Any muscle, without proper exercise will not grow or become stronger. My brain, one of the most important muscles in my body, has used words as weights to strengthen itself over the course of this first semester. Through meticulous research, in-depth revision, and critical thinking, I am certain my skills as a writer are stronger than they have ever been. Guided by the expository writing program outcomes, my writing is clearly more structured and concise than it has ever been.

Outcome 1 Critical Lens and Creative Non-Fiction:

Outcome one’s goal was to compose strategically for different audiences and contexts. I focused on understanding key elements of rhetorical situations, such as audience, purpose, and context, to guide my writing choices. I experimented with various aspects of composition, including genre, content, style, and design, adjusting these elements to create the desired effect for each specific audience. Additionally, I assessed and articulated the reasoning behind my compositional decisions, reflecting on their impact and effectiveness in achieving my goals. Best displaying this focus was my critical lens theory and my creative non-fiction papers.

In my Critical Lens essay, I applied strategic composition to analyze Langston Hughes’s 7 People Dancing using Lois Tyson’s frameworks of African American Criticism and Gender & Queer Studies. By recognizing the context and audience, I coordinated my analysis of Hughes’s narrative with a focus on how race, sexuality, and identity intersect. I explored how the characters’ experiences in the story reflect broader social issues like racial inequalities and rigid gender norms, while also considering Hughes’s personal struggles with his identity as a gay Black man. By experimenting with genre and theory, I conveyed how the story critiques social divisions while also celebrating cultural resilience and self-expression, highlighting the story’s relevance both in its time and today.

In my Creative Non-Fiction essay, I applied strategic composition to reflect on how embracing my creativity helped me reclaim my identity, particularly in the context of college applications. Recognizing my audience; admissions officers, I shifted my narrative to highlight my personal growth and resilience. I used vivid sensory details to describe my journey from suppressing my artistic side to launching my nail studio, Studio De Sol. By coordinating my narrative with a focus on creativity and self-expression, I crafted an authentic and compelling story that highlighted my ability to adapt, grow, and stay true to myself, aligning with the quality’s colleges look for in applicants.

Outcome 2

Outcome two focuses on working strategically with complex information, I read and analyzing a variety of texts, considering their contexts and relevance. Using effective reading and writing strategies, I gathered and evaluated primary and secondary sources, ensuring their purpose aligns with my writing goals and audience. Lastly, I created a meaningful conversation by connecting patterns across ideas, texts, and experiences, while using appropriate citation styles. Best displaying these qualifications is my MP2 Literary Analysis Research and my MP 1 Agency piece.

In analyzing Julia Watson’s poetry for MP 2, I applied Outcome Two by strategically working with complex information to craft a cohesive exploration of her themes. I carefully read and analyzed her poems (“The Mountain Between Us," "The Quiet Earth," and "Leaf Fall”) evaluating their contexts and relevance to existential and symbolic ideas. By employing effective reading and writing strategies, I gathered primary sources (her poems) and secondary sources, such as interviews and critiques, ensuring that they aligned with my analytical goals and audience. I connected patterns across Watson’s use of nature, symbolism, and personal experiences, creating a meaningful dialogue that highlighted her exploration of identity, mortality, and the human condition. Additionally, I used proper citation styles to integrate sources seamlessly, demonstrating my ability to synthesize and present complex information effectively.

During my revision of MP 1, I focused on strategically engaging with a diverse range of texts to explore the concept of agency, reading and analyzing works from philosophers like Louis Althusser, scientists such as Robert Sapolsky and Brooke Gladstone, and literary figures like Ted Chiang and Kay Ryan. I synthesized these sources to craft research questions that examined the complex relationship between free will, external influences, and human behavior. By evaluating and incorporating both primary and secondary materials, I built a nuanced argument that highlighted the interplay between ideological systems, unconscious processes, and individual autonomy. I created a "conversation" among these texts, identifying patterns in their views on agency, and used proper citation to ensure the accuracy and scholarly integrity of my argument. This process allowed me to respond to complex ideas while deepening my understanding of agency and its limitations.

Outcome 3:

Outcome 3 is about crafting persuasive, complex arguments. Outcome 3 says you must consider and respond to different viewpoints while analyzing evidence to support your position. Additionally, it's important to understand the impact of your argument on diverse audiences and organize it according to the genre, situation, and purpose.

My SA 2 agency essay best represents this outcome through using evidence-based reasoning to back my claims. With over 4 sources, I used first and secondary sources to support my arguments.

Outcome 4:

Outcome 4 is all about recursive, collaborative process that involves techniques like brainstorming, drafting, reading, and editing, along with giving and receiving constructive feedback. It requires refining your choices to ensure they align with the intended audience, genre, and rhetorical goals.

I believe that the Cave essay best applied outcome 4. In writing this essay, I applied several strategies to craft a well-rounded argument. I engaged in a recursive process of revision, starting with brainstorming and drafting my initial ideas, and then refining them through re-reading and editing. I considered various interpretations of Paul Tran’s work, responding to different viewpoints while developing my own perspective on the central metaphor of the "mouth" and the "idea." I also sought constructive feedback, refining my argument to ensure it communicated the nuances of Tran’s work effectively to my intended audience. By paying close attention to the poem’s use of imagery and literary devices, I analyzed the evidence carefully, exploring how each element contributed to the broader theme of self-discovery and transformation. Finally, I structured my essay in a way that aligned with the genre and purpose, ensuring that my analysis was clear and compelling while fitting the expectations of a literary analysis.