Catherine Yau

ENGL 21003

Professor Killebrew

21 May 2021

Reflection

I have demonstrated my understanding in exploring and analyzing a variety of genres and rhetorical situations when I was writing my scientific rhetorical analysis paper. During this assignment, I was asked to look for multiple scholarly sources that both support my topic and the audience I am targeting. This process allowed me to explore different rhetoric elements, as I was reading through different genres of text. As I continued to look for sources to include in my writing, I was able to create my own rhetorical situation after viewing many different ones online. Another assignment that allowed me to explore these skills was the awareness campaign. I had to gather information to put together my slides to inform people about human trafficking. My main goal for this assignment was to make it both informative and easy to understand for all age groups. I already had knowledge on rhetorical analysis before taking this class, but these assignments helped me improve my ability to write rhetorical analysis, specifically on the science aspect.

As I went on through this semester, I was able to find different strategies for reading, drafting, collaborating, revising, and editing through all of the assignments. I was able to enhance my reading skills for scientific texts, by breaking down different pieces of the reading and applying my knowledge of rhetoric elements to help me better understand the information presented in the reading. In this class, we had to write drafts for every essay. This allowed me to get peer feedback from my classmates and enhance my writing skills.

Most of the readings in this class, I unconsciously apply my knowledge of rhetorical elements to help me fully grasp the information presented in different texts. An example of me applying this skill is during the process of finding resources to support my essay. When I am looking through different genres of text, I use these four rhetorical elements; Purpose, message, Audience, and tone. By using this method, it allows me to narrow down relevant information I want to include in my paper. 

In this class, we were put into breakout groups which gave us the opportunity to interact with our classmates about the assignments. During the breakout groups, we got to voice our opinions on certain topics, and learn from our peers. Sometimes we were put into groups to review each other’s essays, and I find this beneficial to my learning because I get feedback on my work from my peers, which allows me to improve my writing because we have different writing styles. Another instance of me working collaboratively was during the public awareness presentation. I was working with my partner Seldon Tenzing, we were creating a slideshow to spread awareness on industrial pollution. In the process of creating the slides, we had to decide what information we wanted to include in the slides, so we were on the same page while doing this project. We both decided to make the slides easy for the audience to comprehend, as well as making it informative. Working collaboratively in this class allowed my classmates and I to contribute different ideas and enhance our creativity and writing skills.

I displayed my knowledge on using print and digital technologies to address a range of audiences during my awareness campaign projects. When I created a slide for my human trafficking awareness campaign, my targeted audience were both younger and older people. This issue does not concern only one specific group, any one can become a victim of human trafficking, so I made sure the slides were informative and easy to comprehend. I included images and graphs that were easy to interpret to help the viewers understand the message I am trying to convey. In my other awareness campaign project with Seldon, we created a slideshow on industrial pollution, and our targeted audience were teens and older individuals, because we used some information that may be complex for younger groups. We also included visuals in this slideshow, to help our audience understand certain things we were referring to. Adding visuals also helps with engaging the audience, that is why I included it for both projects.

I took a FIQWS class my first semester, so I had knowledge on the ccny database and how to locate different academic sources. However, I did learn how to find scientific academic resources on the ccny database during the library session. After that session, I was able to find more academic sources to support my scientific rhetorical situation essay, and many other assignments, such as the controversy paper and public awareness campaign. 

I was able to compose texts that integrated my stance with appropriate sources while using different strategies in most of my essays and presentation projects. Most of the time when I am composing text that integrates my stance, I use the rhetorical element technique to help me get straight to the point. Not only does it help me get straight to the point, I use this technique as a checklist to ensure that the sources I use are relevant to my topic, and that I am hitting all the points when I am writing essays or doing any assignments that require me to integrate a stance.

I demonstrate my understanding on citing conventions when I am using different sources for my essay or any assignment where I am not using my own data or information. I ensure that every quote or data I use is cited, so I am not flagged for plagarism. This can be seen at the end of my essays and projects.