Writing 121 Portfolio Reflection

 

I am a skilled source finder; I know how to identify reliable sources. This was a very useful skill when it came to writing the research persuasive paper. In this course I was able to learn a little more about what is considered reliable for different levels of audience. This is very important to be able to distinguish between each level.

 

Another strength I have is writing decent hooks. Engaging the audience is an important aspect of persuasive writing. I try my best to avoid the “forbidden” hooks; this course has given me clear guidelines to use when beginning the process of writing the essay.

 

I consider it a strength that I can maintain a formal voice when writing a research paper. It is important to use a formal tone when addressing a managerial or expert audience.

 

I improved my use of outline. Though I do make a quick list of the themes I want to cover in the essay, the course requiring an outline pushed me to prepare my essays with more detail. It really did make my writing easier and faster! I also learned to analyze my sentence structure so that I can make my sentences varied and more effective in conveying the message of my essay.

 

Something I need to improve is using pathos, ethos, and logos in my writing. I tend to focus on one appeal instead of balancing all them to make a compelling argument. I hope that by reading articles from magazines and online websites I can identify other writers’ use of these appeals, I can imitate them.