First Year Writing Essay

The first year biological science major(ip)s and history major of YU are whole asking themselves the same question How is send- finish up Year Writing going to admirer me? As an accounting major in the Syms School of Business, I was extremely troubled by the university indispensableness to take first year typography as tho almost. How leave FYW help me with balance sheets? I asked myself. How will this class get me an accounting internship this pass that I so desperately fatality to improve my resume? Seemingly, FYW will not assist me in realizing my professional aspirations.Furthermore, the requirements of a dual broadcast are taxing enough without the added labor an extra, un needed requirement. Having finished the course, I believe that First Year Writing should be needed for all assimilators for three reasons FYW raises students awareness of unfavourable disciplineal issues, it develops their physical composition skills, and cultivates intellectual emancipation . In my First Year Writing class, I was first exposed to expressions that dealt with educational issues such as the promotion of online-education and the advancement of math and science at the expense of the progressive Arts.My prof began a class discussion astir(predicate) the popularization of online education by assigning David Brooks article The Campus Tsunami. Brooks documents the millions of dollars dedicated by elite colleges such as Harvard and M. I. T. to e-learning the year. out front reflecting upon and researching the issue, I thought of e-learning as a convenient, cheap and efficient stamp of education. Brookss article confirmed my initial feelings. However, in this FYW infallible readings like an An Elite College Education, Online? (which were response letters to Brooks article) and Summa source Avaritia by Nick Brommel that forced me to engage the alternative extremum of veiw. These two articles argue that online classes should not supplant the class experienc e because online classes reconceive noesis as information (Brommel,73).Brommel distinguishes between knowledge and information and argues that online classes can commence only the latter. Students are delivered the facts but are not forced to compound the information with the rest of what they know. In the traditional classroom, profs introduce the students to omprehensive knowledge, not merely information. After reading these articles, I concluded that e-learning diminishes the quality of education. Simply put, online education cannot supplement the classroom experience. As a result of FYWs student discussions and assigned readings, I reconsidered and, ultimately, shifted my view of e-learning. merely who cares that you changed your view of e-learning? one big line of descentman ask. But my view on e-learning has consequences. It might determine who I select for (candidates disagree about online education) and, perhaps, the future choices I willmake regarding my childrens e ducation. Although I do not have children, I hope to one day. ) In step-up to raising my awareness of essential educational issues, FYW gave me the opportunity to improve my writing skills. Before submitting my first analyse, I went to the writing center for help. After I read over the essay to the professor at the writing center, he put a big X on the report card and recommended that I trippingly outline my ideas before beginning the writing process. Where is your thesis tale? Why does each one of your paragraphs have three different ideas? he asked. Quickly realizing that I was a novice writer, the professor gave me some ostensive tips.Now, before I start writing an essay, I outline what I want to say in each paragraph. And after much practice, I have a better understanding of how to formulate a clear thesis statement, simply my supporting paragraphs, and avoid general sweeping statements. In short, FYW has made myself and students like me better writers. Nevertheless, a s cience or business major might question whether writing is always a priceless skill. I maintain that the skill of writing assists is necessary for success as college student and professional, regardless of ones major or career.In my first semester at YU, I was assigned a term paper in my management course, in which I was expected to clearly make out personal questions like what is your vision for your career? No amount of biology or accounting could provide me with the tools necessary to answer the above question. FYW enabled me to two reflect upon and clearly articulate my professional aspirations. In addition to aid one in the classroom, developed writing skills, assist one in the workplace as well. Again, in my first semester, I asked my accounting professor to push off the exam so that I could finish an essay due that day.As I offered my excuse, I began to ramble about the impracticality of writing for accountants. My professor sighed and then replied, When are you kids goi ng to learn that writing is important even in accounting? He explained that writing skills are necessary in order to communicate financial statements in a dour manner. Poorly written reports with grammatical errors will lack credibility. Conversely, a well drafted report will be readily understood. My professors congresswoman reflects Brent Stapless description of writing as a critical strategy for students to prepare them to succeed in the work place (34).But as Mark Sloukas article Dehumanized demonstrates, Staples and my accounting professors view of writing does not fully capture the magnificence of writing and the humanities. Most importantly, FYW has forced me to become intellectually independent. As a former soldier in the Israeli Defense forces, I struggled with the allowance to Yeshiva University tone. In the I. D. F. , I lived a life of obedience I ate when told to eat, slept when told to sleep, and even showered was I was told to shower.Israeli soldiers live by the adage, rosh bakir, which roughly translates to dont think, just do. In contrast to the IDF, my FYW course styled itself off of Mark Edmunsons concept of democratic thinking, where each student is further and, in fact, expected to offer his own thoughts. During my year and half hanker army service, my life choices were made for me. But upon entering YU, my FYW course needful that I cod intellectual independence in evaluating the Purpose of Liberal Arts, a difficult task for a soldier whose bathroom breaks were previously timed.Initially, I viewed my professor as commander and myself as soldier. I relied on her exact directions about how to write the essay at hand. Quickly, my professor set my dependency and challenged me to develop and articulate my own thoughts. But one need not serve in the army in order to worship independence. Like soldiers, students who simply who go with the flow depend heavily on things like social pressure and parental guidance. FYW forces students t o exercise their intellectual independence in reflecting on big questions like Purpose of Liberal Arts.throughout this essay, I have argued that that First Year Writing should be mandatory for all students for three basic reasons. First, FYW raises awareness about critical life issues of which online education is but a single example. Second, even accounting major who may not interested in the humanities can apply the writing skills they acquired from FYW when doing assignments for other classes and, eventually, when drafting financial statements. But most importantly, FYW should be mandatory because it forces students to exercise their intellectual independence.