Karen Thomas

Kylee Pastore

Freshman Composition

6 November 2021

Letter of Introduction 

My theory of writing, or the general circumstances that I like to work in, has changed drastically after coming in this semester. Before this semester started for me, I’d always try to work in the morning and get over with as much work as I possibly could. But, if that did not go as planned or if I didn’t have the motivation to do so, I would occasionally stay up late nights and do my work then. With such a hard transition between being able to create a more flexible schedule, and also having school online, trying to find the right environment for me to work at was a bit difficult. The pandemic drained a lot of my motivation as well which was another factor that made things more difficult for me. So, throughout this semester, I tried plenty of things. I tried working from home, whether that was early in the morning or late at night. And other times, I would work early on campus in any quiet environment that I could find, which actually ended up working the best for me. Then, when I would arrive home later in the day, I would try to keep a consistent routine, that way I could keep up my energy and motivation. Of course, it didn’t always work on some days, but it was something I was able to develop and help me out through the semester. 

Through this site, along the menu tabs above, you’ll be able to find all the different types of work and pieces I was able to develop during this semester while trying to keep up and reach certain objectives. However, there were 3 main objectives that were mainly important to me. 

As I feel like this was the core for this class, one objective that I believe was significant to me was being able to explore and analyze variety and genres and rhetorical situations. I believe the process can really be seen in my Composition in Two Genres since it allowed me to use a variety of genres. When creating both pieces, I had to think about how each element of that genre will help me toward my goal or purpose of my writing which I talk about in my “Reflection” section. I had to make sure they were “appealing towards my audience.” I find this objective is meaningful to me considering how it’s changed how I’ve approached writing. It has taught me to really look through different aspects of my writing and see if those aspects are helping me achieve my goal. Not only that but it’s also helped me analyze it in other pieces as well. 

Another objective that was significant to me throughout this semester was being able to engage in collaborative and social aspects of the writing process. Throughout this semester, I’ve spoken to many of my peers or other students whether it was assisting them with their work or even getting feedback on mine. Not only that, but I’ve also used the help and experience of my peers to even strengthen some of my essays. In my Inquiry-Based Essay, I have a section known as “The Interview Section” where I spoke to friends and family about their experiences throughout the pandemic. Using those responses helped me gather a strong response to my initial question of the essay. This objective is important to me because I almost see it as a reminder that not everything has to be done alone. You have peers around you who are willing to help you through your writing process and it can really strengthen the work you already have. 

An objective that I believe should be significant to almost everyone is being able to properly find and locate credible sources. Apart from my own experiences and the experiences of peers around me, I did not have a general idea of how social isolation and the pandemic mentally affected other teenagers around the nation. If I wanted a better grasp, I had to go through other sources and studies in order so that I can gain a more broad and in-depth answer to my initial question. This can really be seen throughout all of the work I’ve done through this semester. From my analysis of a variety of sources to even my Inquiry-Based Essay, where I use sources to back up my statements such as citing studies from Unicef and etc, you can see me utilizing this skill. Being able to properly locate and use sources is a meaningful skill to me since it’s something I can rely on to find answers to any of my potential questions and expand my horizon of knowledge. 

This semester I’ve not only been able to find a general environment I can easily work in but, it has also helped expand more on my knowledge of writing and what I can do in future instances.