Reflective Essay on Learning Outcome #4- Written Messages
The recent paper that I wrote in COM319 reinforced my writing skills and ability to
present my findings in a clear, organized manner for my professor to critique. Being able to
research Speech Codes Theory gave me the knowledge of how to better communicate with
people. I was interested in the topic and realized from researching it that more effective
communication will occur if people adjust their speech codes to others. Communication is the
ultimate goal of society whether it is written or spoken. Through writing this paper, I know the
importance of achieving positive communicative results.
When I started college, my writing was probably very average and did not contain
colorful adjectives or ideas. As I progress through college, I have acquired a better use of my
written communication skills and work hard to incorporate flavor into my writing. No one wants
to read a dry essay with little descriptive content. Therefore, it is necessary for me to continually
improve my writing skills because it will only help me in the long-run. Communication is
relevant to all fields of study because it is the basis of understanding between two parties.
Without it, goals will not be accomplished. This makes my ability to deliver effective written
messages even more important because I would not want to fall behind my peers.
In addition, I have also noticed that writing exceptional papers is easier to do when the
topic stimulates interest in the writer which is why I chose the topic of speech codes for my
paper. It was something I knew little about and wanted to expand my knowledge on. After
completing the research and compiling my findings, I was more motivated to present it to my
professor in a professional and well-thought out manner because I gained an appreciation for the
topic. I received an outstanding grade on the paper signaling to me that I completed the task of
conveying a written message effectively. My professor thought I outlined the theory in a
descriptive way and included all the appropriate items to support the paper (i.e. critiques from
other theorists, my own critique). My drive to produce well-written papers will only get stronger
because coming this far along in my Communication discipline has showed me the importance of
proper writing especially in the area of job-hunting. Resumes need to be flawless in order for
some employees to even consider them. This motivates me to proofread my papers multiple
times and have them peer-reviewed so that I do not miss any small grammatical or spelling
mistakes. I have achieved a writing skill level that allows me to portray effective written
messages.