For my final e-portfolio I am revising writing project two and the Wix site. For my film review I updated my works cited and revised any grammatical errors. To revise my Wix I made sure there were images and hyperlinks on each page, and that each of the pull out quotes were effective.

 

Throughout w131 there has been a focus on the audience, which is different from any other class I’ve taken. Typically when I’m writing in an academic setting my audience is my instructor. In this course, I learned to write for a target audience of my choosing. I revised, reflected, and edited to make sure my writing would appeal to the group of people who might be interested in what I am writing. This helped to condense my pieces and narrow my focus as a writer. I showed exemplary in considering the audience throughout my pieces this semester, especially in my argument essay. In this essay there was more I wanted to include, and I could’ve gone deeper into the scientific and medical descriptions, but that is what interests me - not my audience. I used surface level descriptions that were informative but possible for someone with no healthcare background to understand.

 

I took this a step further by using context to connect myself to the audience. For example, in writing project three I wrote “I, along with the majority of IUPUI students on campus, am familiar with the effects of caffeine on the brain”. I used the rhetorical context of being a student as an ethical appeal to prove my credibility to argue what I am arguing and connect with my audience and be able to use “I”. Because I took these steps to write and revise in a way that caters to my audience, I have met the course goal to “ Shape, revise, and edit writing to meet the concerns of purpose and audience”. 

 

I learned to take control of my education through this class because I picked my own topic. I learned a lesson on resilience because I had to change and find a new opportunity after my first one didn’t work out. This change was especially hard for me because I wanted my writing projects to all be on topic and cohesive. One of the main ways I was able to own my education was through expressing my creativity and passion for design through the creation of my wix site, rather than turning in white papers. The immersion experience gave me a chance to learn in a new environment and connect with other students who were there for the same reason.

 

It is hard to take ownership and make decisions. Especially ones that determine what I would be writing about with pride all semester. It became a challenge toward the end when I was trying to figure out what I would write about for my third writing project argument essay. I am not used to sticking with one topic for an entire semester. I found it hard to have the motivation to keep writing on topic, so instead of writing right away, I started reading. I researched possible topics and read articles I found interesting. Eventually, I had gathered enough research to spark my interest to write about the medicinal benefits of coffee. This was a nice way to tie my second experience to what I originally wanted to learn about and focus on for my original experience. 

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At the beginning of the semester, our class had an engaging discussion on who ‘owns’ our education. In an attempt to gain ownership of my education, I have participated productively in online and conference discussions about writing. I posted on and engaged with peers in over forty discussion boards, presented more than thirty times in small groups, and presented at a national conference hosted by The American Association of Colleges and Universities.

 

In my writings I demonstrated exemplary use of effective sources by synthesizing ideas, integrating them smoothly, and documenting them correctly. After submitting each writing project I received feedback from my instructor, as well as my peers. Each person commented on my proficient use of multiple source synthesis, a strategy we spent much time practicing during class time. For writing project two, the feature style narrative, our class was tasked with creating a narrative about our immersion experience. My professor, Debbie Oesch-Minor, commented on the rubric that I had “EXCELLENT use of multiple source synthesis to connect [my] experience with other relevant conversations.” Another requirement for this paper was to add set pieces. I chose to add set pieces on a historical lore on the origin of coffee, another piece of history, and a paragraph on how to evaluate a good cup of coffee. I placed these paragraphs very specifically and strategically throughout my paper, and it didn’t go unnoticed. Professor Oesch-Minor commented on my synthesis, saying that “The pacing of the set pieces was perfect--where you placed them and their content/length.” I stayed consistent with integrating multiple source synthesis, and  continued to submit above par writing projects. In writing project three, an argumentative essay on the medicinal benefits of caffeine for college students, my professor once again confirmed my understanding and proficiency when she wrote that I had “Superior work integrating quality evidence using multiple source synthesis.” Not only did I show that I knew how to integrate multiple source synthesis, I continued to prove such In each paper. 

 

I now have a deeper understanding of pedagogy, and the value of an engaged learning environment. This semester I learned and implemented many new writing strategies. I  took strides to owning my education, and writing with confidence. I am proud of the work I submitted, and  the changes that I have made to my writing during my semester in Reading, Writing, and Inquiry and IUPUI. I look forward to continuing my growth as a writer throughout my educational journey.