Link to Writing 2 Portfolio

Here is the link to my Writing 2 Portfolio

http://mywrit2journey.weebly.com

Thlog Week 10

I can’t believe I’m writing the final thlog of the quarter. It’s crazy to think back to the first week of class. I went in thinking I was a pretty decent writer and I wouldn’t learn that much. Oh how I was wrong. I grew so much as a writer during these 10 weeks. I used to think of writing as a chore, but now I look at it as more of a game. How many times can I use dashes? What other ways can I write this sentence? How do I get more specific? This class challenged me to be creative and think critically. It made me realize that it’s okay to take risks in writing, because even if it doesn’t work out, it’s at least interesting and different. 

The last day of class really ended things nicely. Going over how to make the portfolio helped clear up some of the unanswered questions I had. I’m a little concerned with the portfolio because it seems like a lot of work. I’m mostly unsure of how I am going to revise my WP2 without rewriting the entire thing. Most of the comments from Z were asking me to get more specific (surprising, I know), so I think I will be able to add in a good amount of detail to what I already have. 

This class has honestly been one of the best I’ve taken at UCSB. I actually learned things. And not only that, I have already applied them in my personal life and in my other classes. The past 10 weeks have been tough, but well worth it. I am proud of how much I have accomplished with my writing. Thanks Z for such a great quarter! 

Thlog Week 9

I can’t believe we only have one more week of class left! I’ve learned so much this quarter, and I’ve really noticed a difference in my writing. I felt so accomplished after finishing WP3, now only the Portfolio is left! WP3 was a cool assignment. I consider myself to be a creative person, so it was nice getting to incorporate some of that into my writing with the genre transformations. I didn’t struggle too much with this WP. Once I had my ideas figured out, everything fell into place. The transformations came naturally, and it was pretty easy to use the information from the article in each of the other genres. The analysis portion of the paper took me a lot longer than I had anticipated. I used so many strategic moves in the genre transformation and I wanted to include as much of it as I could in my transformation. I kind of feel like I ran out of time at the end. I think if we had until Sunday night to turn it in, I would have felt less stressed. But I got it completed, and that is the important part. 

When we did the peer review session on Wednesday, my group members and I did not have a lot of our WP’s completed. We spent a good amount of time just discussing our ideas and brainstorming with each other. It was really helpful to voice our concerns and work through them together. We also read over each others’ papers (what parts of it we had done) and gave feedback. I got some really great notes on mine that helped me when I was writing. Someone suggested I tweak parts of the formatting on my genre transformation for younger audiences to more closely follow the conventions of the work I was trying to create. 

With all the WP’s completed, I feel ready to take on the final writing assignment. I know it’s going to be a lot of work, but I’m excited to show how much I have grown as a writer.

WP3: Genre Transformation to the Extreme

The article Freedom of Voice by Maura Stetson discusses different strategies for teaching voice. Voice in writing is powerful— it is what makes a work memorable. However, it is a hard concept to teach because “it is something that students must develop over time through discovering and gaining confidence in what they have to say (Stetson. 74).” Voice appears in a work when the writer has a certain freedom and flexibility. Students as early as 3rd grade begin to show a lack of voice in their writing, and the older they get, the more their voice is lost. 

Stetson attributes lack of voice in writing largely to the concept of institutional voice. Institutional voice can be recognized by the bland word choice, robotic tone, and overall “stiffness” students often times use in their writing. Students are taught that writing is a series of steps, that if followed correctly, will earn them a good grade. This discourages risk taking and abstract thinking. According to Stetson, students can also learn to implement voice in writing through audience awareness. This creates a sense of communication, giving their writing purpose. Students so often lose their writing voice because they are not given a chance to make any individual choices or interpretations, causing them to fail at making connections to outside sources and their personal lives. When students use voice in their writing, they are able to implement critical thinking, self-expression, and produce engaging pieces of writing.

Genre For a Younger Audience: Online Article

The essay or personal statement is an essential component to most college applications. Though they may take a substantial amount of time and effort, they hold a lot of weight. Admissions officers look at your grades, letters of recommendation, and extracurricular activities—but it’s the essay that gives them a glimpse of who your are. It can be difficult to incorporate voice into your essay, especially since you probably weren't asked to do so in high school. Don’t stress, with our help, you’ll be sure to find your voice in no time!

The Basics

The format, complexity, and requirements of a college application vary depending on the university. Most will use the Common App, but others— such as the UC system and specific private schools— have their own separate application and essay prompts. Be sure to check what each college requires before you begin. Here are some links that you may find helpful during the application process. 

• List of U.S Universities by State and Their Websites: http://university.graduateshotline.com/ubystate.html#.VtajM7RSQ20

• Common App: https://www.commonapp.org/whats-appening/application-updates/common-application-announces-2016-2017-essay-prompts 

• University of California (UC) Application Requirements: http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/how-to-apply/personal-statement/

Tell Your Story

What sets you apart from the rest?

You are unique. You have your own background, personality, and interests. The college application essay gives you the chance to tell your story. The best way to do that is to write a personal essay about an achievement or experience that is meaningful to you. If you are honest, engaging, and genuine, your voice will be sure to shine through. 

Admissions officers have read an insane number of essays, most of which are easily forgettable. Many students try to sound intelligent and professional, rather than sounding like themselves. This is something we like to call the institutional voice— easily recognizable by its bland, robotic tone. You’ve been taught that the writing process is a series of steps, and the goal of writing is to get a good grade. But that’s not how voice works. Voice is discovered through individuality and confidence in what you have to say.

 Let’s look at an example of what it means to write with an institutional voice vs. an authentic voice.

Institutional: The day I got my dog was amazing. I had wanted one for so long, and was finally able to get one. When I saw her at the pet store, I knew she was the dog for me. Having a dog taught me about responsibility. It is a lot of work to take care of a dog because they rely on you for everything. It was hard at first to keep up with all of the responsibility, but eventually I got the hang of it. 

Authentic: The day I picked out my dog, Lulu, at the pet store was one of the most memorable and important days of my life. I had begged my parents for a dog for years before they finally felt I was ready to take on the responsibility. Lulu and I bonded immediately, and she became my best friend. I learned what it meant to care for someone other than myself. Lulu not only taught me about responsibility, but more importantly about unconditional love. 

It is easy to see the differences between these two narratives. The institutional example is generic and bland— it could have come from anyone. The authentic example on the other hand, feels personal. The author uses specific details to provide readers with clear images and feelings. 

Helpful Tips

Keep these in mind as you brainstorm and write your essay!

• Look at the Prompt! Be sure you understand what it’s asking of you. Most application essay prompts give guidelines for you to follow, but leave room for some interpretation and individual choice. Refer back to the prompt throughout the writing process to make sure you stay on track.

• Don’t simply tell a story— reflect. It is easy to recount the details of your volunteer work in Costa Rica or the time you won 1st place in the science fair. College admissions officers are looking for more. Discuss what you learned from the experience and how it shaped you into the person you are today.

• Know your audience! You are writing for a board of admission officers who read essays day in and day out. Establishing an audience gives your writing purpose. Writing without an audience in mind becomes institutional writing and lacks a sense of communication between the writer and the reader. 

• Write about something important to you. It could be an experience, an achievement, a person, a place, anything. This is where have freedom and your voice can truly be heard. The more interested you are in a topic, the more it will reflect in your writing. 

Check out our video for more tips on writing your college essay:

Genre For an Older Audience: Medical Brochure for Parents

Front Cover and Front Inside Panel

Inside Panels

Back Cover

Alexandra Taleisnik

Writing 2

De Piero

3.5.16

Self-Analysis

“Good communicators “morph” themselves and their writing to fit different subjects or situations (Losh and Alexander. 117).” That is exactly what we were asked to do in WP3. In order to effectively transform the information found in the article Freedom of Voice, I had to think about my intended audience and the conventions that went along with each genre. I also put careful consideration into the way the information was presented, format, tone, language, and visual aids.

For my younger audience, I chose to write an online article directed at high school seniors who are in the process of applying for college. The purpose of the article is to show different ways students can incorporate voice into their college application essays or personal statements. The idea for this transformation came very naturally. Having struggled with my own college application essays, I know firsthand how difficult it can be to write using voice— especially with something so important on the line.  

Through this article, I wanted to provide students with a “one-stop-shop” filled with helpful tips regarding the college application process, as well as specific ways they can implement voice into their writing. When writing the article, I decided to  split the information up into multiple sections— The Basics, Tell Your Story, and Helpful Tips. This not only organized the information, but also made it easier for students to read through without getting bored. At the start of each section, I would begin by giving a brief introduction before going into more specific information. For example, in  The Basics, I provided a general overview of the different types of applications before listing some related website links readers would find helpful. One move that I included multiple times when presenting information was the use of a bulleted list. This was partly used as an organization tactic, but it also fits in as a convention of the genre. In using bullets, I was able to get my point across in a clear and succinct way— something many students value. As far as actual information, I decided to focus on one main idea found in the Freedom of Voice article. Institutional vs. authentic voice stood out to me as one of the key concepts in understanding voice. In my article I made sure to explain what each term meant as well as provide examples. The examples I used were quite simple and somewhat exaggerated. I did this to clearly show the differences in tone, detail, and personality— three aspects that heavily influence the voice of a piece. 

In planning how I wanted to approach the genre transformation, I struggled with which perspective to take— the college sophomore who recently went through the application process, or the college admissions expert. In the end, I chose to write as a Senior Publisher and Undergraduate Education Expert from The Princeton Review— an esteemed company that provides test prep, tutoring, and college admission services. In my opinion, establishing the right tone was crucial. According to Losh and Alexander, “your tone should engage your audience in a way that will invite them to feel receptive to your message (129).” I wanted to relate to my audience, but also build credibility at the same time. “Striking a forceful yet measured tone encourages your audience to take you seriously (Losh and Alexander. 129).” The tone I used was friendly, yet authoritative. It conveyed to the readers that I was on their side, and what I had to say was significant.

When it came to the visual aesthetic, I wanted the article to look as if it really belonged in the Princeton Review. To do this, I started by adding a website header and footer I took directly from the Princeton Review website. I also wanted to include a (fake) Youtube video, about the author, and a list of related articles— all of which are commonly found in publications of this sort— to give readers even more information regarding undergraduate education. While writing the article, I strategically bolded specific words or sentences to make them stand out from the otherwise consistent format. By framing certain ideas, “the reader is encouraged to focus on what does change” (McLoud. 20).” The bold type draws their attention and indicates that the information is significant. I also spent an embarrassing amount of time choosing the font I wanted to use. During my research, I noticed that most online articles use a Sans-Serif font, giving the page a sleek look and making it easier to read. It’s a small detail, but it makes a huge difference visually.

When writing towards an older audience, I chose to transform Freedom of Voice into a pamphlet for parents with young children titled, 10 Ways to Prevent Early Onset Voice Loss. The purpose of the pamphlet is to provide parents with different strategies in which they can encourage their children to implement voice into their writing. The process for this genre transformation was interesting considering I decided to write it from a medical perspective. Though this is quite the change from the original article—which was written for teachers— it still works because of the informative nature the article possesses. 

The layout of the pamphlet is quite simple. Aside from the front cover, it includes a section dedicated to statistics. The original article did not include statistics, so I created my own because I felt they were an important convention of the medical genre. The bulk of the information can be found on the inside panels where I listed the 10 ways to prevent early onset voice loss. Each one is relatively short and provides information regarding the specific strategy as well as different activities for parents to do with their child to implement the techniques. The strategies range from Developing Audience Awareness to Building Your Child’s Confidence. I also kept the look of the pamphlet simple. I used various shades of blue because it is somewhat of a neutral color, but still adds interest to the piece. I also included a few pictures that coincided with the different strategies in the pamphlet. 

The pamphlet is presented by Kaiser Permanente, a large medical foundation that has many chains across the country. The article “So What? Who Cares?” states, “To gain greater authority as a writer, it can help to name specific people or groups who have a stake in your claims…” (So What? Who Cares? 95). Putting Kaiser’s name on the pamphlet gave the information legitimacy, because the source it comes from is highly regarded and well-known. The tone I used was very straightforward and professional. I used specific language that is characteristic of the medical genre, such as “Symptoms of institutional voice include bland word choice and robotic tone”. 

Transforming a scholarly article into two different genres proved to have its difficulties. It is one thing to take the information and put it in a different format, but to have to also adhere to specific conventions makes it much more complicated. It shows just how important adapting to your audience is. As a writer, you must be able to communicate with a variety of people in a variety of contexts. Once you understand how to do this, it become much easier to transition from genre to genre. 

Works Cited

Losh, Elizabeth M., and Johnathan Alexander. “Writing Identities.” Understanding Rhetoric: A Graphic Guide to Writing. 114-139. Print.

Stetson, Maura. "Freedom of Voice." The English Journal 85.6 (1996): 74. Web.

PB3A

The article I chose is called “Freedom of Voice” by Maura Stetson. It discusses possible strategies teachers can use to aid their students in developing a writing voice. Stetson believes that nobody can teach voice, despite the fact that it is “the heart of writing.” The article focuses on four main strategies: Institutional vs. Authentic Voice, Freedom of Topic, Audience Awareness, and Linking with Literature. I will be incorporating bits and pieces from each section into my genre transformations. 

Originally, I wanted to turn the article into a movie trailer. I thought it would be a really cool and unique way of presenting the information. I am very hesitant to do this. Not because it would take a lot of time or be challenging, but because I’m not sure how well I will be able to explain and demonstrate the “why” behind it all. The movie trailer would be about one teacher’s determination to teach her students about voice and the struggles that come along with that. In the article, Stetson states many times how difficult it is to teach voice. It isn't like teaching someone how to properly use commas, it is developed through student individuality and them finding confidence in their thoughts. Along with that concept, I would convey the importance of student choice in writing and audience awareness. The movie would be tailored for an older audience, ranging anywhere from high school to adult. Sticking to the conventions of a movie trailer, I would only have to include enough story-line to give a general idea of what the movie is about. I am very torn about going with this idea— it could either be really awesome, or completely miss the mark. 

Have no fear, I have a back-up plan! If I don’t go with the movie trailer, I was thinking of doing a parenting pamphlet/brochure. One section of the article discusses how voice comes from having freedom and creativity when writing and that students as early as 3rd grade begin to lose this. For whatever reason, upon reading this, I imagined a doctor saying it. As if children were at risk of losing their writing voice in the same way they would be at risk of getting chicken pox without being vaccinated. With that in mind, I began looking up some parenting pamphlets to get a general idea of their conventions. Most of the ones I looked at dealt with learning/medical disabilities, or how to help a child succeed in school. I have a few different options on how to approach writing the pamphlet. I could write it from a teacher/administrator perspective and discuss how parents can implement and promote the use of voice outside of the classroom. Or, I could take a “medical” perspective and discuss “10 ways to prevent early onset voice loss.” Either way, I have to keep in mind that the article was written for writing teachers, but I will be writing for concerned parents. The language and tone I use must be sincere and somewhat empathetic, yet still convey legitimacy so the parents trust what I have to say. 

For the genre transformation geared toward a younger audience, I am going to write a blog post/article for high school seniors that are in the process of applying for college. One of the most important parts of the college application is an essay or personal statement. Speaking from experience, it can be extremely difficult to incorporate voice into something of this nature. You want to come across as professional and intelligent, yet still give an idea of who you are. Part of the article focuses on institutional vs. authentic voice. Students develop an institutional voice— the bland, robotic, and formal sounding tone we’ve all used at some point— very early on. Students believe that this type of writing will earn them a good grade, so they stick to the “rules” and avoid taking any risks. My blog post/article would explain the different ways students can incorporate voice into their writing— specifically for their college application essay. I am planning on including many examples to demonstrate each strategy in action, and using a friendly/conversational tone to relate to the students. I think adding some personal anecdotes of my experience in applying for college would also increase the relate-ability factor and add credibility to the piece by showing that I’ve gone through this same experience. 

Although my plans for WP3 aren’t 100% solidified, I think I will be able to figure everything out pretty easily. Once I start, I know everything will start to fall into place! 

Thlog Week 8

Thlog Thursday, here we go. On Monday we turned in our WP2s! I actually thoroughly enjoyed writing this paper. And I think that shows in the fact that I turned it in a day early. Class this week was cool! I liked watching the different tree painting videos on Monday. I think it was a really great way to demonstrate how one subject (in this case a tree) can be approached in many different ways. While WP2 focused on how people of different backgrounds addressed the same subject, the videos showed how people with the same skills and general knowledge can end up with completely different products. 

The mini lesson on foregrounding was really helpful to me. One comment I got multiple times regarding my WP2 was that my topic sentences were very broad and general. It wasn't until usually the second (but sometimes even later) sentence that I really got into what the paragraph was about. The main point of my paragraph should have been the focus and should have been foregrounded. Instead, it was pushed a little to the back and lost some of its impact and importance. I think to avoid this problem in the future I need to strengthen the end/transition of the previous paragraph so I can immediately dive into the important information without feeling like I have to explain or introduce it. 

I’ve been thinking a lot about WP3, and I still have no idea what I’m going to do. I have some ideas of what I think would be cool, but I’m just not sure how I would do them or if they would even be practical. Even though the quarter has gone by super quickly, I think it is starting to wear on me. My thoughts for WP3 are super scattered and the assignment in general is a little daunting to me. I am hopeful that once I fully dive in, everything will start to make sense and settle into place. 

Thlog Week 7

Week 7 done! WP2… almost done! This week as usual blew right by. I worked really hard on my WP2 over the weekend and really tried to take the comments I received for the last WP into consideration. My main goal for this paper was to have it flow and be more interconnected. I thought for a long time about how I wanted to accomplish that, so the writing process was really slow going. Something that really helped me with this WP was making lists. I made a list of what information I needed in my paper. I made a list of the moves I found within the articles. I made a list of what was unique to each article and a list for what they all had in common. This really helped me gather my thoughts and make sure I incorporated everything I needed/wanted to. 

The peer review session was really great. Instead of everyone reading each paper, we just read one. That way, we were able to really take our time reading and commenting on them. This also allowed us to talk a lot about each others papers as well as the WP in general. I got some really good feedback from the group member who read my paper. It was cool being able to exchange ideas and questions with the other two people in my group. Being able to talk through the things we found challenging, confusing, or difficult was super helpful! Now I feel like I am ready to re-visit my WP and spend a good amount of time editing and revising so I can make it the best it can possibly be. And this time I won’t forget to put the grading rubric in!