Kiara Turner

Mrs. Thomas

UWRT-1104

12 Feb. 2020

1. Rhetorical Knowledge

Proficient writers use rhetorical knowledge by classifying and implementing strategies

amongst different texts and written works. When using rhetorical knowledge, writers can

make connections to themes and ideas of written works. This is an important skill to have

because many texts share similar themes. Noticing the connections across texts can help

individuals become better writers.

The image above is my work from Studio 3, which taught me more about rhetoric and its

uses. Rhetoric is used in three forms: ethos, pathos and logos. Ethos is based on

credibility; pathos is based on emotion and logos is based on logic. These three forms of

rhetoric can be found in many books, articles, and even commercials. Rhetoric is used to

persuade the audience, and it’s frequently used in media that we see every day. The

assignment above required me to find which forms of rhetoric were being used in two

commercials. Using rhetorical knowledge helped me to answer question number four on

the above post. Using rhetoric, I was able to identify pathos in both commercials. They

both aim to bring out certain emotions through the messages presented in their videos.

For example, the first commercial gave the viewer a feeling of humorous fright while the

second commercial aimed to make Americans feel pride. While they both used the
 rhetorical device of pathos, both commercials varied greatly from one another. Without

rhetorical knowledge, I wouldn’t have seen the commercials for their true purpose.

Rhetoric enables writers to see the purpose, audience, genre and exigence within written

text or media. As a writer myself, rhetoric can help me to shape my paper or work to fit

whichever situation I need it for. For instance, if I was writing a paper aimed towards

middle school readers, I’d use simpler language for them to understand. This is only one

of many ways rhetoric can be used as an essential tool in writing.

2. Critical Reading

Proficient writers use critical reading by thoroughly analyzing information in each text.

When reading critically, writers think outside of what the text says. They look for overall

themes and deeper meanings. This includes making connections, examining textual

evidence and drawing in prior knowledge from other subjects. Critical reading is crucial

because most meanings in texts aren’t fully explained word for word. Sometimes writers

need to draw their own conclusions and ideas to make sense of what they’re reading.

Researching for a project is a good example of where critical reading can be used. If you

look up information for your project, you need reliable sources to base research off.

Critically reading the sources can help to determine if they would be useful to your

project or not.
The image above is from the article Read, Then Write by Marty Minchin. This article described

how to read critically and the benefits of doing so. At first, this article had some areas that were

hard to understand. In order to learn about reading critically, I had to critically read the article
itself. After reading the article in depth, I realized that the author told the story of her own

struggle with critical reading. I was able to relate to her struggle which in turn helped me gain a

better understanding of what critical reading was. One way I learned to read critically is to take

time with the text you read. Re-reading and making notes of the text can greatly benefit the

reader. This ensures that you take the time to fully analyze the text to find its true meaning.

3. Knowledge of Conventions

Proficient writers use their knowledge of conventions by using correct grammar,

punctuation and spelling in their work. This may seem simple enough, but many writers

misuse the different conventions of the English language. Using incorrect conventions

can have a negative impact on a writer’s work. For example, incorrect spelling can

greatly diminish the credibility of a writer. Things such as grammar make a large impact

on the text. Another example is with using the words there, their, and they’re. Using the

wrong word is another way one’s credibility can be damaged.

The image above is from my synthesis. This part of my synthesis describes the summary of

research I found about depression in elderly individuals. In the first sentence, I made sure to

italicize the title of the book while using the possessive form of their. Throughout the paragraph,

I incorporated commas and capitalization where it was needed. Additionally, I used periods to

break up my sentences, leaving no room for run on sentences. The transition words that I used

helped to make the change between sentences smoother. At the end of my paragraph, I added a

small introduction sentence to lead into the next paragraph. My knowledge of conventions made

my synthesis easy to read and grammatically correct.

4. Composing Processes

Proficient writers use composing processes to review, edit, and complete their written

work. Writers are human, which means they make mistakes. It’s understandable and the

good thing is that writing mistakes can always be fixed. Writers can read over their work

a few times to catch simple mistakes. But sometimes not every mistake is caught by the

eye, which is why many online sources such as Word and Google Docs offer spell

checkers. Aside from grammatical errors, writers may need to change the wording of

their sentences. This can include switching a few words or even deleting whole sections

of the written work. The review process can be lengthy, but it’s very beneficial to help

the overall product look and sound better to the writer and readers.
 The image above is from my inquiry proposal draft. After completing my draft, I worked

in a group with three other students and my professor to conduct a peer review. Peer

reviews are a great way to pick up mistakes you’ve made and to get suggestions about

your work. Suggestions are meant to add onto what you already have. Sometimes a small

tweak in a sentence can make all the difference to the overall paragraph and paper. In my

inquiry proposal draft, I used the reviews of my peers to improve my paper. The reviews

I received helped me to make my paper flow better. I saw areas to improve which I found

very useful. When I wrote my final inquiry proposal, it turned out much better than what

I originally had.

5. Critical Reflection

Proficient writers use critical reflection to explain or define their thoughts. Sometimes

writers will write up a reflection after completing a written work. This enables them to
share their thoughts about the work they did. For example, a writer could do a reflection

on a class assignment. In the reflection, they can describe how the assignment went for

them. Another idea is to draw upon what you learned from the assignment. This proves

that the writer fully understood the assignment and didn’t simply skim through it.

The image above is my work from Studio 1, which was my first official reflection in

UWRT 1104. For this studio, we watched a Ted Talk about what it means to be

articulate. In my post, I wrote about how the studio went for me. This was an opportunity

to reflect on what I learned and picked up from the studio. At first, the video was hard for

me to interpret. But like critical reading, I had to take my time and analyze what was

being said in the Ted Talk. After watching it a few times, I fully understood everything.

Once I took the time to examine what was being said, writing a critical reflection was

much easier. When I wrote my reflection, I was able to draw back from everything I
learned in the video. It provided a good way for me to sum up my closing thoughts and

ideas.