Conrad Goetz
Dr. Steve Brandon
ENG 111
15 December 2011
I deserve an A in ENG 111 because I have a better understanding of rhetoric, I can identify Ethos, Pathos, and Logos, and I can produce quality work quicker by using the writing process. Many people detest argument; however, I believe constructively arguing a point(s) demonstrates knowledge, but more importantly, teaches by doing. Going by my belief, by arguing each of my three focus points I will demonstrate a strong understanding of the course content; and in doing so, learn how to craft a better message, identify and use Aristotle’s three appeals more effectively, and be a more efficient writer.
Rhetoric, defined in class as the art of effective communication, is something I am now more consciously aware of since taking ENG 111. In this essay I know that my target audience is my professor, so constantly using compound sentences and “$25” words will convey my message more effectively. On the other hand, if I was writing to a public audience with clear style in a paper only my professor would read, then my understanding of the course, my vocabulary, and writing foundation may all come across as shallow – possibly causing me to fail. We also learned in class that it is no longer enough to hold an opinion “just because”. If an opinion is to hold any merit, there must be reasons supporting it. That’s why in this paper completing all of my work isn’t a focus point. I no longer can complete all my work and expect an A or B in the course; Instead, I must complete all of it and apply everything I’ve learned to produce quality work – which is why rhetoric, Aristotle’s three appeals, and formatting were selected.
Ethos, Pathos, and Logos were foreign concepts to me before ENG 111. Put simply, Ethos describes reputation, Pathos describes emotion, and Logos describes logic. In order to communicate effectively, a rhetorician must determine who their audience is, the objective of the message, and which appeals to use. This essay is almost entirely Logos driven because my assignment is to provide reasons why I deserve an A; and of course, logic is defined as “reasoning conducted according to strict principles of validity.” A proper research paper always has Ethos. Ethos relates to the reputation of the person who crafted the message or the people the message is derived from to communicate effectively. Research papers rely on the Ethos appeal by interpreting and listing other sources. Without the Ethos appeal, even the best research papers would hold no validity, which is why many educators don’t consider Wikipedia a legitimate source. Finally, the Pathos appeal establishes an emotional connection between the rhetorician and the audience to persuade or impress their audience. Pathos works most effectively in advertisements by using a source of intense emotion to promote a cause, product, or concern.
My final focus point covers the writing process. In class we learned about the writing process, which is a step-by-step process that improves the quality of written work and the speed at which it is produced. There are six steps in the writing process which are as follows: pre-writing, drafting, revision, proofreading, publishing, and reviewing. This process is something I have always struggled with because I feel the need to produce perfect sentences as I write; opposed to after I get everything written on paper. In class I calculated that I produce 4.8 words per minute. Realistically, I spent around 3.5 hours in the drafting stages of this essay, which comes out to around 1000 words. Even though I have excellent time management, I realize that papers in grad school will require more than 4.8 quality words per minute to complete them in time. Because I stray from the writing process by revising during the drafting stage, I’ve been using Kaizen to improve my speed. Since learning about Kaizen in late September, I have significantly increased the amount of time I spend on pre-writing; especially on research papers such as the profile I wrote on Mark Cuban. That was the first step I needed to take to improve my writing efficiency, because knowing more about the topic increases my writing fluency. The next step I’ve been working on is making a conscious effort to write the first sentence down that pops in my head. This has been the real challenge for me even when writing this essay, because I value quality over quantity; but since starting ENG 111, I have become consciously aware of the writing process and the steps I need to take to produce words more efficiently.
ENG 111 has been an eye-opener opener for me on what is expected in college. I have learned tools that will serve me through the rest of my life as well as improved my writing and reading skills. The purpose of this essay was to demonstrate that I have a better understanding of rhetoric, I can recognize Ethos, Pathos, and Logos, and I can produce quality work quicker than before. I have provided a compelling argument on why I deserve an “A” in ENG 111, and my blog shows steady improvement throughout the course as proof. In closing, I would like to say that I have thoroughly enjoyed this course. I have learned a lot, I met a lot of cool people, and it helped me adapt to college. You seem to care about your work and your teaching style really worked for me. Thanks for a great semester Dr. B.
