Dashia L. Nuzum

As the semester comes to a close, so does my time as an English 250 student. The course has challenged me in many different ways. Prior to taking this course, my oral and visual presentation skills were extremely weak. I was very hesitant to voice my opinions, especially when working on group projects. When it came time to present, I was nervous and rushed through my portion of the presentation. However, I believe that I experienced a great deal of growth in my communication skills through the use of the WOVE (written, oral, visual, and electronic) modes. Each assignment tested my abilities, and allowed me to identify my strengths and weaknesses.

Throughout the semester, my habits and composing processes changed drastically. One habit I developed was writing outlines to help guide me through each assignment. Prior to this course, I had never learned how to create or utilize an outline. However, once I learned how much they can help simplify the composing process, I relied heavily on them. One way in which the outlines helped me specifically was in creating drafts. Following the structure of the outline gave me a brief layout for my essays, and all I had to do was fill in the gaps with details and research. Overall, I would say my biggest weakness was revising and editing my works. One way I can improve on this area is to take advantage of my resources, such as the Writing and Media Center, scheduling an appointment with my professor, or asking for advice from my friends and peers.

As my habits and composing processes improved, so did my communication skills. In the writing area of communication, I possess the strengths of clear organization and unique style. Clear organization allows my audience to follow along with my ideas without getting confused, and it also allows my essays to have a clean format. Having a unique style of writing is also important because it helps keep my audience engaged in what I am discussing. In the area of oral communication my biggest strengths are small group discussions and peer review. I tend to be a shy individual, but engaging in discussions with my peers allowed me to get to know them better. More importantly, it allowed us to pool together ideas to create a successful group presentation. In the area of visual communication, I tend to struggle a bit. I am not a very creative person, therefore creating and editing PowerPoint slides is the extent of my ability. This is definitely an area in which I can improve. The last area of communication, electronic communication, is a part of my everyday life. I am constantly communicating with others through email. It is important that I portray myself in a professional manner, especially when communicating with professors. One strength I gained throughout this course was learning how to correctly cite Internet sources. This has helped me not only in English 250, but in all of my other classes as well. It is a lesson that I will value forever. Lastly, the most challenging aspect of this course for me was conducting research on a topic of my choice. I had trouble deciding on a topic that I was interested in and that I could relate to, which made the assignment even more difficult for me. One way in which I can meet this challenge in the future is by choosing a less broad topic, as it will be easier to find research to support my argument. Another way I can improve on this challenge would be to start the composing and research processes sooner.

In conclusion, I have made many improvements in the areas of WOVE, but I still have plenty of room for improvement. This course has provided me with knowledge and skills that I previously lacked. Feedback from my professor throughout the semester helped me understand how I could further better my communication skills. Overall, I feel as if the efforts that I put towards this course have paid off, and I have successfully improved my communication skills.

Included in my ePortfolio are all of my English 250 assignments. You can access the assignments by clicking on the links below.

Summary: https://eportfolios.isucomm.iastate.edu/dnuzum/english-250-assignments/summary/

Textual Rhetorical Analysis: https://eportfolios.isucomm.iastate.edu/dnuzum/english-250-assignments/textual-rhetorical-analysis/

Visual Rhetorical Presentation/ Argument:

Research Supported Argument: https://eportfolios.isucomm.iastate.edu/dnuzum/english-250-assignments/research-supported-argument/

Introductory Reflection