Gomez 1

Fernando M Gomez

ENGL 1302 – 101

Dr. Sharity Nelson

5 December 2022

Portfolio Reflection Essay

Over the course of this semester, I was able to learn a lot about myself as a writer, but

much more as a student and researcher. After this semester, I have realized that there is more to

writing than just simply knowing how to write. As Robert Frost says, “All there is to writing is

having ideas. To learn to write is to learn to have ideas.” There is also a skill involved in being

able to investigate and research information over any topic of interest while using corroborative

content to nurture creative questions with satisfiable answers based on well-founded evidence.

Case in point, a reflection on this is worth more details.

As I mentioned, I have learned much over the course of this semester. I especially

realized this after revising each essay at end of the semester. Looking back at the essays as I

revised them, I used some rhetorical choices that I was not familiar back when I began to write

them. For example, in the first essay, I was able to use my new-found experience in peer-

reviewed research articles to polish my own experiment in terms of what the readers are usually

looking for. Thanks to the experience in knowing what to look for in the results of any

experiment, I was able to add details that were worthy to an audience who engages in a topic

based on evidence and methods. It was interesting to me to notice that I was missing valuable

information in the first essay concerning many details as to how the experiment took place and

how it could be replicated, as most research experiments are written – with the intention of

allowing readers to try out the experiment for themselves. I also noticed that I lacked
Gomez 2

connections, especially in the results, as to the trends that were common amongst the findings

and the articles used as evidence. While the original essay only included specific details about

the results of the sessions in the experiment, I went ahead and made new connections to the trend

observed as well as the researched findings made by author authors in the field.

In the revision of the second essay, different rhetorical choices were made. For example,

because in this essay it was synthesizing the research of many authors on a single subject, which

was the impact of Mexican immigration on American politics, there was not much personal

inclusion in the conversations. Moreover, there was no experimentation made or included on my

behalf, so much of the revision was in the form of clarity and specificity. Particularly, some

changes I made in the revision of the second essay was reducing the over reliance on quotes and

more paraphrasing. This demonstrated better understanding of what the authors were talking

about in terms of my own words rather than only using their words to explain what they were

saying. Afterall, their research is already published, so repeating what they had written was

redundant. Instead, a clarification and clear connections are what I worked on to improve

throughout this essay.

For the revision of the third essay, I used a combination of rhetorical choices that I had

used in the first and second essay. Specifically, because the topic or subject matter for the third

essay was the same as the second essay, there was a synthesis of researched information much

involved. However, instead of restricting my ideas on the subject, I was able to construct an

argument based on evidence I had researched on my own. This is the part in which the revision

was like that of the first essay. While in the first essay I clarified my methods and results to

include more connections and pointers to the evidence, in the third essay, I revised my main

argument more focused. The main argument focus was the ways in which voter turnout can be
Gomez 3

increased among minorities in American politics, so clarifying on the subject and the different

ways in which minority mobilization can be done are exactly what I worked on for the revision

of the third essay. Not only that but collaborating evidence from the research articles that I had

found were also something worked to integrate into the last pieces of writing for this essay,

which I had originally not finished. I have gone ahead and included the official revised versions

of the final drafts for each essay in the portfolio.

There were also rhetorical choices that I made when designing the website to showcase

my essays I made during the essay. Although it may look basic at first glance, I gave somewhat

considerable thought to the scope and theme of the website besides the organization. The theme

opens with an impressive onlook towards nature and its product with an admiring view of horses

in mountains. Nonetheless, after this image, there are numerous images of house décor and

furniture. The reason behind this is that the impressive picture of nature comes first as the

motivation to live and express freely while searching for it arduously. This is related to how

writing is an art of thinking where one learns to find motivation to express thoughts and

arguments while finding research, which requires perseverance. It is a worthy search for valuable

information to validate findings and hypothesis, which I constantly did throughout this semester

as I based essays on creative questions - I shouldered myself to ask, constantly. Afterward, it

was a “building on prepared canvases” that took place in my writing venture towards the

semester. Hence, the pictures of home décor and furniture. These highlight the constant exertion

to find the best improvement based on a variety of similar choices which can all contribute to a

much better-looking living space. Adding furniture to my living space and choosing from a wide

a variety of options to choose from is likened to that of improving writing skills based on even

the smallest details. Improving room space in terms of space and looks takes time but also
Gomez 4

requires keen eye for the smallest details. I was able to do this with my own writing. I worked to

always improve despite my obliging thoughts that certain writing assignments were as good as I

thought they were. As I learned in this course, we can always work to improve, if we strive to

look just for the right options. Hence, the website layout and design are in accord with these

rhetorical choices.

There were numerous contributing activities and homework assignments that Influenced

my revisions and rhetorical choices when creating this portfolio. For example, most of those

assignments included examples of well-written essays in the different genre assigned for each of

the essays. Being able to figure through and understand the purpose of different authors with

different topics and arguments was helpful in seeing how a well-written essay in whichever

genre it was looked like. For example, for Essay, the class activity practice on the article by

Lewis and Mehmet was helpful in deciphering how to develop a methods section for the

experiment-based essay. In it, I discovered critical pointers that led readers to clarity and

specificity about how the specific experiment was done or researched. I quickly applied these

techniques and integrated them into my own writing in Essay 1, especially in the revision. Other

examples also served as great help for the other essays. In the case of the portfolio, reading about

the uses of portfolios generally in the professional world was also a dynamic discovery and

learning opportunity for me. The chapter book’s explanation of what a good portfolio includes

allowed me to add to my portfolio in a way that it suggested interactive content with the public,

which I aim it does. Again, it is the minor details which are the most important and vital in any

contributing project that requires time and creativity to create.

Writing really is all about having ideas. This is something very valuable that I learned in

ENGL 1302 and, with most excitedness, plan to apply in other courses. Most if not all other
Gomez 5

courses that I have had and will have in the future I am sure will have writing involved. Writing

is like a cornerstone to learning and communicating what is learned. Therefore, the skill of

having ideas, as I learned in this course, is something I will apply from here and onwards. Some

examples, to name a few, can be that in describing new ways to figure the uses of math and

mathematical concepts, or coming up with ideas to resolve new scientific questions. What’s

more, coming up with ideas and researching the topics in others’ written, public research, as I did

extensively throughout the three essays I did this semester, will be contributing not only to my

courses in the future but also to my career. In fact, I have plans to become a teacher at all grade

levels, which will require of me to think critically while also a learner. Other things I learned in

this course that I will apply in other courses will be effectively arguing my stances with

researched evidence.

However, something that I did learn in ENGL 1302 that I will not be able to apply to

other courses will be that of focusing on the rhetorical analyses of constructing a writing

portfolio. While I will be able to construct future essays and possibly websites that are general

about my work and to showcase my skills in a specific field, using a website to showcase my

skills in writing argumentative papers like that of this portfolio will be a very specific and unique

occasion. There are many capabilities that I was able to acquire throughout the whole of this

semester and this course, but the specific skill in creating a portfolio for writing will be least

applicable in different circumstances. This is not, however, a bad thing. This is because there

were many more other things that were applicable in this course that will also be applicable in

other courses. This is to say, it is difficult for me to point out something that will only be

applicable to this but no other course as the abilities I have found in this course are essential to

demonstrating my capabilities in future courses.

Gomez 6

I can compare my progress over this semester in terms of my writing strengths and

weaknesses as that of the transformative ability of caterpillars to turn into beautiful butterflies.

When I first started creating my ENGL 1302 portfolio, I had dismissed all signs of change in my

writing skills over the course of this semester. This is not to say that I did not change in any way,

but rather that the changes took place slowly and progressively that it was easy for me to dismiss.

Nonetheless, my writing strengths have changed significantly over the course of this semester.

This was made clear to me when I revised my three essays from the semester. When I took a

glance at the essays, I immediately knew what I was missing. I thought to myself in various

moments during the creation of this portfolio, “When I wrote this, what was I thinking? Did I not

notice I was missing so many things?”. I felt as if I were a picky judge looking at the smaller

details that, nonetheless, made the most significant changes. Such that, my strengths as a writer

have changed in that I am better able to know what to include in presenting research and when to

include it. I have gained a better understanding of what it means to be clear about any subject

and to provide examples in a significant way. When I first wrote the essays, I had the hardest

time knowing what to write and how to write it. Now, however, I feel more adept at clarifying

points and providing examples that make sense to the subject at hand. In the three essays, I was

able to revise them efficiently, noticing right away what to change and how to change it so that it

made more sense. Such as in the third essay, when talking about minority mobilization, which

seemed unfinished at first and only include facts found in the peer-reviewed articles used, I was

able to paraphrase and quickly find relevant evidence from the articles that contributed to the

essay. It was encouraging to see that I was able to notice the minor details and add to them

effectively.
Gomez 7

Creating the website took its time. I am glad that I took my time on it. This, although

something minor, was a challenging aspect in and of itself. However, it was the least challenging

because it all came down to being organized with the information and being able to recollect on

important details from some months ago. Additionally, this is my first time using Weebly to

create a website in any course. Some time ago, I was able to use Google Docs, and I became

quite skillful at creating different websites for different courses and purposes, even for that of my

own. However, learning to use Weebly took me a while and presented a challenge when creating

this website. The most challenge aspect of this website was being creative about the visual aspect

of the presentation. I am not a very creative person when it comes to knowing how to combine

certain pictures with certain color hues or decorating a canvas so it may seem appealing and

inviting to user interaction. Nonetheless, I tried my best in looking for ways to make it the easiest

to use and to find my writings. This was the most challenging part of this website, but I am

happy to say that I was able to learn how to use it just on time while also having time to worry

about the content.

Having written this essay, I must realize significant aspects of myself as a writer. I am

constantly pondering about where I can improve, most usually in activities that involve an

interaction with tangible objects, such as that of playing sports or learning to paint. However, this

essay has showed me that writing, which is an intellectual skill that requires mental effort, is

something I can continue to improve upon. My favorite subjects are math and music because I

have certain capabilities in those areas. However, my least skillful subject is writing. Although I

have never been too awful at writing, I have always considered writing a respectable practice

with which people with creatively capable minds are skillful at. I have learned that writing not

only is a practice with which people can become acquainted with but, because of taking this
Gomez 8

course, a worthy milestone which anybody can reach as long as they are diligent and willing to

break down and build up even if it takes taking a few steps back. We will always end up moving

forwards.