Coursework
The Proper Treatment of Those Experiencing Homelessness
Course: ENGL 182
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For our second major project, we had to choose one medium and genre from the five we had explored earlier (Twitter threads, Instagram slides, Essays, Video Essays, and Podcasts) and use it to explore a topic of our choice. We had to formulate a clear and cohesive position on the topic and support it with convincing evidence. I chose to make a video essay about how those experiencing homelessness should be treated differently than those who are not by both the government and the general public and UW community.
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This project forced me to think critically about the sources I collected. I had to find a way to incorporate their information into my video without including too many quotes or accidentally plagiarizing the content. With the lessons I learned from this project, I will employ the following strategies in future projects:
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Use analogies to explain concepts: the one about Sarah seemed to be very effective in displaying the concept of person-first language in a way that is understandable to an external audience.
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Make sure to stay on topic: my main question was “To what extent should the status of homelessness govern the way such people are treated?” but then I go on to say, “In other words, how should someone who is experiencing homelessness be treated differently from someone who has a home to live in?” These two statements do not mean the same thing as the latter already assumes that they should be treated differently. By answering the second one, I neglected the actual research question.
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Experiment with the medium: my presentation could have been more engaging and aesthetically pleasing if I added more photos or other audio/visual guides. I was pressed for time when making this video, but if I had more time, I would have included more design elements to appeal to pathos.
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Keep track of your drafts: during the editing process, I realized that I had lost some of the video clips (whether by accidentally deleting them or actually never filming them) and I did not have time to re-film them. Luckily, those specific clips just so happened to be less important than the others so the video worked fine without them. However, in the future, making sure that I back up my files or delete clips after the editing process instead of during filming would be helpful.
In all, I really enjoyed making this project, and I developed a deeper appreciation for the creators of video essays because boy, they are difficult to make!
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Final Portfolio - Welcome to my Scrapbook!
Course: ENGL 182
Score: 700/700 100%
At the end of the quarter, we had to create an online portfolio on Canvas (pasted below into a pdf for easy access). The purpose of it was to reflect on how we had grown as writers throughout the course and to revise previous projects. This project was extremely challenging - the premise was simple but I was having trouble personalizing the material. Additionally, I was sick during this time (which is never a fun time).
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The example portfolios all had extremely creative themes, like Harry Potter or the Avengers. I had so much trouble wrapping my head around how you were supposed to apply such an exciting theme to written reflections that literally talked about how one's work displayed the course objectives. Eventually I realized that although the themes really had no relevance, they were part of the creative process that English classes emphasize - the theme did not have to relate in order to make the portfolio interesting. This sentiment can be applied everywhere in life. Creativity can be used to spice anything up, whether it be a bland dish, or a graduation speech, or a house in need of a renovation. You have to just believe it can be done.
I decided to portray the portfolio as a scrapbook, which each reflection as a page of the scrapbook, complete with photos, captions, and stories from my life. I really appreciated this portfolio in the end because it made me reflect on how I could improve my writing and how I could apply the outcomes I learned in class to my future. For example, this class taught me tailor my composition choices to specific audiences. This will come in handy when I start working in the Wang lab this fall and need to share my research to scientists and in future classes that require presentations. Additionally, I was super discouraged when starting this portfolio because of how many requirements there were. Not only did I make it out alive, I scored really well! I'll take this as a lesson that no matter how daunting a task may seem, I can complete it with lots of perseverance, hard work, and chicken noodle soup.
For more reflection, check out a shortened version of my portfolio on the left! I have also included my professor's feedback below the portfolio.
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Genre Translation
Course: ENGL 182
I learned how to adjust my writing for different audiences by creating a blog post about a lunch I had and then creating a Facebook post with the same information. Here are a few lessons I learned that I can apply in the future:
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Be aware of the audience: when revising my Facebook post, I realized that my language was too formal; I had subconsciously used diction directed at my professor than my friends. In my new draft, I used shorter sentences, emojis, and lower case letters to cater to the younger audience. In the future, writing a research paper will require slightly different rhetorical strategies than writing an application to the biology department. I can use this newfound audience awareness to create the most effective drafts.
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Keep information concise and relevant: in my food blog, the first four paragraphs were irrelevant and distracted from the restaurant I was reviewing. Checking for redundant or unnecessary information while editing a paper will help me improve my writing.
My food blog can be read here.
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Reflection
Final Grades
This quarter was rough.​
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