Walking into English 102 I had little to no idea on how to analytically write a paper, or what an extended bibliography was. My conceptions of research and writing was very narrow and mostly based on high school English classes. My previous experiences writing in high school essentially consisted of choosing a topic, finding 3-4 usable sources, skimming the material in each source, pulling out what I wanted to address, then throwing everything together into a loosely formulated paper. Using this approach in high school did seem to satisfy the end goal of presenting a paper that was graded more so on proper formatting and grammar than the actual content presented in my research. I always did choose topics that I had interest in, this help me to have a deeper connection with my writing and make a formative argument. Entering into English 102 knowing that this course focuses on computation, research, and service learning, one can only imagine the large groan that I had for the coming semester. All I could think about was how am I going to do in this class. I have always felt my writing is graded more on mechanical “non-sense” than actual content and meaning. Stepping into Jeremy Branstad's class the first day I actually let out a sigh of relief. Hearing that this course was going to incorporate digital rhetoric and research through our service-learning partners I was actually excited. Knowing that this course wasn't going to make me chug and regurgitate information in the name of research really opened my mind to what the course had to offer.
Starting to find sources to write my first extended bibliography, I wasn't sure how to approach this step. I started by using Google and just typing in different words, phrases, and titles, trying to find what ever I could relating to my topic. This step seemed a daunting task, because I was so unorganized in my methods of searching. After watching the videos on “Lateral research” it opened my view as to the power not only of Google as a search engine, but also to many different searching methods I had not approached in the past. I liked the idea of using my current sources as a gateway into finding new and possibly difference sources through the works sited page. I will be taking great advantage of this as my research progresses. I am finding that many of my current sources are rich with their own background in different aspects I didn't think to look before. My extended bibliography Education World® : Curriculum : Meeting the Educational Needs of Migrant Students has a very rich source of different paths for me to follow through the article I cited. Not limiting my focus to only my source and the topics discussed within that specific text has opened my research to new arguments and points of view that I have not yet explored.
Working with a service-learning partner has helped me open my mind and writing to different perspectives as well as avoid coming to conclusions that I have had in the past about minority groups and the struggles they can face. While researching my topic of migrant workers and High School equivalence or GED certifications I did start my research with some what of a closed mind. I was entering into a field of study that I already had drawn many previously conceived notions about. Trying to broaden my perspective and look for sources that countered my opinion was difficult at first. Reading Harris' Forwarding and Countering approach actually helped me look at my sources differently. I started to look at not only my writing as a conversation between my audience and me, but also my source as a conversation that they were having between themselves and me. Looking at writing this way helped me to understand what the source was trying to convey to me through the use of their sources and really gave both, my writing and theirs credibility I feel. Before this class I never tried or worried about my “voice” as a writer. I only worried about if I was hitting all the needed matrixes that my grading teacher was looking for.
By using digital rhetoric, and blogger as my media to post, and essentially share my work with a larger audience, I changed my method of writing. Writing in English classes, like I mentioned before, I would write to suite the requirements of the teacher and that was my end goal. Writing in a blog and sharing my writing with not only my teacher but also the community that will read my writing, allowed me to almost “drop my guard.” I'm concerned less with being in an English class and more concerned with conveying my meaning and arguments clearly. I like having the exposure that Blogger provides my writing, however one thing I feel this media lacks is an actual grading medium. I understand the purposed idea of peer group revisions and commenting, but I feel this actually lacks validity in gaining meaningful criticism. I feel this in my own posting of comments to my peers. I feel disconnected between wanting to help my peers in there writing and feeling a lack of clout on the suggestions I provide. I am not an English major or a expert at writing. I do however believe I can give meaningful feedback on the layout of their writing ie: whether or not they follow the unit guidelines. Many time while leaving feedback or posting a group response I question whether or not my feedback will be received in the light I would like. I try in all my responses to provide feedback in a way that I would want another to provide feedback on my writing. This is also a subject I have issues with in peer reviewed postings. I feel that sometimes peer review can be viewed as only an assignment to be completed and as quickly as possible. I feel that I need further guidance and mentoring in my writing to truly grow as a writer. This is something that peer review has seem to come in short on.
Developing a writer through an English class, especially one that is lower division, I feel lays the ground work for what needs to come later based on repetition and continuous learning. Trying to quantify the growth of a writer in only 15 weeks based on a handful of projects posted to a blog feels very discouraging to me. The posts and comments tend to take on a diplomatic approach and try not to offend or publicly critique the actual writing. Trying to grow as a writer then becomes an even greater task as I look for credible feedback. When writing and posting assignments to public blogs and relying only on the review of group members leaves me wondering if my writing is developing and maturing in the direction needed for the material and projects to come.
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