Unit 5: Post #1

Many of the things we do in life begin with confusion. You ask yourself a multitude of questions like why am I doing this? How do I do this? What benefits will I receive through doing this? But eventually, there is that moment you just “get it.” Something clicks, and you’ve had all your questions answered. For me, my TOW assignments underwent this same process. My first couple of TOW’s were lacking in solid analysis and utilization of true arguments. For example, my TOW about the poverty rates in Brazil consists heavily of summation and introductory fluff. I spent too much time referencing the content of the article rather than analyzing the rhetorical devices used within it. As times goes on, this trend changes. This is evident through my TOW’s about the women’s’ rights and Apple.

I had a much better grasp on the TOW when I wrote my post about the Women’s Rights article in January. My rhetorical analysis was stronger than it had been months earlier. Additionally, the analysis supported my thesis “It is through the perspective of women and a commiserating persona towards society that makes the article a very opinionated yet convincing piece” effectively. It wasn’t until March, when I wrote the TOW about the Apple article, that I finally “got it.” Instead of one solid chunk of text, I wrote two separate paragraphs. The second consisted entirely of rhetorical analysis and a thesis statement that was proven through the analysis.  This was a much stronger argument than the ones in previous TOW’s. From this progression, I have mastered the ability to construct an argument about the rhetorical devices in nonfiction articles. However, there is certainly room for improvement. I can improve upon my ability to locate more diverse devices, as it appears that I have a tendency to repeat specific ones in my analysis.

For me, the TOW was a tool to better my rhetorical analysis skillset and expose my mind to a wide variety of content and genres. This was certainly achieved. I wrote about different books, articles, and visual texts over thirty times. I learned new information through the pieces, and I got better at analyzing them as the year went on. The TOW’s have allowed me to broaden my perspective and become knowledgeable about many different things.  While they may have been a pain on many Sunday nights, I am confident that I have greatly benefited from my TOW assignments throughout the year.