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Allison Perez

Professor Vyvial

English-1302-IM2

5 May 2017

Reflective Essay-A Look Back

If there were one word to describe an eight-week semester of English 1302, it would have

to be, intense. It is refreshing, in a sense, to place the challenge upon oneself to give a consistent

and above average performance in a semester that feels as though it is over in the blink of an eye.

However, while deep in the trenches of said semester, it can also get a little scary. Deadline after

deadline approaches and while there may be a small amount of breathing room peppered in here

and there, it is still a demanding course. Whether it is a quiz over logos, pathos and ethos or a

lesson on how to analyze and construct and argument, the information provided ensures success

for those who want it. From short academic responses about how social media affects ethos, to

convincing an audience that one particular cause is better than another, English 1302 provides

the materials and knowledge needed for any student to become a more informed and credible

writer.

As intimidating as the course seemed, I was able to work on a few skills that I already

had, but that needed fine tuning. Identifying logos, ethos, and pathos was, at first, a weakness for

me. As I began my research for the rhetorical analysis, and read several different historical

speeches, I found that depending on the speaker, each one had one device they used more often

than the other. The more I read, the easier it became to find and understand which of the three

were being used more or less. Seeing the different styles and how they were used, allowed me to

develop a new way to use logos, ethos, and pathos in my own writing.
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Punctuation and ethos go hand in hand. A certain degree of professionalism and

presentation is expected in college-level and beyond writing. Further developing my attention to

punctuation is simultaneously my strongest and weakest link. While writing I tend to over

analyze whether certain sentences and phrases need a comma, semicolon, or various other marks.

This is my downfall. Often, I leave out a comma where one is needed or add one where none are

necessary. I feel that this takes away from my credibility as a writer and I plan to focus more on

educating myself in this area when writing for both academic and career purposes.

Of the three essays assigned, I found the proposal essay to be the easiest. I credit this to

my passion for the idea that a low-carb diet is a very big step in the right direction to eliminate

type 2 diabetes. I speak from experience on this subject, as I have followed a low-carb diet and

have seen a drastic change in both blood sugar and bloodwork numbers personally. With this

knowledge and interest in the subject, the proposal essay seemed effortless. The rhetorical

analysis was challenging at first, due to my struggle with the identification of logos, ethos, and

pathos. However, it was not long before my research paid off and that particular essay took

shape. It is also the essay I learned the most from. The extra exposure to rhetorical devices gave

me the push in the right direction that I needed. The additional skills I've gained through

Composition II will undoubtedly be useful as I continue towards my Bachelor's Degree and

encounter many more courses that will require credible and well-researched essays, as well as

follow me into my career path in education.

Not everyone enjoys writing, but with time and a little direction, everyone can write. It is

mostly about finding your passion and channeling it into words. The more creative, the better.

Composition II further develops skills that many may not have realized where already there.

Allowing new ideas and techniques to influence writings as well as balancing credibility,
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emotion, and logic in them can turn almost any subject into one that an audience finds interesting

or informative.