RachelMichieli

Prof.EvanFarr
FRINQ:UNST2071
8February2015
UniversityGoals:Communication
ThistermtheFRINQcoursecalledPortlandwasgiventhejobofwritinga
researchpaper.Thisresearchpapercouldbeaboutanythingwewantedittobe
about,givenonestipulation,wemustcorrelateitbacktoPortlandandexplainourviews
aptlyaclearlywiththeuseofsourcesandinformationfoundwithinbothacademic
journalsandarticles.Themaintopicofdiscussionformyfallprojectwasmyuseof
theInquiryandCriticalThinkingGoalwithinmypaperdiscussingtheimportanceof
education.OverthecourseofthewintertermIwasslowly,butsurelywritingmy
researchpaperandeventually,itamountedtoan11pagepaperonthetopic
ofGentrification.Althoughitwasatoughsubjecttoconceptualize,IfeltthatIdidagood
jobatportrayingtheuniversitygoalofCommunicationfromwithinmypaper,aswellas
demonstratingitagainasIwritemyWinterEPortfolio.
ThedefinitionoftheCommunicationaslaidoutwithintheuniversitygoals,is
statedthusly,"Studentswillenhancetheircapacitytocommunicateinvariousways
Writing,graphics,numeracy,andothervisualandoralmeanstocollaborateeffectively
withotheringroupwork,andtobecompetentinappropriatecommunication
technologies.(UNSTGoals)

Inmyownopinion,thisquoteissimplysaying,thattobecomethebestpossible
studentandpersononecouldbe,onemustculminatetheirideasthrougheffectively
communicatingwiththosearoundthem.Eventhoughthatthiswasaresearchpaperand
wasnotdoneasagroupIfeelitappliestomyspecificpaperbecauseofwhatIgotoutof
theconstructivecriticismsandthoughtsgiventomebymyteacherandmymentor.
TheCommunicationgoalresoundedwithmebecause,forme,Itend
toromanticizemywritingsandbecomepassionate,almosttoafault.Having
neverwrittenaresearchpaperbefore,itwasdifficulttoovercomemytendencies,andin
someparts,onecanstillclearlyseethat,butIwasgivenmyfeedbackonmypaperandI
feelthat,althoughalotofit,werebitterpillstoswallow,Inowknowwhattolookfor
andwhattodoinordertoimprovemyskillswithinthetermsofaresearchpaper.After
readingthis,IfeelIamabletocollaborateeffectivelywithnotonlymypeers,butwith
thosewhoareteachingandaretheretoformmeintoabetterstudent.
Ichosetotakethepathoftheunpopularopinionandcontradictedthenormof
Portland.IunderstoodfullandwellthatIwouldnotgettheapprovalfromeveryoneby
writingmyviewofGentrification,ItookalltheresourcesIcouldobtainandhelpedmold
myopinionsintosubstancefilledinquiriesthat,althoughunpopular,gavecredencetomy
thoughtsandprocessofwriting.OverthistermIhavelearnedthattherearetimesand
placesforeverythingandsometimesit'sjustlearningwhattheassignmentandsituation
callforandwiththeguidanceofbothmyteacherandmentorIhavecometoknowthat
thefirsttrymightnotalwaysbethebest,butthereisalwaysopportunitytoimproveand
bettermyselfwhichgoeshandinhandwiththeCommunicationgoal,fortheyare

providingmewiththechancesandopportunitiestoenhancemycapacitytocommunicate
invariouswaysandtobecompetentinappropriatecommunicationtechnologiesby
doingthis,theyhaveforcedmetosearchforrationalitytosubstantiatemybeliefsand
thinkmorecritically,whichwouldnothavebeenpossiblehadcommunicationnever
happened.
Oneofthefocusesofmyresearchpaperwastodistinguishthedifferencebetween
DisplacementandGentrificationandthat"correlationdoesn'talwaysleadtocausation"I
feltthatIoutlinedthetwoverydifferenttopicsverywellandwasabletodistinguish
themwithinmywriting.ThroughtheresearchpaperIhavelearnedagreatdeal,notonly
aboutthetopicofmypaper,buthowtowriteandproperlyaddressanassignmentthat
callsformuchmorethanafreewritepaper.Theuniversitygoalswereestablishedsothat
studentsofPSUhavesomethinginwhichtheycanstriveforandlookforwhenlooking
upontheiryearsinsearchoftheirprogress,tome,Iwasabletoseedistinctlymyability
toputmythoughtsintowrittenwordallwhilemakingmyselfclear.Overall,IfeelI
accomplishedthegoalthatIsetformyselfthistermbecauseItookmyeducationinmy
handandwasabletolearnfrommymistakeswithoutbegrudgingmyselformymentors.
InowunderstandthatcommunicationwouldhavegreatlyhelpedmebeforeIturnedin
theoriginalassignment;forithelpedmeagreatdealafter,thedifferencebeforecould
havebeenimmense.AfterspeakingwithmyteacherandmentoraboutmypaperIfully
understandandamnowcomfortableaskingquestionsandcommunicatingmythoughts
withthem.Justaswell,Inowhavemoremotivationtoprovemyselfandmy
abilitieswithinmynextassignmentsthataresuretocome,leavingmetoappropriately

believethatIhavemet,whattome,isoneofmostsignificantpartsofthe
Communicationgoal.