The Texts

Context

• Kathleen Blake Yancey, "On Reflection" and "Reflection-in-Presentation" (excerpted)

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Semester Texts

• Itai Halevi, "Rhetorical Situations, an Introduction"

• Tara J. Yosso and Rebeca Burciaga, "Reclaiming Our Histories, Recovering Community Cultural Wealth"

• Dan Melzer, "Understanding Discourse Communities"

• Jamila Lyiscott, "Why English Class is Silencing Students of Color"

• Vershawn Ashanti Young, "Should Writers Use They Own English?"

• Monique Dufour and Jennifer Ahern-Dodson, "Good Writers Always Follow My Rules"

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Annotated Bibliography*

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* This annotated bibliography is adapted from one put together by Nina Roxo and Rose Mooney, fellow master's student and members of my teaching cohort at UMass Boston

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The Task

Now that you've spent time reflecting upon the learning experiences you've had this semester and developing your own theory of writing, you'll revise your reflective work in two main ways: by expanding your knowledge and by presenting your thinking to an audience.

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The first task for revising is to consider the gaps you perceive in your writing education and to then consult 1-2 texts from the Annotated Bibliography (linked above) to expand your learning.

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Then, you'll revise your original theory of writing in two ways: (1) to account for these new readings (aka integrate your theory of writing), and (2) to present your thinking to a target audience. The way you conceive of this second part is based on your exigence: What do you want to do with the your theory of writing? Do you, for example, want to make an argument to future 101 students about the most important things they'll learn when they take this course? Do you want to share your knowledge with a more generalized, anonymous audience like the explanatory essays you've read this semester (e.g., Halevi, Melzer, Dufour and Ahern-Dodson)? Do you want to evaluate the usefulness of some writing knowledge over others in order to persuade your instructor to prioritize certain content over other content in future course designs?

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However you frame your reflection-in-presentation – as Yancey calls it – be sure to make reference to specific texts (via direct quotation or paraphrase) so that your perspectives are in conversation with those of the writers you're working with, reflecting upon, and responding to. And, above all, please write honestly. Don't shy away from discussing things that seem questionable, problematic, confusing or that remain unresolved for you as you reflect on your growth and development as a writer.

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The Terms

Length

5-8 pages (double-spaced, not including headings)

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Format

.docx or .pdf

MLA citation style

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Assessment Criteria

• Clearly define your own theory of writing

• Provide specific evidence to support your explanations of how your theory of writing has developed over the course of the semester

• Meaningfully reference at least 2 course readings throughout your essay

• Meaningfully reference 1-2 readings from the Annotated Bibliography

• Clearly demonstrate how each idea or concept that you introduce from an outside source is connected to other ideas in your essay

• Clearly explain how your theory of writing is informed by community knowledges, perspectives, and experiences

• Be thoroughly mindful of your purpose and audience in formatting, structuring, and revising your deliverable

• Provide a clear and logical structure that enables readers to follow the progression of your ideas and understand the connections you are making