Natalie Roche - Portfolio Introduction rough

My name is Natalie Roche, and I am a student at the University of Denver. This quarter, I am in my last writing class of my freshman year, and I believe I've both learned the lengths it takes to write decently as well as how to improve my writing significantly in comparison to high school and the beginning of the year. The papers I selected were my text-based paper, qualitative essay, and google maps project (as of now). My text-based paper revolved around shyness in children and people's responses to this character, and how this was being handled in the city of Denver and Colorado area. I originally chose this idea because it was a subject I was interested in – child psychology. However, I think I had some trouble understanding what it meant to review a subject that had to do with a particular area. In this case, I think I could have expanded my topic more to have to do with Denver if I did have to keep it, or chosen something that was more locally-involved. I had never taken a class before where the subject matter had to do with people, in which case it was more like writing a newspaper article, and though I had some trouble grasping the concept at first, I think I fully understand now what it means to chose an appropriate topic when dealing with this kind of subject matter. In my revision, I hope to correct this to the best of my ability while still reflecting in my main idea. It may be difficult to use this statement, but now that I have a better idea of what it means to be a writer in this particular class, I also have a better idea of how can edit this piece.

The second paper, my qualitative essay, focused on school uniforms, the interviews of people's opinions, and the views of people in Denver as well as how it is being handled professionally in the state. At this point I was having a better understanding of this class's subject. However, writing a reflective essay was also new to me. I think I did work hard to gather decent information, present this information in my paper, and make comparisons to other professionals in the subject and how school uniforms affect students in Denver. However, I think something I need to focus more clearly on is making appropriate connections that will aid my thesis. This is something I hope to correct in the revised draft with help from a little more research and focusing on my skills as a writer.

The third assignment was not a paper, but a group project that involved creating a google map. Our group's focus was on-campus activities at the University of Denver. This was my favorite project so far because it was fun to collaberate with a group, learn more about our school, as well as take pictures and interview other students for their opinions of these activities. Putting this information in a google map was a creative and organized way of displaying our facts, and by this point I had the best idea of what it meant to write an article and focus on the class's subject. Though my understanding of writing a paper can continue to improve, I believe it has improved greatly over the course of my freshman year.