Li 1

Melissa Li
Jaya Dubey
Writing 39C
29 Apr 2014
Self Reflection
From completing Composition I, I now understand the complexity of the process of
generating a research-based composition. Each step of the process is valuable toward
creating the final product. Constructing a concise and clear thesis that addresses the
problem, causes, and effects is helpful for structuring the essay. The reverse outline has
helped to ensure that every paragraph corresponds to the thesis. Selecting a topic that
piques your interest and relates to the class theme is important. Conducting research
throughout the drafting process has helped to strengthen my arguments. Research is less
overwhelming when knowing specific keywords. As I broadened my research and began
to understand the historical context of my topic, I was able to start making connections.
Over the past 4 weeks, I have become more effective at pre-writing tasks. The process of
writing drafts has helped to stay focused throughout my paper and to solidify my
arguments. There were numerous revisions made for each draft. Evaluating sources is
crucial since it reflects the writers ethos. By examining the credibility of sources.
Writing annotations have made me critically analyze the text. During my composing
process, I experienced a moment when the light bulb suddenly illuminated when I was
having difficulties with one of my body paragraphs that addresses the effects of the
problem. After receiving feedback and further researching, I was able to dig deeper and
Li 2
reevaluate my claim. My introductory paragraph illustrates my growth and rhetorical
awareness since I address the historical context and show how the affordable housing
crisis is relevant and is a pressing concern.
Through the process of generating a multi-modal composition, I learned how to
effectively incorporate images and data in order to support my argument. This was the
first time where I created a multi-modal composition and so I experimented with different
components. By utilizing several multimodal elements such as pull quotes, images, and
info graphics, I was able add to the development of my composition. In this screen shot
of a previous peer review, I was provided with detailed feedback on ways to improve my
composition. My final version has been drastically altered compared to this previous draft
since I have a better understanding of what to look for. Having a different pair of eyes
viewing your paper is incredibly helpful.
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The revision process was challenging since there were many areas that I needed to
address. I continued to research and incorporated additional information after each
revision. After each peer revision and instructor feedback, I attempted to revise
accordingly. In the beginning stages, I lacked analysis and commentary, which caused
my sources to overpower my claims. Later on, I needed to add more context in order to
explain the relevance and to relate back to the issue of affordable housing. Revision is an
essential aspect in the process of generating my arguments and clarifying my ideas since
there were ideas that were overlooked or did not have sufficient explanation. The
feedback that I received from my instructor and peers helped with my entire composition.
There were some parts of my paper that was unclear. I was able to strengthen my claims
through several revisions. The revision process was the most helpful part of generating a
research-based composition.