This reflective statement calls for me to retrace my steps towards becoming more adept at analyzing rhetorical situations. After four projects and weekly assignments, I feel a positive impact on my knowledge of composing, rhetorical strategies, and genres. One of the most notable assignments we had in the semester was SRQ Five. Considering that my skills in composing an introduction weren’t adequate to the standard held in college. Learning and practicing the C.A.R.S. Model assisted me in the structure and coherence of my three projects. The model offers a cookie-cutter way of forming an introduction which allowed for my information to be placed in an organized fashion. This allows for readers to view my introduction, quickly become familiar with my topic, its pressing matter at hand, and the solution/s offered to combat the exigence. Before attaining this guide, my introductions were written on a whim, which resulted in a sloppy and aimless mess. Now, my introductions set the pace and vision of my paper. Coincidentally, allowing my body paragraphs to be much more organized since the main ideas are explicitly written in the beginning.

     The third project introduced us to the use of different genres within the same field. The genres I used made me realize how important medium and rhetorical appeals help drive an argument in different ways. Using the meme was the most unprofessional one and yet, the message is still read loud and clear by the audience. On the other hand, the second genre was a peer-reviewed journal that supplied factual evidence and in-person interviews backed by writers with Ph.D.’s. This contrast between these two genres is vast. Nonetheless, the messages portrayed assist my argument in a ying-yang fashion.

     The second project had us analyze two artifacts related to the topic at hand yet each source presents the topic through a different rhetorical approach. We were then instructed to dissect each source using rhetorical devices and strategies. After achieving a grade of 96 on the paper, I can confidently say that I can successfully understand and analyze rhetorical situations even with varying rhetorical approaches and mediums. A huge factor in the success of my paper was my peer review of Lily Childers’s draft. After examining her paper, I was able to grasp her use of rhetorical devices to her topic. Completing the peer review also opened my eyes to factors necessary to the assignment such as identifying each rhetorical device in each artifact. This allowed me to translate her paper to my own. In other words, I was able to adequately structure my paper when it comes to the order in which I presented the rhetorical devices. Purpose, audience, and rhetorical appeals were the most important. Consequently, they’re identified first with the others in between. Yet, explaining the effectiveness of these devices is extremely important as well.

     My first project was quite daunting as I wasn’t entirely sure how to complete the prompt. With this in mind, I attempted to deliver the best project possible that followed the guidelines of the prompt. Despite that, after reviewing the comments written by Mr. Saylor, I realized I could’ve considered an alternate route when my paper was originally written. Therefore, my global revision experienced the addition of a new paragraph and fixed grammar mistakes. This paragraph follows the narrative of Quentin’s, Alberto’s, and my stories to conclude that college might not be a necessity when considering the hospitality industry. It takes into consideration the work experience, dedication, interpersonal skills, and connections in the field necessary to procure a successful career.

     Ending ENC 2135 has equipped me with the ability to dissect rhetorical situations of most if not all mediums. I’ve gathered that it’s important to recognize the various rhetorical strategies and appeals in which a rhetorical situation is set. Analyzing each situation with their respective context allows us to understand why the medium was used. This is why genres are more effective within certain mediums compared to others. Therefore, reaching the end of this course, my understanding of the makings of a rhetorical analysis has been clarified and satisfied.