Learning Record Midterm: Responses to Others

 

William McDonald

“It was then that I formed this vision for my future  Just add a period, and the sentence is great!

 

I love the ending when you tell the reader that they’re simply free to be.  Maybe you could incorporate this concept more when you talk about sympathetic imagination a few paragraphs earlier.  Great job- it’s really well written and incredibly clear that you’ve found what you love to do!

 

Sharon Liao

“What they do not realize is that this is something I need to find for myself. I have thought long and hard about this.”  I think this series of sentences could be clearer if you define “this”.  Is it finding a specific occupation or finding a passion or is it something else?

 

The sentence that really struck me is “I want to help them before they need to be helped.”  I had never thought of teaching that way, and it’s really inspiring.  If you want to add to the paper, you could expand on that sentence or expand on the section about teachers who have inspired you.  Maybe give specific examples.  Good job.  It seems like you really reflected on this!

 

Susan Shaffer

“Over the years, my precocious career choices varied a lot; at one time a declared a passionate conviction to be a baker.”  After the semicolon, I think the first “a” should be “I”--Over the years, my precious career choices varied a lot; at one time, I declared a passionate conviction to be a baker.”

 

The writing’s amazing- It’s really hard to find something you should change.  If you wanted to expand on something, maybe include more information on what you’re doing this summer in Costa Rica and Nicaragua and what you hope to learn.  Great job!!!

 

Benjamin Gustafsson

“The impact of rising unemployment continues to lower living conditions in the lower socioeconomic strata’s.”  I don’t think you need the apostrophe in “stratas”.  So, the sentence is now “The impact of rising unemployment continues to lower living conditions in the lower socioeconomic strata.” 

 

To make this more personal, maybe you could discuss how this became your passion.  Was there a specific event or time in your life that triggered this interest?  Great job--you really make the problem clear!

 

Vanessa Cooper

I think that I am the type of person who needs this experience; I need to be thrown in the middle of unfamiliar territory and to be completely disoriented in order to find my way and to find my true personality.”  I think this sentence could be more effective if you take out the second “to find” so the sentence reads “I think I am the type of person who needs this experience; I need to be thrown in the middle of unfamiliar territory completely disoriented in order to find my way and my true personality.”

 

I really liked the paper--maybe you could add something about how you found this passion.  You talk about being fortunate to go to college, etc. but was there a specific incident or period in your life that helped define your goal?  Great job!

 

Puja Parekh

I found particular solace in fantasy stories, because the little worlds they created had the ability to transport me away from my own mundane one.”  I don’t think you need a comma before “because”.  When “because” starts an introductory clause, a comma follows it, but for some reason not when it’s in the middle of the sentence.  So, the sentence now reads “I found particular solace in fantasy stories because the little worlds they created had the ability to transport me away from my own mundane one.”

 

The background part of the paper is really developed, maybe try to add more in about your vision (how you’ll accomplish it, etc.).  Great job!!!

 

Mita Lakhia

For as long as I can remember all I ever wanted was to become a lawyer.”  Watch for commas after the introductory phrases—“For as long as I can remember, all I ever wanted was to become a lawyer.”

 

It’s really hard to suggest stuff to expand on--it seems like you covered mostly everything.  In terms of pictures, maybe add a visual depiction of the problems you’re hoping to alleviate to really show the impact you hope to make.  Great job!

 

Thomas Lopez

“This mode of thinking is infectious to the community and it only serves to stop people from enjoying the present.”  I think you need a comma before “and”—“This mode of thinking is infectious to the community, and it only serves to stop people from enjoying the present.”

 

To add to the paper, maybe include some inclinations of what you might be drawn to do.  I totally understand the feeling of having found the principles you want to live by, but maybe discuss issues that have sparked your interest.  Great job!

 

Anush Emelianova

“Ernestina's prospects, for example, are limited to aristocrats and wealthy business.”  Ernestina’s specific prospect in this sentence confused me--is it her marriage prospect?  If so, “wealthy business” should be “wealthy businessmen”.  Or, if I’m getting the prospect wrong, just clarify it.

 

When you talk about class limitations, you give examples to show how you’re not confined by class.  Maybe follow the same pattern and add examples of societal and psychological constraints to expand on “societal and psychological constraints seem the most dangerous to me.”  Great job!

 

Rachel Sibley

“It seems to me that this responsibility falls all the more heavily to plan II students, who allegedly receive the best undergraduate liberal arts education the university has to offer.”  Earlier, you capitalize “Plan II”, so I would in this case for consistency—“It seems to met hat this responsibility falls all the more heavily to Plan II students, who allegedly receive the best undergraduate liberal arts education the university has to offer”

 

I know it’s difficult to find a specific vision, but you get close when you’re talking about your childhood dreams.  Maybe go into more detail about what you dreamed of then and in what ways it keeps coming back to you.

 

Laura Anderson

There is a common idea that it is a moral code, that Christians follow it in an effort to be good people, or that it is a sort of self-help course that people use to help them cope with the pressures of life.”  I think you should clarify what “it” is to make the sentence clearer.

 

You could expand on what specifically your vision is.  Do you want to lead others in understanding Christianity?  Or lead through example?  Great job--I love how much the writing incorporates your voice!

 

Eleanore Knox

“It was the way the patients changed the way they thought about themselves, because they knew that they mattered to her.”  I don't think you need a comma before "because" or the "that” before "they"--"It was the way the patients changed the way they thought about themselves because they knew they mattered to her"

 

I really liked the way you talked about how you’re not like most of the plan 2 or pre-med students--it really made the paper seem personal.  If you want to add something, you could talk about why you came to UT.  You discuss how different UT is from your home, but was there something that drove you to come here?  Great job--It was really personal and passionate!

 

Meagan Hughes

“It was a poster of James Dean with one my favorite quotes beneath it.”  I think there should be an “of” before “my”—“It was a poster of James Dean with one of my favorite quotes beneath it.”

 

If you want to add to the paper, you could incorporate more about why you love Austin.  We’ve spent a lot of time studying place, and that might be a nice place to incorporate more reflection.

 

Noel Wells

“I loved making the teacher’s laugh and having my friends beg for more as I made funny faces and did impersonations.”  I think you could make this sentence more parallel and take out the apostrophe in “teachers” by changing it to this—“I loved making my teachers laugh and having my friends beg for more as I made funny faces and did impersonations.”

 

I really like the process you go through as you explain your pilgrimage.  At the end, you say, “Through humor and a thoughtful approach to production, I hope to be involved in a new wave artistic movement within the media that will inspire individuals to demand for higher quality entertainment.”  Maybe go into more detail about exactly how this will play out.  You’ve explored so many different things in your life--how will you combine them or use the best of all of them?  Great job!!!