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Seamus McCanty
5/10/16
Professor Deadrick
English 102
My Reflection on My Progress in English 102
Upon reflection, there were many useful concepts that I have learned to harness and
apply to my college writing during the duration of the English 102 semester. Writing skills such
as rhetorical appeals and forming strong arguments were the main focus of the course. Being
able to form strong arguments, as well as being able to refute opposing arguments, is a useful
skill and can be practiced in other courses and careers. It is imperative that students reflect on the
objectives that have been established in order to better understand what they have learned. As a
consider my goals that I had set in the beginning of the semester, I can begin to realize my
successes and my failures. Reviewing the expected outcomes of the course, I am able to
confidently state that I deserve an A in the course.
I deserve the grade of an A in this course because I have demonstrated my ability to
synthesize the material that is discussed in a proficient way. Logically, if a student shows a
mastery in comprehension of the topics outlined in the syllabus, then the student is obligated to
receive the highest possible grade. I have received a number of high grades on major papers for
English 102 as well as my other courses that assign similar writing assignments. This statement
is supported by positive feedback from Professor Deadrick among other professors, praising my
ability to argue a point. For example, I received a 95% on a paper in which I analyzed a visual
argument in the form of an advertisement. The final reason I believe I deserve an A in the course

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is that I have displayed a drastic improvement in my academic writing from the beginning of my
college career. I have overcome many obstacles to ensure that I succeed in the course as well as
better myself as a student.
Earning high grades on assignments and achieving success in this course has not been
easy. When students come to realize the importance of fundamental courses, the course becomes
less about earning a high grade and more about retaining knowledge. The purpose of lower level
college courses is to prepare students for future courses as well as their respective careers. In
order to be prepared for more rigorous instruction, students must not only understand the
concepts they have been taught, but also be able to use the information appropriately. One of the
major expectations of the English 102 course is that students will be able to analyze a number of
viewpoints and subsequently construct an argumentative position. Although I have not received a
grade for my research paper in the English 102 course, I was able to replicate these skills for my
Women and Gender Studies course. In this course, we were also assigned a research paper and
instructed to argue a position. This was the first opportunity I had to institute my newfound
knowledge of argumentative writing. I received a perfect score on the paper and was asked by
my professor to present my topic to the class. Given that the professor is not an English
professor, she graded the paper based on how well the argument was constructed rather than the
use of rhetorical appeals. Through the progress that can be seen in my argument skills in English
102 as well as other courses, it is clear to see that I have sufficiently mastered the components of
English 102.
During my time enrolled in English 102, I have learned that a claim can easily be
opposed if no supportive evidence is given. Grades are often seen as the ultimate determination
of a students comprehension of the material. However, it is known that professors often vary in

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the severity of penalization doled out in their grading processes. Therefore, detailed feedback
from a professor is a more reliable critique of a students work than grades are. I wrote an essay,
titled Visual Analysis of an Advertisement for the Galaxy S7 Edge, in order to fulfill my
assignment of analyzing a visual argument. When the paper was graded, Professor Deadrick
handed my graded paper, including a grading rubric outlining my strengths and weaknesses in
the paper. The rubric showed that I was only penalized five points due to a few grammatical
errors. I received a perfect score in the areas that were the main focus of the assignment. This
feedback properly serves as an example of my grasp of the objectives that have been outlined in
the English 102 syllabus. Given that I have successfully displayed my fulfillment of all
expectations, I deserve to be recognized for my hard work.
Another realization I had while reflecting on my previously set goals was that I have a
new perspective on education. In the beginning of my college career I did not take my courses
seriously. I had yet to set long and short term goals and I had no aspirations in life. There were
many events in my life that triggered a complete new viewpoint about college. Most of said
events were unfortunate, but they made me work harder to ensure that I become a successful,
productive part of society. In the past year, my grade point average has risen to almost double
that of my first year of college. I currently pride myself on being organized and having good
communication with my professors. It has been a very difficult process in adapting to my everchanging environment while maintaining good grades. I do not ask for pity from my professors,
rather I alter my work ethic in order to mediate my disadvantage. I understand that I will face
more adversity in my life time and that it is important to adapt study habits.
Some may argue that I do not deserve an A based on the premise that I have not
demonstrated a full grasp of the material. Some may say that the work I have provided warrants a

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grade of B or C. Professors have discretion over the grading criteria and assignments in English
courses are often subjective. However, as previously stated, if the fundamental objectives of the
course have been fulfilled in a proficient manner, the students work merits the highest possible
grade. The work I provided is above average and does not deserve a grade with a connotation of
just passing. I would be able to understand if my lack of effort in the smaller assignments
warrants me a grade of B. I can compromise with the fact that I could have done better in the
course, but I still hold the belief that I deserve an A.
While reflecting on the course, I have gained a better idea as to how much I have learned
as well as how to properly describe my new skills. I have triumphed many negative events and
maintained a practical work ethic in all of my courses this semester. Using assignments that have
received high grades as an example, I have delineated the validity of my claim. With supportive
feedback from professors both in and out of English 102, I feel that I have satisfied the objectives
of the course in a way that illustrates my deservedness to receive an A.

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Works Cited
McCanty, Seamus. Visual Analysis of an Advertisement for the Galaxy S7 Edge
Unpublished. Rockville.