Joshua Morales

April 24, 2020

ENC 1102

Self-Assessment

My experience in ENC 1102 has been a unique one. As a freshman in UCF, in my first

semester, with previous experience of writing from AP classes in my high school. My professor

Dr. Guenzel approach to writing was quite a unique one to say the least. Writing to be centered

around discourse and listening to different perspectives of an argument. In my previous classes

in high school, I never really written a research paper. It felt strange with writing being centered

around your research and writing. I was familiar previous methods in writing such as the

different modes of persuasion in writing and knew how to use signal phrases. However, in this

class, I was introduced to the Rogerian and Toulmin modes of argumentation that gave me a new

perspective in research papers. As it helped me understand that every perspective within any

topic is essential in an argument.

The research process was at first difficult with having to find sources in the UCF library

website that related to my research question. I have researched countless hours for my research

question, what are the main reasons as to why shopping malls are closing? It was difficult

finding articles that were related to urban shopping malls or suburban shopping malls. This

obstacle with having to manage my three other classes in the semester caused a tad bit of stress

in the first three weeks of my first semester in UCF. However, I decided to manage my time

more wisely and not procrastinate with my assignments and halt my research in ENC 1102. I felt

this helped me learn the importance of time management within my 24 hours each day.
 A task at hand that I had to prepare myself was to construct a research dossier for this

topic that I chose to dissect. I had to develop three perspectives in order to provide a clear focus

into my research question. The three perspectives that I chose for my topic were online consumer

behavior, location of shopping malls in urban and suburban areas, and how much of an impact

does entertainment have on a consumer. I also had to develop 12 sources that were going to

provide evidence on these three perspectives. That alone was a challenging task of what these

sources can provide not only for the research dossier, but eventually to the entire research paper

I’m going to have to construct. However, through an hour and a half worth of analyzing and

compiling 12 worthy sources, I feel as if this may be the right direction to be headed towards my

research. The challenge that I feel that I have to overcome is to construct my research where I

can fully convince my audience into believing my three perspectives. Although my research

paper draft was a long time from then, it was crucial for me to not delay in researching more on

my sources.

The biggest setback that I felt this semester was with the whole coronavirus epidemic that

shifted my study schedule entirely. In the first week within the transition from in person to online

lectures in UCF made me completely disjointed with my sleep schedule, which deeply affected

my education. I was extremely disorganized at first, having to restructure my schedule once

again. My professor Dr. Guenzel having to restructure the class in an online course format. With

these factors at hand I had to find a way to successfully complete my discussion posts for ENC

1102. As well as constantly working on my revision in my essays. While having to maintain a

grade satisfactory enough to receive credit for all my courses including ENC 1102. So, it was

necessary to develop some sort of strategy to overcome this obstacle. I had to reorganize my time

for the extra workload for all my four courses, while having to manage my personal time. In
ENC 1102, I devoted an entire day to my first draft of my research paper since we were near the

end of the semester. This was the moment, where my effort in my research has to be translated

into this paper. To convince an audience into the reasons as to why shopping malls have been

closing across the United States. This is where the Rogerian form of argumentation that I learned

earlier in the year has been very helpful into providing my sources as points to where it can

provide a new perspective. Personally, I feel that the Rogerian argument has been the most

helpful concept into this class related to research and argumentation in general. It made me

realize how important it is to listen to the different perspectives of any topic. For each

perspective can tell a different story with the topic at hand. How I have organized my topic is

based on this form of argumentation. The three perspectives of technology, entertainment, and

location are meant to create a discussion at hand about why shopping malls have been closing

down, and how we can resolve this issue. Rather than to convince my audience that this certain

perspective is the correct way to approach this issue.

Since we were in the second half of the semester, I had to find a time in I can revise my

draft from the feedback I received from peer review, and from Professor Guenzel. It has

provided helpful suggestions that can help improve elevate my research paper to make it more

credible. Along with making me realize the errors in my research paper that I did not see as a

writer. Revising my papers was a concept that I believe defined ENC 1102 for me. The need for

improvement in my papers made me believe that my paper is not in the best version that it could

be. By the finals week was near the corner, this was when I was most confident in my ability to

use my final version of my research paper, and implement it into my research project.

The only words that I can exemplify through my experiences in this course, I have

evolved throughout the semester. To a point where I feel I have fulfilled an aspect of my life
academically. I will carry my role as a writer, to create with new ideas and to view my life

through multiple lenses. Where I can truly progress my life onto the next step.