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In ENC 1102 I have been able to expand my knowledge of rhetorical analysis from my
previous 1101 class. For example, the multiple reading assignments and responses I was assigned
to complete throughout the entirety of this course allowed me to read, analyze, and synthesize
complex texts and incorporate multiple kinds of evidence purposefully in order to generate and
support writing. In those responses I also gave back comprehensive rhetorical and analytical
feedback on my views from the article as well as commented on my fellow classmates responses
as well. In class we generally tied these readings to discourse communities and further expanded
on the previous weeks reading. Through the next major assignment is where I would learn and
put to practice the majority of my learning from the class. Near the second half of the semester
we began research for our research paper that would be due at the end of the semester. This
research paper would test everything we had learned and continued to learn throughout the class.
Discourse communities discussed, references rhetorically analyzed, constant peer reviews of
papers, and persuasive strategies practiced to help support positions are examples of many of the
learning outcomes used all in effort to put together this final augmentative research paper.
At every class meeting we were given useful tools, advice, and insight on how to
effectively research a topic. Through this research I found several complex texts relative to my
topic of my research paper. This helped me to engage in meaningful, dynamic, and inquiry-based
research process on the texts that I would be analyzing for use in supporting argumentative
evidence to support both my side and the other perspectives mentioned in my research paper.
During classes I learned valuable techniques for supporting my argument, and how to effectively
argue. I was also taught that to have a successful argument you must look at more than one

perspective. This was definitely put into practice during my research paper when I incorporated
three different perspectives into my paper.
Through the multiple articles that we were assigned to read as a part of this class I have
been able to asses not only how other writers structure their writing, but I was also able to create
a deep understanding of the rhetorical analysis process. In A Rhetoricians View, a particular
article that I found particularly interesting. For example, I quote in my reading response to this
article that this article expanded on all of those points and something that really stood out to me
were these three bullet points, Who is publishing the message? In what medium is it published?
How has the message been adapted to suit the medium in which it is published?". (373) This still
stand out to me, and every time I am reading an academic or even fictional text I find myself
asking these questions to myself. This allows my mind to wander and truly get an idea for what
the author is trying to tell us.
Furthermore, the article in the book Writing about Writing, titled, Responding--Really
Responding--to Other Students' Writing by Richard Straub, gave me a better understanding of
peer evaluations. One thing that I feel this class emphasized on was peer evaluation, and this
article really helped me to understand what makes up a good and constructive peer evaluation.
Things such as leaving comments next to the source, asking questions to the writer, and offering
some praise with explanations really came through in the peer evaluations that were soon to
come. These are all comments that were mentioned in my reading response 14 assignment for
my classmates to see and discuss on our online discussions that were held biweekly for a decent
portion of the semester.

The research paper was a semester long project for this class. We began searching for
topics in early February. Many hours were spent gathering ideas, questions, perspectives, and
sources to solidify our soon to be research paper. Our research papers were ideally based upon
what we were majoring in. As an aspiring aerospace engineer myself, I thought what I could do a
research paper on with respect to engineering, more specifically, aerospace engineering. With
that I was able to base my paper on getting a job in engineering. With three different perspectives
such as, internships to jobs, getting good grades for an impressive resume, and joining university
clubs to build college resumes in hopes of acquiring a job in the field of engineering.
With the research I was able to complete in the universities computer lab during my class
trip to the library, combined with my at home research I was able to come up with a list of 30
sources that were possibilities to use for my research paper. A research dossier was written with
the main purpose of my research paper, thesis statement, timeline, and annotated bibliography of
all 30 sources. Each annotated source had a brief rhetorical analysis of the text in a short
summary. This enabled me to practice both my ability to rhetorically analyze texts and separate
them between their discourse communities, genre, and inquiries.
Outlines had been made, proposals proposed, and finally it came time to write the paper
itself. Although this was no easy feat. Set at a minimum of 2000 words I had a hefty fear I was
up against with nowhere to turn but the keys. Luckily with all of the preparation we had done in
class I had a decent groundwork to base off of. In no time at all I had written the first few pages,
flipping back and forth through sources, looking for arguing points, charts and data analyzed and
my fingers were typing away. Just after the 2000 mark I had finished my first draft of my
research paper. It was submitted for peer review as I peer reviewed two of my fellow classmates

research papers. Giving them insight on how the reader feels when they first read this paper.
What sentences are they stumbling on, what confusion is present, what should they do to make
this paper better. For each paper I reviewed I left at least ten comments per paper along with a
final comment at the end to sum up my findings and points on the paper. Likewise, my paper was
revised by two of my classmates and the same quality and criticism was reciprocated. It was then
time to start my second draft. Taking into consideration all of the notes that my classmates had
left me I was able to improve my essay dramatically. Adding in sources to back up my claim in
spots that they felt were weak was one of my editions that I felt really strengthened the
credibility and solidity of my research paper. I was excited to know that all this work through this
past semester was all being put into practice as I executed these peer reviews, and persuaded the
reader through rhetorical dialogue to view my argument as valid.
The next step in the process of the research paper was a group meeting with my professor
Dr. Guenzel. This is where as a group of four, our professor had us come and have a meeting
with him to individually talk with him about our papers. He took an even amount of time with all
of us going over our weak points and helping us to solidify our papers even more so after our
peer reviews. Prior to our meeting we were asked to highlight different areas of our papers. Such
as sources, quotations, thesis statements, this made it very easy to navigate through the papers as
our professor searched for the main points in our papers. This also helped me to see what I had a
surplus and lack of. Which really helped me to fill in some blanks that I had left out.
Finally after one more peer revision it was time to write the final draft where all of what I
had learned this past semester will be reflected. The rhetorical analysis I did on the multiple
sources will certainly shine. The sheer amount of research, number of sources, and the depth in

which I go into these sources will be directly related to the credibility of this paper. All of the
effort to show the complex, analytic, persuasive arguments that matter in academic contexts of
my research paper will come out here. The peer revisions have gotten me this far in helping me
with my editing and sentence fluency, but now is the time to put all this on the line and submit it
for grading. The true test of this entire semester and what I have learned is all reflected in this
paper and I believe any reader who even skims my research paper will see that all of these
qualities come to life in a flurry of dynamic rhetorical texts, and persuasive argumentative art.