Guzman 1 Robert Guzman Mr.

Gardiakos 14 April 2013 ENC 1101 My Reflection on the Course When I signed up for this course, I had no idea what I was going to be learning throughout this semester. In this class, I was able to learn more on how to write properly and different writing styles. For example, when it comes to writing an annotated bibliography, I just thought that all it was writing a brief summary on whichever source was chosen. I also learned that in every source, there are rhetorical situations that had to be analyzed; for instance, sources state their information as claims and facts in order to favor their dispositions, even though they might not be in the first place. When I had to write a unit paper on any topic of my choice, I chose to write about Gun Control and Gun Bans. The purpose of that unit paper was to pick three sources that did not agree in their dispositions toward gun control and gun bans and analyze their statements rhetorically to see if they say them as facts or claims. Another purpose was to pick out the exigence, constraints and the audience of each source. After writing this unit paper, I learned that sources are not perfect and contain loopholes. When they try to get their message across to the audience, they are limited by constraints within the source; this is a reason to analyze a source rhetorically. It was easy to identify the sources exigence, which was basically their disposition toward gun control and gun bans. When trying to look for constraints within the article, I had to identify statements that limited the sources exigence, which did not favor in their disposition. Finding the audience of the source was contingent while having an understanding of who the source was trying to persuade or refer to.

Guzman 2 When I finished writing the unit paper, I had learned that a lot of sources will claim everything they say as a facts to favor their disposition. I gained a lot of experience when it comes to writing essays based on research from writing the first unit paper. From now on, I am not going to trust a source without analyzing their information rhetorically and picking out their exigence, constraints and targeted audience. The second unit paper I had to write was on how I had changed as a writer throughout the course. The purpose of this unit paper was to demonstrate how my writing was in the past and what I had learned so far in this course. While fulfilling the purpose of this second unit paper, I was able to make a lot of changes to the way I write and demonstrate the changes I had made. For example, before entering this course, I used to write by a strict set of rules without giving myself room for flexibility when writing. I had also learned what separates good writers from bad ones; this separation is that good writers do not set that many limitations on themselves unlike bad writers. In addition, I learned that well known writers had the same troubles as me when it comes to writing. For example, they go through processes of planning, incubation, and revision just as I do. These authors also write very bad first drafts and had to come up with multiple drafts in order for it become better writers. The only difference between them and me is the amount of time the both of us put into own writings. I gained a significant amount of experience when I wrote the second unit paper. It changed the way I view the writing process; because of this, I am a different writer than what I used to be thanks to this assignment. The third unit paper I had to write for this course was to pick a discourse community and how they possess the individual characteristics of what it is to be a discourse community. The discourse community I picked for this essay was based on the New England Patriots. To fulfill the purpose of this essay, I had to explain how and why the New England Patriots is considered a

Guzman 3 discourse community. I had to explain that the New England Patriots have their own set of common public goals, have ways of intercommunication amongst themselves, how they provide information and feedback, have their own genres to further their aims, how they have their own lexis, and they have their threshold level of expertise. While writing the third unit paper, I had learned the purpose was simple but quite long since I had to research the New England Patriots and how they fitted each trait of the discourse community. When I finished writing this unit paper, I revised it numerous times and brought it to the UCF writing center to guarantee a good grade for this essay. The third unit paper was helpful to me by allowing me to fully understand what a discourse community is and what separates it from the rest of the other communities. This class taught me a significant amount of information and allowed me to grow as a writer. I learned how to do better research online by utilizing New York Times as a source finder before I write an essay. I also developed a better sense of what MLA style is like and how it is different from the AP style format. I learned the basics on writing while being in this course. I am sure that in the future, I will have to apply everything that I have learned in this course and face more challenges. As a writer, my confidence has grown significantly as well. All the course readings and reading responses I was assigned to do, have helped make me become the writer I am today. I have gained so much knowledge and skill when it comes to writing thanks to this course.