Hayden Hamlett

5 April 2020

Mrs. Thomas 

UWRT 1104

SLO Essay

1. Rhetorical Knowledge

The use of rhetorical knowledge is often used when writers convey their point to the reader in

not only their own voice, but in a way that makes sense to the reader as well. The writer is aware

of who their audience is and what style or genre is being used. Rhetorical knowledge is

important because it teaches writers to write from an outside perspective, rather than being

trapped in their own little bubble. If the writer only states their opinion and thoughts, this limits

the writer and often loses the audience, because the audience feels as though they cannot relate.

Articulate writers use rhetorical knowledge to make connections between genres and are able to

adapt to different purposes and contexts.

  2.)     “There are three primary elements that make up a rhetorical situation or a rhetoric triangle. At the top point of
the triangle, we have the audience, while the bottom two points consist of the speaker or writer and the issue. All of

these elements interact with each other in some way. The speaker knows something about the audience, the

audience knows something about the speaker, and they both know something about the issue. So, the speaker or

writer has to have in mind what their goal is when portraying a message and what the audience knows about the

issue. It is important to know your audience’s values as well as what they care about.

3.) Ethos appeals to moral character. Ethos is used to persuade the audience that the speaker or writer can be

trusted. Pathos represents emotions, which attempts to make the audience stop thinking and start feeling from the

heart. Logos is a representation of reason. This shows concrete evidence and asks “why should they logically agree

with your point of view?”

The text above is from Studio 3, which discussed different elements in regards to rhetorical uses.

There are three specific elements that the studio went into detail to cover, which are ethos,
pathos, and logos. Ethos is essential to begin with because it tests the credibility of the writer. If

you want reliable information, then you have to have a reliable source in which you can trust.

Pathos is used to pull on the audience’s emotions by appealing to your emotions. The goal is to

get the reader to stop thinking and start feeling. Lastly, logos is one of the most important

elements in writing, because it shows evidence behind reasoning while also giving the reader a

reason to agree with various points being made. 

2. Critical Reading

Critical reading involves the reader or writer analyzing a text, while also making connections

that appear less obvious to those who read only for facts. A critical reader is able to look beyond

the text and interpret what the writer is trying to say, rather than only looking at the surface level

of the text. Sometimes, it can feel like you’re searching for context clues, but instead you are

having to read in between the lines for a deeper meaning. In order to read critically, it’s

important to know what you’re looking for, while also having some kind of knowledge about

what you are reading. This doesn’t mean you have to be an expert in that particular field, but you

should be able to make a connection from A to B, even if it isn’t spelled out. Critical reading is

an essential skill, because it can be used in every subject. This skill is helpful in Literature and

writing courses but it is not limited to English courses. 

The text above was one of the many articles I looked at to use in my research summary.

Although this article was helpful in learning different forms of trauma, the source did not give

me enough information about the author. Before I had knowledge about research summaries and

what exactly they entail, I most likely would have overlooked the credibility of the source.

Critical reading plays a large part in reading in between the lines as well as knowing where your

source is coming from. It’s important to know who your author is, whether or not the article is

peer-reviewed, and being able to tell if the information lines up with information that is known to

be accurate. I had to look between assertion and evidence to decide whether or not the facts were

reliable. 

3. Composing Process

Articulate writers use composing processes to better their writing and develop a more thought

out strategy for their final project. A composing process is split up into four different steps which
include: prewriting, drafting, revising, and editing. Instead of trying to write a paper the day

before it’s due, the composing process allows the writer to break down each step so that they can

go back and perfect their work. It is more likely to have some kind of careless mistake, when you

skip 3 of the 4 steps. This technique is often referred to as a recursive process, which means each

step you take feeds into another step. This is helpful because after you’ve drafted an essay, you

are able to verify your facts. If you discover that you’ve made a mistake, you can return to your

draft and make any changes that are needed. 

 
 The text above is a document analysis that I wrote for my history class. I completed this paper in

four different steps. I began the composing process by  researching my topic so I could

brainstorm my own ideas with accurate facts. After brainstorming, I compacted all of my ideas

into an essay format, which is referred to as the draft. The draft stage allowed me to analyze and

revise my text, so that I can go back through to edit the details. The Composing process makes it

easy to find grammatical errors or repeated information found through different programs on the

computer. 

4. Knowledge of Conventions

Reliable writers use their grasp of conventions in any form of writing or proofreading. Although

grammatical mistakes seem very insignificant, when it comes down to the details, it can make or

break your paper. It’s imperative that you are able to point out your own grammatical, spelling,

and punctuation. If you were to read an article from a well-known author to find that the article

was filled with spelling and punctuation errors, it would probably make you question the

credibility of the author. In addition to credibility playing a role in the knowledge of

conventions, the overall meaning can be misinterpreted. Punctuation can change the whole

meaning of a sentence unless it is placed carefully.

The image above is a paragraph from my synthesis. I had a few grammatical errors that I

discovered after going through peer review and reading back over each paragraph. My main

issue was forgetting to put quotation marks around the articles rather than italicizing them. These

details can be tricky, because as a writer you have to remember what you put quotes around and

what you should italicize. A close eye is important when editing or peer reviewing. Overall, I

had few grammatical errors, but I am continuing to work on passive and present voice. 

5. Critical Reflection

Critical reflection is the writer’s ability to explain their motive or reasoning behind the text.

Writers often end their essay by reflecting on the work they have completed. This is a way to

summarize your thoughts and re emphasize the main points. Reflecting on your work can help
you see where you struggled and where you thrive. The reflection is often followed by the

conclusion paragraph. 

4. The focus and diffuse mode concerning the functions of the brain were new to me. I was familiar with

the 8 day study plan and I have always heard teachers tell their students to get at least 6 hours of sleep

before doing any kind of testing. I thought the pinball analogy was a great way to explain the parts of the

brain that already have a set path and other parts that need a new perspective. 

The text above is from Studio Six. This purpose of the assignment was to watch a video and

reflect on how the study skills could help the student or already assist the student in studying. I

was able to discuss what I had learned, as well as how I have used different parts in the past. The

reflection allows the audience to engage in the video and think about how the information can be

applied.