Notes

Fatmanur Yılmaz
S3/P3
W14/Draft 1
22.12.2019

I have been learning how to write an academic paper since the second week of the first term. Firstly, we began with writing a paragraph then started gradually writing an essay. Even though I tried my best in my first writing, it was as not as satisfying as it should be. The reasons for that I did not know the organization of a paragraph and I had never tried to write a paragraph in English before. As the weeks passed one by one, I continued to write by putting new knowledge on my knowledge. My writing skill has been improving since the second week thanks to frequent essay homework. I think that writing essays often helped my writing improve this semester. The reason why it is the most effective that my brain and my senses got accustomed to thinking about writing articles as they got exposed to the process and developed accordingly. Even though I strengthened writing my introduction and conclusion paragraphs and linking events with causal chains, and I almost handled some of my problems such as issues in explaining thesis statements in body paragraphs, confusion in undescribed names and ideas without examples, I still have difficulty with re-writing and using different conjunctions.

I think I developed writing introduction paragraphs and conclusion paragraphs and linking events with causal chains thanks to frequent essay practices. I guess I feel more comfortable with the opening and closing parts. I chose to start with Ataturk`s sentence, ``All my hope is in youth``, in my Turkey 30 years later essay and I think it was a good start. Moreover, I finished my working abroad as a guest worker essay with a good conclusion: ``You will pick the best one for you if you do not give up. Make your right decision!``. What`s more, I use causal chains to make events meaningful and fluent. I created a causal chain in my organic farming essay, I wrote `` Insufficient food production increases the prices of the food and because of the high prices, low-income families can not get enough food. As a result of the lack of food, starvation may occur.``. I could not be relaxed while writing before, but I have become less tense while doing academic writings since I see my development.

I used not to explain my thesis statements in my body paragraphs. For instance, ''Bursa is still playing a major role in industry and sightseeing.''. There was no mention of the industry after that sentence. After I learned that every statement I write must be detailed in body paragraphs, I started to use the thesis which I can explain. I now write my explanations of the thesis statements. For example, '' Doing breathing exercises sleeping in an appropriate room which is conducive to sleeping and turning off electronic devices may help to solve the insomnia problem.''. After the thesis statement, I explained one by one of all the solutions in body paragraphs. Also, there was confusion in undescribed names. For example, ''After 30 years, there will be some improvements and radical variances in these fields.''. There was no description of what these fields are. I read twice the names and am more careful about whether the names are described or not. I now explain every name with relative clauses. For instance, ''The brain neurons, which are constantly stimulated by radiation, get exhausted.''. Additionally, I used to write my ideas without giving any examples. For example, ''Bursa is one of the important cities of Turkey because of its natural places and historic buildings''. Examples of its natural places and historic buildings were not mentioned there even though the sentence belonged to a body paragraph. For a solution, I underline every idea to give some examples for them, thereby the ideas become more clear. Fortunately, now I find some examples after my ideas. For instance, '' If you prefer small places like villages Cumalkızık and Gölyazı are worth seeing.''. I will try to improve these problems although I am a little relieved about them for now.

Besides, I still have difficulty with re-writing and using different conjunctions. I can not make real re-writing phrases because I tend to think everything in one way. I generally start body paragraphs with ``One downside of something`` or ``The key advantage of something``. Actually, I am not comfortable with doing this, but I am concerned about creating meaningful sentences otherwise. Furthermore, closing the introduction paragraphs cause a problem for me though I feel I am good with introductions due to similar reason with body paragraphs. My last sentences of introductions are usually like ``Something has disadvantages and advantages.`` or ``There are several advantages and disadvantages of something.``. I think I stick to some certain phrases if I learn they can be used in certain places. On the other hand, I use a few conjunctions such as however, even though and because of mostly. These conjunctions come to mind first while writing and I can not find other forms of some of them like because of. I believe that I can solve these problems like I did others, but still, I need to be more serious about finding solutions for them.

I developed some skills and handled some of my problems by doing the right things, however, it is obvious that I still have some problems. I am going to improve myself further and get rid of all of the obstacles while writing. I will learn words with their other synonyms to solve my problems in writing. I will use synonyms; hence, how I write will be improved. The other goal which I want to achieve is that I will write the same sentences with at least two ways. After I complete an essay, I will look at the sentences which I write and I will try to re-write them in my practice notebook. If I make my goals real, I will be more professional be ready for my department for the next years.