Antoine Smith

During this semester in ENGL 110C taught me more about writing than I could have thought but even more about myself as a student. At the start, I thought essays were just about filling pages with arguments. Now I see that writing is really a process: drafting, revising, and rethinking until the ideas feel clear and strong.

In my first essay, I grappled with the textual organization of thought. The rough draft was scattered but revising it taught me that structure would make the ideas easier to follow. For my second essay, I really had to mine the sources deeply. Over time I began to realize that not everything on the internet was credible, where i was more vigilant when it came to fact-checking, and I needed to practice separating fact from opinion. In my third essay, I was more assured about using logical analysis and rhetorical moves to argue a point with an audience that might oppose me.

In general, I have grown in my approach to writing: more patient with drafts, more critical with sources, and more considerate of an audience I am trying to reach. Growth from rough beginnings into polished arguments shows within this portfolio. The meme at the end is my way of applying what I’ve learned outside of essays, using humor and analysis to fight misinformation and encourage people to think critically.