During my first day of UWRT 1101 there were many questions stirring in my mind.

Some
questions were more specific than others. Should we bring our laptop to class every day? We have used
our computers to discuss recent blog posts and peer editing but other than that they are kept outside of
the classroom. Will you give us feedback on low stakes assignments that arent in our portfolio? I have
found that we dont often have low stakes assignments that really need feedback. When we do you
give us comments to help us in the future of our writing. Will we peer edit classmates work? Looking
back, this question seems ridiculous! Peer editing has been a huge part in 1101. It already has changed
the way I view my writing, as well as others. I can tell that peer workshops will be important as we
construct our portfolios. How will we change our views on writing? Writing reader response letters so
far has helped me view other outlooks on writing. How will we find our best writing process? This
question might never be answered because I feel you are always adapting and changing your style of
writing. It will however be more understand as the class progresses.
The habits of mind in the syllabus have been engaged throughout this half of the course.
Some however are confusing and may take some time to understand. Before 1101 I did not express
myself as I do now. In the first draft of my literacy narrative I was very focused on the construction of
the paper. I outlined it, planned and thought about it. It was well written according to my standards as
well as my groups. During the second draft we were encouraged to be more descriptive and personal. I
felt more relaxed when writing this draft. I began to express myself and get out of my comfort zone.
This draft well exceeded my previous draft without me even knowing. This also changed my view on the
revision process. Without my peer workshop I would have stuck with the non-expressive first draft. I
feel that critical thinking is a challenging concept. While reading the last chapter in our book it was hard
to understand where the author was coming from. You have to re-read and try to grasp the thoughts of
the writer. This is something I have struggled with because it is hard to adjust your perspective on
different ideas.
In my final draft I focused more on a personal level. I wanted the reader to be able to put
themselves in my place. When I went back to edit my second draft I added descriptions of this time in
my literacy life. My hands were frozen, hovering over the keys just waiting for a thought. This was
one of my favorite line as well as my peers because I know everyone has been in this position. I dont
think everyone knows exactly what to write every time. I also said, All that I could do was stare at my
text cursor as it blinked. Adding this helps the reader imagine how blank my mind was. I feel that
including more first person structure made it more of a narrative. The first draft of my literacy narrative
didnt really have a timeline or a story structure. It was stale and repetitive. Making these changes
made it more interesting to read. My peers said they could identify with my story because they have
also experienced not knowing what to write. When I write in my future I will make sure that I include
sensory details to grab the attention of the reader.
After looking at the fifth example of the e-Portfolio essay I can tell that she shows many rhetoric
factors. In her portfolio essay she uses rhetorical questions throughout her essay to make you think. As
I read I felt that she was telling me her story in person. She wrote in a first person style that really drew
me in to her journey of her writing skills. When talking about her exploratory essay she says how she
doesnt know what to write about at first. She uses phrases like for Gods sake. And I found diddly-
squat to show how confused she was by this assignment. She writes to describe her walk through her
1102 learning experience. Her purpose was to inform you on how she improved as a writer. The
audience can see the thoughts of her planning. This genre of this text is an e-portfolio. To make this
genre she made different sections for each assignment she had done. She used colors and pictures on
her weebly to organize and express herself. The organization was appealing and easy to follow for the
reader. When showing her exploratory essay she started at the top with her first draft. Then she shows
the progressions she made in peer editing to finalize the paper. Since she was an art major, her
portfolio focused on design and appeal. She clearly impacts the audiences understanding of her writing
process without having them read every assignment she has done. I think this e-Portfolio is successful
because of her ability to make you follow her journey.
So far in this course I have organized my e-portfolio in a way that is appealing to the reader. I
complete each assessment to my fullest ability. I have completed each blog post in a way that shows my
perspective to the topic. I enjoyed conveying my opinion and comparing it to the rest of the class. I feel
that I have made major improvements to my writing through the various workshops and small stakes
assignments. The reader of my portfolio would be able to understand my engagement during the first
half of the course. I was active in my peer workshop, giving helpful comments and corrections to my
peers. I have referenced my changes to my final narrative that show how I have improved. I have
become more personal in my writing which is something I have struggled with in the past. I have also
included what helped me develop critical thinking. Class discussions help me think and change my
perspective on writing cultures. I may seem quiet and shy in these settings but I am engaged in thought.
I feel that I would place myself at the above average exemplary scale. The first half of 1101 has
challenged my thought of writing and helped me develop new writing skills.