C.

Lee

Ms. Jizi

UWRT 1104

28 November 2017

Reflective Letter

The goal and purpose of my portfolio is to show my growth and development as a writer.

I had a goal for myself that started in August after I sat through a few of my UWRT 1104 classes.

I wanted to enjoy writing. I wanted to be able to write for myself rather than writing to pass a

class. My tolerance for writing grew as the semester went by. Eventually, I admitted to myself

that I loved writing and that I was good at it. I didnt include any personal pieces that I wrote in

my portfolio but I can promise that the number of pieces that I decided to write during my own

time has increased significantly. I also learned that writing out my thoughts helped me to reduce

my stress so that is exactly what I did. Throughout the semester if something was making my

mind jumbled and crazy, I got out a piece of fresh paper, my favorite pen and wrote down

everything that I could. By the end of my little writing session, I found that I was able to breathe

and smile. My portfolio is only a small portion of the writing that I have done and wont be the

only portion that will exist. I will definitely continue writing to enjoy.

My portfolio is fairly simple to view as long as you dont skip around. I recommend

starting with the first tab and proceeding chronologically to the next one until you reach the end.

Under each tab, you will find a number of assignments that I have done over the course of this

semester. I recommend that you read the assignments in the order that I have them in. I put the

assignments in a certain order for a reason. For the major assignments I start with my drafts and
end with my final draft. The supplemental assignments are in chronological order by date that

they were assigned.

I used rhetorical knowledge during the creation of my genre project and information that

I wanted to present. My writing choice was impacted by audience and my topic of choice. I was

able to vary my tone in different parts of my project due to the type of information presented. I

used a tone of formality when presenting information based on research that I did. I used a tone

of informality when talking about my personal experience with the topic. My writing choice or

what I decided to present changed because I knew that I had an audience. My genre project, at

first, was focused on my needs and what I wanted to know. I realized that because I have an

audience, I should focus on the information that the audience would want to know as well.

I used critical thinking for research that I did for my inquiry project. I was to look for five

credible sources that had relevant information to my inquiry. I went through many sources before

selecting my top five sources. I was able to use critical thinking to separate what I needed and

what I didnt need. I was able to differentiate between information that was important and

information that was not necessary. I examined the backgrounds of the authors of the sources that

I used, helping me to prove credibility in turn confirming that the source itself was credible. I

also used the skill of critical thinking while creating my double entry journals. I was able to pick

out certain sentences and phrases that were important to my topic and that I needed to address.

Critical thinking was also used when I was creating my summaries for my sources. I was able to

read and grasp the main idea of what I was reading which helped me to understand the content

and why I was reading it.

 Whilst working on my Future Authoring Essay, I was able to incorporate composing

processes to improve the content of my paper and my writing as a whole. I started with a rough

outline of what I wanted to talk about in my essay. I had the main points bulleted and I used

different fonts for different sections on the outline for organizational purposes. I was able to

create a first draft with my outline. Ms. Jizi gave me feedback on my first draft which I was able

to use to deepen my thinking and reasoning for what I included in my essay. The different

processes such as drafting, editing, reviewing, revising, and rereading aided with the creation of

my final draft of my Future Authoring Essay.

Knowledge of convention was something that I was able to practice over a variety of

assignments rather than just one. I was able to learn the different styles of writing because the

range of our assignments were on a very wide spectrum. There was freewriting on one end with

formal essays on the other. Freewriting is letting the brain go free. Writing down whatever comes

to mind at that exact moment without holding back. Freewriting is a chaotic and liberating style

of writing. The studios that I completed throughout the year were considered more formal than

freewriting yet they were also informal because I was writing the way I would speak. Doing so

allowed for a deeper emotional connection and understanding with the students. On the other end

of the spectrum was formal essay writing. This type of writing requires certain rules to be

followed in order for one to be successful. All these different types of varied writing styles

allowed me to incorporate knowledge of convention throughout this semester.

I used critical reflection during the reflection studios we were assigned to do after any

major assignment. By reflecting on the my writing and assignment itself, I was able to

understand how I operated more fully. I was able to catch patterns in my style of work and how I
approached an assignment. The way I worked was a similar pattern each time. I also learned

from my reflections. Because I discussed what I did that was unsatisfactory, I was able to remind

myself what I should do differently and why. I didnt include any process journals in my digital

portfolio but I was able to use my writing as a way to reflect on an assignment that I did not want

to do. By writing about it, I was able to take a step back and find purpose within the assignment

which motivated me to start and finish it.

I mentioned earlier that I wanted to enjoy writing for myself. I used openness to

accomplish that. During the beginning of the semester, I was very determined to keep an open

mind towards the idea of writing. I admit when I was told that I should keep a process journal or

just write down my thoughts when my mind is a mess, I actually sat there and made a face of

disgust. However, outside of class, I forced myself to try a process journal and to try writing

down my thoughts when life got hectic. I was able to finish a major essay that I did not want to

do because of my process journal and I was able to semi-solve a major problem that I had by

writing my thoughts down. I kept on open mind to new ideas and ways to think in terms of

writing and how I could apply it to my everyday life. I also dont take criticism well. That being

said, I was forced myself to keep an open mind when reading peer-reviews and comments/ critic

from my teacher. I told myself that reading the criticism and taking it in would be beneficial to

me and my success.

I would like to say that I used persistence a few times throughout the semester in this

class when completing my studio assignments. I am going to be honest, there were a couple of

times when I sat at my desk and didnt want to do my studio. A few times, it was tiring because I

didnt really see the point. During those times, I used persistence to follow through with a
promise that as a student I would do the best that I can with whatever task I am given. I would

also like to say that I persisted by simply going up in front of the class and talking about my

genre project. I was about to just sit down and take a low grade because I did not want to stand

there for five minutes, being the center of everyones attention. That was a big challenge for me

yet I looked it in the face, walked up there, and did what I had to do.

Engagement was another habit of mind that I practiced. Of course, I was engaged in class

by sharing my opinion and what I wrote down but the even bigger reason was this: I found out

my purpose through this class. I would say the professor got me thinking rather than the class

itself. My professor planted seeds of thought in my mind that began to sprout and grow. This

seed was watered by my continuous attention and need to figure out what my purpose was. After

completing my Futuring Authoring Essay, I figured out why I was meant to be on this planet. I

am truly happy when I am helping people. I dont just feel good, I feel true happiness and

satisfaction. I am who I want to be when I am helping others. Because I was able to figure this

out with this class, I would say that I was more than fully engaged.

There is so much that I will take from this class. Honestly, I would just like to take my

professor with me on my journey but, of course, thats not possible. I will, however, take her

tenacity with me. The determination that I saw every time she talked about something that meant

so much to her was incredible. I want to be able to show that much passion when I help people. I

want to be that determined when trying to find a solution to a problem. I want a fire to ignite

inside of me when I am doing what I love. In terms of what I have learned from this class, I will

take with me my ability to take control and go with the flow. I learned that the way I operate is

always going to be different than others. I learned this through the way I approached my
assignments and through the way I managed my assignments and time. As long it works for me,

I will not let other people tell me how to live my life.