The first Course Learning Outcome that I interacted with this semester was to, “acknowledge your and others’ range of linguistic differences as resources, and draw on those resources to develop rhetorical sensibility,” (Rodwell 2021). The discussion board that I led gave me the ability to observe the differences in the way things can be interpreted by students and gave me the opportunity to formulate discussion. I had to read every student’s post and engage in conversation which gave me a greater understanding of how each student thought about portfolios and how everyone expects something different from one another.  Other students were interpreting the portfolios in a different way than I was due to a difference in English learning backgrounds. This activity helps my writing by showing me that I need to make sure my pieces of writing are conveyed in a way that is clear and does not leave any room for misinterpretation.  

The next course learning outcome that I interacted with was with multiple writing assignments and it was to, “enhance strategies for drafting, revising, editing and self-assessment,” (Rodwell 2021). The first assignment was the Formal Letter of Introduction. I was required to think about my future and describe my career and life goals. In thinking about these topics, I had to evaluate my career goals and determine what I truly wanted out of my future. The second assignment was the Lab Report Analysis. This assignment helped me understand what a professional laboratory report looks like. It enhanced my strategies for drafting because it showed me what a laboratory report should include. The third assignment was the Technical Description. I needed to add more detail to my writing. I paid most of my attention to the history of the glasses I was writing about and not enough attention to the glasses themselves. I need to work on my revising and self-assessment skills because I didn’t notice that I was missing key information when writing my paper. Lastly, one of biggest issues that I had this semester was writing my Self Reflection Memos. I still do not have a clear understanding of how they are supposed to be written. I have not included the correct information and still do not understand how to change the content to be correct. This is a point of self-assessment that I must work on for improvement. 

I interacted with the next course learning outcome at four separate times this semester. It is to, “strengthen your source use practices (including evaluating, summarizing, and analyzing),” (Rodwell 2021). After receiving feedback on my Lab Report Analysis, I discovered that I need to work on my analyzation skills. I did not properly analyze the reports that I reviewed. This lacking led to gaps in my assignment. Additionally, after receiving feedback about my Proposal, I realized that I left out a lot of information and details. This was partially due to my lack of sources. I had difficulty finding reviews on the different products that I was writing about, and this led me to have less information than was necessary. Thirdly, when using the Monash University website to learn about the different parts of a laboratory report, I was able to learn more about analyzation and evaluation. It showed me the different parts of a laboratory report and what must be included. I then took this information and analyzed my reports. Lastly, the graphic that was presented about Summary vs. Analysis helped me understand the differences between summarization and analyzation. It gave guidance on the differences and key points of comparison. 

I interacted with the next course learning outcome in two different assignments. It is to, “negotiate your own writing goals and audience expectations regarding conventions of genre, medium, and rhetorical situation,” (Rodwell 2021). After receiving feedback on my Technical Description, it was made clear to me that my formatting for this paper was not clear and understandable. I did not place the parts and subparts in a fashion that would help the reader follow them clearly. In the future I would pay more attention to the formatting of the specific type of paper so that it coincides with my audience’s expectations. I will pay more attention to my medium and conventions of the genre that I am writing in. Additionally, my Proposal Presentation was lacking a lot of detail. I realized after receiving questions on it that I did not think about what my audience would want to know and what my audience should know. This left some informational gaps in the brochure that I created. In the future I plan to pay more attention to these details and get feedback from others on what should be included. 

Rodwell, Crystal. (Spring 2021). Writing for Engineering [Syllabus]. English Department, City College of New York.