Critical Analysis of Academic Writing: NURS9219 Self-Reflection Report

This report presents a self-reflective analysis of a student's academic writing, specifically focusing on an assignment related to improving patient safety in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). The reflection critically evaluates the original assignment, identifying strengths such as a clear introduction and well-defined research questions, as well as weaknesses including grammatical errors, obsolete research sources, and a lack of professional tone. The report outlines specific strategies for improvement, such as pre-planning, creating outlines, conducting thorough research, proofreading, and seeking feedback. The student aims to enhance their writing by focusing on grammar, punctuation, and the use of current, peer-reviewed sources. The reflection also includes a table from the assignment brief, assessing aspects of the writing and providing a marking rubric. The overall goal is to improve future academic performance by addressing identified shortcomings and learning from the experience.

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Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

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Introduction:
Reflective learning forms an integral process of the academic learning process.
According to Howatson-Jones (2016), critical reflection equips learners to reflect upon their
practical experiences and assess the strengths and weaknesses associated with their
practicum. In this context, it should be noted that the paper intends to reflect upon the quality
of the previous assignment submitted by me titled ‘Improving Patient Safety under Acute
Care in ICU’ within this unit. In addition to this, the reflection would also identify the areas
that require improvement such that the further scores in the subsequent units can be improved
significantly.
Discussion:
Upon critically analysing the quality of the assignment, it can be mentioned that the
assignment lacked proper structure. In order to critically appraise the quality of the
assignment, I would make use of four broad headings so that the appraisal is focused and
properly defined.
What was done well?
On analysing the content of the assignment, it can be stated that the paper comprised
of a proper introduction section and a conclusion section that helped to define the content. In
addition to this, the paper also comprised of well-defined four research questions based on
which the annotated bibliography of the scholarly journals was conducted.
Areas which could be improved?
The paper was not addressed in a professional and academic manner. Multiple
instances were identified in the paper where grammatical errors could be spotted. I believe
the punctuation errors and the grammatical errors collectively deteriorated the quality of the

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paper and resulted in loss of marks (Babcock & Thonus, 2018). Further, the five research
journals that were considered for annotation were published in the years 2010, 2012 and
2016. This means that the majority of the papers considered for the annotation were obsolete
and were not recent or peer-reviewed publications.
Provide a detailed account on how you will go about making these improvements.
I believe I can avoid the identified errors by critically focusing on the requirement of
the assignment and planning the assignment beforehand. In addition to this, another measure
I would undertake to improve on my assignment would include creating an outline of the
assignment and conducting an extensive background research about the assignment topic.
According to Osmond (2015), timely and structure feedback on projects help to improve on
the quality of the assignment.
List some strategies which you can use to improve the quality of your writing.
I believe adapting a certain number of strategies would help me improve my essence
of academic writing. In order to improve on my Grammar and Punctuation errors I would
proof read my paper after completion multiple times so that my paper is free from errors.
Conclusion:
Therefore, to conclude it can be stated that the experience of completing this
assessment was an incredible one. I believe upon critically reflecting upon the content of the
previous assignment I have been able to identify the shortcomings and at the same time relate
how the identified flaws resulted in loss of marks which resulted in poor grade.

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References:
Babcock, R. D., & Thonus, T. (2018). Researching the writing center: Towards an evidence-
based practice. Peter Lang International Academic Publishers.P.77
Howatson-Jones, L. (2016). Reflective practice in nursing. Learning Matters.P.90
Osmond, A. (2015). Academic writing and grammar for students. Sage.P.62-68

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Appendix: