Bianca Munoz-Cruz

Date: 11/24/14

Dear Reader:
The process on making my ePortfolio was simple in my own point, until I actually
started. As of now I have a few pages finished such as my Home Page, Informal Writing section
and Major Works section. The only things I need to include now are my peer edits sample as
well as my revised paper. Ive made websites before but never with a full guideline such as this
one that must be followed and include such information. It is a little bit more challenging than I
thought it would be. My ePortfolio will demonstrate all of the work Ive done this semester and
how Ive grown as a writer.
Throughout this English course there were 4 major writing assignments that were
completed and displayed on my website as well as some informal writing. Those 4 Major
assignments are: Genre Analysis, Literacy Narrative, Mid-Term Reflective Letter and MiniEthnography. The informal writings consist on my many blog reflections as well as my daily
daybook entries in class. About once a week my professor would assign us some type of reading,
which followed by a reflection whether it was to be done on our blogs or discussed in class the
next day. Those blog assignments were reflections on spoken word videos we watched that
talked about various topics. Some of the videos I didnt see how it connected with class besides
getting our reactions out on ideas like coffee, education, mental illness, and age. Watching the
videos and keeping up with the blog was interesting because it was the first blog Ive done but
videos did reach out to me. They always made me think more about the concept/idea which
probably made me grow in how I analysis things. Such a secret way my professor got me to
think and question topics that lead me to become better at my writing.

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Another major factor that we did in class was peer edits. For every major assignment, we
had about 2 class meetings dedicated to just being in groups/pairs to edit each others writings.
This was very important because we got feedback on what needed to be taken out, phrased
differently, more focus, more research, and transition as a whole. Yes it was a bit uncomfortable
for me at least to have someone else read my paper and have him or her confused about my
paper because my transitions from ideas were scattered. Their feedback did help out a lot
because it would remind me on what needed more focus and to follow a guideline so that its kept
organized. Yes my biggest problem in writing is to keep it my explanation simple and my details
organized so that the paper is read smoothly. I normally get the you mention this too many
times throughout the paper when it should only be mentioned in this section kind of feedback so
during this semester Ive been trying to organize my paper and details more clearly. Within each
of the writing assignments Ive put more thought into how I would state my main points and how
Ill provide supporting details which did make it easier to plan out my papers and blogs. My
classmates would also find the peer edits helpful because I would point out where they should
mention such detail or idea that would benefit there main points.
Each of the Major assignments had a purpose and it was to have us analyze the material
better. By analyze I mean think deeper than normal and make greater connections than those that
are obvious. My professor had us evaluate different genres in our Genre Analysis paper in which
we had to connect 2 genres as well as give examples on how to alter the genres conventions so
that itll be similar. This was a hard task for me to do because I couldnt come up with any
genres that are similar. As I brainstormed on some genres that I would do I came to realize that
movies would be a good start. I personally like Science Fiction based movies that are also
Thrillers. So the movie I picked was The Matrix and I compared that to the movie Inception.
Both are within the same movie genre and have some similarities but are individual movies.

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Having the characters go through unconscious slumber into another world is the only true factor
that these 2 movies share. Other than that, the plot is different. The detail differences are known
as conventions. After analyzing the movies, I had analyzed the conventions and alter them in
order to make a new genre, which I choose to be a TV show. The TV short hit Threat Matrix
and 24 were just as similar as the 2 movies just in a TV show version. The conventions that
made is different were time span, plot timing, settings, amount of characters, and audience.
Slowly as I found these great connections, I started putting my paper together. Again, not in the
best-organized way but the main points were shown which seems to be my strength.
With the Literacy Narrative, which was an easier writing assignment to me because it has
to involve a time in which we learned how to read or write. I choose the time in which I began to
learn how to read and write in Spanish. The reason why I choose this particular time is because it
was a true challenge for me. I was young and embarrassed when others my age would read
fluently and I struggled on some words. I already knew how to speak in Spanish to my parents
and other adults but when it came to writing it down or reading something to someone, I found
myself that I didnt know how. This assignment I actually loved because it made me reflect to
how low I felt that I couldnt read or write in Spanish and grew that determination to learn from
my mother. It reminds me to this day how I should react to anything that I want to learn. My only
weakness in this assignment was the lack in elaborating details. I wanted to cut back on my
ramble that I didnt include much detail, as I should have.
The Mini-Ethnography was the biggest challenge, so I thought. I didnt like this
assignment as much because it reminded me so much of the Genre Analysis which I didnt do
my best on. But since I knew how to go about organizations and details, I felt more confident
about writing this paper out of them all. I did my research and connected it with my observations

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as well as my interviews on my subculture. Writing this paper wasnt all that hard but gathering
all the information for it was. I observed the youth group about 3 times, 2 in which was strictly
observing while the other was the interviewing. The research took me longer than expected to
find since it was connected with everything! Since the research was so dense I had to put a lot of
time into reading it and condensing it to my particular subculture. This paper was my greatest
work this semester because it marked the transition in my writing. I got me to evaluate what I
was going to talk about, spaced out the events in which it happened and include the important
details necessary to make the connections. This paper was honestly very dense, took a lot of time
but the fact that I did it and wrote it confident that everything was right. The grade did show it,
which made me even more proud of myself. I know there will be more papers to be written
throughout college but with this good step forward, I feel more prepared and confident.
Sadly enough the 4th Major writing assignment was the Mid-Term Reflection, which I did
not do because my fall break changed course resulting in me not having time to do it. I actually
did want to write it but just didnt have enough time to complete it as well as I wanted to. Im
glad it was an option to write it or not because if it was for a grade, that would have been my
most crappest paper.
Throughout this semester, my professor did ask us the most simplest questions before we
started on our assignments which is probably how I wrote mines as good as I did. The questions
were simple but that doesnt mean it was easy to respond. His questions made you think hard
about your writing process and your topics. In class you think you can respond them quickly but
once you start on your paper, those same questions are the ones you ask yourself when you get
lost. I noticed that I did that a lot but it helped when it came to evaluate my paper before turning
it in. But even when I couldnt answer them, I would go to my professor for some guidance. I

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truly believe the main purpose that my professor had for this semester was to have us think
different in order to write different which in the end only meant better! If that was the case, it
surely did happen to me and Im thankful for it. I think more outside the box and find a deeper
meaning in connections.

Sincerely,

Bianca Muoz-Cruz