Reflection on Open Letter Draft

In this blog post, I will reflect on what my peers commented and suggested regarding my course final draft by following the bullets points listed in Student's Guide on page 78-79. I will also be explaining what I have learned from the peer review process and about my own draft by answering the list of questions posed on pages 253-6.

I peer reviewed Sam's and Bre's drafts of their course finals. I included comments on their drafts regarding content, grammar, phrasing and more. Overall, their drafts were very well written and they seem to have a good grasp on this assignment!

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"Revision" Questions:

1. Did you demonstrate an ability to think about your writing and yourself as a writer?

Yes, I was able to think about my overall writing skills as I revised and wrote my first draft. I was able to think and reflect upon what kind of writer I am and have become, as I started this semester a "heavy reviser." During the revision process, I recognized some mistakes that I always tend to make while writing, including the excessive use of commas, extra words and a few run-on sentences. None of these things came as a shock to me, because I seem to revise these certain things a lot.

2. Did you provide analysis of your experiences, writing assignments, or concepts you have learned?

I was able to evaluate and reflect upon this semester and this specific course. I was able to add and further develop my ideas and thoughts regarding what I have learned, including how to manage my time and homework, how to plan and pre-write and how to appropriately approach and use a new genre. I also got to reflect upon what I learned within each specific project and what sorts of work was included in those assignments.

3. Did you provide concrete examples from your own writing (either quotes from your writing or rich descriptions of your writing process?)

Yes, I actually included both within my letter. I wanted to make sure that I had a few quotes from past blog posts and also paraphrase certain assignments and personal thoughts that could be useful with the purpose of this letter.

4. Did you explain why you made certain choices and whether those choices were effective?

Yes, I did. I was able to identify the choices that I have made and the progress that I have made, regarding my writing and time management skills. I was also able to identify the reasons why these choices were effective. For example, I realized over the course of this semester that I cannot leave work to be done the day it is due. This is because I get too stressed and overwhelmed, and I end up turning in a project or assignment that I am not proud or happy about.

--Jenny Bello

Draft of Open Letter

In this blog post, I will include a link to my first draft of my letter to my professor and fellow classmates. The letter serves as a reflection to what I have learned over the course of this semester, while also looking forward to what I hope to continue to improve upon in my upcoming classes.

This is a rough draft. I hope to improve upon this greatly, in terms of content, hyperlinks, vocabulary and more, so please, give me some grace. However, I hope that my general ideas and thoughts are clear. Let me know what you all think!

Denise Womack-Avila. "Would you mind getting the mail?" 07/16/2009 via Flickr.
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--Jenny Bello

To Professor Bottai: I peer reviewed Sam's and Bre's final projects.

Reflecting More on My Writing Experiences

In this blog post, I will be answering questions that allow me to reflect on this course and this semester as a student. I will be keeping my previous assignments and blog posts in mind as I write this blog post.

1. What were the biggest challenges you faced this semester, overall?

I think the biggest challenge for me was setting aside enough time each day to complete what I needed to, whether it was homework or club related. Also, I think I also set unrealistic expectations for myself for the things that I needed to get done in one day. Next semester, I am sure that I will know my capabilities in regards to homework and other things, and I will set realistic to-do lists.

2. What did you learn this semester about your own time management, writing and editorial skills?

I learned that the best time management strategy for me is to chip a little away at an assignment everyday, instead of saving it for the weekend. (Unfortunately, I have had to learn this the hard way, multiple times.) I also learned that my writing process is more successful with some form of pre-writing. I identified my writing process style as "heavy reviser," but I hope that I keep some of the pre-writing strategies that I have learned and practiced in this course.

3. What do you know about the concept of "genre?" Explain how understanding the concept is central to being a more effective writer.

In this class, I got to explore a lot of genres and learn about the conventions of each one. I really appreciate how we did this, and how I got to write and examine a specific article in several different genres, because it definitely improved my writing skills. On top of content, genres also consider formatting, style and tone of voice. Understanding this concept opens many doors to a writer, because they can appeal to a specific audience and topic more appropriately, within a genre.

4. What skills from this course might you use and/or develop further in the next few years of college coursework?

As I said earlier in this blog post, I am thankful that I have learned and practiced the art of pre-writing. In my blog post titled "Revisiting My Writing Process," I said, "I definitely have some more work to do with the first stages of writing, which I will have plenty of time to practice and try out in my papers to come," (Bello).

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5. What was your most effective moment from this semester in 109H?

I think my "most effective moment" was learning and actually writing in so many different platforms and genres. I feel accustomed to several genres, which will come in handy in the years to come, especially in college. I now can identify different conventions, audiences, tones of voices and formatting choices for at least three different genres.

6. What was your least effective moment from this semester in 109H?

My least effective moment was struggling with time management in the beginning of the semester. I would save or put off my homework from this class until Friday or Saturday, which is the least effective thing I could have done. I definitely learned my lesson, after several breakdowns and late nights.

--Jenny Bello

Revisiting My Writing Process

In this blog post, I will read over and reflect on my first two blog posts, "My Writing Process" and "Calendar Reflection." I will identify what has changed over the course of this semester and what aspects have stayed the same.

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In my very first blog post, titled "My Writing Process," I identified myself as a heavy reviser, because I "do not plan ahead when I write, unless it is absolutely necessary," (Bello). I would consider myself to still fundamentally be a heavy reviser, however, I think I am growing more accustomed to planning ahead and pre-writing. This course forced me to plan and pre-write, because each task in the deadlines was a step towards writing.

I definitely have some more work to do with the first stages of writing, which I will have plenty of time to practice and try out in my papers to come. In my semesters and years to come, I know that I will still fall back into the heavy revision writing process, but I will also pre-write more than I ever have. I now see the value in pre-writing, so I hope that I can adopt that into my work ethic.

In my second blog post, titled "Calendar Reflection," I discussed time management and what I want my semester to look like. I listed off a few tips to help me focus on my classwork and assignments, which I seemed to practice and use, coincidentally. However, reading this blog post makes me realize that I didn't know what I was up against in college. 

I seemed to think that setting around 2 hours a night to do homework was going to suffice, and while some days it does, somedays that is not nearly enough. I also tried to tell myself that saying no to activities and hanging out with friends to do homework was a thing I need to learn how to do. I have practiced this on some specific occasions, however, I need to learn how to manage my free time a bit better. The time that I am not with friends, or at a club, event or outing, I need to focus on finishing my work, instead of piling it onto Sunday afternoons. 

I have become extremely more efficient, however. I know that I can finish a blog post in around 20-30 minutes, depending on what it is discussing, whereas, at the beginning of the semester it took me closer to an hour to complete. I also know that I can use my mornings to do homework. Something about waking up, grabbing a cup of coffee and sitting back in bed to do homework is relaxing and an easy way to start the day. For future reference, I need to take advantage of this. 

After this course and this semester, I know that I am motivated to complete my homework early, if I put my mind to it. I used to save a lot of this course work for Saturdays, which is the least helpful thing that I have done for myself all semester. However, I know I can accomplish so much more if I do a little each day, even if I only work for thirty minutes. 

This strategy, doing a little each day, is going to make my life so much easier, if I stick to it. It will help me, not only in my future college courses, but also in my future career. I am grateful for this course because it allowed me to discover what works and what does not, regarding my writing process and my time management.

--Jenny Bello

Reflection on Project 3

In this blog post, I will be including answers to the questions posed in Writing Public Lives on page 520. I will be reflecting on my public argument.

"Reflecting on Your Own Revision Process"

1. What was specifically revised from one draft to another?

Between my drafts, I revised mostly the wording of my sentences and the organization of my editorial. From the start, the general ideas that I wanted to include were there, but they were not presented in a very effective way.

2. Point to global changes: how did you reconsider your thesis or organization?

Throughout my writing process, my thesis and purpose of my writing remained the same. However, my organization changed. I started by writing about the issues with the program in a sequence, but my final draft was organized by the groups of people that the standards affected, and how those groups of people were affected.

3. What led you to these changes? A reconsideration of audience? A shift in purpose?

These changes were not brought on by either of these things, but were simply added in because I wanted to address and recognize all the people that I thought were significant in this particular issue. My purpose might have changed slightly, from "look at all the bad things Common Core has done" to "look at all the people that have been affected by Common Core and what they have to say about it." I hope I achieved this purpose.

4. How do these changes affect your credibility as an author?

I think these changes help my writing and my credibility, especially since I am writing in an editorial genre. Since I incorporate more personal accounts of people, my argument is coming off more credible to my audience.

Viola's Visions. "Reflections." 06/01/2014 via Flickr.
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5. How will these changes better address the audience or venue?

Like I said, I think that since this is an editorial, these changes are appropriate. Also, I think that I can better include my audience with these changes, because I now include information and accounts that they can relate to, on different levels.

6. Point to local changes: how did you reconsider sentence structures and style?

Over the course of several drafts, I added my own personal voice and style into the editorial, slowly but surely. I included more personal pronouns and opinions, as well as personal statements about the topic itself.

7. How will these changes help assist your audience in understanding your purpose?

These changes will help my audience to understand my purpose better because I provide a clearer picture of the affects of the program at large. My purpose is to present how the Common Core is hurting and not helping our education system, and by giving various accounts of the different groups of people affected by the standards, I am able to accomplish my purpose.

8. Did you have to reconsider the conventions of the particular genre in which you are writing?

Over a few drafts, I had to include more and more conventions of the editorial genre, including more hyperlinks to my sources, a more personal style and tone and various formatting changes, such as my profile picture and captions under the photos.

9. Finally, how does the process of reflection help you to reconsider your identity as a writer?

Through the process of reflection, I am able to identify my strengths and weaknesses as a writer. I am not only reflecting on my writing process, but how my writing and my ideas have evolved over the course of this paper. I am able to identify the things I need to improve on, such as incorporating my style and tone into my writing in a professional way. I am also able to identify the things that I have already done well. The process of reflection allows me to look back on my writing, but also to the future.

--Jenny Bello

Publishing Public Argument

In this blog post, I will publish my finalized public argument. I will also be including information regarding how well I thought I did on my project, that will be used in the future as a foundation for a rubric.

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Here is my final draft of Project 3, which I uploaded as a PDF for formatting purposes.
I also included my most recent version in Google Docs in order to access the hyperlinks, however the formatting is off and there are no pictures in this version. Enjoy!

1. Mark with an "x" where you feel your target audience currently stands on the issue (before reading/watching/hearing your argument) below:

←----------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------->

Strongly                                           X Totally neutral                                                   Strongly

agree                                                                                                                          disagree

2. Now mark with an "x" where you feel your target audience should be (after they've read/watched/heard your argument) below:

←----------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------->

Strongly                             X               Totally neutral                                                   Strongly

agree                                                                                                                          disagree

3. Check one (and only one) of the argument types below for your public argument:

         _______ My public argument establishes an original pro position on an issue of debate.

         ____X___ My public argument establishes an original con position on an issue of debate.

         _______ My public argument clarifies the causes for a problem that is being debated.

         _______ My public argument proposes a solution for a problem that is being debated.

         _______ My public argument positively evaluate a specific solution or policy under debate (and clearly identifies the idea I'm supporting).

         _______ My public argument openly refutes a specific solution or policy under debate (and clearly identifies the idea I'm refuting).

4. Briefly explain how your public argument doesn’t simply restate information from other sources, but provides original context and insight into the situation:

While many other sources seem to focus on one particular group of people that are being affected by Common Core, like parents, educators and students, I included information regarding all three of these groups. I also include a personal aspect into the argument as well, as I give my personal insight into my experience with the program. Additionally, I have tried to alter the statistics that I have found in my research and present them with a deeper and more emotional context, to stir a sense of empathy in my audience. 

5. Identify the specific rhetorical appeals you believe you've employed in your public argument below:

Ethical or credibility-establishing appeals

                    ___X__ Telling personal stories that establish a credible point-of-view

                    ___X__ Referring to credible sources (established journalism, credentialed experts, etc.)

                    __X___ Employing carefully chosen key words or phrases that demonstrate you are credible (proper terminology, strong but clear vocabulary, etc.)

                    __X___ Adopting a tone that is inviting and trustworthy rather than distancing or alienating

                    ___X__ Arranging visual elements properly (not employing watermarked images, cropping images carefully, avoiding sloppy presentation)

                    __x___ Establishing your own public image in an inviting way (using an appropriate images of yourself, if you appear on camera dressing in a warm or friendly or professional manner, appearing against a background that’s welcoming or credibility-establishing)

                    ___X__ Sharing any personal expertise you may possess about the subject (your identity as a student in your discipline affords you some authority here)

                    _____ Openly acknowledging counterarguments and refuting them intelligently

                    _____ Appealing openly to the values and beliefs shared by the audience (remember that the website/platform/YouTube channel your argument is designed for helps determine the kind of audience who will encounter your piece)

                    _____ Other: 

Emotional appeals

                    __X___ Telling personal stories that create an appropriate emotional impact for the debate

                    ___X__ Telling emotionally compelling narratives drawn from history and/or the current culture

                    _____ Employing the repetition of key words or phrases that create an appropriate emotional impact

                    __X___ Employing an appropriate level of formality for the subject matter (through appearance, formatting, style of language, etc.)

                    _____ Appropriate use of humor for subject matter, platform/website, audience

                    ___X__ Use of “shocking” statistics in order to underline a specific point

                    __X___ Use of imagery to create an appropriate emotional impact for the debate

                    _____ Employing an attractive color palette that sets an appropriate emotional tone (no clashing or ‘ugly’ colors, no overuse of too many variant colors, etc.)

                    _____ Use of music to create an appropriate emotional impact for the debate

                    _____ Use of sound effects to create an appropriate emotional impact for the debate

                    __X__ Employing an engaging and appropriate tone of voice for the debate

                    _____ Other:

Logical or rational appeals

                    ___X__ Using historical records from credible sources in order to establish precedents, trends, or patterns

                    __X___ Using statistics from credible sources in order to establish precedents, trends, or patterns

                    _____ Using interviews from stakeholders that help affirm your stance or position

                    _____ Using expert opinions that help affirm your stance or position

                    __X___ Effective organization of elements, images, text, etc.

                    _____ Clear transitions between different sections of the argument (by using title cards, interstitial music, voiceover, etc.)

                    _X____ Crafted sequencing of images/text/content in order to make linear arguments

                    _____ Intentional emphasis on specific images/text/content in order to strengthen argument

                    _____ Careful design of size/color relationships between objects to effectively direct the viewer’s attention/gaze (for visual arguments)

                    _____ Other: 

6. Below, provide us with working hyperlinks to THREE good examples of the genre you've chosen to write in. These examples can come from Blog Post 11.3 or they can be new examples. But they should all come from the same specific website/platform and should demonstrate the conventions for your piece:

The New York Times Op-Editorials:

Op-ed example #1
Op-ed example #2
Op-ed example #3

--Jenny Bello

Reflection on Project 3

In this blog post, I will discuss whose work I peer reviewed and who reviewed mine. I will offer my own personal insight on how I feel with my project and its' revisions.

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I peer reviewed Annelise's and Tom's projects, both of which were very good and very different. Annelise is choosing to write a listicle for this project, while Tom is writing a blog post.

Regarding my own project, I will be answering the some questions:

1. Who reviewed your Project 3 draft?

Tom Cortez reviewed my Project 3 draft.

2. What did you think and/or feel about the feedback you received? Be explicit and clear. Tell me what helped or what confused you about the feedback you got.

Tom did a really good job about being specific regarding what worked and what did not work in my argument. He pointed out a few things that really struck him as persuasive, making me feel more confident about my work. I really appreciated pointed out minor details that seemed to be a little off, whether it was about the formatting or about my argument.

3. What aspects of Project 3 need the most work going forward? How do you plan on addressing these areas?

I personally feel like I need to work on Purpose the most because I feel I am not consistent when I am arguing. Some of my points come across as solution-based, while I am trying to present a con argument. I plan on addressing this issue by evaluating and revising my language and my presentation of my ideas in order to come across more clearly.

4. How are you feeling overall about the direction of your project after teacher conferences and peer review?

I am feeling confident in my editorial, even though I know I have some revising to do. I left my teacher conference feeling very encouraged about the state of my project and I was anxious to see where it could go. Also, I know now that my argument and the points I am trying to make are understandable to an audience, so that is encouraging too.

--Jenny Bello