Reflection Essay

During my time within this course I learned a lot about research, rhetoric, and myself. For
one, I learned that I’m a nerd who loves choosing technological subjects to write about, hence
the LFG. However, this does not discount the fact that I learned just as much as I would any
other subject. In fact, by choosing this topic, I struggled more than I expected. I wanted to
initially research psychology and go about this in a more elegant manner. However, I quickly
realized that finding an online community that talks about psychology is hard to find so I wanted
to think of something quick, preferably something I was familiar with. This led me to the LFG, a
platform on Microsoft Xbox that allows players to connect with one another. After choosing this
community, I realized the many struggles that may present themselves, such as a lack of
research. In response to this lack of research I had to dig deeper into the posts to analyze the
writing before figuring out secondary research that applied indirectly to the posts. For example, I
had to analyze a post with linguistical features that were normally associated with higher-
intellectuals and then look for research on this topic. Despite the struggles and successes, I do
believe that I satisfied all the course outcomes by identifying a community, researching the
community, analyzing it, and then creating the ePortfolio.
Course Outcome 1 states that, “Students will be able to analyze and synthesize complex
texts in ways that demonstrate an understanding of the situated and intertextual nature of writing
and research.” This course outcome was clearly accomplished through the Phase 2 artifacts
provided in my ePortfolio. More specifically, assignments like Greene’s Summary and Response
and Grant-Davie Summary and Response more clearly demonstrate the goals and outcomes
required by outcome 1. Throughout the course we were assigned complex text readings and were
required to academically respond through summary or dissection. By analyzing these complex
texts, I have fully shown by ability to understand the nature behind the piece and why it was
written. Considering that these responses were going to be replied to, I looked at these
summarizations like arguments, just like Stuart Greene. This allowed my classmates to create
conversation by replying to my initial summary or dissection. Applying these skills to further
papers such as the Research Proposal allowed me to be able to analyze my community and form
an argument about it. However, this argument must be conversational, meaning that if another
writer were to come across my research, they could then chime in and create their own
argument/opinion about the research and further the conversation.
Course Outcome 2 states that, “Students will engage in a recursive, inquiry-based writing
and research process that is meaningful for a specific community.” This outcome was covered
almost solely by the research proposal itself. Building up to the research proposal, I completed
assignments such as discussion 2 and 5. Both of which contained which community I wanted to
study and what I wanted to research within it. Discussions 2 and 5 are both included in my
ePortfolio because I believe these two pieces are key in understanding the flow of the course and
what direction the course is oriented. From the beginning I knew this was going to be a research
heavy course, focusing on a specific community and the research within. Those two artifacts led
me in the right direction and the research proposal helped me compete the outcome. After
choosing my community, discussion 2, I had to form two research questions, discussion 5, that
opened research on the topic and allowed for argument as conversation. The research proposal
bundled all of these together and engaged me, the student, in the research process specifically
oriented toward the community. Furthering this research, we had to also write an Annotated
Bibliography and an Analytical Research paper that extended our engagement within said
research process.
Course Outcome 3 states that, “Students will be able to interpret their research findings in
order to produce arguments that matter to specific communities by addressing real-world
exigencies.” Exigencies is a rhetorical term, as mentioned by Grant-Davie, that gives writers a
reason to write. Exigence is basically the motivating factor for doing something. Within the
Analytical Research paper, I addressed and assessed the research I had done on my community,
then rhetorically analyzed the posts and figured out why I got the results I did. Outcome 3 was
satisfied almost solely by the analytical paper itself. I proposed research, found results, and
created an argument based on the results that matter to the exigence of the players within the
LFG themselves. In all honesty, if I were to take the three major writing assignments and string
them together with a title like, “The process of the LFG,” this would satisfy nearly all of these
outcomes because the research and assignments within this class are so closely connected.
Course Outcome 4 states that, “Students will examine their own conceptions of writing
and research in response to their inquiry, reading, and writing throughout the course.” I am
currently satisfying this outcome right now. By working on my ePortfolio, I am examining my
own research and stringing my work together to present an audience with enough information.
However, this doesn’t cover it completely as my conceptions are not entirely included. The peer
review portions of assignments are big on this. By reading and understanding your peer reviews,
this allowed me to understand my own conceptions of my own writing. These conceptions have
either been holding me back or excelling me, both apply. I struggled creating this ePortfolio
however with the help of my peers, I have been able to open my mind and eyes and transform
my theme into something relevant and intelligent. This response was due to my peers changing
the conception I had on writing and creating.
This course has furthered by research skills tenfold, allowing me to access the library and
use my resources to my advantage. Although I struggled with selecting a community, creating a
ePortfolio, and choosing secondary research, my peers and professor were very helpful along the
way.