WRITING & COMMUNICATION

WRITING & COMMUNICATION STATEMENT

I believe good writing is that which is clear, concise, and creative at the same time. I am not impressed by overly complex sentences with extravagant words. Instead, I admire a writer who can tell a story using unique words and phrases in an unusual and refreshing way. A writer who paints a picture in my mind, making me feel connected to the narrative, is inspiring and will hold my attention indefinitely. If I find myself struggling to understand, and constantly rereading, I will move on. Writing is a skill that takes consistent practice, just like anything else. I do not purport to be an expert in this domain, but it is something I strive to improve on every day. Over the past two years at UW Bothell, I believe my writing skills have advanced, and I have started developing my own style. Below are two examples to illustrate.

The first example is an educational autobiography I wrote for my Interdisciplinary Inquiry class. For this assignment, we were asked to share our experience with learning and educational settings and to reflect on Paulo Freire’s “banking method”, a concept whereby teachers are seen as depositing information to the students to memorize, rather than asking students to engage, think critically, and question the status quo. I selected this piece because it demonstrates clear and concise writing. There is nothing complicated; it is straightforward and honest, and I believe my personality is reflected throughout. In the first paragraph, I attempted to grab the reader’s attention by using a unique term “construction brat”. Additionally, I used specific numbers to emphasize the many times our family moved.

Most people have heard the term “military brat”. Well, I am what you would call a “construction brat”. My father worked in civil construction on large projects throughout the world. This meant we were never in one location for very long. By the time I was 18, I had lived in seven states, three countries and attended 9 different schools.

Throughout the essay, I also expose vulnerabilities such as shyness and lack of self-confidence, hoping to make my story relatable and connect with my readers on a deeper level.

I was painfully shy growing up and walking into a classroom the first day at a new school was agonizing.

If my education had been more of a student centered one as Freire describes, I believe I would have more self-confidence and faith in my own beliefs and decisions.

I intentionally varied sentence lengths to avoid sounding robotic, and I think this helped with readability. I was also careful not to repeat too many words. Overall, I think it resulted in a solid piece of writing I am proud of.

For the second example, I chose another assignment from my Interdisciplinary Inquiry class. This was an essay highlighting recent concerns around human-wildlife relations in urban neighborhoods. Using an interdisciplinary approach to problem solving is the theme carried throughout. This essay required extensive research from different disciplines, and then distilling that information down to the most relevant points. I believe the structure is easy to follow with each paragraph presenting a specific area of concern, and then discussing the various perspectives to consider. My goal was to persuade the reader to hold a more holistic view of human-wildlife relations, and I believe this piece effectively does so through multiple examples and views of the situation.

These two essays demonstrate both my writing skills and style. Original and effective writing can be challenging but also rewarding. I have gained a tremendous amount of experience during my time at UW Bothell. But the journey has just begun, and I will forever be striving to improve in this realm.

EXAMPLES