California State University Channel Islands English Program

Below we offer a typical example of a thoughtful essay that is reflective effectively and substantively captures the writer’s growth as time passes at CSUCI. We claim that you write your personal essay before reading either of those models-then, having completed your first draft, read these over to consider areas in your own background that you definitely have not yet addressed and which might be relevant to your growth as a reader, writer, or thinker.

Any mention of either of the essays must certanly be correctly cited and attributed; failure to take action constitutes plagiarism and can bring about a failing grade on the portfolio and possible other serious consequences as mentioned into the CSUCI Code of Conduct.

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Sample eliteessaywriters com Reflective Essay # 1
Author: Prefers to remain anonymous

As an English major I have discovered to appreciate the peaceful, yet exhilarating moment when my mind engages with an author’s ideas on a page. As Toni Morrison says when you look at the Dancing Mind , “reading is to experience an individual’s own mind dancing with another’s.” Within my early days as a college student, i needed to understand the “true” meaning of a work or what the author intended, however, We have now realized this might void literature of its most complexities that are noteworthy. Individual interpretations bring varied insights to a work and it is also interesting to indicate messages the author might not s/he have realized within the piece.

We have always been a thinker, but throughout my coursework, We have greatly sharpened my critical analysis skills. Instead of concentrating on proposed meanings or biographical background, I have learned to continuously ask “why” on a variety of levels. I challenge myself to dig into a text as deeply as possible and unpack every detail to produce a close that is satisfying. Also, by reading multiple novels by the same author I have discovered to spot different writing styles and also make connections that weave texts together; this helped me develop a deeper knowledge of the novels. I realize that I did not actively read the book when I look at one of my freshman level novels and see clean pages. I guess you can say because I am able to connect back with my initial insights marked on the page that I have learned to read with a pen, which has drastically taken my writing to a new level.

Writing had for ages been certainly one of my strengths, however it was difficult to take that initial step past the high school, five-paragraph essay form that constricted my ideas for such a long time. Moving past this form, however, has greatly opened my mind. My thoughts are now able to become more complex because We have learned just how to sustain a logical argument in an organized manner. My writing has become increasingly more concise and I also not any longer have room for additional “fluff” or “padding.” Another improvement is my power to point out multiple complexities within a text, instead of adhering to one-sided arguments within my papers. Furthermore, learning how to find peer reviewed journal articles and order books through interlibrary loan has significantly widened the scope of my research, which includes result in more papers that are scholarly credible references. My writing is indeed significantly more interesting than it once was.

It is hard to spot gaps in my knowledge as an English major, only like I have learned so much because I feel. I feel that We have largely expanded my literary analysis and writing skills, but i must anticipate to teach senior high school students their required literature. I believe it would be beneficial to identify commonly taught novels within our local schools that are high study them myself. By studying the required literature and thinking on how to teach it, i am going to have a sturdy foundation to work from once I am when you look at the classroom.

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The English program at California State University Channel Islands prepares students for a wide selection of exciting and rewarding careers, including:

• English teacher
• Social media marketing strategist
• Media production (film, TV, internet)
• Print and digital publishing
• Law
• Corporate communications
• Foreign service
• Human resources
• Foundations/non-profit management