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Julie Ornberg
Mrs. Oliveira
College Writing
24 January 2017
Word Count: 3358
What Words Can Describe
It takes a leap of complete faith and confidence to take a pen to paper and explain your
purpose of writing. College writing 104 provided me several opportunities to do so,
incorporating my voice into each writing piece I produced in the 2016-17 semester. No matter
the assignment, I found myself able to express myself in different forms of writing, whether
formal or creative. The quote I chose is from a British author Enid Bagnold who states, Who
wants to become a writer? And why? Because its the answer to everything. Its the streaming
reason for living. To note, to pin down, to build up, to create, to be astounded at nothing, to
cherish the oddities, to let nothing go down the drain, to make something, to make a great flower
out of life, even if it's a cactus (Petit). Bagnolds lengthy quote I discovered made me ponder
the most out of any I stumbled across. Maybe because it was more than a simple inspirational
phrase, maybe because it highlighted what writing can bring about in someone, and the
opportunities it presents the minute one begins. Nevertheless, I felt the quote fit the description
for what this course taught me, because writing truly proved to be the solution to everything.
The first URI writing assignment we began with anticipation . Luckily for students, the
argumentative paper could fit as our senior research paper required to graduate. This paper
occupied my entire month and felt like a never ending journey, yet the assignment strengthened

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my writing skills and also furthered my understanding on how to construct a formal paper. This
argumentative paper helped me focus in on a specific topic, one pertaining to my senior project.
My research centered around childhood obesity, its causes and how it must be handled. I felt as
though I learned throughout this process to rhetorically respond to the specific situation of
childhood obesitys increasing rates, (1a) meaning my purpose was clear; to inform my audience
of various health organizations on this growing situation.
The process of this assignment started with brainstorming and an introduction to the
syllabus, and during this time I had a topic in mind but did not feel a strong passion for. It was
not until we took an in school field trip to URI library for a lesson on the proper way to research,
as well as how to effectively brainstorm ideas inside a topic. I completely scrapped my previous
idea, and the brainstorming based on the professors example came smoothly. I could tell I
would find interest in the topic based on the several directions I could study childhood obesity.
Week after week, the process remained the same, which involved research, organization, and
outlining my paper. I feel as though I spent my time wisely during class periods we worked on
the assignment. However, I often grew frustrated at gathering information from sources,
particularly because most valuable information I came across was outdated. Sources I kept
finding would date earlier than 2010 making my particular research invalid. This research
obstacle in particular aggravated me, and took up a great deal of time to find credible sources,
yet overtime, I gathered useful information from organizational websites as well as the schools
database for my paper dated relatively close to 2016.
I occasionally found myself caught in a web of procrastination when I created my paper
outline, but I met the deadline for its submission. Despite procrastination, I felt that I kept

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organized based on the way I arranged my sources when I began note taking. For instance, for
each source I labeled alphabetically, and throughout my outline, I would simply place the letter
after I cited a source so I could easily refer back. This process extremely helped me organize my
sources throughout my writing. When I wove my outline into a paper, I had to keep in mind the
importance of registers, keeping my writing formal (3b). My style of writing was professional, as
I followed the new MLA-8 format with my citations and placed a heading on my first page.
Considering my purpose was to persuade my audience on the causes of childhood obesity, I
wanted to convey my writing in a formal style to make clear to my audience the credible
evidence I found and how I learned from it.
One major correction I needed to make in my argumentative paper was my introduction
paragraph. This paragraph served as a foundation to the remainder of my paper, for it let the
reader identify the purpose of my writing. This paragraph truly taught me the difference between
revision and editing, because when I met with my teacher to look over my paper, we strictly
focused on my introduction that completely changed, even my thesis statement. For instance, my
first paper I submitted did not have an arguable thesis, as I stated, Childhood obesity remains a
growing concern in the United States, and continues to negatively affect today's youth. This
among several other issues in my introduction needed to be changed. I added additional facts,
including the introduction to the USDA food pyramid rather than strictly discuss body mass
index. Finally I altered and tightened my thesis into an arguable one, stating, childhood obesity
continues to exist in the United States due to economic factors and influence rather than
predisposed genetics, now proving a valid point. Along with my introduction, I made countless

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changes to my paper, to where I can finally submit a polished copy that I am extremely confident
with.
This assignment helped me successfully research in depth, write formally, and understand
the importance of revision as well, unlike any other paper Ive written. Despite exhaustion and
constant frustration with the writing process and revisions, I feel as though I gained extensive
knowledge from this assignment and will serve to my advantage for future formal writing papers.
At the start of tackling the profile paper, I immediately faced overwhelming feelings of
uncertainty, and aggravation. Receiving the well structured syllabus that mapped out the profile
task, only surfaced a wave of panic the day the class began. Never once did I conduct a slightly
formal interview previous to the assignment, especially with someone I was unfamiliar with.
This task to me began as a groan of displeasure, yet turned into something powerful.
For the paper, I started the brainstorming process of finding someone to interview. I
completed numerous course activities and exercises in order to grasp the concept and structure of
a profile essay. During one of the first class periods, we began our introduction to the profile
essay by learning what was a profile, and how it distinguishes from a biography. Automatically, I
understood what was and was not a profile essay. Soon after we analyzed an image that
illustrated certain emotions. Although based on interpretation, sensory details were used to
determine the general idea and tone of the picture, as well as its rhetorical situation (1a). Further
into the process, I examined and annotated seven different profiles, one in particular was titled
Soup by The New Yorker which brought out the subjects craft of operating a strict regimented
soup business. This activity helped me the most in terms of understanding, because I could get a
stronger sense of how a profile is written, and how unique it can be in terms of style and craft,

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for the subject of the profile can truly be brought into the spotlight (3a).The process then began
to excite me based on the several directions I could take the assignment.
In class we took a step further into the process by interviewing a classmate as another
activity. This task revealed the opportunity to get one to open up in an interview. I did not know
great detail about the classmate, yet gained a deeper understanding and appreciation for this
individual. Taking a look into someone elses life briefly made me appreciate the power of an
interview. For me and my personal learning, I felt it was a unique exercise, especially when we
then created metaphorical poems based on the personal information we each gathered on each
other. This activity prepared me for the formal interview we were to soon conduct.
I decided on interviewing an educator Liz Sterns at Chariho Middle School in Rhode
Island based on a connection, although this teacher I was unfamiliar with. I developed a series of
questions, approximately ten for the interview. One as simple as, why teach? All questions I
directed towards the topic of teaching and her journey that brought her to her occupation. I kept
in mind that based on her teaching career, the context of my questions would surround her
feelings towards her job and my purpose was to illustrate through my writing her thoughts on her
daily routine (1b). Despite original feelings towards this assignment, I felt as though it was one
of the most creative pieces I wrote in the semester.
I began the writing process with numerous ideas. The introduction for me was the hardest
part of the essay to write, yet once I started utilizing imagery and quotations; similar to other
pieces I've written before, the rest came naturally. Throughout the entire process I did not
procrastinate whatsoever because the assignment soon began to excite me. When I had feelings
of exhaustion in regard to the writing aspect, I realized I wanted to put forth my best efforts

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considering I spent the time interviewing Liz Sterns about her teaching profession. I wanted the
writing piece to be something I felt proud of. I handed in my profile paper with confidence, and I
received a 90 when the papers were graded and reviewed. I spent approximately an hour
particularly on editing the paper alone, mostly because most errors I felt were in the mechanics
of my writing; for instance capitalizing a word after a quote in a sentence, or poor word choice.
The profile paper made me recall the creativity and direction one can take writing, especially in a
paper designed to highlight someone unknown. In the future, Id like to focus on my revision to
make sure my sentences and phrases all fit. For those beginning the process, find and connect
with someone new, and keep it creative.
The investigative Report gave me the opportunity to explore a topic of interest that
presented a rhetorical opportunity to write in a collaborative effort. Classmates Nicholas
Trebisacci, Bryanna Restelli and I worked together on this paper, finding a call to write.
This process began with creating a document together, where we contemplated several
topics to explore. After grappling with several ideas such as negative impacts of technology on a
school student and school policies that should change, we settled on the idea of of senior
privileges. I felt this was a call to write and investigate for Westerly high school lacks privileges
once obtained before the commissioner of education altered numerous education laws in 2008.
Our paper surprisingly kept us on task, despite original thoughts based on prior
collaborative assignments I have written in the past where procrastination plays a defining role in
the process. Once we decided on the topic of senior privileges, I began to develop an online
survey sent to the entire senior class via school email asking two yes or no questions on whether
seniors felt they had enough senior privileges, and if they wished for additional privileges.

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Despite the informal interview I then conducted with my father in regard to his senior privileges
in 1989, I felt able to take the skills I gained through my profile paper, and incorporate my
interview skills into this collaborative.
Each of us gathered information for the collaborative report including surveys of former
Westerly high school (WHS) alumni, as well as students from neighboring districts in order to
compare school policies and privileges. In addition, we went into the archives of WHS to find a
barker article from 2008 that described the student-led protest as a result of stripped senior
privileges (2b).
Aside from additional research, we also scheduled an appointment with Todd Grimes, the
principal of WHS to hear his opinions on school policy, and whether the future could hold more
opportunity in regard to senior privileges. This interview concluded at approximately 18 minutes
and I retrieved key points he made throughout the interview in order to articulate my points in
the introduction and conclusion I wrote, including his admittance of the potential to bring senior
privileges back into WHS. Despite conflicting schedules and deadlines to meet, we successfully
collaborated based on our open communication and understanding of each other's schedules.
We received an 86 on our collaborative report and overall, we were satisfied with the
effort we put into the paper despite the need to revise. Other than class instructional time given to
revise the paper, we took our collaborative efforts further by getting together once more during a
weeknight. As a group we spent 2-3 hours revising our paper. First, we individually edited our
own sectioned paragraphs, and then came together to read aloud to each other the paper all the
way through. This method of revision was extremely effective because it made us catch
numerous errors in writing and phrasings. Not only this but it highlighted the importance of

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editing versus revisions (2a). When we each read out loud our sections of the paper, it truly
became a collaborative paper when we all incorporated our input such as grammar editing and
revising awkward phrasing into each of our written paragraphs (2c).
During the end of our revisions, we realized we needed to switch several paragraphs
around in order to make them coherent with the information we presented. For instance, our
paragraph order did not seem logical, describing information out of chronological order that did
not make sense in the paper. For instance, we discussed the 2008 senior walkout protest before
discussing the very reason the protest took place based on the changes made by Deborah Gist,
the new commissioner of education, which came later in the report. Meeting together for one
final revision, we completely reorganized our paragraph order to follow a timeline of events in
regard to the lack of senior privileges in school. This process of revision made us recognize the
importance of revision, and not simple grammatical corrections (3a.)
The Investigative Report taught my partners and I how to write effectively as one.
Despite challenges of differing schedules, we all committed to different paragraphs, and created
a report that essentially captured Westerly high schools lack of privileges. Through the
collaboration of our thought flowing minds, along with several acts of revision, we created a
thought provoking report on senior privileges, a topic we felt we had to explore, and learn from.
From the start of the literacy narrative assignment, I began pulling out any memories of
childhood stored away in the back of my mind in preparation to write a well written, personal
narrative. After processing subject after subject, free writing about a dear friendship, my ideas
flowed onto my paper. Despite my proud start to the literacy narrative, the realization hit. The

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literary component to the narrative was non existent. With a reality induced sigh of aggravation,
I knew this process would require me to push further into my inner thoughts.
Jumping idea to idea, I finally connected with a concept that truly tapped into the
standstill bolts in my mind, making them turn once more. My teacher told us to begin thinking
about childhood books that had meaning to us, speeches we once wrote, or any literary element
in our lives that shaped us. This instantly made me recall a book that I still keep dear to my
heart, one that I read frequently in my youth. I began with excitement realizing the direction I
could take my literacy narrative. I planned to write about the changing dynamic of the
relationship between my sister and I that revolved around a childrens book. From here forward,
the process felt natural.
My childhood memories drove my writing for the assignment. I spent time watching a
TED Talk, The Danger of a Single Story, by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, who provided insight
on how literature can evoke stereotypes. She explained how that despite her love for American
and British literature, she realized African girls are portrayed in a negative stereotypical light,
and how the assumptions that African culture is shaped around disaster must be disregarded. I
also took inspiration from the provided in class examples I received, one professional example
called The Mother Tongue by Amy Tan, that I did not connect to as much as the other example
provided from a WHS student that took college writing. She wrote about a childrens book that
fixed her difficulties around separation anxiety from her mom. This student example I kept in
mind throughout my writing, and how the student referred back to the literary component, while
ultimately keeping it connected to herself.

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For my rough draft, I only had a total of approximately five hundred words, which only
brought me to a portion of what I planned to express. Partially due to procrastination and writer's
block, I reviewed only half of my paper with a peer, but knew exactly what I had left to say.
Based on the assignment that required me to write about a literary element in regards to my life, I
had to keep in mind the appropriateness of the rhetorical situation (1c). Considering the literacy
narrative had no strict guidelines, and relied heavily on creativity, I was able to determine myself
what was appropriate in the assignment. For instance, I still kept an MLA-8 format and cited my
author Dale Payson when needed, but went in the direction I wanted to, and described how my
sister and I naturally distanced with age through the recollection of childhood memories.
This assignment I enjoyed the most, and felt extremely proud when I finally finished it. I
reconnected my ideas from the beginning to the end, and made my title connect as well. (3a) I
feel as though I really found my sense of style in this piece I wrote where I took one creative
direction as to making my title, The Show Goes On, coincide with the central idea of my paper
solely existing to describe the relationship between my sister and I, and our constant home
performances we did together throughout childhood.
The literacy narrative task I felt was one of my best works, possibly based on its
flexibility regarding how creative I could make the paper. I found myself procrastinating several
times, yet at the same time I felt confident in my final work, and had a passionate drive to write
it. I feel as though I truly gained a sense of style and learned how I could take it in the creative
direction I wanted.
The course of college writing taught me how to observe writing, what to consider when
writing, and most importantly, why I write to begin with. Throughout the semester, I found

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myself putting together an argumentative paper that polished my knowledge on the importance
of research and formal writing. The course also brought about new writing experiences,
considering it was my first attempt at a profile paper on someone I did not know. This
assignment not only taught me how to conduct an interview, it also exposed me to its unique
qualities, and how much one can learn about someone else through writing. My Investigative
report on the other hand, taught me how mind collaboration can create something superb in
regard to writing. During this assignment I found a call to write, and just how to report it through
writing to an audience. The literacy narrative I enjoyed writing despite beginning impressions on
its literary element, yet it only brought about the creativity that I then incorporated. Each paper
taught me something different, something that I can take with me into college when I continue to
find my call to write. Whether it be a journal entry or a twelve page research paper, the premise
stays the same. I will find purpose to write.

Work Cited
Petit, Zachary. "72 of the Best Quotes for Writers." WritersDigest.com, 22 June 2012,
www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/there-are-no-rules/72-of-the-best-quotes-about-writi
ng. Accessed 23 Jan. 2017.