Scholarly Writing Skill Reflection

One of the most important ideas that occurs to me when I consider my ability to be a successful doctoral student relates to my capacity to write compelling papers that are supported by critical thinking skills and credible sources. In order to ensure that I move forward with a building a good foundation, I must identify my strengths and weaknesses, use resources as a means of support and guidance, and incorporate feedback when trying to improve my output. I believe that if I incorporate these ideas into my learning process, I will grow as a writer and as an overall student. Knowing My Strengths and Weaknesses

One of my strengths as a writer is that I am confident in my ability to use proper grammar, style and formatting. I was an English major in college, so I developed a unique writing style that is clear, convincing, and flows well. However, that in itself is in direct correlation to my biggest weakness. Because I have had years to develop a distinctive style, I have become accustomed to taking creative liberties and being guilty of wordiness and asserting my personal opinion. To be a successful academic writer, I must learn to be more cognizant of making every word count (Wellington, 2005, pp.152-153). Instead of sharing opinion and making vague statements, I must learn to state specific facts substantiated by credible sources. This should be relatively easy for me to improve on because at least I am aware of this shortcoming. I plan to use this knowledge as an opportunity for growth instead of a weakness. Referring to Scoring Instruments and Resources

The scoring instruments and writing resources supplied by University of Phoenix will undoubtedly be invaluable to me as I progress in my program. I will regularly refer to the scoring instrument and use it as a checklist to determine if I am on the right track. In a sense, I will use the scoring instrument as a means to give myself a reality check as needed. The resources in the “New Classroom”, specifically in the “University Library”, will help me format my work properly and find credible resources to support my writings. The user-friendly format of the “new classroom” lends itself to helping students feel more capable of achieving. Every resource is easy to find, well-formatted, and relevant. Peer and Facilitator Feedback

Another source of support for me will be interaction with my classmates in the “classroom”, who can help me by sharing their feedback and constructive criticism. I believe in peer interaction because we are probably all like-minded in the way that we want to be better students. To that end, helping each other identify opportunities for growth would be very helpful. As facilitators grade my assignments and provide feedback, I will try to refrain from taking it personally. It is easy to get discouraged as students when we do not receive the grades we expect, but it is even harder in the future if we do not use the criticism as motivation.

I will take my criticism, whether good or bad, and turn it into an opportunity to do better. Ultimately, I want to feel like I have grown as a professional, a student, a writer, and a leader when I complete my program. I do not want to look back and see how I got in my own way of success. Instead, I want to look back and marvel at how much I grew and be proud. I feel confident in my ability to become a better academic writing because the expectations of University of Phoenix are clear and the related resources are accessible.

Reference
WelliLearningngton, J. (2005). Succeeding with your doctorate. Retrieved from the University of Phoenix eBook Collection database.