Reflective Metacommentary - Paper 1

For me, writing the small object/large subject essay was a more tedious task than I anticipated. Five pages is generally not too much of a task for me to write because I am used to writing longer length papers for my major classes. However, I found myself lingering at four pages contemplating what to write next. Sugar substitutes, and all the topics in general, were rather difficult topics to write about because we did not receive lectures in class about our subjects, nor were we assigned subject-specific readings. We had to go out and find all the information on our subjects by ourselves. Not only that, but we needed to use our individual styles and opinions to embellish an essay that was coherent and strong on making points that were substantiated by evidence. This was also a bit new to me because most essays I've written have been lecture points in class, so I could use my enhanced understanding and notes from class to help me write the essay. The articles provided in Elizabeth Kolbert's compilation were, however, quite helpful in tackling the necessary style and format for the essay-writing process.

What I got out of writing this paper is that there is always more to write. If you don't have enough to write about, immerse yourself in another article or website. That is exactly what I did, and I went from being stuck at four pages to slimming down five and a half pages. The research process is just as important, and sometimes even more important than the actual writing process. I found myself taking more time making notes in the margins of articles and reading articles thoroughly. The more I understood the data and evidence presented, the easier the writing process became.

What I liked about writing this paper most of all, is that it helped me formulate a strong opinion on sugar substitutes. I went into the paper thinking that no matter which sugar substitute was being presented, it was harmful to the body. I learned that this is not always the case among FDA-approved additives and those used in moderate servings. Being an occasional user of Splenda in my tea or cereal, I do not feel as guilty about my using a sugar substitute once in a while as I do. The articles I read made me stand by the fact that I think natural is better when it comes to sugar and food in general. There is no need to fix what isn't broken when it comes to using sugar substitutes. Human bodies have functioned for years using natural sweeteners. Why change now? Writing my paper encouraged me to stand by my opinion that it is unnecessary for our culture to modify nearly every item that makes its way into our diets.