Gonzalez 1

Jocelyn Gonzalez

R. Jarrell

English 1301-211

03 May 2024

My English 1301 Course Journey

Throughout my spring semester here at Texas A&M International University (TAMIU), I

took an English 1301-211 course where I discovered and gained valuable information in writing

academically. In this course, I learned how to professionally write essays on genre and visual text

analysis, and rhetorical analysis on a peer-reviewed journal article. While navigating this

academic journey, I encountered various challenges, including the need to balance time

management effectively, engage in critical thinking when analyzing texts, and develop well-

supported arguments. Despite this, I found ways to overcome the obstacles by seeking and

incorporating feedback from instructors and peers, experimenting with different approaches

through trial and error, and fully engaging with the course materials.

Transitioning from high school to college, my academic education expanded upon my

basic knowledge of writing an essay. I gained an understanding of how to compose structured

essays with clear, effective thesis statements supported by evidence. Throughout the process, I

learned various key points that assisted me in producing effective and persuasive essays.

However, I encountered challenges, particularly in the absence of pre-writing techniques. I often

skipped brainstorming and outlining, resulting in poorly structured essays and grammatical

errors. During the second conference with my instructor, Professor R. Jarrell, we discussed the

significance of having an outline before the writing process. Professor Jarrell provided excellent

advice, highlighting how an outline efficiently guides my writing process. For instance, when
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struggling to generate ideas, an outline would offer direction and help fuel my thoughts to

produce more efficient sentences. Using an outline for my second and third essays significantly

improved the clarity and organization of my argument, ensuring that my writing flowed logically

and contributed to the overall coherence of my essay. Not only has my development in the

writing process built in this English course but also in my Art history class. The knowledge of

my understanding expanded to this course as I would write short essays conveying information

about visual artifact objects. This experience aided in developing my skills of observing details,

analyzing information, and simplifying complex ideas when considering my audience and its

purpose. Providing a unique opportunity to apply the principles of the writing process in a visual

context, overall enhancing my ability to communicate ideas through written language.

Following the work of my essays I discovered how to analyze in this course was a major

part of my development as an academic writer. It marked a significant turning point, guiding me

toward a deeper understanding of text interpretation and critical thinking. Involving various

skills, such as identifying key concepts, evaluating individuals’ arguments or perspectives, and

understanding the underlying message in which the text was written. Methods like developing a

clear thesis statement, organizing my ideas into a proper structure, and providing strong textual

evidence to support my arguments. By reading chapter 15 of Andrea Lunsford’s “Everyone’s an

Author” eBook and completing a quiz from my English course, I gained insight into strategies

for writing analytically. The chapter introduced me to different analytical techniques such as

discourse, process, casual and data analysis, and characteristic features that assisted me during

the writing process of essay two. Engaging with the chapter deepened my understanding of

writing and developed my skill to identify visual composition elements in my chosen ad for the

essay to produce properly structured evidence for my audience. Therefore, I gained awareness of
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the importance of acknowledging my audience and purpose as well as utilizing critical thinking

to analyze texts and discussions. Moreover, I gained insights into the importance of drafting and

revising through the activity based on Anne Lamott’s essay, “Shitty First Drafts.” Lamott's work

served as a reminder of the imperfect nature of the writing process. It reinforced the idea that

despite the roughness of initial drafts, they are crucial steps toward reaching a polished final

product.

After revisiting the first essay I composed at the beginning of the course, I found several

errors during the final revision. Grammatical errors I came across were comma splices, run-on

sentences, and improper use of words, with the addition of unnecessary information used as

claims for the essay. With the assistance of Professor Jarrell and feedback from peers and friend

colleagues, I was able to revise and improve the overall quality of the essay. Throughout the

revising process, I learned the importance of controlling the idea of how the Leaders Organizing

Volunteer Event Committee used it for their “The Big Event” flyer. Instead of providing fluent

context with supportive evidence, I would go sidetrack and explain information that had no

relation to the flyer. “The organization saves effortlessly on management and satisfaction,

gaining attraction without the risk of losing participants...” (“TAMIU’s Big Event” Gonzalez 3).

In this case, in the fourth body paragraph, I gave information about how the committee

benefitted from applying QR codes in the flyer, rather than showing how the targeted audience

reacted to the use of genre. Furthermore, I revised the entire introduction and thesis to present a

clearer message to my audience. In this process, I aimed to enhance the coherence and

readability of the language conveyed in the text. As a result, the intro now provides a more

informative overview of the organization’s flyer.

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The most challenging part of the final revision of essay one was acknowledging the

inaccuracies in the visual key elements I had identified and having to rewrite the majority of the

entire essay. I overlooked the crucial details needed in the essay that significantly impacted the

overall message and effectiveness of the flyer. Correcting these errors required me to go back to

my peer’s feedback and review the flyer itself. Additionally, I had to ensure that my analysis

accurately reflected how the visual elements of font size, color choice, and imagery contributed

to the flyer's genre and intended audience. This process demanded attention to the elements to

efficiently convey the flyer's visual language and its influence on viewer perception. The least

challenging part of the final revision process was undoubtedly checking for consistency and

coherence throughout the essay. Ensuring that my ideas seamlessly flowed from one paragraph to

the next, creating a cohesive narrative that captivated the reader's attention. With careful revision,

I examined the transitions between sections, and revised the first sentences so that they were

smooth and logical. This involved me analyzing the logical progression of ideas, acknowledging

each paragraph built upon the previous one while also contributing to the overall argument and

narrative of the essay. For example, during our final conference, Professor Jarrell advised me to

enhance the topic sentence of the second paragraph to better captivate the audience. I later

revised the topic sentence, switching out sentences and producing newer ones, to provide a

clearer and more engaging overview of the paragraph's main idea.

To further engage my general audience on my website portfolio, I sought to connect and

interact with them through relatability. For instance, using language that is clear and easily

accessible to my general audience to understand, avoiding overly complex word terms. By

sharing personal academic stories and examples from my own experiences I help illustrate

concepts in a way that feels familiar and accessible. For instance, on the homepage, I give a brief
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overview of who I am and my journey in the writing community, establishing a connection with

my audience. When discussing my writing process, I offer practical tips and strategies that can be

easily applied in various writing situations, making the content relevant and useful to them. By

prioritizing clear language, concrete examples, and interactive engagement, I efficiently made

the course concepts accessible to my general audience. For my unit writing assignment

explanations, I made the concepts of genre analysis, visual text analysis, and rhetorical analysis

understandable to someone unfamiliar with these genres by breaking down complex ideas into

simpler terms and providing relatable examples. For genre analysis, I described the process of

examining different types of genres with class assignments and writing how their unique

techniques are used in everyday advertisements. In explaining visual text analysis, I emphasized

the importance of interpreting images or visuals to understand their intended messages or appeal.

In addition, how simple visual elements in an Ad magazine work together to engage the intended

audience to interact with what’s promoted. As for rhetorical analysis, I clarified how language

from peer-reviewed journal articles and argumentative claims are used to persuade or influence

an audience. In breaking down these concepts into simpler terms and illustrating them with

everyday examples, I am determined audiences who are unfamiliar with the material will have

no trouble understanding.

One of the significant challenges I faced during the course was the demanding time

commitment it required. Particularly in the middle of the semester, deadlines for essays and

reflections were condensed to just a week or two, alongside numerous minor assignments. This

tight schedule became overwhelming, leading to instances where I missed homework and essay

deadlines. It underscores the dedication and focus required in English courses. Additionally, I

experienced almost constant writer's block towards the end of the semester, making it a struggle
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to compose sentences for essays. However, when I recognized my difficulties, I revisited course

materials, including Mike Rose's article, "Rigid Rules, Inflexible Plans, and the Stifling of

Language: A Cognitive Analysis of Writer’s Block." This reminded me that writer's block is a

common challenge and provided methods for overcoming it, such as planning and breaking

down goals into manageable steps. Upon reflection, I discovered new approaches to my writing

process. As someone who frequently confronts mental obstacles, I revisited Lawrence J. Oliver

Jr.'s insights in the homework activity, "Helping Students Overcome Writer’s Block,"

emphasizing the importance of cognitive strategies. Oliver's article provided practical guidance

for navigating through periods of writer’s block, offering valuable resources to bolster my

confidence. Despite occasional doubts about my writing abilities, participating in the "Student

Editorial Contest" assignment was eye-opening. Witnessing fellow students, myself included,

who initially lacked confidence in their writing, produced high-quality essays, and gained

recognition in competitions, highlighted the transformative power of proactive engagement in the

writing process.

In contrast to other components of the English course, I found creative writing to be a

refreshing and rewarding endeavor. Whether it was crafting essays or completing assignments on

topics that sparked my curiosity, I discovered a sense of liberation in the creative process.

Activities like the "Meet Me" exercise, where I could delve into personal experiences or craft

whimsical nursery rhymes, allowed me to tap into my imagination freely. Moreover, the

modalities homework provided a structured yet flexible framework for exploring different

writing styles and techniques. Through these experiences I knew then that I loved to compose

creative writing, finding myself to express freely and feeling allowed to explore my imagination.

Through my analytical and writing skill sets I discovered personal strengths of myself, such as
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being capable of applying different approaches to various writing tasks and genres. In addition to

having a developed habit of self-reflection with every writing project that I compose, I almost

always make sure to look back and identify areas for improvement and growth.

Ultimately, I am confident that the skills and knowledge gained from this course have

equipped me to contribute effectively to the academic writing community. Although I

acknowledge that there is ongoing room for improvement, I am appreciative of the dedication

and effort I invested in my abilities over the semester. Looking ahead, I am committed to

continuously refining my writing skills and fostering personal growth as a writer. With each

challenge I faced became an opportunity for growth, ultimately enhancing my understanding and

knowledge of academic writing.

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Works Cited

Gonzalez, Jocelyn. “TAMIU’s Big Event.” 18 Feb. 2024. English 1301-211, Texas A&M

International University, student paper.

Gonzalez, Jocelyn. “HW: Quiz Chapter 10 Reflecting on Your Writing.” English 1301-211,

Texas A&M International University, 2024

Rosario, Jarrell. “Cat Food Attraction’s.” Professor Comment, English 1301-211, Texas A&M

International University, 24 April 2024.

Gonzalez, Jocelyn. “HW: ‘Rigid Rules, Inflexible Plans, and the Stifling of Language: A

Cognitive Analysis of Writer’s Block” by Mike Rose.’” English 1301-211, Texas A&M

International University, 2024

Gonzalez, Jocelyn. “HW: ‘Student Editorial Contest.’” English 1301-211, Texas A&M

International University, 2024

Gonzalez, Jocelyn. “HW: ‘Helping Students Overcome Writer’s Block.’” English 1301-211,

Texas A&M International University, 2024

Gonzalez, Jocelyn. “HW: ‘Shitty First Drafts’ by Anne Lamott.” English 1301-211, Texas A&M

International University, 2024