Portfolio: Writing Reflection

___In writing 101 to demonstrate how I have progressed, I have prepared a writing portfolio. It will have what I have written this quarter that presents my strengths and weaknesses. Naturally, as the quarter went on, I have learned much from professor, Craig McKenney. His expertise and personal help has helped me come a long way in my writing.
___To end on a higher note, first I will discuss my weaknesses. My worst habit in my essays were being too conversational. I was too focused on having my voice in my writing. I was focused on this because in my previous years at high school I struggled with using my voice. As I focused more about my voice, I was distracted from the other qualities of writing. Being in writing 101 had brought me to this realization as much as others. One of these others would include writing in chronological order. In my essay number 1, to support my topic of bacon’s rebellion, I used unjust taxes as a way to justify how the British were hindering the American economy. When I used these examples I stated them out of order and referring to things I had said before. Being in writing101 helped me be orderly in my writing and gave better transitions in my writing. Which brings me to the next point of how my transitions in my papers were, well, so to say, there were none. In each paragraph I started a whole separate topic that had no relation to to my original thesis or previous paragraph. I was self consciously assuming that
people knew where I was going with my story. In writing 101, working on these habits have gotten me out of them. I know that I have learned a lot about writing, but I know there is still much to come.
___Though my weaknesses have affected my quality of writing tremendously, my strengths have equally effected my writing style. Along with my problem of being too conversational, it has also been complimented that I get ‘to the point.’ Naturally, I don’t want to “go around the world to get across the street,” (as my grandpa would say) to get to my point. I do this because it keeps a reader more interested to get to the justification sooner rather than, ‘use filler sentences.’ Another example of my strengths would be using different examples yet under the same topic. My goal when doing this is to create an argument good enough to [don’t build another point off of another.
___I have come very far in my writing this quarter. I feel like I have learned more than I ever thought I would before this class, but I know there is much more to discover.

Portfolio: Essay #2

An argument for American independence
by
Byron DesJardin Rowland

___This speech is taken on the Pennsylvania square autumn 1772. Britain damn you! Here we are in 1772 and all Britain is doing is taxing our people and hindering our new country! How could they think to do this to us?! Do we not mean anything to them?! Well Britain, I got something to say, I’m not going to stand for this! So the hell with y’all Britain!!! I’m a maverick! I can’t afford to be loyal to you, because your ripping us off and I can barely support my family!!! There’s no power strong enough to hold us down now!
___Like our last riots for America, a conflict among us Pennsylvanians has been whether we American’s should have remained loyal to our mother country of Britain. Or be a patriot and fight for our own rights and independence in America! Yet the sorry side of us, argue that as Pennsylvanians, we should remain loyal for the, ‘chearful’ protection of Britain’, (Resolves of the Pennsylvania Assembly on the Stamp Act.) In that statement, the Brits have deceived us into thinking this a thoughtful consideration to America. However, it is not. Also in this statement, it says, “the Assemblies of this Province have, from Time to Time, whenever Requisitions have been made by his Majesty, for carrying on military Operations, for the Defence of America, most chearfully and liberally contributed their full Proportion of Men and Money for those Services,” also stated in the ‘Resolves of the Pennsylvania Assembly on the Stamp Act.’ On the other hand, however, we argue that, America needs patriotism for becoming independent According to this view, America needs ‘her’ own laws because it isn’t part of Britain, it has different circumstances and situations that require separate laws.
___As we stand here today in Pennsylvania, my vision is that someday America would have its’ own central government, and establishes American independence from Britain for us all! Though I know and agree my brothers that the battle against Britain will be tough, as Britain was very protective of America…I still stand by that America needs its’ independence. ‘each colony has it’s own right how to govern the people.’ (The American Promise,) I mention this to say to that America was a side project maybe not to be taken as serious as it should have been. Although some might object that Britain was ignoring them, I reply that they weren’t getting the true help they needed. The issue is important because without the desire of these patriots like you and I would have been, we wouldn’t have an America with freedom.
___To you loyalists, I ask, how do you put up with this? How could you remain loyal to Britain when they treat us unfairly and not equally? For those of you loyal to Britain I will read to you this “That all men are born equally free and independent, and have certain natural, inherent and inalienable rights, amongst which are, the enjoying and defending life and liberty, acquiring, possessing and protecting property, and pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety.” These words come straight from our own Constitution of Pennsylvania! It is in our own constitution that we are to be treated as equals here, but Britain isn’t treating us as equals! Our own home country forcing us to give them our goods and crops for free because they call themselves our mother country?! Loyalists, I ask yourselves this, what kind of mother does this to their child? NONE!
___“That the people of this State have the sole, exclusive and inherent right of governing” Our constitution says we have our own right to be governed, we don’t need Britain! Britain is holding us down and trying to keep controlling us! We will fight for
our own independence for our families and for ourselves! I cannot take the taxation that is hindering us!

Portfolio:final exam, Frame 1

___Geoffrey Meredith’s argument is that the more technology advances, the more people become illiterate. He says because of this, “[R]eading becomes a survival skill.” He also points out how a majority of the people who do have a formal education, despite their degrees, can’t fill out an employment form. For his last point, he says technology is compensating for illiteracy with programs such as Microsoft word that do automatic spell change along with correct syntax, grammar, paragraph structure, and spell check.
___In recent discussions of American illiteracy, a controversial issue has been whether if the people of America are compensating for illiteracy with technology. On the one hand, some argue that the American people are taking programs such as spell check for granted. From this perspective, people are becoming too dependent on programs such as this, that also suggest correct syntax, grammar and paragraph structure. On the other hand, however, others argue that America is becoming more dependent on literacy, because it is seem as a social standard. In today’s time, it is becoming that universities and colleges will only accept those who have a exceptional education. In the words of one of this main proponents, “[H]igh school and even college graduates, who , despite their degrees, can’t fill out a simple employment form.” According to this view, the American people are loosing their literacy because of technology. In sum then, the issue is whether if America is becoming illiterate because of technology or that the American people are becoming more literate because of it.
___My own view is that people are becoming more literate and education because of it. Though I concede that people shouldn’t be reliable on Microsoft word programs with spell check, I still maintain that because of this technology people are able to research and organize information for their own general principle of knowledge. For example, even though these programs may easy ways out for those who don’t know how to spell quite correctly, the overall purpose for these programs is writing. Although some might object that people need common knowledge for their own good, I reply yes, but technology is a respected resource in our society, giving information to all people. The issue is important because it is making the fine line between technology thinking for us, or us using technology for our own knowledge.

In writing 101 to demonstrate how i have progressed, I have prepared a writing portfolio. It will have what i have written this quarter that presents my strengths and weaknesses. Naturally, as the quarter went on, I have learned much from professor, craig McKenney. His expertise and personal help has helped me come a long way in my writing.

To end on a higher note, first i will discuss my weaknesses. My worst habit in my essays were being too conversational.