asian American women but do not necessarily know how poorly they have been and continue to be treated. Many people in today’s society believe situations to be black and white.
This essay was attempting to prove that there is a gap and race and gender issues intertwine more often than people seem to believe. My intention for this text was not only to highlight the racism and sexism that Asian American women go through on a daily basis but to also demonstrate how the perception that society has of Asian American Women have negatively affected their lives. As an Asian American Woman, I believe that my background and past experience has influenced the way I went about writing this essay. I am very passionate about what I was writing so I put a lot of emphasis on how society theoretically views the importance of our lives vs how they actually view it. Though this assignment was not optional, our decision to agree or disagree with the author was fully in our hands. And due to this, I was able to formulate my own opinions and portray that throughout the paper.
The tragic deaths of six Asian American Women on the Atlanta Freeway prompted the creation of this writing. This essay is a response to how the law enforcement chose to handle their deaths and the response of society. The cops vocalized that their beliefs of these deaths came from misogyny rather than a racist attack. Due to the lack of Asian hate crimes compared to other races, many believe that it’s not possible for these same types of attacks to occur for Asian women. However, these norms are the issues that are being pointed out the most throughout this essay. Other voices that this text challenges can relate to black crime as well. As society often overlooks the reality of a negative act to downplay it or turn it into another story. This essay was a call for reflection. In reading this essay, it is my hope that people think and reflect on how they view Asian American women. I was anticipating hearing about Sun Yeon Choi Morrow's experiences in America and how law enforcement handled the death of the six Asian American women would prompt readers to reflect on the views they have of Asian American Women. I hope that this text helped open their eyes to possible areas of improvement within themselves when it comes to how they interact with us.
Male Supremacist terrorism was another issue touched on in this essay in relation to society’s view of women. The goal of this part of the paper was to put into perspective how men feel entitled and often attempt to overpower women. I supported this with an example of nail salons in America and how the article explained how the killers were prompted to target the nail salon knowing it would be majority Asian women there.
One thing I noticed about this essay was my use of “I”. Since writing this assignment I have learned that writing a persuasive or informative essay should not include the use of the first person, even if it is from our personal perspective. Something that I thought I excelled in throughout this essay was my use of quotes to support my point of view. Using multiple examples from the article allowed for a stronger essay and tied in all my thoughts together to create a unified paper.