Wagoner 1

Jayla Wagoner
Professor Watson
English 1001
April 19, 2019
Reflective Essay

At the start of English 1001 in the beginning of January I was academically able to write

an essay in MLA format, create a thesis statement, write an essay in a constructive manner, and

able to put a header. I was unaware of the concept of a rhetoric analysis and had no knowledge of

the three appeals such as logos, pathos, and ethos. During the semester the material that was

most useful to have a good idea of the concept was the power points viewed in class. The

PowerPoints were useful because I got to look at the information presented in class but also has

access to the PowerPoint online. Another way the material was presented in class that helped me

advance was not giving me a straight answer, instead my professor would give me a vague idea

for the topic which forced me to think creative on my own and outside of the box.

The biggest challenges that I came across during the semester is finding sources that give

me enough information to my essay the length required for the assignment. I struggled with

finding credible sources as well that didn’t repeat the same information as well as typing it into

my words without taking someone else’s writing for my own. Another challenge I would like to

point out is punctuation, I have always struggled on where to put the next period or coma but

slowly improving. Overall, I plan to overcome these challenges by continuing to be determined

and more focused on my work while finding a topic that truly interests me. On a more positive

note, I enjoyed being able to expand my way of thinking and learning how to brainstorm for

certain topics. When brainstorming I mostly kept using the concept map which was useful for me

throughout the semester.

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Furthermore, I feel extremely confident with moving forward onto my next English class

2089, even though it will most likely be more challenging I feel that I have many tools under my

belt that I can use to help me succeed this upcoming class. Another reason I feel confident about

moving on to the next English class is the writing center as well to use in case I have any

questions or want a second opinion on my topic or regarding an assignment.

Now, I would like to discuss and focus on learning outcomes and how I have mastered

them throughout the semester. I would like to start with Rhetorical Knowledge, I have mastered

this learning outcome by making outlines on my topics and learning how to develop a well-

designed platform for my essay so it can “flow” together. I also have