Erynne McCown 

ENGL 1120 

May 9, 2025 

Learning Plan 

As we reach the end of the semester, I find time to ponder on a summary of the semester. I think about the growth that I have gone through while engaging in Composition Two. Throughout the semester, the class has spent time on Memoirs, Rhetorical Analysis, and Literary Analysis which are crucial subjects in Literature and Composition. I have learned to analyze a text, discuss my thoughts, and wrap it all together into an essay smoothly but I had to start small. 

When I entered Composition Two, I had already understood the topics we were discussing which surrounded rhetoric and literary elements. But I was ready to begin writing. The first project of the semester was our personal memoir. A memoir was something that I was unfamiliar with on many levels. To understand a memoir on a profound level, we reflected on other works to acquire a Student Learning Outcome (SLO). Memoir studies helped me understand SLO E.  

Here is what I have learned from this SLO. As I reflect on the course of the semester, I can point out the improvement made in my composition skill. The different mediums of work that we analyzed included memoirs, short stories, and poems. These were each analyzed and written about through different perspectives whether it was literary or rhetorical. Analyzing the different mediums helped me develop arguments required to prove my analysis. I was also able to start composing my own work in the aspired mediums. For example, we studied the memoir, “Beauty: When the Other Dancer is the Self” by Alice Walker before I wrote my own memoir. Understanding the foundations of another person’s memoir helped me understand how to develop my own with a clear perspective.   

Being able to compose works in multiple genres will benefit me throughout the rest of my college years. Whether I need to create a persuasive argument for my communications class or write about my research for a biology course, I will be able to develop a cognitive piece of work pertaining to the specific class and the required medium. I have grown to understand how a writing about a topic in a specific medium can influence the genre depending on the context. All these aspects of writing work together to create a text that can express a necessary purpose. These adaptations will lead me to compositional success throughout my academic career.   

The next writing style we practiced in class was Literary Analysis. I connected with this topic because I had a wide variety of prior experience through seminars, essays, and annotations. Although I had prior experience, I had room for growth. I learned how to analyze rhetorical situation and genre to acquire SLO A. 

Here is what I have learned this semester for this SLO. While I was analyzing the subjects of Rhetorical Situation and Genre, I found that the two topics were intertwined. The rhetorical situation of a piece of work will dictate the genre. Rhetorical situations include the context, audience, and purpose of an article which are common categories included when determining the genre. For example, a rhetorical situation that’s purpose is to inform the audience about a scientific text can be seen as an informative genre. While studying rhetorical situation, I have prepared my mind to pull pieces from a text to form an analysis that helps me communicate a strong argument that includes the concepts that are recognized in the “UNM Core Writing OER Textbook”. The best way to construct this is by establishing a rhetorical strategy which may be Logos, Ethos, or Pathos, then expressing a claim that can be backed up with proper evidence. This can be done in many mediums, but the strongest ones are visual and essay formats. I have learned these strategies which has led me to become a successful rhetorician.   

I used these rhetorical skills when I wrote about a significant time in my life. The purpose of this essay was to express how an emotional time in my life had a positive impact on the person I am today. The genre of this medium was a Personal Memoir. The memoir I was writing needed to be inclusive to different rhetorical appeals. I included pathos to create and emotional mood, and I relied on logos to convey a citation regarding religion. Learning the rhetorical strategies helped me to write a strong and meaningful memoir.   

My Literary Analysis essay also taught me about the entire process of writing. I began to understand the different approaches that can be taken. I was also able to create my own version of the process that works best for ne. The outcome I got from this learning process fulfills SLO C.  

Here is what I have learned from this SLO. Writing as a process is the most important aspect of creating a meaningful piece of work. According to the “UNM Core Writing OER Textbook”, there are multiple steps included in the writing process and each step falls into a broad category. The main steps associated with the writing process include, prewriting, drafting, revisions, editing, and proof reading. These steps all have a specific purpose which will create a strong piece of composition when completed.   

I used this writing process when I was creating my literary analysis essay for MWA 2. I recall prewriting being done through a short writing assignment where I placed all the topics and thoughts I wanted to cover into a short piece of writing. The next step was to draft these stops into a profound and larger scale essay. When revising and editing, it is important to read the essay through and add annotations to different parts of the essay. Some annotation I looked out for were, punctuation, grammar, and areas that lacked expansion. The last step I completed was a proofread where I had myself and a peer read my essay to make sure there are no last touches needed. The last step that is helpful but not completely necessary is a peer review. My peer review was completed in class and was beneficial to my essay. I had someone read my essay and add additional thoughts and comments to make sure all literary analysis aspects were covered. Overall, the writing process may seem long, but I found every step crucial to a strong essay.   

After I was able to add all the Student Learning Outcomes to my knowledge, I am prepared to learn new writing styles and I am positive that I can tackle future essays that I will need to write throughout my college career. these future essays may revolve around many research papers and STEM related pieces.  SLOs A. C, and E will all benefit my Composition skills.