Homework answers / question archive / As you already know, Module 4 is all about engaged reflection, that is, looking back at what we've learned during our semester together, and thinking about how it applies to our current lives as well as our future lives (both academic and outside of academia)

As you already know, Module 4 is all about engaged reflection, that is, looking back at what we've learned during our semester together, and thinking about how it applies to our current lives as well as our future lives (both academic and outside of academia)

Writing

Share With

---

As you already know, Module 4 is all about engaged reflection, that is, looking back at what we've learned during our semester together, and thinking about how it applies to our current lives as well as our future lives (both academic and outside of academia).

Read a letter from a student who is hypothetically joining a class like ours. (attached blow) Yes, you will be writing a letter in which you reflect on what you've learned about composition and rhetoric in our class!

What to Do:

Step 1

Open a new .doc/.docx file, and name it "Yourname_Mod5Final" (or something similar).

Add a proper MLA heading, a descriptive title, and your last name/page numbers in the top right corners.

This time, your assignment may be single spaced.

Use 12 pt Times New Roman font, please.

Step 2

Write a letter in which you practice engaged reflection in regards to our course this semester.

Your letter must be at least 600 words in length, not including the heading, title, etc.

Your target audience is the hypothetical incoming student who wrote the example letter linked above, or an imaginary student joining the class next semester. (Note that your tone would be different depending on which audience you choose).

Obviously, you'll be free to use all of our course materials to complete this project--all of our Canvas site pages will remain open for viewing. But give yourself an advantage by preparing for this project ahead of time! You can do this by:

Re-reading the syllabus and the writing you've done, including your work in the forums

Skimming through modules to re-familiarize yourself with key concepts and vocabulary terms

Re-reading the work you and others did in Workshop 2, and reflecting on it in an engaged way (which I guess that would be engaged reflection on your engaged reflection!).

Note: if you choose to quote yourself or any of our class materials within your Reflection, you do not need to use in-text citations or add a Works Cited page for this assignment. You are very strongly encouraged to use the "sandwich technique", however, in which you introduce the material you are going to quote/paraphrase, then the quote/paraphrase itself, and finally, a response to that quote/paraphrase. Make it clear what you are referring to, and why it is important to discuss. Here is an example:

In the Information Literacy section of our syllabus, it states that "This course addresses methods for locating and evaluating sources, integrating research, and citing sources responsibly and ethically as part of ongoing intellectual dialogue." I believe that...

Lastname 1 Jordan Lastname Dr. Eric Melbye ENG 111-Section Date Module 4 Cumulative Reflection Essay Dear Student of this ENG 111 class: Hello, my name is Jordan. I’m going to be a freshman at MUM in the fall, and I’m signed up for this online ENG 111 class. I’m a little worried about this class. The teacher showed me the syllabus, but it may as well have been written in a foreign language! It made no sense to me. The teacher gave me your name and suggested that I write to you about my concerns. The teacher said that maybe you could write me back and help me through some of my worries. Basically, I’m worried about the class because I hate writing. It’s sooo boring! When my teachers make me write stuff, I usually don’t have anything to say. If I do, I don’t know how to organize it, or how to make myself sound really smart. I guess I’m just stupid. No, scratch that. I’m not stupid. Writing is stupid. I know I’m not supposed to say things like that, but hey, I am what I am. Deal with it, world! I have to pass this Composition class, though. And I know that to pass the class I’m going to need to learn to write better. So I was wondering if you could give me some detailed information on a few things. First, what is this ENG 111 course all about? I mean, what kinds of ideas, goals, and skills are you supposed to learn? Did you actually learn them? Second, I’d like to hear your thoughts on what I need to know about reading and writing in order for me to become a better writer, and to understand why I should be able to write well at all. I mean, why is knowing how to “apply principles of rhetoric and composition” (whatever that means) so important to my everyday life, anyway? I want to own a bank or three and be filthy rich. I won’t have to know about “rhetorical situations” and “inquiry” and crap like that, will I? You don’t have to read and write well to be rich. You just pay someone else to do your work for you! Anyway, I hope I’ll understand what you’re talking about, considering I haven’t taken the class yet. (By the way, what’s a “text,” anyway? Is the teacher talking about, like, textbooks, or what? What the heck is “rhetoric”? I’m totally lost!) Actually, now I’m kind of wondering if I should take this class at all! Maybe when you write back to me, you could pick 1-2 course goals from the syllabus, and talk about how your skill or knowledge of those course goals changed as you went through the semester. Maybe you could use some examples from your own writing to like, back up your points or something. That might help me understand why composition and rhetoric are worth anything to me. It’s really cool of you to answer my questions—thanks! I mean, this whole letter probably looks like a cleverly disguised writing assignment for this class. If the rumors about this professor are Lastname 2 true, you'll probably need to develop, like, a formal letter to me or something that covers all of my questions, am I right? You’ll have to use an appropriate tone for your audience, and dig beneath the surface stuff to really *say* something useful, probably. I’ve heard college classes like these are all about developing your critical and creative thinking skills, learning to analyze texts instead of summarizing them, and how to use rhetoric appropriately. And I bet if this professor were grading this, it would probably be worth, like, 50 points of your course grade. The professor is probably looking for lots of exhaustive details and examples in your letter, right? And she would want it to be focused, organized, coherent, and thorough. Mainly, I'm guessing this professor would probably want to see that you can comfortably and confidently define and use the vocabulary words and main concepts you’ve been learning in this course. (I can’t believe I’m thinking of taking a class like this!) You’re probably going to have to plan your letter before you actually write it—you know, do some brainstorming or outlining or whatever, to get your thoughts in order. And you’ll probably have to do a peer workshop on it, too. Sorry for asking you to do a bunch of work! I mean, your letter will probably be like, at least 600 words long, so it shouldn’t stress you out too much. Anyway, I really, really appreciate it. If you have any questions, well—don’t ask me! But if your letter is really useful, I’ll give you a free toaster or something when you open an account at one of my future banks. L8R, Jordan Course Objectives: In ENG 111 you will learn to: • • • • • • • • • • Apply principles of rhetoric and composition to produce writing for specific audiences, purposes, and contexts, especially academic contexts. Write with awareness of multiple audiences and of differences among audiences. Use invention techniques to explore topics and develop arguments. Develop and conduct research-based inquiries into academic questions and public issues. Locate, evaluate, integrate, and cite sources effectively and ethically. Analyze and evaluate your own and others’ writing and uses of rhetoric. Produce, share, and publish your writing using a variety of genres, modes, and technologies. Make strategic rhetorical choices about organization and style. Revise and edit your own writing according to audience, purpose, and context. Articulate and reflect critically on your own composing practices and rhetorical decision-making, including your decisions about the production and delivery of writing. Graded Work Quiz: Syllabus Discussion Board: The Class Community Discussion Board: The Rhetorical Situation Discussion Board: Reflective Narrative Essay Workshop Points 10 10 15 25 Writing Assignment: Reflective Narrative Essay Discussion Board: Visual Rhetoric Discussion Board: Rhetorical Analysis Essay Workshop Writing Assignment: Rhetorical Analysis Essay Discussion Board: Brainstorming Your Research Based Argument Essay Quiz: Avoiding Plagiarism Discussion Board: Research Bibliography Discussion Board: Research Based Argument Draft and Peer Workshop Writing Assignment: Research-Based Argument Essay Discussion Board: Cumulative Reflection Essay Draft/Peer Workshop Writing Assignment: Cumulative Essay/Final Exam Total: 50 5 25 50 25 10 15 25 75 25 50 415