As my time in WRT 102 comes to an end, it’s important to reflect on the work that I have done this semester. Going into WRT 102, I wasn’t very excited because I didn’t think that I would learn anything new in addition to what I had learned in high school. In all my high school classes I had been told that my writing was pretty strong, and I always preferred writing over math and science. As the course went on, I realized that I still struggled when it came to certain topics. For example, I have always struggled with planning and outlining essays. I find it very hard to write introductions because it takes me a long time to map it out in my head or on paper. I also found that I needed a refresher on proper punctuation and MLA formatting, especially in-text citations. Other than that, I really enjoyed writing the papers because they were about topics that I really liked. Finding sources for papers is my favorite aspect of writing because I get to read interesting articles and journals about things that I hadn’t known before. My least favorite thing about the class was when we had to do textbook reading in the beginning of the semester. We only ever used the textbook in first couple months of the semester, so I don’t think getting it was worth it. I would rather our professor gives us handouts and do lessons on the textbook concepts. Overall, I’m glad that this class is required for all students at Stony Brook because I saw my writing get better with each essay that I wrote. I am especially proud of my argument paper defending DACA and DREAMers. I really liked writing that paper because I found myself writing very passionately about immigrant issues. I hope to continue to improve my writing and carry over these skills in papers for other classes.

Hello! My name is Daniela Robles and welcome to my Writing 102 Portfolio. I’ve had extensive experience in writing and took advanced placement English classes in high school. These classes are where I learned the most about writing and I am no stranger to argument, research and rhetorical analysis papers. Writing 102 has been a valuable class that has helped me refine my writing skills and reiterate concepts that I initially learned in high school. My work is usually based around topics that I am passionate about. For example, I enjoy talking about and educating myself on issues that plague marginalized people. I feel that it’s very important to be a social activist in times where citizens of this country are facing polarization and discrimination. These interests are reflected in the three main writings of this portfolio.

My rhetorical analysis paper will analyze the opening scene of the pilot of HBO’s The Newsroom. Aaron Sorkin, writer and producer of the show, uses Aristotle’s three modes of persuasion to educate the audience about the shortcomings of America. Sorkin’s protagonist, William McAvoy, makes several good points about why America isn’t the greatest country in the world, but his purpose falls short as his delivery becomes crude and offensive. My argument paper will discuss the brief history of DACA and how its policies are beneficial to DREAMers and the U.S. economy. Our current President’s administration and their plans to rescind DACA will have many consequences on the well-being of DACA recipients and should therefore be kept in place and even expanded. My research paper will explore the effects of black representation in media. Due to increased diversity in all aspects of media, it’s important to portray black characters in a positive light, as negative representations will perpetuate stereotypes and harm the self-esteem of black people.

https://stonybrook.digication.com/daniela_robles