Deirdre McCaffrey

Mr. Pacia

Civics

28 May 2018

Writing Styles

The final portion of my portfolio is the writing styles section. This section takes some of

my best writing and puts it together. I am not the best writer, but these works meet the

requirements of the category. The first is one from the Hobbes vs. Locke assignment. I really

liked this work, as it created and defended different theories and arguments made by the

philosophers. . The second is an assignment pertaining to Plato’s Allegory of the Cave. The third

discusses the Declaration of Independence. I feel this was one of my weaker categories in the

portfolio.

Discussing the theologians and philosophy is not a difficult task, whoever for me it is one

of the most daunting and antagonizing aspects of civics. As I mentioned, it is not a difficult task

however the assignment required a deeper understanding of the philosophy and how theologians

portray their ideas throughout their works. I provided evidence to support specific details about

both Hobbes and Locke. In this assignment I had to take a stance as to which philosopher I

believed had the most effective way of ruling. This is my favorite essay I wrote all semester, and

it best showcases my skill set. The assignment, although it may not have been an essay that I

was ecstatic to write, was still an exceptional piece. I also came to the conclusion that in order to

show how the philosophers have viewed their philosophies in their own lives, they need to write

down their accounts so that there is evidence of accuracy. This concise work shows reflection in
my writing. My assignment pertaining to Plato’s Allegory of the Cave was a piece that I believe

really portrayed the use of reflection throughout the semester. I came to the conclusion while

reading it that many of the works from philosophers need to be summarized and reflected back

on in order for them to be more understandable. The final piece in my entire reflection is one on

the Declaration of Independence. Since turning in the assignment originally, I have revised the

assignment quite a bit from its original state. I think that it has a better structure now with the

improvements. I chose this assignment because I thought I made good revisions and edits on it.

Another reason I chose this assignment was because it had the reader look throughout the works

to find accuracy and relevance toward today.

Writing is a skill built upon since one can hold a pencil. It is developed overtime.

Overall, I am proud of my writing as it represents a great deal of time and energy. I executed the

skills of defending arguments, reflection, and revision in my work this semester. All three chosen

works: Hobbes vs. Locke, Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, and the Declaration of Independence,

together have these attributes. I feel that the difference in my writing over this semester is

evident, so I consider this category a personal success.