Reflection:

EES Outcome and Artifact: The essential employability skill demonstrated through this artifact is Communication. I selected my five-paragraph essay on Physical Media because it highlights my ability to research, write, and communicate about a subject while using academic references in an essay format.

Self Assessment: I would assess myself as Competent in this essential employability skill. I am able to convey my thesis and expand on my knowledge and research on the subject while clearly communicating with the reader. The thoughts and information are presented in a clear, concise manner.

The Artifact - Successes and Challenges: Essay writing has always been a great challenge for me.During my studies, I have learned how to produce a strongly written, academically researched essay that is clear and concise. I applied strategies I have learned along the way to strengthen my writing and communication abilities, such as using an essay outline to guide my writing, having peers read my work and offer feedback, and spending time proofreading. I am incredibly proud of how I was able to construct a well-thought-out essay on a subject I had little knowledge of prior to my research. This process helped me understand how important it is to use steps to guide my writing and research rather than simply writing without guidelines or proofreading.

New Learning: This essay assignment has taught me that essay writing is a lot more than just writing about a subject. A good essay is planned, researched, and carefully crafted to get a point across. Another essential skill I learned while writing this essay is that rereading your work and having others read it can significantly improve it. I have also developed a better understanding of how to search for credible information from academic sources to strengthen my essays and how to cite them properly.

Future Impact: The communication skills practiced in this artifact will be very useful to me in my academic and professional experiences. As someone planning to go into medical office administration, I need to be able to write and communicate clearly with not only my coworkers but patients, clients, and other professionals on a daily basis. I plan to continue learning and practicing my written and verbal communication skills while remembering the importance of clarity, credible sources of information, and tailoring my message to the audience. This experience has validated my ability to write in an academic setting and to communicate confidently and effectively with my audience.