ENC 1101 Final Portfolio
Time is money. "Million Dollar Portfolio".
There have been many opinions of when is the best time to sit down and write. For some students, morning writing is their pleasure, and for others, it seems to be in the afternoon or night when it is most convenient. According to statistics by EasyBib, students are utilizing their website bibliography services between 10-11 P.M at night and between 11 and 1 in the middle of the day.() Even though EasyBib.com is a website for bibliography and citing services, it should be safe to assume that this is primarily the time frames students ‘get down’ to work on their writing assignments. This still might not answer the question, “when is the best time to actually write?” It is assumed that early to middle of the day writers come in two categories.() These categories of students are: the over-achievers that enjoy getting a head start on their papers the day the assignment or writing was assigned, and there are the slackers who wake up that very morning of the due date to write their papers.() Of course, the two differ in the academic spectrum almost always.() On the other hand, the students that write their papers on a nightly bases are your more average, steady curve on the academic spectrum students.() I fall under the nightly writer, and I am here to express my opinions and self-study research of when is the best time to write.
In the average college student’s life, the day can be more distracting than texting while driving. It can be almost impossible to find time during the day to sit with no distractions and write. Assuming that a college student has work, extra-curricular activities, or classes, time is scarce during the day. This is why I solely believe that the night time is the best time to write or even read. The idea is that the hectic college day is now finished and one can focus on what has to be done. Now, I am not encouraging students to deprive yourself of sleep and stay until 2 A.M typing a paper the day before. I am simply stating that if one finds a balanced time on a nightly bases to write or read, one can excel. Though, there are those writers that simply cannot focus until their deadline draws near. Sometimes procrastination isn’t always the motive for last minute work. One may find that you are most productive when the deadline for your writing is around the block, and you cannot ignore it anymore. Sadly, I am one of these writers. In my self-study research, my biggest conclusion was that I wait until last minute to do an assignment, and it is simply due to the fact that I work better under this deadline pressure. Although, I have had several close calls.
Another important key aspect to add to good writing timing is location. Just because the night is the best time to write, in my opinion and self-study research conclusion, does not mean any place is the best. Famous writer Stephen King basically states that one must find their place of comfort or haven, no matter where it is, to enjoy or be affective in your reading or writing. () I have found my place, and that is the UCF Library. It is the only place I can focus mentally without any distractions that may occur at home (pets, television, annoying siblings, and etc.). There really isn’t too much logic to why the library is my sanctuary for reading or writing, but the fact that I know why I am in there, and that is to ‘get down’ to business on assignments.
Luis Marin
Mrs. Wolcott
ENC 1101 (12:30)
8 April 2012
Discourse Community Analysis: Guang Ming Temple
I have always driven by the Guang Ming Temple located by the Orlando International Airport and wondered what was it all about. It’s a huge unique looking facility that one cannot miss, with large crowds of young people like me coming in and out. For this discourse community analysis, I chose to participate in one of their open meditation temple gatherings. According to Swales and Gee, a discourse community is a specific interest group. So, all these people must be meeting for a specific interest, if it in fact is a discourse community. At first I assumed it would be a religious gathering of Buddhists, which is what I thought the temple was made for considering the images of Buddha and the Asian-like symbols and words, but what I experienced and learned was something very different than my assumption. It is intriguing how we could assume and handicap ourselves from opening up and experiencing something new that could possibly change our lives.
A little history of the Buddhist religion was done before entering the temple. Buddhists do not like to call their beliefs a religion. They do not like to be bound with the term ‘religion’. To many, Buddhism goes beyond religion and is more of a philosophy, or ‘way of life’. It is a philosophy, because philosophy means ‘love of wisdom’, and the Buddhist path can be summed up as: to lead a moral life, to be mindful and aware of thoughts and actions, and to develop wisdom and understanding (Buddha.net). Buddhism is a practice to about 300 million people around the world. The word comes from ‘buddhi’ or ‘to awaken’ (Buddha.net). It has its origins of about 2500 years ago when Siddhartha Gotama, known as Buddha, was himself awakened (enlightened) at the age of 35 (Buddha.net). The Guang Ming Temple is a meeting of not Buddhists only, but those trying to find meaning to life and soothe their worldly stress with meditation and yoga practices. Even NBA world champion Hall of Fame coach Phil Jackson follows and enjoys the Buddhist ways. The temple congregation meets every single day for special events except for Saturday. No attendance is required, and the cost is free to become a member. This temple is seriously for anyone who just wants to open up to something new and relieve stress. They have a website where they post news, daily quotes, and complete schedules for the planned week. I chose to attend one of their open house yoga sessions and interview one of the members.
I saw a young American woman and decided to interview her randomly on Wednesday of April 4th. She was a junior student at Seminole State College. My main objective with this interview was to classify this temple congregation as a discourse community by using Swales’ six characteristics of a discourse community. My first question to her was what were the goals for the meeting of the temple. She answered and said to relieve stress and learn about a lifestyle that can lead to true happiness. She brought up how she faces daily stress with school, and how the temple has been her escape from the pressures of college. She said that even though everyone is there for the same reasons or goals, it could become an isolated community. Its not a bad thing necessarily, because in the long run the temple is made for one to find themselves within, not socialize. She also went on by saying that she is notified by email of special events and gatherings by the head authority Venerable Master Hsing Yun. He is the main lecturer and teacher of the Buddhist ways. I actually got to have a quick conversation with him on Sunday April 8th after the Sunday service. I explained to him that I was doing an analysis of communities, and I asked him “what were some goals?”. He was pretty philosophical and said that the goal of this congregation is to help fulfill their own individual goals. The best point he got across was that everything in life happens for a reason and that while you are positive, positive things will occur. Also, if one has a mindset and repeats it, it is bound to happen. He used me as an example. For example, every time I would pass by the temple, I would say to my self that it would be interesting to experience it one day, but I was too scared to ever attempt it. Thanks to this analysis assignment, I was given an excuse to block out my fear and experience something that I’ve always wanted to experience.
The journals below were the only ones that I enjoyed reading. My favorite three though were Mike Rose, Shitty First Drafts, and Bazerman. The reason I liked Mike Rose was that I completely agreed with him. There are too many rules that sometimes hinders me from beginning a paper. Shitty First Draft started it all. This was my absolute favorite, because it calmed me down in the beginning of the semester by saying its ok not to know where to start. Just wright shitty first drafts. Bazerman was unique. He goes in depth by explaining intertextuality and defining it.
Luis Marin
ENC 1101/12:30/CL1
Rose, Mike. “Rigid Rules, Inflexible Plans, and the Stifling of Language: A Cognitivist Analysis of Writer’s Block.” College Compositions and Communication 31.4 (1980): 389-401. Print.
Rose believes that if you plan or focus too much on strategy and rules, it will hinder or decrease your performance when writing. He did a research with 10 of his undergraduate students and found that 5 out of 10 will suffer from writer’s block, and the other 5 will do an excellent job on their papers. That is how he based that conclusion. Rose uses writing as a problem-solving process. There are three stages or periods in this writing process: the introductory period, where the problem is presented; the processing period where the problem is weighed and possible solutions are proposed; and the solution period where an answer or solution is found. Writer’s block occurs in the processing period and occurs when writers misinterpret rules and plans. Rose states two kinds of rules: algorithms, which are precise and constant, and heuristics, which are guidelines and allow for flexibility.
02/06/2012
I am definitely one of those blocked writers. I find it extremely hard to get started on a paper when I know there should be expectations for writing it. For example, if I am writing a paper, and one of the rules or expectations for the paper is grab the reader’s attention with your first sentence or paragraph, I freeze and become immobile. I become so worried pleasing or accommodating that one rule or expectation that I completely block out the rest of the paper. Another thing that happens when I am writing is the fact that I wait until last moment to write a paper. I know it’s bad, but it is very hard for me to write a paper early. One question I do have about the reading is the concept Mike Rose had about algorithms and heuristics. I would like to know how I am personally an example for his concept.
Luis Marin
ENC 1101/12:30/CL1
Perl, Sondra. “The Composing Process of Unskilled College Writers.” Research in the Teaching of English 13.4(December 1979) 317-36
Perl did a study of how do unskilled writers write, can their writing processes be analyzed in a systematic, replicable manner, and what does an increased understanding of their processes suggest about the nature of composing in general and the manner in which writing is taught in schools. What Perl discovered was that students did prewrite when given instructions to prewrite. But, when they were not given instructions, students often began writing, in almost average, in four minutes. Another finding was that students frequently read the topic directions multiple times and say that they had no idea what to write. It was interesting that first sentence was often a rephrasing of the topic. This rephrasing helped students plan for the writing by making the sentence in their own handwriting and words less intimidating.
02/08/12
It was very interesting to read this piece, because I have a lot of these bad habits. Now, it kind of feels weird, because I now definitely put my self in that unskilled writer category according to Perl’s study. I know I can improve my writing and this piece tells me where I could start to improve. I felt the most interesting part was the one about the unskilled college writers re-reading the topic directions multiple times and saying that they had no idea where to start. I cannot count of how many times I have been on that road. This reading definitely relates to me in a way.
Luis Marin
Enc 1101/12:30/Cl1
King, Stephen. “What Writing Is.” On Writing: Memoir of the Craft. New York: Pocket Books, 2000. 95-99. Print.
This reading piece solely focuses on the thought of placing yourself in a most comfortable surrounding or environment to start a paper. Stephen King gives some helpful tips in how to approach writing. Of course one should always find their scapegoat in writing. Stephen King states that his haven or peace spot is his basement. It may be awkward, but one must find their place of comfort to truly be focused and committed only to your writing.
02/10/12
This reading makes a lot of sense. For certain, one should definitely find their spot of peace or environment that they feel most comfortable to write. I know for a fact that my surrounding of comfort is definitely the UCF library. I have realized that I work best in the nights at the UCF Library, especially when it is the most quite. It is very important to feel comfortable physically and emotionally when writing.
Luis Marin
ENC 1101/ CL 1/ 12:30
Maria P. Rey’s Letter
This reading was about a young college girl who wrote a letter back for her English class at UCF. This letter’s goal was to think about the lesson’s learned in the chapter that we are currently in, and she used all the teachings from Mike Rose, etc. to educate or share with an audience. She chose to use all the knowledge and teachings she has learned in ENC 1101 to educate some her past English teachers at West Port High School. Her main goal was to try and convince to change their teaching strategies. She especially focused on Mike Rose’s teachings. She stated that some of the nonsense rules placed on some students in high school by some teachers may cause students to block out or feel helpless when writing.
02/13/12
This letter was very interesting in the way that in high school, rough rules like always start with a thesis or always have 4 or more sentences to a paragraph always troubled me. It troubled me, because I would solely focus on that rule or expectation and put the rest of the paper that was more important on hold. Other rules like paper length requirements would also pause me while writing. Her letter makes a lot of sense, and I truly believe if high school students are taught with less rules or limitations, they can grow to all be great writers or decent writers when arriving to college or beyond.
Luis Marin
ENC 1101/12:30/CL 1
Bazerman starts off this writing by defining and explaining intertextuality. Intertexuality is the explicit and implicit relations that a text or utterance has to prior, contemporary and potential future texts. There are Techniques for intertexual representation. These techniques are: direct quotation, indirect quotation, mentioning of a person, document or statements, using recognizable phrasing, terminology associated with specific people or groups of people or particular documents, comment or evaluation on a statement, text, or otherwise invoked voice, and using language and forms that seem to echo certain ways of communicating, discussions among other people, types of documents. Basically, everyday we use intertexuality. We say words that sometimes we do not know the history or origin of it.
3/01/12
This reading lost my attention because of the length, but it was easy to understand. The best example I have seen or understood of intertexuality was the star wars video shown in class. It is so true that if star wars didn’t coin the scene of darth vader saying, “You’re your father”, the toy story scene would not have been as funny or attracting. Another example that realy helps me understand of how we use intertexuality everyday was the one about people calling other people douche bags. The origin and meaning of the word has no connection or relevancy to a person. Simply, we hear it and repeat it.
At first, I dragged scheduling this class. I’ve always had a hard time enjoying writing. The thought about actually writing about writing put me to sleep immediately. Amazingly, I actually learned something about writing and myself. I understand that there are audiences every where one goes. A joke to one audience could mean a threat to another, and one must realize and understand the audiences. This is important in writing, because one always want to attract the reader and send the right message. Unit one was a difficult one for me, but the other units were a breeze. Unit one dealt with analyzing rhetorical situations which still puzzles me. Unit two was very interesting. I actually learned that my biggest problem when writing is distractions at home, and that my biggest distraction was my cell phone. I always put more effort into work that interests me, and the UCF library seemed to be my place of peace when doing my papers. In unit three, I felt like this unit actually gave me the possibility to reach out and learn something. In the discourse community paper, I studied the Buddhist temple and fell in love with the belief system. I am currently still participating in that discourse community. If it wasnt for this class, I would not be today. Overall I feel i deserve a “B”. Not an “A”, because I pretty much failed to fully understand unit one. Like I stated, I have always struggled with writing. I have put in a lot of time to try and succeed in this course.
