Khiara Baluyot-Santos

Mrs. Thomas

UWRT 1104

April 29, 2020

1. Rhetorical Knowledge

Rhetorical knowledge serves as the capacity to not only recognize but apply over a scope

of a wide range of concepts in the audience, context, and purpose. Proficient writers use

rhetoric language in order to persuade their target audience, analyzing as much as

possible about the dynamics of a writing situation. This enhances the writer’s use of

diction to best articulate ideas, the three artistic proofs of ethos, pathos, and logos. These

concepts overlap and eventually end up commingled into a unified argument.

 The image above is a piece from Studio Three: The Rhetorical Situation, which delved

more into what rhetoric is and the many ways it is used in today’s media. This

assignment wanted us to find an ad that interpreted all parts of the rhetorical situation,

which consists of three pillars: Ethos, Logos, and Pathos. I chose an ad by

SaveTheChildren that gives a different point of view of the harsh reality that children in

Syria face. This assignment taught me to have an insight into what I was reading or

watching as rhetoric exists in all forms of media. It also has served as a reminder of the

different concepts we learn and apply in our writing.

2. Critical Reading

A critical reader interprets any single text by not just the facts, but thoroughly analyzes

the information within each text. Critical reading is a more active way of reading, it is a

deeper and complex engagement with a text. This includes actively searching for

answers, asking questions, and making connections. To read critically, we must learn to

think critically, which involves analysis, interpretation, and evaluation. Each of these

processes helps us to interact with the text, such as highlighting important points, taking

notes, and reflecting on our own writing. As a student, our ability to critically think is

constantly tested and applied to everything.

 The image above is a screenshot of one of my eight research summaries. In order to have

multiple points of view, I needed to use critical reading skills to find an article that was

about a different family dynamic. After scrolling after awhile on JStor, I came across this

article that talked about families that had survived a genocide. Upon reading this article, I

found it to be just what I had needed through critical reading skills.

3. Knowledge of Conventions

This student learning outcome describes all the rules that dictate how to shape the piece

that is being written. Proficient writers use their knowledge of conventions to properly

format, use proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation in their writing. Oftentimes these

conventions can be what makes or breaks our writing. It is important as a writer to

consider the appropriate formats in order to fully broaden your ideas. As these are taken

into account, these aspects can have a large impact on our writing.
 This screenshot is from the very first studio, which was on literacies. Many writers often

have their own “voice” in how they write their pieces. In this assignment, we were to

watch a TEDTalk on “3 Ways to Speak English” and determine if Lysiscott was

articulate/literate. In the video, Lysiscott speaks in three different forms of English,

proper, regular, and broken English. In doing this, she proves that she is articulate.

Diction is an important convention in writing as everyone has their own style and voice.

As I have written, understanding forms of literacies leaves us open-minded to different

“languages” that the writer is accustomed to, learning to understand their point of view.

4. Composing Processes

In order to complete their written work, writers use composing processes, writers must

encompass all the things done in preparation for writing. Each writer has a composing

process that is unique to them in order to move toward a finished product. This process

can include rough drafts, freewriting, revising, and editing. These steps create a

foundation for what the completed will look like. As humans, we make mistakes and

writing is no different. A proficient writer continues to go through this process to make

sure what their writing is what they had envisioned. There is no set path for our writing

and our composing process can bring us to do something completely different from what

we first had.
 This was a suggestion from one of my classmates to my inquiry proposal draft that we

were required to write. This suggestion brought me to break this sentence into two

separate ones in order to make my draft more organized. In my final draft, I had

considered any comments made by my peers and Mrs. Thomas in order to better my

work. With all of my revisions made, my final draft had doubled in size and incorporated

more ideas.

5. Critical Reflection

Critical reflection is analyzing all the ideas and concepts learned or have done and

reflected on it. A reflection is often used to express feelings and thoughts after

completing a written work. This allows writers to think about everything they could have

done better or things that were done well. Critical reflections give writers space to talk

about their written work and demonstrate to others what you have learned or experienced.
We were often asked to reflect on an assignment throughout the course and served as an

opportunity to voice what I had learned from the studio. This studio showed me a different way

to study during a difficult period for me academically. When writing my reflection, I gave my

opinion of the technique and provided a way to give feedback.