DavidsonPortfolioFinalDraft

In Foundations of College Writing, my writing skills have increased through many time consuming, hard, but worth it assignments. I took time to research topics and expand about a specific topic myself. I also transformed my research into different genres. Another accomplishment was telling details about my life, which sometimes isn't always the easiest, but the best, because it's personal and close to your heart. All of these goals were surrounded around what it means to be educated. I have a better grasp on that now since I've had time to think about it. For this goal I learned how to transform projects from one genre to another in terms of who the audience is. For my first project, I researched about college drinking patterns of Greek-affiliated students and student athletes rather than just researching all students, which is what I compared my research to. I dug deeper into specific groups in college to find different statistics. I presented my project in a slideshow for the audience of fellow researchers. I listed the background behind the research I came across about college drinking patterns and the method was where I found from my research about college drinking patterns here at Bloomsburg University. and took it into my own hands to hold interviews to compare their findings with my own. In my second project, I was able to take my research and turn it into a flyer. I chose this genre because I believe it fit the audience of students very well and since they're the main objective of my research it was very important to address them on some level. I found it best to use a flyer about drinking because it's very bold and captures your attention, especially as students. I provided information for awareness about drinking and if you're seeking help because you may have a problem, I also included a center on campus at Bloomsburg, because sometimes I think that everyone talks about all the bad sides of drinking but then they don't include forms of help for those problems. I listed the consequences that students would face if they didn't abide by the rules and policies that come along with being a college student, especially at Bloomsburg.
 * //Goal A//- Students will be able to compose for particular audiences and purposes. **

For this goal, it means that no matter what genre you decide to use, you use the correct format with it. Since I chose to do a slideshow, I believe it was still appropriate for presenting one's research at a professional conference, and I made sure to back it up with all the right conventions. I made sure to focus on my problem, which was college drinking patterns of Greek-affiliated students and students athletes. I also provided the background from the previous research I've found. Then I interpreted my methods by transforming the results I've concurred from the previous research. For example:
 * //Goal B//- Students will be able to compose using language and conventions appropriate to genre. **
 * In my background portion of my presentation, I listed the reasons found for alcohol-related consequences
 * driving under the influence
 * engaging in unplanned sexual activity usually using no protection
 * feeling down, nervous or irritable
 * not having complete control
 * In my methods and findings section, I interviewed two students about their college drinking experiences.

This proves that even thought I used a non-conventional type of presentation for supporting my research, I still got the same results with providing the background of previous research. I also provided my sources using APA style format that shows the research is up-to-date and is relevant for other researchers. For example, after my conclusions section of my presentation, I formally listed the researches I used in order to complete my own project. Including the background you built upon is a valuable part of creating your own research presentation and shows the uniqueness added to my project.

This goal means that you were able to take someone else's work and not only make it your own and build upon it, but you could understand it. I would like to use my research project as an example because I included the background of someone else's work by interpreting it and then making sense of it through my own findings. It's always easier to understand something if you break it down and by using the 3 INs, that's exactly what I did. The 3 INs are introduce, insert, and interpret. For my research, the 3 INs go as follows: in order to introduce, it's just an overall explanation, then to insert is to post your problem, and to interpret is to go into depth of your purposed problem. Before I could add these 3 INs, I had to provide research to back myself up. So, I decided to ask questions of my own in order to support this evidence.
 * //Goal C//- Students will be able to read, select, and use evidence critically to formulate and support arguments. **
 * The research I found on college drinking patterns discovered that Greek-affiliated students and student athletes are heavier drinkers than students who are neither Greek-affiliated or athletes. (Huchting, Lac, Hummer, and LaBrie; 2011)
 * I decided to interview one student from a sorority and one student from the football team here at Bloomsburg. I interviewed them both with the same questions about their daily schedules and whether they drink or not, and how much they drink, if they do. (1)
 * The sorority member did say that she does indeed drink and party and that she'll spend more time drinking than she does studying or doing homework, especially on the weekend. She then explained to me that it was part of her social being, because she was involved in Greek life that was what everyone was "supposed" to do. (2)
 * The football player also said that he drinks and parties quite often. He did explain that he valued being on the team and was very aware of the consequences he'd suffer if he would get caught. He also said that in order to be part of the team, he had to join them whenever they went to parties, which like I said before, is frequent. (2)

To me, there is a certain status quo you must fulfill if you're a football player or sorority member and it's all because of looking cool and peer pressure. These show the reasons behind why Greek-affiliated __students__ and student athletes are heavier drinkers than those who are not of either affiliation.(3) 1. Introduce 2. Insert 3. Interpret

For this goal, I learned how to appeal the audiences by using important factors for each of my genres. These important factors were the C.R.A.P. principles: contrast, repetition, alignment, and proximity. I used these four principles thoroughly throughout my second project. I transformed the research from my first project into different genres for my second project. In this second project, I created a flyer, a professional letter, and a satire. Using these principles were a way of breaking down a project that seemed difficult, but in the end you already sorted out your steps. They're definitely helpful and important because without them your audience may get the wrong idea of what you're trying to display. It improved my writing for different genres in many different ways. It helped me realize that you need certain principles to help people understand what you're trying to portray. For styles including pictures of some sort, or words that you're trying to project a message, it's very important to have great contrast, clear repetition,perfect alignment, and noticeable proximity so that you get your point across. This last and final goal means that you were able to complete your work alone and then bring it all together for review from your peers. I definitely would have to choose the peer review sessions/sheet for this goal because it defines it to a T. You could either take or leave the comments from other people in your peer review group but I always used them because it was for the better. You also included your own thoughts by means of a rubric and boxes to fulfill category requirements. For example:
 * //Goal D//- Students will be able to interpret and compose in a variety of media and print/non-print genres. **
 * In my flyer, I used contrast by using the colors of red, black and white. I applied repetition by means of including the same colors in different sections of my flyer. I aligned some of my text to the left and some of it was centered so that it didn't look off. I made sure everything was spaced well enough so nothing looked jumbled for the proximity.
 * In my letter I included things such as bullet lists to create a sense of repetition and alignment. I included the Bloomsburg logo and used the common professional layout for a letter which makes the proximity very clear.
 * In my satire, I used darks and lights which created contrast. I repeated this throughout my three panels. I made sure to space out everything so it was clustered and it was easy to understand the setting and the purpose behind it.
 * //Goal E//- Students will be able to discuss and apply appropriate writing processes both individually and in collaborative contexts. **
 * The front side of the peer review sheet lists questions for what you've received comments about such as:
 * thorough, specific, use of details
 * organization of evidence
 * genre conventions
 * techniques discussed in class

The individual part of this goal was the rubric you graded yourself on and the comments you left yourself for your expertise in a specific category. The collaborative part of this was the feedback and comments you received from your colleagues that you jotted down as well and you were able to make comments on their projects, too. This was extremely helpful in the revisions of all three of my projects because I was getting a fresh pair of eyes viewing my work and they provided me with constructive criticism which definitely did me well because I received A's on all my projects :')
 * The backside includes a rubric in which you grade yourself and give examples for each category. You could also provide comments for your colleague's work to give them positive feedback as well!