Core Value 1. My work demonstrates that I used a variety of social and interactive practices that involve recursive stages of exploration, discovery, conceptualization, and development.

Writing requires an open mind willing to discover the unknown. By no means can a writer stand alone in the pursuit of great persuasive works. I accredit my progress to the in-semester conferences and the feedback I received on my final drafts, specifically my rebuttal argument. Professor Hodges properly noted I needed a ‘worthy opponent’ to target my rebuttal argument toward, and that allowed me the opportunity to find a mainstream media source to attack because of the class action lawsuit against Zinus. Class lectures emphasized the job of my rebuttal argument, to tease out problems with my adversaries’ counterarguments, rather than provide solace to a worthy opponent. These examples denote my progress in the art of collaboration. It starts with being open to feedback, never believing I have it all figured out.

Rebuttal Rewrite — Holistic25

Core Value 2. My work demonstrates that I read critically, and that I placed texts into conversation with one another to create meaning by synthesizing ideas from various discourse communities.

Look no further than the visual rhetoric assignment to see how I demonstrated the ability to attribute meaning to information frame by frame. Indeed, an exhilarating assignment, I leaned on several rhetorical strategies to explain why I drew upon the conclusions I did. Interpreting the thirty second promotion without sound challenged my abilities to synthesize information in the context of the video. Above all, the assignment allowed me to notice images and processes I would never have if I just relied on my ability to watch a thirty second video without pausing to see what I noticed. Before, I could not have possibly believed so many observations and conclusions could come from a thirty second advertisement. For instance, I remember the focal figure of my video, a woman, wearing a sort of cast around her wrist. Also, the advertisement showed the mother drawing, and stopping to hone in on the drawing allowed me to see subtle details, such as her valuing faith when she lightly drew angel wings and a cross presumably around her two sons she embraced.

Visual Rewrite — Holistic25

CORE VALUE 3
Writing is shaped by audience, purpose, and context.

My entire research paper embodied this sentiment because targeting an ideal reader gave me direction and recourse. I learned several valuable lessons in lectures regarding the ideal reader. Keeping the ideal reader in my mind, class lectures taught me that the ideal reader consists of either someone who appears on the fence regarding the subject matter or simply ill-informed on the subject. Writing a persuasive work would not serve a purpose if I wrote to appease what I already know and believe. A valuable life lesson in general, not many people will latch on to my thought process when I tell them what to do. Speaking in this context would be disparaging. More appropriate, a persuasive work speaks to the ideal reader, empowering them to draw their own conclusions. I, as a writer, simply act as a guide.

Research — Holistic25

CORE VALUE 4:
Information literacy is essential to the practice of writing.

Perhaps the aspect that excited me most, finding sources to speak upon the subject matter I embarked upon, provided me information literacy. Invaluable to my definition argument, the source Toxic Bedrooms by Walter Bader produced joy upon finding and citing this work. The reason behind this being that the topic of toxic mattresses seldomly exists, and this source served as an entire book expanding my understanding and knowledge around the subject. This source encouraged me to take on a difficult subject in talking about petrochemicals with long and confusing names and attributing these concepts to ill health effects such as multiple chemical sensitivity. Before embarking on my research paper, I understood the argument internally, but explaining it to others served as the ultimate roadblock. Particularly, this source by Walter Bader allowed me the ability to not only explain but persuade my audience that petrochemicals in commercial products such as mattresses, cause ill health effects. I needed that guide, and Toxic Bedrooms provided that.

Definition / Categorical Rewrite

CORE VALUE 5:
Writing has power and comes with ethical responsibilities.

This concept comes with a specific nonverbal agreement to not mislead readers in a deceitful manner. Although some deceitful writings in history demonstrate effectiveness by mainly pulling on emotional chords, rather than logic, these works get exposed in the near future. A recent example, COVID-19, the initial response shut down the world, advocating for strategies such as standing six feet apart. Odd guidelines such as standing six feet apart, not visiting loved ones because of the upper limit of people concentrated in one particular area, proved to be largely fraudulent. Regardless, pertaining to my own work, my causal argument did not steer toward chaos and confusion. Rather, I relied on logic and examples, letting the ideal reader decide for themselves how they would proceed after learning about the toxic world we live in. I understand I shall never write to desire egotistical outcomes, such as power.

Causal Argument — Holistic25