Final Reflection

   What have you gained from the writing assignments you have done throughout the semester? Which assignments did you find most effective and entertaining? Why? Focus on the major papers, mini-blog assignments, free writes, and readings.

The logical fallacies blog assignment taught me to step back and acknowledge other people’s opinions instead of forcing mine. It reminded me that all people are entitled to our own opinion and our own beliefs as long as we do not impose them on others. Maus 1 and 2 reminded me of the incredible strength of the human spirit.

I found the free write assignments to be the most entertaining and effective. As someone who hates to write, I can genuinely say that I enjoyed the free writes- some days I even looked forward to them. As a college student, I have to write long, boring research papers involving things and people I don’t care about. The free writes were a breath of fresh air. The lack of a minimum word count allowed me to be concise. I concerned myself with quality rather than quantity.  

·       Over the course of the semester, do you feel that your writing has improved? Why or why not? Explain.

 I feel that my writing has improved because I now think of my audience as I write. Thanks to the audience blog assignment, I now know how to write to a variety of different audiences. I feel a strange sense of power in my ability to do so. 

·       Do you feel that you have a better understanding of rhetoric and its importance to writing, visual representation, reading, etc.? Explain.

 I would say that I have a much better understanding of rhetoric and its importance to writing, visual representation, and reading. Before this class, I did not know the meaning of the word, and now I know the power it holds. The assignment in which we analyzed “The Rhetorical Situation”  by Llyod Bitzer was very helpful in understanding rhetorical situation. The assignment in which I analyzed literary devices in Maya Angelou’s poem helped me understand the power in rhetoric. 

·       What have you learned about yourself as a writer?  Were there any assignments that helped shape your own view as a writer and an individual?

The seven-minute stream of consciousness free write assignment taught me that I have the ability to put my feelings into words effectively. I have learned that the process of writing about personal things can be both emotional and therapeutic for me. I have learned that sometimes the rawest form of my thoughts and emotions expresses what I am feeling the best. As someone with ADHD, my mind is constantly juggling a thousand different thoughts. Prioritizing, blocking, and organizing these thoughts is extremely tiring. I have learned that I very much enjoy writing unedited streams of consciousness because my mind no longer needs to pump its breaks. I have also learned that writing my stream of consciousness helps me understand the inner workings of my brain as well as my writing process.