Writing Pro

Student at Millersville University, Marine Veteran

[oshean8]

Original Content Week #15

While in this class, I enjoyed learning about the strategies content creators employ to make their content more approachable. As a future educator, learning how to tailor my information/presentation to be engaging or easily understood is an incredible boon to my future. While I cover it in education oriented classes, the sole course focused on digital representation was no where near as in depth as this. Not too mention the rise in online learning platforms and systems utilized by schools.

[chrisa0223]

I really like your point about making content more approachable. It’s one thing to have the information, but it’s another thing to make it so people actually want to read it or can understand it quickly. Especially with how much schools use online platforms now, these digital skills are going to be huge for your future students

[oshean8]

Original Content Week #15

Over the course of this semester I am proud of how my writing process has advanced into a more structured format. While I have always created brief overviews for different sections; the extensive revision and detailed sections had me continuously editing and rethinking my argument. I plan to continue that practice in my future assignments/papers, as it strengthened my argument and deepened my understanding of each concept.

[chrisa0223]

This is a great point. I also noticed that moving away from just "brief overviews" to a more structured plan really changed the game this semester. It’s a lot easier to edit when you have a solid foundation to look back at

[chrisa0223]

Where will you adjust your essay to strengthen your point?

To make my final reflection stronger, I am going to adjust the section about revision decisions. I want to be more specific about why I chose to change certain parts of my work. Instead of just saying "I made it better," I want to explain how I changed the tone to fit the discourse community I was writing for. Making these points more detailed will show exactly how much I learned about web writing and why those small changes actually matter a lot for the final result. #writ318mu #week15

[chrisa0223]

What do you like most about your learning?

What I like most about my learning this semester is that I can actually use these skills in the real world. This wasn't just about writing papers for a grade. I learned how to build content for a specific audience and how to make a user experience better. Knowing how to write for the web is a skill that fits into almost any job today. It makes me feel more confident about graduating and starting a career because I have practical tools I can show to employers.

#writ318mu

#week15

[chrisa0223]

What are you most proud of with your writing process

I am most proud of how much better I’ve gotten at organizing my information before I even start typing. At the start of the semester, I used to just write everything in big blocks of text. Now, I think about the "information architecture" first. I use bullet points, shorter sentences, and clear headings to make things easier for the reader. It makes my writing look more professional and much easier to follow. It feels good to see a plan come together and turn into a finished project.

#writ318mu

#week15

[chrisa0223]

What questions do you have about web writing that will help you after you finish this course?

One question I have about web writing for the future is how to keep a balance between writing for people and writing for search engines. I want my content to be easy for regular people to read, but I also want it to be found easily online. This course taught me a lot about using the right headings and tags, but I wonder how often these "rules" change as technology gets better. Learning this will definitely help me as I move into my career and start building professional sites.

#writ318mu

#week15

@npfannen

[jaygold974]

Original Post (3/3)

what did you learn about your writing process that will help you after college? 

I learned that it is ok to make multiple drafts despite it being more work, I am able to learn from the mistakes. With most writings I don't really make drafts but now, I will try to keep that habit because I want to ensure my papers will be perfect because its a process.

[chrisa0223]

I really relate to the idea of learning from mistakes through drafting. In my own project, moving from Draft #2 to Draft #3 helped me see that I needed to explain my data better for an academic audience rather than just listing numbers. It’s a great mindset to have for professional writing after college

[abandonedblog222]

Original Post 1

One thing I learned from drafting across multiple weeks is that good writing isn’t about getting it right the first time, it’s about returning with better perspective. Each week added clarity I didn’t have before, especially after feedback and stepping away from the draft. I used to think writing was a one-and-done process, but now I see it as iterative and layered. After college, I’ll carry this mindset into any professional writing: draft early, revisit often, and expect evolution rather than perfection on the first try.

[chrisa0223]

Stepping away from the draft is such an underrated part of the process! I found that whenever I took a break from looking at my charts, I came back with a better way to explain the 'So What?' to an academic audience. Revisiting the work often definitely helps it evolve into something better.

[abandonedblog222]

Original Post 2

I’ve learned that my writing process works best when I separate drafting from editing. When I try to do both at once, I slow myself down and lose ideas. Letting myself write messy first drafts actually helps me get more meaningful content on the page. Another big takeaway is how valuable structured feedback is, it helped me see blind spots I wouldn’t catch alone. After college, I’ll apply this by building in time for revision and, when possible, seeking outside perspectives instead of relying only on myself.

[chrisa0223]

I totally agree with the idea of 'writing messy' first. I used to get stuck trying to make every sentence perfect, but this project showed me that just getting the data and headers down first makes the analysis much easier to write later. It’s a great strategy for any big project after we graduate

[chrisa0223]

Post #3

Element of Content Analysis for input

I am finishing my "How to Write Guide" and I want to make sure my advice is clear. I found that Narrative stories get about 17 comments while news only gets 3. To my peers: Does my advice to follow a "2:1 Rule" for posts make sense based on this chart?. I want to make sure a content creator would actually find this useful for their page. Let me know if the chart labels look okay for an academic audience!

#writ318mu

#week14

[chrisa0223]

Post 2

Writing process after college

My writing process improved a lot by learning how to use visuals to build an argument. Before this, I didn't know how to wrap text around a chart or label it as a "Figure" to help an academic reader. Now I know that a good layout makes people take your research more seriously. After college, I will use these design skills to make sure my reports are easy to read and look professional. It helps the audience understand the "why" behind the numbers.

#writ318mu

#week14

[chrisa0223]

Post #1

Life After College

What I learned about drafting

I learned that drafting across multiple weeks is the only way to get a big project done without getting overwhelmed. In my future career, I’ll use this same process to break down hard tasks into smaller steps. Moving from just a "data dump" to a real academic argument about military discourse communities took time and a lot of revision. This class taught me that the first draft is never the final one, and checking your work with data makes your writing much more professional.

#writ318mu

#week14

[megandoesdesign]

Content Writing 2

How are you developing style to build your argument in the content analysis?

In my content analysis, I'm developing a style that intentionally supports my research question on Rachel's Creperie, Lancaster Pie & Coffee, and Lancaster Beignet Co.'s Instagram content types, food-focused vs promotional, and which is creating higher engagement. I'm working with semi-formal language and tones, but also trying to keep it useful and engaging to relate to local audiences/those who care most about this info. I'm also using an energizing gradient design, bright colors, and imagery showing off the business's content that is familiar to Lancaster City audiences and its discourse community. I'm also making sure I'm creating the same layout patterns to show background info and analysis between each account.

[chrisa0223]

I like that you are using the same layout patterns for each account. I am doing something similar by using consistent headings and bar graphs so my professor can see the patterns in my engagement data without getting confused. Consistency definitely makes an academic argument stronger

[megandoesdesign]

Content Writing 3

How will having a good revision process help you moving forward beyond this class?

Having a good revision process will help me greatly beyond this class to make sure that in my future career as a graphic designer, I'm working to create the best and most effective designs for clients. Some of the ways that will help me are working with others in the revision process for bouncing ideas off each other, making notes to turn into checklists to stay on track and work on each specific part with precision, and also relating back to the design background information and client chats to have a better understanding of what still needs to happen on my end. With the lists and notes specifically, I could refer to them at any time to ensure accuracy and maintain consistency with my work.

[chrisa0223]

I really agree with your point about using checklists to stay on track. For my project, I’ve been using a checklist to make sure I don't forget to include both my bar graphs and my analysis of the military discourse community. It makes the whole revision process feel way less overwhelming

[gavinboland]

Post 2: How are you developing style to build your argument in the content analysis?

I’m developing my style by being intentional about clarity and consistency rather than trying to sound overly complex. I’m using headings and subheadings to guide the academic reader through my argument and keeping my language focused on explanation instead of description. Stylistically, I’m repeating key terms like content strategy, audience expectations, and engagement so the argument stays cohesive. This helps the reader see patterns across sections and understand how my analysis builds toward clear conclusions instead of feeling fragmented.

[chrisa0223]

I really like how you mentioned using headings to guide the reader. I’m doing the same thing in my draft by using three levels of headings so my professor can follow my data easily. It makes the paper look way more organized than just a long wall of text!

[gavinboland]

Post 2: How are you developing style to build your argument in the content analysis?

I’m developing my style by being intentional about clarity and consistency rather than trying to sound overly complex. I’m using headings and subheadings to guide the academic reader through my argument and keeping my language focused on explanation instead of description. Stylistically, I’m repeating key terms like content strategy, audience expectations, and engagement so the argument stays cohesive. This helps the reader see patterns across sections and understand how my analysis builds toward clear conclusions instead of feeling fragmented.

[chrisa0223]

Post 3

Revision Beyond the Class

Having a good revision process will help me even after this class is over. In the future, I might have to show a boss how a social media page is doing using data points. If I know how to check my work and explain the "why" behind the numbers, I will be better at my job. This project taught me that data takes the guessing out of writing. It feels good to know I can prove my ideas with real facts and clear graphs.

#writ318mu

#week13