University of New Mexico

The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque NM 87131

Date: November 9, 2015

To: Amanda Amstutz, English 219 GT
From: Troy Wiseman
English 219 Section 1 Group 4
Subject: Final Portfolio Reflective Memo
This memo is written to address and reflect upon the rhetorical canons used in English 219.
Overall this class is teaching about technical writing and genres. Throughout the course of the
class we learned and used the rhetorical canons. Much like the student learning outcomes of past
English classes the rhetorical canons help to guide writing and to establish clear messages to
convey to audiences. Using these canons has helped me immensely to stay focused on the current
tasks as well as reducing the amount of unnecessary contents that I tend to use.
When we are writing we are encouraged to think and use the rhetorical canons as a guide to help
convey our main points. A specific situation where this played a major role was that of MWA 2
the instruction set. This project was a group project and each group member had very specific
tasks that needed to be performed. A major aspect of this MWA was the use of arrangement and
style. Our group in particular created a guidebook rather than a specific set of instructions.
Maintaining proper formatting and style between five people was difficult when first starting but
as we worked more we were able to mesh everything together into a single flowing document.
The first rhetorical canons I would like to discuss is that of Invention. Invention is finding ones
topic or brainstorming. In my case this was every major assignment. It is very difficult to come
up with an original idea when given no direction or idea of the requested task. In the case of
MWA 2 the initial task was to create a single detailed instruction set. Our group decided to
instead create five smaller instruction sets and assemble them into a guidebook. Although this a
deviation away from the initial task it was also an example of how a group when sharing
thoughts can create an original work.
The second rhetorical cannon to discuss is Arrangement. Arrangement is the order of information
or style. Much like Invention arrangement helps to keep thoughts organized. If thoughts are
disorganized then the document becomes cluttered and difficult to follow. This is why creating
something like an outline helps. Outlines keeps ideas organized and the overall flow of the
document easy to follow. In my writings I used my own type of outline that, although minimal,
helps keep my thoughts on track. I established my goal and then created ideas that would help
me to reach that goal. An example where this was used in a group would be in the creation of
MWA 2. Once the initial outline was complete the group members were able to create five
distinctly different documents that all followed the same design and were integrated into a
comprehensive guide.
Style is the next canon on my outline. Style is the decision made when presenting material to
other audiences. This is easiest to observe in cases like in class during our briefings. How one
conducts themselves or how they deliver information in a conference type setting is all part of

their style. For me I used a less detailed slideshow and an almost exact copy of my report. This
worked well for my personal tastes as I was able to show pictures to the class without giving
them any sort of context and talk and give backgrounds about how my research pertains to these
pictures.
Recalling information from memory is another rhetorical canon that helps one to develop their
style. Memory can come from personal experience, internet research, conversations, or even
other classes. The use of memory helps to make an otherwise dull document into an experience.
In my writings memory was used heavily in the creation of MWA 1. The creation of this
document relied heavily on my personal experiences riding Albuquerque city busses. The initial
task was to create a document that discussed as well as found solutions to an issue that affected
my area. I decided to choose the bus system since I make use of it nearly every day and it is
almost never a smooth ride. For evidence I relied again on my own personal experiences to
create the argument and then my own observations to create solutions. Since this was a paper
written after I had already used the bus I used memory to recall events.
The last rhetorical canon to discuss is that of delivery or how something is said. This is most
similar to the rhetorical strategies of past English classes using either Ethos and Pathos or
credibility and emotion respectively to make the document more believable. This is the hardest
rhetorical canon for me to make use of because I am not a world renowned authority on
anything. For me to make my documents more relatable I need to make the document appeal to
ones emotions. This was my primary thought when writing MWA 3. The situation I chose to
discuss was an issue that I felt affected all of Albuquerque since the class lives in Albuquerque I
decided to use a recent road rage incident to make my point much more apparent. Using
strategies like these while it may seem unfair it is the most effective in conveying ones point.
Overall I enjoyed my time in the English 219 course. Much of what was taught was in a work
like environment and is applicable later on in life and the working world. Skills such as resume
creation, proposal drafting, and briefing. Applying for a job, holding a workshop, or even group
conferences are all situations where communication skills such as these are very helpful to have.
In the closer future I will be able to use many of the team and group skills that I developed
throughout the course of the class in my other English classes whether it be formatting for a
project or brainstorming new ideas.