In this portfolio I have three different papers where I took the time to analyze and improve my understanding behind the inner workings behind written works. For my class I wrote three papers, first I wrote a rhetorical analysis paper, then a critical analysis paper, and finally a paper on synthesis. Writing these papers helped me discover some of my strengths and weaknesses when it comes to writing analyses and even when writing argumentative papers. This class helped me push essay writing skills to a new higher level beyond the four to five-page generic format I had become overly accustomed to in high school. 

These papers where focused on two different pieces. Both my rhetorical analysis and critical analysis papers where focused on a scientific article about pet vaccination by Mia Rosenbaum and my synthesis paper was focused on the synthesis of “There Will Come Soft Rains” by Ray Bradbury. In my rhetorical analysis paper, I analyzed the different facets of using rhetoric in an argument, most notably of which is ethos logos and pathos. In my paper on a critical analysis of the same argument I looked into the strengths and weaknesses of the argument presented to me. Such strengths and weaknesses I looked into include the general appeal of the layout of the argument, and if the argument manages to achieve its purpose. Finally, in my synthesis paper I looked into a variety of characteristics that define the synthesis of a piece. Such characteristics I looked into include the effect of current world affairs (including the author’s life) and intended audience on a written piece, methods of organization of piece and how it contributes to the piece’s meaning, and inclusion of imagery and rhetoric in the piece along with some more characteristics not mentioned here. 

Perhaps the most two important skills I improved upon this semester by writing my essay is pre-planning of my papers and improvement upon my ability to transfer analyses I made in made of a given piece into a written form. Normally in the past I would usually skip the pre-planning step or do very little of it at all however for this class I could no longer do that and so I learned how to actually plan my essays in a coherent fashion. Along with this I would also be very brief with my analyzing, rarely would I go into full detail about what I thought about anything I noticed or was inspired about. I also could not do this in my class so through these essays I improved upon my ability to spend analyze a piece in greater depth then I had before. These two skills I have improved upon will be able to help me greater in the future with anything I may choose two write about whether it be planning a lab report, writing a critical review of a movie, or planning a creative writing piece. 

Now more specifically, the individual papers also improved upon my skills in their own separate ways. Writing the rhetorical analysis paper helped me gain a better understanding on the use of rhetoric, most notably the use of ethos, logos, and pathos. This can help me with improving any argument I may write from works of fiction to speeches to blog posts. I also learned in greater depth about the different argument types after seeing an applied version of one. My critical analysis essay most importantly helped better my ability to think critically about a piece I read rather than just taking it as it is. Also, writing this paper has inspired me to notice the flaws of my own arguments rather than just taking them as they are. Finally, it helped improve my awareness of the different basic building blocks of what makes an argument convincing. For my final paper on synthesis I gained greater experience on the variety of methods there are to structuring any kind of piece, whether it is fiction or non-fiction. Writing this paper also inspired me to think about my own style of writing and how influences around me might affect it in ways I might not have realized before. These skills that I learned from the critical analysis and synthesis paper can help me improve my structure in writing by helping me think about how the structure of a given piece might affect how the audience interprets what I have written.