Summary of Where We Are in English 111

The knowledge you are gaining in 111 breaks down into four essential areas:

1. How to Do a Basic Rhetorical Analysis
2. Knowledge of Your Writing Process and Writing Process Theory
3. Knowledge of How to Use Process Writing and Rhetorical Analysis to Make Yourself a Better Writer/Communicator
4. Knowledge of the Academic Discourse Community and the Research Paper Genre

We're now about a quarter of the way through the semester. You've been introduced to the idea of how to do a basic rhetorical analysis. You've been introduced to the terms involved and to the magic questions. You are gaining practice in looking at texts and the communication around you and learning how to recognize an author's purpose, noise, and the three appeals. You have also been introduced to the idea that writing is about struggling through the problem of your purpose, the needs and expectations of your audience, and your knowledge of how to craft a message.

The most important lesson you have learned to date is how to think systematically about the craft you are learning and how to use rhetorical analysis to pick up ideas and techniques you can use in crafting your own messages. When all is said and done, this is one of the four big lessons of the class, that is, 1) pay attention to the communication taking place around you; 2) use opportunities to analyze the techniques of rhetoric other authors are using; and, 3) use what you learn to gain new techniques and ideas for crafting your own messages.

Perhaps without realizing it, you have also been introduced to the truth of how one becomes a master at of the art of effective communication--that is, through a long, slow process of letting knowledge and skill accumulate one piece at a time. Periodically, you'll be lucky enough to experience a sea change in terms of how you approach the craft. The idea of using a system, like rhetorical analysis, to think about your own communication and that of others is such a sea change. However, most of learning to become a good writer or speaker comes from learning the habit of learning from others and viewing yourself as a writer, reader, and communicator in process. If you take nothing else from the class, learning to give yourself permission to start from the knowledge and skills you already possess and add to them over a lifetime is a lesson which makes the class worthwhile.

Over the next few weeks, you'll get to know your group, learn how to work with and learn from a group of colleagues, and begin learning how to understand the processes you use as a writer and speaker and, more importantly, how to control them. You will also be learning how to state academic and professional opinions clearly and how to back up with you say with evidence, explaination, and support others will believe.

Good work. Give yourself a pat on the back. Read the following post, and get back to work.

As always, write with questions.