Bridget Callahan

Self-Assessment
April 30, 2015
E-portfolio
Self-Assessment
"Writing is like exploration; you start from nothing and learn as you go." -E.L. Doctorow
I entered my ENC1102 with excitement on January 15, 2015. I had been looking forward
to taking this class since leaving Professor Guenzels classroom the previous semester. I gained
a handful of knowledge on rhetoric, discourse communities, and the writing process through out
my first smelter of college and I was eager to learn more. I learned many things in ENC1101 that
were of assistance in my research paper for ENC1102. Luckily, I was graced with the same
professor, Professor Guenzel, who I had already been familiar with which made entering my
second semester much. Transitioning from teacher to teacher would have been a challenge due
to my stressful and eventful spring semester, so I am very fortunate to have enrolled in
Professor Guenzels class this spring. In ENC1102, my attendance affected the amount of
information I could have retained, however, I did learn much about certain writing techniques
and methods, effective peer-reviewing methods, and about the Rogerian Argument, each
assisting me in my research paper. At the end of ENC1102, each student should have mastered
five outcomes through out their journey. I am now knowledgeable of the four out of five learning
outcomes: how to engage in meaningful, dynamic, and inquiry based research process, how to
produce complex, analytic, and persuasive arguments that matter in academic contexts, how to

read, analyze, and synthesize complex texts and incorporate multiple kinds of evidence
purposefully in order to generate and support writing, and lastly, I learned how to develop
flexible strategies for revising, editing, and proof-reading writing. These four outcomes were
obtained throughout the my journey through ENC1102 and I can confidently say that I have
become a better writer, reader, analyzer, and a student.
According to The Everyday Writer, one of the five outcomes is, Students will engage in a
meaningful, dynamic, and inquiry-based research process (UCF-7). This means that in order to
have a complete and reliable research process it is essential to have a research question that
requires depth to find either a solution or answer. Finding a research question for my
argumentative paper proves my success in this outcome. I, at first, was planning on researching
topics about my major, Business Management, and began my research on this topic. However,
after suddenly declaring a new major, I decided I wanted to research a topic having to do with
athletics. Do to unfortunate events that were occurring in our athletic department, I decided I
wanted to research drug issues within collegiate institutions. After a week or so, I felt as if that
would be way to broad and I am also unfamiliar with drugs. Therefore, after long consideration, I
decided to change my research to binge drinking and college athletics.
Confirmation that I understand this outcome is the way I framed my final research question,
which is, like previously stated, binge drinking and college athletics.
Another outcome I believe to have mastered is Students will produce complex, analytic,
and persuasive arguments that matter in academic contexts (UCF-7). This means that through
our research process, we have been able to mend together three different arguments for our

Argumentative paper. With that being said, I think that due to my absences in this class, this is
the outcome I had the most trouble mastering. I was unsure of what the Rogerian argument was
which lead to confusion in writing my research paper. However, after reading A Psychologists
View: Rogerian Argument in CTA, I learned what the Rogerian Argument is all about and what it
consists of. The Rogerian Argument consists of these outlooks on reading. One can show
sympathetic understanding of the opposing argument, one can recognize what is valid in it, and
one can recognize and demonstrate that those who take the other side are nonetheless persons
of goodwill (Rodgers 358). Rodgers states that in the first part of an argumentative essay you
should state the problem, give the opponents position, and grant whatever validity the writer
finds in that position for instance, will recognize the circumstances in which the position would
indeed be acceptable (Rodgers 359). Knowing this information written by Rodgers has helped
me right any kind of letter or paper directed toward any kind of audience. Rogers talks about
listening well to people and understanding the other persons point of view. With this method, I
have been able to execute one of the five outcomes and my argumentative research paper to
my utmost potential.
Another one of the five outcomes given to us by The Everyday Writer, is Students will
read, analyze, and synthesize complex texts and incorporate multiple kinds of evidence
purposefully in order to generate and support writing (UCF-7). I did not perform to my fullest
potential in this outcome, however, I am fully aware and capable of doing so. In my research, I
believe I had many reliable sources to back up my evidence in the claims I was making. For
example, I provided my audience with multiple scholarly articles in regards to alcohol, student-

athletes, and binge-drinking. In reading responses, I think I slacked in this outcome. I did read
and analyze the texts to the best of my ability; however, I slacked in providing purposeful
evidence due to being rushed or just being lazy. As a student and writer, I tend to procrastinate
very much. This poor habit does not assist in my ability to fully read, analyze, and understand
texts. Nonetheless, I do believe that my transition from ENC1101 to ENC1102 was a positive
one in the read and analyzation of text category.
The fourth and final outcome, I believe to have become proficient in is, Students learned
how to develop flexible strategies for revising, editing, and proof-reading writing (CTA-7). This
means that as writers, we have successfully learned how different methods of peer-review,
editing and revision, and have properly put them to use. Since ENC1101, I have learned more
in-depth about certain methods one can use when revising and editing. For example, I learned
how to better peer-review others work such as handing out much more constructive criticism,
rather than completely trying to change their work. In ENC1101, my peer-reviewing skills
consisted of fixing a word, telling the author to indent where needed, and correcting their citing.
However, after reading Critical Thinking to Argument and consistently peer-reviewing my peers
texts, I saw drastic change. I began posting comments on sentences and giving proper feedback
and my opinion on certain pieces of writing. I realized that holding back is not only hurting
yourself because you are learning through the authors writing, but it is hurting the author
themselves.
With these four methods I have encountered and learned, I believe that I have become a
better writer in ENC1102. I am now knowledgeable of the four out of five learning outcomes:

how to engage in meaningful, dynamic, and inquiry based research process, how to produce
complex, analytic, and persuasive arguments that matter in academic contexts, how to read,
analyze, and synthesize complex texts and incorporate multiple kinds of evidence purposefully
in order to generate and support writing, and lastly, I learned how to develop flexible strategies
for revising, editing, and proof-reading writing. Performing these methods to the best of my
ability was extremely challenging due to my lack of participation not only in class, but online. I
was a poor-student who showed no care or effort towards the end of the semester and never
showed up to class. I feel as if though I have only failed myself as a writer by not taking full
advantage of the opportunity given to me to fully grasp the individual outcomes of this class like
my fellow peers I am sure have. However, I did retain vital information that has and will assist
me in my future of writing. Aside from the outcomes, I retained a lot of new information,
strategies, and methods this semester each assisting in the development of my research paper.
This information includes certain writing techniques and methods, effective peer-reviewing
methods, and about the Rogerian Argument. In conclusion, I do wish I could have participated in
ever class period and discussion in ENC1102. The whole semester was a complete roller
coaster consisting of me being on top of things in class at one point to almost giving up and
failing at the end of the semester. I learned many important concepts to aid in my writing
process and in my development as a student that I will be able to take with me on my journey
through out the next few years at the University of Central Florida.