Research Paper Portfolio Example

I am an overseas student, so English is my second language. I never loved writing because I was prone to grammar mistakes ever since. My fear of writing in English was largely influenced by an attitude I had developed over time. My previous works were characterized by poor grammar, vague sentences, inappropriate English tenses, and inability to choose the right vocabularies and repetitive words all across the texts. At this stage, I am not afraid of writing in English anymore, I have sharpened my skills over time, and I can now take up bigger challenges. I shared my writing problems with the class peer group, and they helped me overcome the setbacks. I have now mastered the structure of an essay, how to arrange the paragraphs transitionally, and how to structure the sentences properly. I make sure that my words are carefully chosen and pay much attention to the flow. I believe that when I maintain the standards and open up to learn new things, I will be one of the best soon. Revision is one the most destructive process in writing, but I can handle it comfortably.

In my paper one, I did not take a good time to structure the essay correctly. I did not even bother to create the time for revision. I did the paper the night before the deadline hence I had little time to proofread my work. I did not pay attention to reviews from my peers which made me submit a paper full of errors. Some of my paragraphs were irrelevant and could not support the topic being discussed. An example is in my paper one where my professor commented that the second paragraph was not relevant in his opinion. His comments pointed out how I was contradicting myself and weakening my argument.

I am now good at revision, and I make sure that I leave little room for mistakes. In my paper 2, I concentrated in structuring my essay, enhancing my grammar, ensuring correct punctuations and arranging my paragraphs logically. In this article, I made a total of 5 drafts, and I believe that this is the best one. In my previous drafts, my thesis was not concrete enough to answer the question. My last sentences of every paragraph summarized the topic and gave more evidence to what has been discussed. I resorted to using a catchier heading to what was used previously. In my first draft, I used the title Addressing the Controversial Issues in Education. This title did not correspond succinctly to what I was addressing and later changed it to The power of Appropriate Information which is more relevant and gives a broad meaning to my thesis. In the fifth revision of my 2nd paper, I close every paragraph by emphasizing the points I had discussed. An example is paragraph one where I say that Since information is the most powerful tool in addressing controversial issues in education, and McKenna's article is the most informative, the Spokane School Board could read it to get all the information they need on the matter of special learners. This sentence backs up the thesis in the entire paragraph and reflects the heading of the paper hence summing up the paragraph with a parting shot an art I did not master in my first paper. To perfect this paper, I welcomed the views from the peer group and followed my instructor's advisory. Using a clear title and backing up my thesis by giving evidenced arguments in the fifth revision of the second paper is what is making it stands out.

This is my best paper ever at least according to my opinion. Though it might not be to the highest accepted standards, it gives me a positive outlook about myself ability. I am particularly proud by the way I have arranged the sources in the text. For example, in paragraph one I state that In the article, Is the Bar Too Low for Special Education by Laura McKenna published in the Atlantic 24, 2017, the author presents the case of children with special need. In this situation, the reader gets to know about the article and the author even without visiting the reference page. In light of this, I can say that the organization in this paper is clear and the reader does not stumble over sequence hence awarding it Grade B.

I love the way I have established chemistry with my peer group. Their constant assistance has proved valuable to my needs. Interacting with the native English speakers has positioned me to improve my grammar and vocabulary choice. Micro workshops helped me to pinpoint my grammatical mistakes and identify my major undoing. Initially, I did not like working in groups, but now I have come to realize that mingling with my peers in learning sessions where people exchange ideas and compare notes is of great help. Following my professors advice has also helped me to gain more experience. The exposure I am getting through interacting with my peers is the best thing which has ever happened in my life.

Writing is now the best thing I enjoy doing since I joined this class. I can now handle complex subjects and simplify them into basic concepts that can be deciphered by anyone. Learning about structuring an essay and organizing paragraphs have prepared me to become a better writer. I am a fast learner and always look forward to learning new things. I am hopeful that I will utilize the skills I have sharpened in this class to perfect my writing.

Thank you for your time, (Student: )