Core Value 1. My work demonstrates that I used a variety of social and interactive practices that involve recursive stages of exploration, discovery, conceptualization, and development.

When writing my drafts, I always used the opportunity to receive feedback from Professor Hodges. The feedback was very detailed and allowed me to not only fix my errors, but grow as a writer. I continued to ask for feedback throughout the semester on each of my portfolio tasks to continue to the recursive process and create a larger gap between my original draft and the portfolio version. The first assignment I used the feedback process on was my LTE Draft. This assignment embodies the first core value as it was the first time I was experiencing the feedback process and how I was supposed to apply the details given to me by Professor Hodges. To improve this draft, I had to explore the new possibilities for my writing by changing my train of thought on my execution. I also discovered that I can maintain the same core idea and still change the way I phrase it. Overall, the feedback process shows my development over each draft and how I was able to build my own ideas off of someone else’s comments.

Core Value 2. My work demonstrates that I read critically, and that I placed texts into conversation with one another to create meaning by synthesizing ideas from various discourse communities.

The second core value is all about having a big conversation and involving community. My LTE for Portfolio demonstrates this as a Letter to the Editor is a comment on the original article. I responded on an article about Self Help Books helping prepare parents to send their children off to college. I disagreed with the idea of these books being able to prepare a new college student because they can only learn from experience. In any instance of a Letter to the Editor, the person writing the letter is having a conversation with the author of the original article. The LTE also involves a community who may agree or disagree with the letter. There is a conversation to be had amongst those people as well, as the topic is debated. When an LTE splits up people 50/50, it has done its job.

Core Value 3. My work demonstrates that I rhetorically analyzed the purpose, audience, and contexts of my own writing and other texts and visual arguments.

The third core value is seen in my Op-Ed. Op-Ed’s require a tailored audience and a lot of thoughts on what message is being sent, especially because the first person is used. When writing this type of piece, there is a rhetorical situation in mind. I used the topic of mental health rising in teenagers in America. Too convey my opinion, I had to research specific information to include. After reading the articles, I had to analyze my choices and strategize my arguments correctly. This is to maintain the awareness of the audience and how to make sure the message I am getting out there is understood. In my Op-Ed I also added an anecdote to strategize and show how I relate to this topic. The audience would find this important and continue to read because of the fact that I can put in my two cents and show that my opinion is valid. This would not work if I were a 50 year-old Mom since I wouldn’t be able to  relate to the modern day teenage life. 

Core Value 4: My work demonstrates that I have met the expectations of academic writing by locating, evaluating, and incorporating illustrations and evidence to support my own ideas and interpretations.

This core value was met in my Editorial for Portfolio. When speaking the voice of God in a piece like this, the evidence should be solid and specific. I wrote about the Amazon fires and how many global leaders are to blame, especially Bolsonaro. To make such a bold statement, I had to my research on the whole situation and how the fires began. This was the evaluation stage where I had to understand the information on this topic and boil it down to an easy summary. The rest was all to do with the actual writing. While calling out the poor actions of leaders, I illustrated the devastation of the fires and what this means for the rest of the world. With that, I had to back this up with evidence about the carbon levels rising in our atmosphere and how that is dangerous to life on Earth. Overall, this argument was based off of a lot of reading up on the topic and being able to show others what the problems are.

Core Value 5. My work demonstrates that I respect my ethical responsibility to represent complex ideas fairly and to the sources of my information with appropriate citation. 

When researching, it is always important to cite and give credit for the information found. It is also important to quote and cite information in an ethical and fair way. If quotes or information is altered to be the opposite that it intends, then that is not responsible use. In my Editorial for Portfolio, I made sure to properly cite information to its true meaning. When looking up the importance of the Amazon Rainforest to the Earth as well as the involvement of Bolsonaro, I read multiple sources and used the information they stated responsively. The websites used for the information were also cited in my Editorial. When the proper words mention information that came from a source, it was cited in those words so that others could read more on that specific point to the issue.