English 111 p.4 1/17/2025
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Using tools like outcomes was new to me this semester and has improved my writing substantially overall. By narrowing my focus into the four outcome strategies my thoughts and ideas are portrayed in a much more comprehensive way. I chose to revise MP 1 – Agency, SP 1 – Creative nonfiction, and SP 3 - “The Cave” literary analysis. Out of all the assignments I’ve completed this year, these three felt the most incomplete. After spending more time working on the different outcomes and what they mean, I felt that I could improve all three of these assignments significantly. In total my work done this semester has been better than I expected due to the writing implements I have learned.
Outcome 1 focuses on writing with the audience in mind. This is debatably the most important of the 4 outcomes because it aids people with different perspectives to understand each other's thoughts and ideas. I used outcome one to focus on the reader and making them feel heard. “By choosing your beliefs and identities or impulses and biases as you live your life you ARE showing proof of agency. Just like Gordie choosing his friends instead of new smarter ones. You are the one choosing to believe in something or to change your identity and that is agency.” (MP 1) Instead of using broad wording I used first person denominations of ‘you’ to further connect with the reader.
Outcome 2 teaches how to comprehend complex texts and use findings to articulate a sound thesis. The two assignments that I mainly used this outcome for were MP 1 and MP 2 as they are essays analyzing sources. However this outcome can be used for any form of essay that gather information from sources. To apply this outcome you must thoroughly analyze sources using different strategies to get the most out of the text. My best example of Outcome 2 is my analysis of Anakin Skywalker and his agency in MP 1. “Anakin was born with a super high midi-chlorian (microscopic life forms that enable force sensitivity)…” “This was also said and implied by Qui-Gon Jinn in Episode I: The Phantom Menace when he first meets young Anakin…” (MP 1). I used multiple sources ranging from film pieces to informational encyclopedias of the fandom to strengthen my claim being made. Before I learned about these outcome strategies, my arguments/claims were very straight forward. Now I understand how important it is to have a complex claim to achieve peak reader understanding.
Outcome 3 stresses how significant a well-crafted argument is in an essay. It teaches us to use in-depth analyzation when arguing to increase understanding and agreement. To think about all the different viewpoints like how Outcome 1 prompts us to think about our audience. Outcome 3 also tells us to distinguish different categories within the argument for expansion of ideas. In my work I worked on strengthening my argument by including more analysis. Before I learned about this outcome, I would only lightly analyze my evidence because I thought that was enough. After trying out more, I realized how important well-articulated analysis is for an understandable argumentative essay. “The concept of expecting the rain to come and for the creek to be filled with water and rocks is a perfect metaphor for the changes while humans grow. As people...” (MP2) Instead of supporting my evidence with one piece of reasoning, this Outcome reminds me to expand on my thinking. To weave together all my arguments and ideas to articulate exactly what I want to express through my writing.
Outcome 4 states heavily the importance of revising. Editing work is key to maximizing readers understanding. I mainly use the process of re-reading and reading aloud to edit my work. By speaking aloud and looking over my writing again I can see if there are any mistakes that I missed or anything that I want to change. In addition, the peer reviews in class have been very helpful with refining my work. Sometimes the author themselves cannot see what they are doing wrong, so it is nice to get another set of eyes on the writing and to give feedback to others as well.