I would say that at least eighty-five to ninety-percent of my assignments at UMASS have been in the form of written essays. I have discovered that I learn something far better by writing about it than by simply having to memorize it for a test. I am sure this is the reason most of my professors have preferred to give written assignments in lieu of tests and exams. The practice I have had at the university has prepared me to write persuasively, creatively, and analytically, depending on the purpose or the context in which it is being written for.

After the two required College Writing courses, a large number of students typically do not have to write a great deal, unless of course they are in a writing-intensive major such as English or history. With today’s technology and the advent of social media, basic writing skills like utilizing proper grammar, punctuation, and spelling have fallen by the wayside. Perfecting such skills through editing, drafting, revision, and peer reviews in College Writing allows students to prepare themselves for writing in their own field of study. The many written assignments in my English, literature, and history courses have allowed my writing style to evolve and have enabled me to achieve the expected written and oral communication outcome.