Recursive process:

Oftentimes, from the first draft to the final draft, very little of what is there was actually changed. My process between my first and final draft goes like this: I would get a start of my essay written down. This usually involved getting an introduction and first few body paragraphs. From there, I have a classmate review it, just so that I have things to watch out for as I continue writing. I usually look out for whether my main point is arguable and interesting, as well as looking out for any other criticism they provide. I also bounce ideas of where to take my essay off them for additional help. After this, I aim to have a nearly finished essay which is subjected to one more round of peer review but this time from my sister. I usually consider my essay after this review to be fully finished. Out of all of these steps, I think the reviewing with my sister is the one I look forward to the most. Not only do we have a great time, but I always come away feeling I made a better product. She doesn’t completely change what I write, nor does she write my essays for me. She just helps me with grammar as well as helping me organize my ideas better so the audience can understand what I mean better.

Integrating ideas

In general, I use the texts more as evidence, or a starting point for my main ideas to come from more than arguing for or against them. One example of the former is the attached essay, all of the sources I bring up I use to argue for my point or to form a starting point to branch off of. While some of the essays bring up possible solutions, I do go my own direction is a few places. Another example of the latter is my latest essay. In it, I use the main point of one of the provided texts and expand upon it, using it to look at phenomenon that happens outside the scope of what the essay talks about. In both cases, I try to extrapolate something from the texts and expand upon it in my own way.

MLA Citation and Local Revisions

This wasn’t my first time using MLA format and MLA in and of itself isn’t hard to use. What was more interesting to me, was seeing the revisions that both me and my peer-review partner and what me and my sister went over. A definite part of it is that I would include things that aren’t relevant, in my rush to completely cover a topic, I would mention something that I wouldn’t use later. Another common problem was my overreliance on connection words and phrases. Thing like putting “However,” when shifting ideas at all was a major one, to the point where one of the teachers in one of my science classes pointed it out. However, both of these problems that, once I made myself aware that these are problems, I can easily fix while going back and editing.