Reflective Blog Post

When I look back on the multiple projects and assignments I’ve worked on. I noticed a common theme with all of them. It was the fact that the longest part of creating these assignments was not the writing time itself, but the thought process of connecting the assignment prompt to what I know/experienced; for example, in project 1, the Analytic Narrative. It took me the longest time to identify which piece of writing I wanted to use in this assignment. When I did eventually decide to write about my Relationship Science class’s movie reflection. It took me time to think, process, and remember what the details of this assignment were. The Analytic Narrative Project 1 has changed since my first draft because I added more context about the Relationship Science class. Initially, I assumingly thought everyone would have a clear concept of what a Relationship Science class was. But that was a faulty assumption, because not including a descriptive background of the course Relationship Science created room for confusion and made it harder for the audience to grasp. One of my peer reviewers mentioned to me how it would have been helpful to hear more about the course content itself. So through their comment, I was able to understand where they were coming from since I did not have that perspective of being a first-time reader. I changed the Analytic Narrative by adding more context of my Relationship Science class; it gives the audience a better understanding and clearer view of how this class’s movie reflection will help me prepare for my future career/field of study. What I was trying to improve was how comprehensive my work was to the reader. I was able to make modifications by talking about theories and concepts related to my relationship science class so that the audience had some insight into that course.

In Project 2, “How to,” we had to choose a common professional genre to research and analyze. We needed to find 2 samples of the selected genre as well as 2 secondary sources to include. The final and third step involved creating the “How to” guide for our selected genre. I chose to write a how-to about an assessment report. The guide changed since the first draft by including more detail in my rhetorical examples for the rhetorical audience to understand. I also made some minor changes when it came to grammatical oversights. The feedback I received was to be more specific about how I gave advice. What I wrote was more general and broad, not about the discipline I was targeting. I took this advice and took action by using terms related to my field of study to be more vivid and pictorial for my targeted audience. What I was trying to improve in this project was my use of words and their definitions. Carefully choosing terms is important because it can elevate the writing, but also, with too much excessive jargon, it can become confusing. I was able to incorporate the best of both worlds by searching for common words every person in the discipline would understand.

In the Style Guide Project, we had to develop a working style guide for writers in my discipline to understand. I selected an academic style guide; it was an introduction to social work research, which can help people better understand how to become an academic writer in social work. This project changed since my first draft because I adjusted the format/organization. The feedback I was given mentioned how it can be confusing to navigate throughout my style guide due to the proximity of my sections. They suggested separating my sections and creating titles with bigger fonts for the reader to effortlessly read through. I used this feedback and took action by adding additional bullet points, adjusting the font sizes, and including more visual examples like case assessments and graphs. Changing the format helped me make distinctions between each segment with the hope of making it less perplexing for the reader. What I also changed was the content-heavy introduction I had by dialing it down, making it brief. What I was trying to improve in this revision was the structural aspect of this project, as well as the examples for the audience to look at. 

Being a successful writer as a licensed clinical social worker and licensed marriage and family therapist involves having the relevant educational background. With experience comes the knowledge to be a well-versed professional. Having the information to adhere to the writing protocols of the writing genre in this field is quite important. These genres can include documentation, assessments, research, media engagement, grant applications, program reports and evaluations, and communications with other professional associates. This field requires concise writing and communication. It’s best to be clear and straightforward while staying objective, with the exclusion of personal beliefs staying impartial. So, following the expectations of these genres while analyzing the information to make informed decisions and interpretations will set a writer in this field up for success.

In Project 1, the Analytic Narrative, I hoped to teach the audience how applicable information from courses like my relationship science class can be to writing in my field. There are multiple components of what constitutes a successful academic writer in my field of social and psychological work. Many people may struggle with the application of subjects to their writing and learning how to analyze the content of a course to their prompts, so including Project 1, I hoped to inform the reader and audience how, through careful examination and attention to detail, there will always be substance to write about if they understand and know the proper information that pertains to the assignment’s they are given.

In Project 2, I hoped that the resources I created for the “How to” would help the audience by giving them clear instructions on how to create an assessment report. Many people looking to generate an assessment report may feel overwhelmed because they do not know where to start. My “How to” allows readers to understand the intricate details to include in their assessment report. I show this by giving writing examples and suggestions on what to incorporate into their own assessment report. In my how-to guide, I included an organized format to help the audience understand and navigate through the document more easily.

In Project 3, creating a style guide, I hoped to provide the audience with resources on how to start writing in social work. Social work involves many genres like writing reports, case notes, assessments, treatment plans, and research. This style guide acts as an introduction to the field. Some people may not know every element that encompasses how to start writing in this field. This style guide provides sources like how to write in APA style, articles, and databases to help aid in the research process. It also involves another aspect of understanding background information on its own to start finding a research topic.

A general audience not including students may learn interesting facts and statistics about mental health and academic writing in psychology and social work. They may learn surface-level information they can recall during life transitions, such as a family member coming out and how to support them, or they may learn how to deal with rejection from family when coming out, as detailed in my Blog Post #4. As well as my Blog Post #3 giving facts and information about mental health. My blog posts give two sides of the coin, providing information and resources to use when dealing with these circumstances, such as coming out on both ends (the receiving end and the telling end). 

What I learned about writing in my field this summer is how it is best to be objective and stick to the facts when trying to synthesize information. Sticking to the common framework and formats when creating assessments or treatment plans is what works. It is best not to just summarize, but to critically analyze and evaluate the information to conclude in the field of social work. The foundational skills in order to be successful in this field involve being able to distinguish and keep separate the facts and personal opinions when documenting and doing research in this field. I also learned about the importance of understanding cultural context. Each individual has vast differences, so treating each person as their own and not comparing the two is significant when writing documents like assessment reports, case notes, or treatment plans. The assignment that stuck out to me was the Project 3 Style Guide. This made me realize the intricacies and all the variables that make writing in this field. Multiple forms and genres are involved in writing in social work and psychology. 

What I learned about myself as a writer is to start typing and write ideas or bullet points to help start off an assignment. This way gives a good foundation of content to write about, making the process of writing easier. I learned how, in microinteractions, professionally, informally, or formally, there are genres and specific expectations on how to write. It’s in everything, from the email you send to your colleague to the research article, assessment report, style guide, or text message you send to your friend. There are clear guidelines and rules to follow when writing; these expectations help writers structure their writing. This will help me in the future because I understand the expectations and will consider this information as I grow professionally and personally further on.