self assesment essay

Dear Mr. Robert:

I am grateful for this rare opportunity to introduce myself and to express my experiences and goals throughout this English course. I am Sumaya Yeasmin and a student in your English class. I must say that I have had a great time for the short period that I have been in this class. The interactive and vibrant learning environment makes learning exciting such that I keep anticipating the next class.

My experience as a writer and researcher for the duration that I have been in this class has been a tough one. I have had to struggle and continue to struggle to master diverse skills that make a good writer and researcher. However, I have made incredible milestones and I look forward to sharpening these skills further. One of my main strengths which inspired me to join this English class is that I am a good communicator. I have the ability to use both spoken and written language to influence my audience in various ways such as informing and persuading among others. This strength has translated to becoming a good writer. Once I have all the facts after research, I am able to write quality papers that adhere to all the major tenets of writing such as impeccable grammar and coherence. Additionally, I have mastered various formatting styles which are essential in academic writing. I can use different styles such as American Psychological Association and Modern Language Association without difficulties.

However, I have a major challenge as a researcher. In fact, I have realized that the weaknesses that I have as a researcher are overshadowing my ability as a writer. Previously, I was used to writing creative pieces such as articles, poems and essays that were subjective and rarely required research. However, things have changed at this academic level and I have to write objective papers that are supported by thorough research. My main challenge while conducting research is information overload. I have realized that I begin my literature review with a clear goal but at the end I am confused by all the information that I have gathered. While I might be researching on the same topic, each of the authors articulates his/her ideas differently. As a result, I am unable to process all of these ideas and write them from my perspective. Additionally, I find it difficult to keep track of which author said what. Eventually, I end up compiling papers that lack coherence as I try to include each author’s ideas. This confusion also leads to plagiarism when I attribute a certain concept to the wrong author or fail to give attribution at all.

Despite my weaknesses as a researcher, I have the ability to use credible sources. This is a strength that I acquired from another course that I had undertaken earlier. I learned that academic research should be based on scholarly sources which include peer-reviewed journal articles,

books and government websites. I am usually keen while selecting my sources hence collecting credible data to support my arguments.

I look forward to improving and refining my skills as a writer and researcher in the cause of this class. With the help of the lecturer, colleagues and personal initiatives, I will be able to overcome the challenges that I have cited above. Additionally, the knowledge that I will acquire in this class will facilitate to the enhancement of my strengths. I understand that being a writer and a researcher are skills that are enhanced over time. Therefore, I look forward to gaining insight about all the major tenets of writing and research. By the end of the course, I intend to use my writing and research skills to compile a scholarly paper that will have a lasting impact in the field of literature. At the moment, the subject of this paper is unclear. However, I believe that my experience during the course and other daily encounters will help me identify a research gap that need to be filled.

The essence of any academic venture is to acquire more knowledge and skills. I am glad that I have the opportunity to sharpen my writing and research skills through this English course. I am enthusiastic that through my struggles and determination, I will be able to acquire immense knowledge that will have a significant impact in my life as an individual, scholar and professional.

Sincerely,

Sumaya Yeasmin