After thoroughly reading the first chapter of The Brief McGraw- Hill Guide, I felt that I had developed a better understanding of the goals of this writing course and the type of writing that takes place in the four major areas of my personal life.  One key lesson that I took from this specific chapter was that no matter when or what I am writing, I am writing to fulfill some sort of goal.  For instance, as a student, I write an abundance of papers and answers to exam questions.  As a babysitter, I write short,quick, and sweet notes to the parents describing how their children behaved.  As a citizen of the United States, I am sure that in the future I will write a great deal of letters to voice my opinion in how I prefer my community to be run.  Lastly, as a friend, daughter, and sister, I also write numerous letters, thank-you notes, emails, and text messages on a daily basis.

Another essential lesson that I gained  from the assigned reading was that in order to write to the best of my ability, it is crucial that I become self-reflective, responsible, and knowledgeable of the basic “table manners” of writing.  As a writer, you always need to assess the strengths and weaknesses of every piece of writing that you compose.  You should carefully consider how well your writing reflects your personal rhetorical knowledge, critical thinking, writing processes, and your personal knowledge of conventions.  Also, you need to be certain that you are never careless with anything that you compose.  Your writing should establish a portrayal of your character and communicate the beliefs and values that you possess as an individual.  Lastly, as a writer, it it is vital that you have an understanding of the conventions of writing.  Effective writers know which writing conventions they should use in specific settings.  By possessing the knowledge of the “table manners” of writing, you will not only be a more successful writer, but also a much more helpful and beneficial peer editor.

As a student of the GSW 1110 writing course, I truly hope to further my knowledge of writing and constructing essays.  I also hope to tremendously improve my writing capabilities and begin to write on a more sophisticated level.    I am very excited to get the chance to expand my knowledge as a writer so that I can improve in all areas of my life that are affected by writing and reading.  I look forward to a great semester!