Maria is a reflective learner because she understands her motivations behind her writing, and she can also step back and decide if the decisions she has made are good or not. For example, she realizes that she dismissed her peer reviewer because she thought she had her paper under control. Knowing this she is able to look over her paper and decide to cut a section out. She is also able realize she is struggling with her conclusion because she was overambitious. Knowing this helps her to cut back and not be too upset over writing an unnecessary section. This knowledge will most likely help her when writing future papers to take a reviewer more seriously or focus a thesis more from the beginning.
After writing a lot of papers, I think I have a pretty good idea what my writing habits are. I write better at different times of the day depending on where I am. I don't think my writing is affected by time of day; location plays a bigger role. For example, when I'm at my apartment I write best at night. I think this is because my roommates have gone to sleep and it's not likely anyone will call and distract me. I also tend to let them distract me and will watch TV and talk before I get started. However, if I'm at the library I can write at any time of the day because it's quiet and there aren't many distractions.
I like to have the internet when I write. Even if I'm writing a paper that doesn't require a lot of research, I like to have the option of checking an online dictionary or thesaurus. Normally I am doing a paper that requires some degree of research, and I like to find a lot of background information before I get started. Sometimes the sources won't be credible people that I'd use for the paper, but I like to get a general knowledge of what I'll be writing on. I noticed this about a year ago when I had a class with my roommate. We would both have to write the same paper, but she would be done while I was still learning everything. I think I've always done this, but that situation made me take notice of it. It takes me longer to get things done, but as long as I have them in by the deadline, I don't mind spending a little extra time.
I think this research habit could be viewed as procrastination. Sometimes that's true. I'll come across some detail that I find interesting and start reading about that when I should save that until after my paper is done. Mostly, though, I just like to know everything I can so I can confidently write the paper. I don't like to make claims on a topic I don't know much about. I think this says that I like to be an informed writer and that I write better and enjoy writing more when something is really interesting to me. I've noticed this also in my habit of stretching prompts I don't like to have them cover something I do find interesting. As a learner, I think it just means I'm a researcher. I like to go to class and hear what professors have to say, but I think I enjoy it the most when I take what they say and try to learn more about it. I like to know things and learn new things. I guess it's lucky I'm living in a time with the internet so I can easily look up anything I want.
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I certainly work the same way as I'm getting started on a writing project -- I probably tend to read too much before actually getting started on the actual act of drafting a text. What I think is most important, though--and it's a knowledge that you've clearly developed--is coming to understand your preferences and your habits as a writer. Having this conscious understanding of your writing habits han help you to adjust when the situation demands it, such as when a deadline looms. In such a situation, you'll likely be able to determine what texts you do need to research and which ones you can save for later. I often try to address this situation head-on by listing the questions that I need to answer in order to begin writing, and I use these questions to guide and focus my research efforts.
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