My Writing Development
Going beyond the paper format and exploring ways to present academic media on the screen of a computer was a major step towards furthering my development as a writer. Unlike my previous courses, I was able to define my audience for each writing project I did in College Writing 2. This allowed me to write in a specific voice and with a specific tone which made my arguments stronger. No longer was I only writing for my instructor but I was also writing for a defined group of readers and this allowed me to cater my argument in terms of effective ethos, logos and pathos. I also developed the technique of including multimedia into my writing with the photo essay, and I further developed this skill with the visual analysis paper in which I learned about and applied the knowledge of rhetorical analysis of visual elements. In modern times and especially online, it is important to be able to incorporate images, colors, etc., into writing in order to engage with the audience more as well as use those mediums as support for the argument being made. The process of composing the argument synthesis and research paper also contributed to my writing development. Although I have written synthesis and research papers before, I learned many tricks in College Writing 2 to make writing these papers easier. I never used microsoft word's revision tool before this class and I have found it is a very helpful tool for reviewing and keeping track of changes to my papers. Writing the research paper i believe however had the most impact on my development as a writer. The process of looking for scholarly sources has become such an easy task after I was introduced to using a University database. This is a very relevant skill I will need to have in the future because the lab reports and research I will need to write for my science courses requires citing scholarly sources which was a very difficult task for me to do until I started using the database and "summon search" in College Writing 2. After reflecting on everything that I have completed this semester, I can now easily observe advanced and modern style in my writing that was not present in my past papers/essays.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
1. Why did you choose your topic? Are you still happy with your choice?
Science, specifically the advancements in the science community, have always been huge interests of mine and I believed it would be an easy and enjoyable subject to write about. I am still happy with my choice. It gave me a lot to talk about, tons of research to look at, and became relevant to topics I am learning about in other classes.
Science, specifically the advancements in the science community, have always been huge interests of mine and I believed it would be an easy and enjoyable subject to write about. I am still happy with my choice. It gave me a lot to talk about, tons of research to look at, and became relevant to topics I am learning about in other classes.
2. What goals did you have for your research? Did you meet those?
My main goal was to highlight both sides of the argument and then make it clear where my opinion fell on the issue. I feel that I accomplished this throughout my entire paper. In each synthesis paragraph I presented contrasting viewpoints and used effective transition sentences and logical explanations to always end my paragraphs with a persuasive idea which always agreed with my thesis.
My main goal was to highlight both sides of the argument and then make it clear where my opinion fell on the issue. I feel that I accomplished this throughout my entire paper. In each synthesis paragraph I presented contrasting viewpoints and used effective transition sentences and logical explanations to always end my paragraphs with a persuasive idea which always agreed with my thesis.
3. What facts about your topic interested you most? Did this kind of project help you gain a better understanding of your topic than you might have with a more traditional kind of research paper? If so, why and in what ways did it help?
My research paper was about solitary confinement and finding research about the effects and numbers of it happening in U.S. prisons strengthened my opinion about it. I chose this subject because I was very unfamiliar with the incarceration process in this country and I thought I could also incorporate scientific research into this topic as support for my argument. Using professional journal articles gave my argument so much more ethos than previous research papers of mine where I would use newspaper articles or google webpages.
My research paper was about solitary confinement and finding research about the effects and numbers of it happening in U.S. prisons strengthened my opinion about it. I chose this subject because I was very unfamiliar with the incarceration process in this country and I thought I could also incorporate scientific research into this topic as support for my argument. Using professional journal articles gave my argument so much more ethos than previous research papers of mine where I would use newspaper articles or google webpages.
4. How much information did you collect? How easy or hard was it to find information?
I collected equal amounts of pro/against solitary confinement articles in order to present a balanced argument. Finding research was very simple because of the University's database and library resources.
I collected equal amounts of pro/against solitary confinement articles in order to present a balanced argument. Finding research was very simple because of the University's database and library resources.
5. What did you learn about the research process from this project?
I think the most valuable skill I learned from writing the research paper was the skill and knowledge of using a database as well as discovering the importance and ethos of using professional journal sources. These are skills I can use in my science-based classes and when I need credible support for an argument I am making.
I think the most valuable skill I learned from writing the research paper was the skill and knowledge of using a database as well as discovering the importance and ethos of using professional journal sources. These are skills I can use in my science-based classes and when I need credible support for an argument I am making.
6. What piece was the hardest or most challenging to write? Why? The most fun or interesting? Why?
The argumentative synthesis was the most difficult essay to write. During the time span when we needed to write this I was very busy with my other classes as well outside of school. I also had a difficult time synthesizing the sources we were given because they all seemed to be arguing similar things which cannot make for a well represented argument with two sides. The most interesting piece to write was the visual and textual rhetorical analysis. I am very familiar with textual analysis and rhetorical devices and the incorporation of images seemed to play off a skill i already had and taught me new rhetorical devices i can use on visual elements.
The argumentative synthesis was the most difficult essay to write. During the time span when we needed to write this I was very busy with my other classes as well outside of school. I also had a difficult time synthesizing the sources we were given because they all seemed to be arguing similar things which cannot make for a well represented argument with two sides. The most interesting piece to write was the visual and textual rhetorical analysis. I am very familiar with textual analysis and rhetorical devices and the incorporation of images seemed to play off a skill i already had and taught me new rhetorical devices i can use on visual elements.
7. How did you decide on the organization of the pieces into a cohesive whole? Consider not only organization but use of transitional devices and packaging.
I decided to present my final portfolio in order of increasing complexity because I believe this organization mirrors the argument I am making in my final portfolio: writing development. The purpose statements, classroom activities, and reflections required much less time and though to compile. These pieces are followed by the photo essay, rhetorical analysis, argumentative synthesis, and finally the research paper because I believe all of the skills I learned one of them were also skills I used in the next writing project. I wrote these pieces as I developed knowledge of becoming a better writer and that is how i chose to present them in my final portfolio.
I decided to present my final portfolio in order of increasing complexity because I believe this organization mirrors the argument I am making in my final portfolio: writing development. The purpose statements, classroom activities, and reflections required much less time and though to compile. These pieces are followed by the photo essay, rhetorical analysis, argumentative synthesis, and finally the research paper because I believe all of the skills I learned one of them were also skills I used in the next writing project. I wrote these pieces as I developed knowledge of becoming a better writer and that is how i chose to present them in my final portfolio.
8. What did you learn by working with your peers on revising and editing? Did they give you helpful advice? What was most helpful to you? What kinds of things did you learn from reading their pieces?
Peer review and revision was often a messy process. The comments I received were not usually insightful and only occasionally helpful. I think peer review and revision are very useful writing tools when done right but i would not say they were that successful in this class. The most helpful thing these processes taught me was that the audience for a piece of writing needs to be made obvious in the introduction since that was often lacking in many of the papers I reviewed.
Peer review and revision was often a messy process. The comments I received were not usually insightful and only occasionally helpful. I think peer review and revision are very useful writing tools when done right but i would not say they were that successful in this class. The most helpful thing these processes taught me was that the audience for a piece of writing needs to be made obvious in the introduction since that was often lacking in many of the papers I reviewed.
REVISIONS
Visual/Textual Rhetorical Analysis: After receiving feedback for this essay it was apparent that I needed to develop and incorporate my thesis more. I went back and added my thesis statement to the preceding paragraph instead of leaving it off as its own sentence on the next page. I made sure to add to my thesis by mentioning the purpose of Science World's advertisements (that they were designed to shock and worry their audience) instead of just that they were "successful and effective." I also assured that all the final points I made in my supporting paragraphs related back to the thesis in order to strengthen my argument and create a logical flow. In addition, I also went back and corrected for a few grammar, punctuation, and passive voice errors that were recommended for me to change by turnitin.com.Argumentative Synthesis Paper: This was my most rushed and least revised writing project of the semester. I am glad i was able to go back and revise it. After reading the turn it in comments, it was clear i needed to change my thesis to follow the prompts more, and to incorporate my own ideas more instead of just provide synthesis. I went back and added to my introduction more about the conflict with college tuition and expenses in an attempt to follow the prompt more about "A favorite uncle or aunt tells you: 'You'd better be realistic about your studies. Change is coming, and you need to be prepared... A college education is expensive. It's Unreasonable to spend all that money and now get the training you need for a good job right after graduation," as well as added "High school graduates need to commit to the tuition now, in order to have a source of reliable income later" to my thesis. I stressed this newly revised thesis in each of my body paragraphs, especially towards the ends of them where I synthesize the ideas presented in the sources. In addition, I also corrected multiple instances of passive voice, subject/verb agreement, instances of generalizations and absolutes, as well as in text citation errors.
Annotated Bibliography: For my final portfolio I went back and added two more online professional journal sources to my annotated bibliography. I Included the article, What makes you the "worst of the worst?" An examination of the State Policies Defining Supermaximum Confinement, By authors: Butler, Griffin, and Johnson. I also added the publication, The law today and the Way Forward, by John Cockrell. I now have a total of 8 sources, 6 professional journal entries and 2 book sources.
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