To whom this may concern:

Three words come to mind when thinking of Honors English 289: hard work and enriching. This course has asked a great deal of creativity and rhetorical strategy. Through thirteen assignments, I’ve broadened my writing style to accommodate an increasing number of genres in which I can write. We wrote a parody and a recast, both styles of which I didn’t know existed before this course; we wrote reflections, rhetorical analyses, a style and genre analyses, all of which I’d written previously yet needed to improve. This course introduced to me a new type of researching method: tracing an academic dialogue, research that takes the monotony out of the process. This course has gone beyond my expectations and hopefully, those of the department. It had an appropriate workload, manageable length requirements and engaging topics. Honors English 289 began traditionally with the class reporting on the rhetorical styles of other author’s; but as the quarter draws to a close, we have been applying those observations to our own writing and reflecting on our newfound writing skills.

Although we composed thirteen papers throughout this quarter, I have included in this portfolio the three which best represents my voice and writing development. The first piece of writing, titled “When I Dove into the Wreck,” is a parody of Adrienne Rich’s “Diving into the Wreck.” I feel that this piece captures the romantic, assertive side of me. The second piece of writing, titled “OHM…OHM,” is a reflection on the abstract coffee cup project. I feel that it freely portrays my voice as a writer as well as my optimistic viewpoints on life. The third and final piece of writing, titled “The Bad, the Worse and the Ugly,” is the proposal within the atypical research assignment for this class. I feel that it best represents my passion for family, healthy living and reporting.

In retrospect, this course has bettered my writing skills leaps and bounds. I am able to transition smoothly from one idea to the next. I choose pertinent quotes for my arguments, and I never once looked at other’s papers to be inspired (an achievement greater than explainable in words). My rhetorical skills have also improved due to this course. Previously, I had studied rhetorical strategy in English classes and Effective Public Speaking; however, Honors English 289 deepened my understanding and developed my applications of these persuasive techniques.
Many students do not fully grasp the concept that rhetorical techniques are a crucial part of everyday conversation. In writing so many varying styles of assignments, I have come to better recognize this notion. Therefore in learning about rhetoric, Honors English 289 has also helped me to comprehend the ways of the world.

From the bottom of my heart,
Abigail Mayo

Surprisingly Personal

This assignment was one of the last of the quarter. Rich describes a scuba-diving trip through love, fear, anxiety and courage. I felt all of these emotions applied to relationships as well. (Plus, the fact that I had recently experienced all of them the weekend before the assignment was due.) I kept the format a poem and tried to use original lines when applicable. When initially constructing this poem, it wasn’t meant for anyone to read. As I read it aloud in class, I realized just how personal and intimate this assignment was to me. I think that is the essential essence of writing: the product is intimate and has universal meaning. When I finally considered by audience, any girl in love, I resulted with a piece of writing with the intent to inform, a touch of wit and secretly fought back against my real-life opposition.

I truly enjoyed this assignment; most likely my favorite all quarter. Whether it is due to the new romance in my life from which the parody is based or due to the fact that it is a new style of writing I’ve never had to master before, “When I Dove into the Wreck” is a piece I hope you enjoy as much as I do.

http://docs.google.com/Edit?id=dhk5n9dc_2hfpcdfdc

Abstract Practices

I have always been an admirer of art simply because I don’t possess those skills to create it on my own. My roommate last year, and now classmate Laura Fisher has worked on hundreds of pieces for her classes. This assignment was rewarding and memorable because I got to create abstract art too! As a group, we simply talked for an hour and anything we talked about went in some form onto the Starbucks Coffee cup. Through this project, I realized my love for journaling and reflection. I have since kept a journal and hope to continue journaling for the rest of the year. The reflection of this project revealed my personality through my writing, an element I had never noticed before. I began to distance myself from the actual conversation or coffee cup addition and instead analyzed why our group would act in such ways and contemplated different scenarios and our reactions too them.

I enjoyed writing this reflection, and I think that shows. I feel that my ideas are well organized and well supported. In the reflection, I think I make better connections with the world around me and remember the more important aspects of life. I don’t think people, in general, associate an importance with reflection, yet it is an important and necessary element in any project. Have you stopped and smelled the roses lately?

http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dhk5n9dc_05xpmszgp

Close to my Heart

Watch out world, passionate research scientist coming through! That’s definitely what I felt like when this research proposal was handed back to me. Have you ever written a paper just before the deadline, staying up into the wee hours of the morning to finish it and it turns out to be your best work? This assignment was that incident for me. To me, a research proposal was an entirely new concept in the realm of writing. I knew that every research scientist needed to fill out grant forms and such, but I never actually connected the scientific system with an English assignment. It is refreshing and exciting to see subject branches intertwine.

I was worried about this proposal. Rhetorically, we were to appeal to our audience with the intent to persuade them to fund our research. My background was only narration and exemplification. Despite doing preliminary research, I had no facts to build my case. My research focus was accidental anorexia and the prevention, treatment and awareness of victims like my sister. My research was purely personal, and I think that is why I was limited rhetorically. Nonetheless, I am very proud of this piece of writing and hope you’ll be inspired to learn more about this overwhelming condition.

http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dhk5n9dc_1f9f98hdm