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Antonio Coronado

Professor Melissa Bustamante

English 1301

December 7, 2023

My English 1301 Final Reflection

In Professor Bustamante’s English 1301 Course, I learned that the writing process is a

multi-step process. For example, there are drafts and I learned from Professor Bustamante’s

Assignment “Shitty First Drafts” where Lamott stated” The first draft is the child's draft, where

you let it all pour out and then let it romp all over the place". Before taking this English 1301

Crouse, I had the notion that drafts were just another assignment, being able to work on draft

after draft; I learned that they a very important stage of the writing process. I now see drafts as a

place where you can have a bulk of ideas and you can be expressive in your writing; moreover,

be able to look at your own writing from a different perspective. Following the multiple step

writing process, I also learned from Professor Bustamante’s “Checklist Assignment”. That it is

important to go over the criteria and steps of a good paper. For instance, factors such as having a

controlling idea that is carried out thought out the paper, additionally, a conclusion that

demonstrates what the paper is about and carries a message to the audience. Learning this helped

me in my other writing courses where I have been breaking down my writing. For example,

when I wrote my history 1302 papers, I kept a controlling idea, which allowed the papers to have

a purpose. This helped me a lot, since instead of writing information or statements all over the

place, the paper had an objective. Moreover, I also made drafts for my history papers, where I

wrote my ideas in bulk and brainstormed forward; in addition, before turning them in, I read
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them multiple times. Which was something that I also learned in Professor Bustamantes Course;

reading your own papers is something that can benefit you greatly in writing. Being able to read

my own papers multiple times allowed me to catch on to confusing controlling ideas and many

grammatical errors.

In Professor Bustamante’s English 1301 Course, I also learned how to look in depth when

analyzing. When we were tasked to write the second unit essay assigned by Professor

Bustamante “Visual Analysis”. I was able to see the deeper meaning of an image. I saw how

certain accepts in the 1989 Jeep king of the hill advertisement were used to appeal to a certain

demographic of clients and how they created meaning to persuade the audience. Taking time to

analyze this image, I learned the importance of knowing your audience. I learned that being able

to know your audience, you can persuade, or even get a message or statement across effortlessly.

An activity that helped me be able to look deeper into the meaning of an image and how it works

with a certain rhetorical situation was the “Per-Writing Activity: Visual Analysis”. Within this

activity by Professor Bustamante, I was able to break down the visual aspects of the 1989 Jeep

king of the hill advertisement. In this activity, I was able to analyze how a specific font is more

appealing, certain colors, the positioning of certain aspects, and even statements made by the

authors are conformed to an audience. Being able to analyze how these aspects worked with an

audience, I was able to observe how this certain advertisement works with the aspect of the

rhetorical situation at an extensive level.

In the revising process, the element that I learned was the importance of accepting

feedback within writing. For example, within the “Rhetorical Analysis Draft”, I applied peer and

professor feedback. I had some doubts in the wording order of my paper, so, I took feedback

from my professor recommending “A better Arrangement of Sentences”. Additionally, “Less

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Repetition in sentences”. Along with the feedback of my peer (Vicharelly) being “A better

controlling idea”. I took these two pieces of feedback, and I was able to rearrange my sentences

and write a better controlling idea, which allowed me to be able to have a solid paper. I also

learned another element, being within the process of revising; being that it is important to read

your paper multiple times, as there can be imperfections. There can be anything from grammar

errors to incorrect citations, I learned that it is important to read your paper from the “Peer

Review Writing Section”. Where I was able to give feedback to my peers and give a second

opinion on changes. While reading my peer’s papers I found imperfections such as wording or

grammar. With the process of reading my peer’s papers, I retained that it is important to read

your own paper multiple times. Knowing that not every piece of writing is perfect, I felt okay

reading my own paper multiple times. With this, I was able to catch on to multiple errors in my

own writing.

The most challenging aspect of revising a final essay was using previous ideas and

making them work with new ideas. Writing this final revision essay, with all the knowledge and

feedback I gain from my professor throughout this English 1301 Course, I felt like I wanted to

start off with a new blank page. For example, I found it challenging trying to keep the original

genre, since the genre of schedules I chose was somewhat bland. In addition, I felt that trying to

keep the original controlling idea was challenging, since looking back, I could have had a much

better controlling idea. On the other hand, the least challenging part was carrying the controlling

idea and being able to have good topic sentences. I found it easier to write this revision, as I

constructed experienced from previous papers, and I could now apply this experience onto the

final revision essay.

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The way that I made the unit writing explanations understandable to a general audience

was starting from the beginning. I made the choice of using the element of going into a deeper

and more extensive explanation. Since someone visiting my website that has not taken this

specific English 1301 Course would not know the content and process of the course. For

example, I followed the concepts of the assignment, such as goal, audience, and purpose. After

explaining this, I went in depth into the assignments of the course which helped me write the

analysis. Additionally, I explained how the assignments I showed helped me and how they were

relevant to the paper. Being able to do this, I was able to give the reader a foundation, which I

believe allowed them to be able to have a perspective in the course and writing process. Another

element that I used was using first person perspective, as if I were explaining to someone in

person. I think this was a good decision, since I was able to explain to someone that is unfamiliar

with this course how the elements of analysis writing work. Additionally, I made my website in a

formal way, so that the audience accessing it has the information easily accessible. I also made

my website this way, to be able to have the information in a way that could be easily accessed in

the future.

The most challenging aspect of this course was mostly at the beginning; being a lack of

writing knowledge. Beginning this English 1301 Course I found it difficult to write, as my

previous writing experience from high school was not the very good. In high school I had

assignments based mostly on grammar and sentence structure, therefore not a lot of advanced

writing. For example, I had a hard time writing the first paper, where I had to carry a controlling

idea and I had to have a purpose. In addition, I faced the challenge of not being able to analyze

deeper in the meaning of information. I only knew the basics and I did not know what it really

meant to analyze at an extensive level; a piece of writing or image. For instance, I did not know
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why the authors used certain aspects in writing. Now after analyzing and writing, I know that the

authors mostly use certain aspects due to their rhetorical situation; being their specific audience

they are communicating with. Another challenge that I faced was working with ideas. While

writing, I had ideas written down, but I did not know how to work forward with them or interpret

them. Being able to write elaborate papers, I now have experience in the way which I can work

forward and build with ideas; additionally, be able to write more content within papers.

The least challenging aspect of this course was working with the given resources. For

example, as the course progressed I was able to have more resources in writing. For example,

Professors Bustamante “Checklist”. Being able to have this resource. I was able to have a

blueprint for writing, as I knew what I needed to be able to write a good paper. I was able to

work with the “Checklist”. By being able to look into my paper as a broken-down puzzle. With

this, I was able to see the pieces I was missing such as citations, controlling idea, or certain

aspects of analyzing. Being able to work with these resources, I found that I had a larger

potential in writing. Being able to know what I needed for a good paper, I was able to find my

own writing elaborate and good. I also discovered that I was able to write at a professional level,

as I found myself using citations and a proper format. Before taking this course, I did not know

how to properly cite or use proper The MLA Format. After taking this course, I now have

extensive knowledge within in the citation processes, which can help my future papers be able to

be more creditable and professional. Since I now know how to give proper credit to another

piece of information from someone.

I feel that this course has also helped me be able to look beyond what a piece of

communication wants to convey; being genre, writing or an image. I believe that being able to

look beyond what is on the surface can help you be able to communicate in a way that is
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academic, as there is a deeper understanding. I believe that knowing how to communicate in a

way that is academic can help you be able to communicate within the academic writing

community. Additionally, I feel that this course has helped me write in a way that is unbiased, as

within a professional sphere I think that being biased can make you lose credibility and seem

unprofessional. Moreover, within this course I also feel that I learned to apply more vocabulary

within my writing; being able to do this, I feel that I have added more credibility and formality

into my writing. Being able to combine all of the aspects that I have learned in this course, I feel

that I can now relate to the academical writing community as I can now communicate in a way

that is academic and extensive.

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Works Cited

Bustamante, Melissa. “Shitty First Drafts.” ENGL 1301: English Composition 1, September 14,

2023 Texas A&M International University, Lamott, Anne - Shitty First Drafts.doc. December 6,

2023, Class handout.

Bustamante, Melissa. "Essay Checklist” ENGL 1301: English Composition 1, November 14,

2023 Texas A&M International University, Checklist for Rhetorical Analysis Reflection Essay.

December 6, 2023, Class handout.

Bustamante, Melissa. “Visual Analysis”. ENGL 1301: English Composition 1, October 5, 2023

Texas A&M International University, Pre writing Activity Visual Analysis. December 6, 2023,

Class handout.

1989 Jeep king of the hill Advertisement for Chrysler Corporation. Jeep, Octobre. 2023, p. 1

Vicharelly, Gianne “Knowing the Audience to Create an Impact” Peer comment “Better

arrangement of controlling idea” ENGL 1301, Texas A&M International University, 11 Nov.

2023.
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Bustamante, Melissa “Knowing the Audience to Create an Impact” Professor comment “Better

arrangement of sentences” ENGL 1301, Texas A&M International University, 9 Nov. 2023.

Bustamante, Melissa “Knowing the Audience to Create an Impact” Professor comment “Using

less repetition”. ENGL 1301, Texas A&M International University, 9 Nov. 2023.

Coronado, Antonio. "Rhetorical Analysis Draft Peer Review” ENGL 1301: English Composition

1, November 7, 2023 Texas A&M International University

antonio_coronado_essay_3_draft_1__3_.docx . December 6, 2023.

Bustamante, Melissa. “Peer Review Writing Section.” ENGL 1301: English Composition I,

Texas A&M International University, 2023.

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