Final Reflection for WRT 105

       As I reflect on my work and assignments from WRT 105 this semester, I think about the knowledge I gained from the course such as writing strategies and techniques that has overall improved my writing. The most significant thing I learned about myself as a writer is that good writing does not limit to one specific structured formula. One of the readings that will stick with me the most is  Footstools and Furniture because I have learned that high- level college writing is not developed through one specific structure. Also, this reading has made me come to the realization that structured writing lacks complexity because the writer does not have the opportunity to incorporate his or her own thoughts into the writing piece. 

  

    Another artifact that influenced my writing was Arguing in Communities reading by Gary Hatch. This reading has helped me understand the importance in different views in an argument and how it could be considered a strength in our community. What I have gained from this reading is that arguments are considered a strength because differences are what distinguish us from each other. If nobody had different views on various topics within a community, there would be no individuality and no identity.In addition, another reading that will stick with me was Coming to Terms by Joe Harris. This reading has informed me with important tips and advice on how to comprehend complex texts. Harris explains that in order to make complex texts easier to understand, a reader should identify what the writer is implying beyond the text and single out keywords in the text. Using this advice has helped me understand the meaning behind challenging texts that I have read. 

    The use of rhetorical appeals was another important topic that I learned about this semester through the  Ted Talk- Ron Finley "A Guerrilla Gardener in South Central LA". During this short clip, Finley used rhetorical appeals to convey his argument about the importance in consuming healthy foods and incorporating gardens in our community. In order to persuade his audience, Finley uses logos by stating statistics on obesity, pathos by incorporating images of people on dialysis centers and wheel chairs, and ethos by creating a petition for incorporating gardens in the city with over 900 signatures. After observing how Finley presents his argument to the audience, I have learned that the use of rhetorical appeals makes an argument stronger because it convinces the audience that the individual's argument is logical and accurate.  

    Lastly, the unit 2 analysis essay assignment influenced my composing practices because I learned how to further analyze visuals. Throughout this unit, as a class, we learned about a concept called “The Method” writing activity. In this activity, we practiced closely analyzing a visual of Disney Princesses. We observed the visual for patterns such as repetitions, strands, binary oppositions, and anomalies. Using “The Method” concept to analyze visuals has helped me notice the small but significant details and features that many people miss if not observed closely and carefully. Completing this activity has helped me become a better writer because when writing about my analysis on the visual I picked for my unit 2 essay, I was able to give a thorough analysis about the features and details in the visual. Also, I was able to explain the reasoning as to why I thought the creator of the visual incorporated certain features and details. 

   One thing I hope to continue working on in the next semester is to read challenging texts and work on discovering the overall meaning or message.The advice I would give to an incoming WRT 105 students about what they need to know or learn in order to become better writers is to constantly revise their work because there is always room for improvement.