Self-Assessment

ENC 1102 has taught me many different ways to write my papers and research
information. Over the semester I had to write rhetorical analysis papers along with
research papers that would eventually add up to the final paper. Along the way I learned
how to properly analyze an article and write about what the author of that article was
arguing. My writing wasnt as good as it is now because now I am able to express an
argument correctly by doing the practice writing that my professor had assigned me to
do. My papers really didnt have the proper flow to them that they should have and by
working in groups with other students I was able to understand the different ways to
place information in my papers to allow them to flow easily. I used the MLA format for
my papers and actually found that by taking ENC 1102 I was finally able to get the
formatting right when it came to writing my papers. I will be listing three different
learning outcomes that show that I have mastered them. I will not be listing the outcome
students will engage in a meaningful, dynamic, and inquiry-based research process
because in order to master the other three I would have already needed to understand this
learning outcome.

Students will read, analyze, and synthesize complex texts and incorporate multiple
kinds of evidence purposely in order to generate and support their writing.

From the beginning of the semester my professor assigned daily reading
responses that allowed me to practice my writing skills and discuss them with the class. I
found these reading responses to be very beneficial because I was able to read a topic and
successfully explain what it was about through the processes of writing by analyzing and
synthesizing complex texts. One of the reading responses required me to distinguish
between formal and informal writing. After reading the readings I define the difference
between formal and informal writing:

I have found that formal writing has a more important purpose and better structure
than informal writing. Formal writing has an argument to it in which the author is
trying to portray their position on something. Many of the formal writings Ive
seen and read about in the rhetoric From Critical Thinking to Argument start with
a thesis statement that presents the argument the author is stating.

Formal writing has a purpose and an argument compared to an informal text.

Students will produce complex, analytic, persuasive arguments that matter in
academic contexts.

In one assignment the class had to do a Rhetorical Analysis on one of our sources
that we are using for our research papers (Refer to the Revised Papers tab to view this
paper). In this assignment I learned how to pick apart an article and extract exactly what
the author was trying to express. Being able to divide the article to find the argument and
evidence allowed me to get a new perspective on how to write my paper as well. Another
assignment was the Research Dossier (refer to the Revised Papers tab to view this paper).
This assignment allowed me to introduce my topic, which is about the drones of the U.S.
Air Force, and to describe what I am doing to prepare my research paper by creating a
map of what, where, and how Im going to research. I also found that this paper allowed
me to find the most credible sources for my final research paper. You can see how my
writing is in my Final Argumentative Research Paper in the Revised Papers tab.

Students will demonstrate an awareness of the dynamic relationship between
rhetorical situation, discourse community, genre, and inquiry.

While analyzing my sources I learned the different types of arguments that the
authors used and which one I tend to use when writing my papers. There is the argument
style of Aristotle who had an argument and supported it with evidence and backed up the
claim. This style I found is more used when you dont consider the counter statements
against the claim. The others were the Rogerian and Toulmin styles of argument. I
learned that the Rogerian style was more of a way to negotiate to sides of an argument
and the Toulmin style was more of stating the claim, supporting it, and backing it up with
evidence and having a counter claim and supporting the original claim with evidence
against the counter claim. With all these new styles to choose from I felt that my papers
got better and better.

When working in groups during the semester, I was able to have my draft papers
peer reviewed and peer review my groups draft papers. This allowed me to gain skills in
how to accurately format my papers and know where to place the information that I have
gathered so that the reader can read and understand what I am writing. By working in
groups, I felt that the class was able to get a full range of views on the topics that we were
working on in class. Working in groups allowed me to gain skills in peer reviewing and
learn what could make my papers better when they were peer reviewed by my group.

Having to research information and gathering sources for my research paper have
been challenging for me before taking ENC 1102. I have researched for information
before but not like this since my topic for this research paper is on my future profession.
With my future profession being a career as an Officer in the U.S. Air Force I had to
make sure my sources were credible and from sources that regarded my topic only. I will
have to say that with this topic I have been able to attain better researching skills to write
my papers because this is one of my major discourse communities. Being able to
interview one of my superiors in my Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps
(AFROTC) was a pronounced achievement in my researching skills. Having an actual
interview to base information off of was one of my great achievements in writing this
research paper. My superior provided me with information about my subject that I was
only imagining could be true and with this information I was able to piece together a
really informative research paper.

Overall I feel that my writing has been successfully mastered throughout my
semester in ENC 1102. I have been receiving great grades for my assignments in class
and I feel that my improved writing skills have benefitted this outcome. Having
understood these learning outcomes I have managed to write excellent papers. There are
better writing skills that I have now mastered and can put to use for my future research
papers to come. As you look through my research paper and other writing assignments
you will be able to see my writing styles along with the different argument style of
writing I learned over the semester.