Jose Modesto

Professor Doutherd
English 5M
November 29, 2017
Rhetorical Analysis
Part 1
Students who do not pass the English proficiency exam when graduating from eighth
grade are given an essay that replaces the scores of the English proficiency. This essay was
called by teachers the Final Choice Essay because it was the last opportunity to prove that we
eighth graders were ready for high school. That was really the exigence for me since my goal
was to graduate from middle school no matter what and because I fail on the proficiency, I had to
do the essay. Before graduating from middle school, I really struggled since I had done very
badly in my English final and was assigned to do the essay. In other words, I was demanded to
study for an essay which I did not know the subject of. My English writing skills were very bad
since my first language is Spanish which I couldnt control, and didnt really practiced.
I did not know how to study to prepare myself, so I got my dictionary and looked up
fancy words that would fit any kind of essay. That essay would replace my English proficiency
score; therefore, I had to take it very seriously. I did want to graduate and not getting a passing
grade in the essay would be failing the class, holding me a year in eighth-grade. The only
research that the teacher required us to do before writing our essay was to remember our
background with the purpose of detailing any constraints that we have had about past writing
experiences, so I did. In my context, I wrote about the different methods that had changed over
time, year after year, which adapting to them was very hard.
Methods changed over time since every teacher had their own expectations from the
student, but they all were pretty explanatory on their forms of teaching. Methods like writing a
three paragraph essay in fourth-grade and changing it in fifth-grade to a five paragraph essay
which required more evidence in the body part. The good thing was that my eighth-grade teacher
explained only what students had to know to succeed in the assignment by giving only hints of
the main point.
I knew that the essay would determine me from graduating which was my need because I
wanted to make my parents proud just like my siblings did when they graduated from
eighth-grade. My audience was the teacher and because I had only done a first draft without
revising my work, I felt very nervous about my score. Like Anne Lamott said in her article, Not
one of them writes elegant first drafts which indicates that eighth-grade students only do one
draft thinking that it comes out perfectly the first time which could be then considered as a shitty
first draft (Shitty First Drafts, p.528). I never felt like revising my work, but just when I gave the
teacher my work, I thought to myself that I should have at least read it once to see if it at least
sound right. This writing would also demonstrate my academic English level which would later
help me get my classes in high school making the exigence of graduating even greater.
Part 2
Liberal Studies falls under the department of Arts and Humanities field. Both focus on the
teaching style used and persuaded to use for a more elaborate and easier understanding for the
students. These teachings include both scientific and personal backup information which sustains
the point that is being argued. The reading most of the time intents different kinds development
used in the Arts and Humanities field which Liberal Studies also includes. This is because the
Liberal Studies major is follows more of the style used in the field of Arts and Humanities by
using practical scientific facts than only ideas or theories.
The Liberal Studies major follows what the Arts and Humanities field say since it is a major
within the field. The form of teaching would only vary in the teacher, but the same rules and
demand as what to teach are the same. The importance is to focus on the prompt given when
doing an essay (p.139).With this demonstrating their style of writing, incorporating it into the
subject that the essay will have to be into.
Even though the field is not very practical, the field requires research as well. In the
context, the Arts and Humanities field relies more on theories than in scientific facts. This is the
style used to teach students which is majorly introduced as a form of argument. Other writing
examples from students are used to argue a point could even be ideas or experiences that have
proven the point of their argument. The CSUS Handbook also concludes with very important the
idea that the engaging style and personal voice which are often valued in Arts and humanities
writing as like in Liberal Studies (p.139). This comes from experiences with students since it is
easier to communicate with them.

Part 3
Depending on the level of the students disciplinary knowledge dictates the difficulty a
student may face. Expectations tend to be harder depending on the grade level. The eighth-grade
essay would probably not be considered a good paper for a Liberal Studies instructor. Eighth
grade essays are more to be considered as low-quality drafts for a college instructor since it was
only a first draft and did not use evidence, such as quotes, to support the argument. It is not
analyzed thoroughly enough for it to be turn-in. The CSUS Handbook states that grading and
requirements depend on the teachers in the field since they have different expectations with
writing, reading, and researching (p.138).This due to the requirements that every teacher has
which always varies since the expectations accommodate to a certain grade level.
Considering the grade level would lead to a better understanding of what is demanded
from a student. A college professor would expect something more detailed. The CSUS
Handbook also states that high-grade papers must have a compelling argument (p.139). An
eighth-grade student does not write a very detailed argument compared to what a college student
does. The eighth-grade essay would only have the main ideas thrown without even looking at the
order in which the events happen. Something that would even make it worse would be the
pressure the students have like the time or the point of writing the essay.
 Another thing that would be considered as an obstacle to turning an eighth-grade paper to
a professor would be the organization of the paper. College teachers expect organized papers and
an eighth-grade paper would most probably not be well organized due to nervousness to finish or
simple problems with sentence structure. Better organization of the information would clearly
make the essay stronger since it is a strategy that makes essays seem and sound more elaborate.
Being organized also helps the reader understand the context of the essay a lot easier and if the
reading is hard most college professors. This is part of the exigence that is intended by the
teachers to help the writer in future assignments getting to know the different styles of reading
that the audience might have. If the paper would have been at least organized, it would have
been acceptable, but it was not.
Some helping advice which an incoming student can take is to be aware of their
organization. By doing so, it grants the paper to have effectiveness for the audience. Adapting to
the instructor's teaching methods of teaching would also be something vital since the teacher is
the audience of whatever is turned in. Writing how the instructor wants is something that can
help in either the liberal studies major and the Arts and Humanities field because the information
given is the same as having the same goal which is teaching. The CSUS Handbook also shows
that many teaching professions share the general approaches to writing and researching which
also supports the idea that the point of teaching is the same (p.138). A student can know learn the
same from different teachers, but the idea of writing does involve the ability to approaching an
essay. An instructor does matter when conducting an essay which can be acceptable at other
grade levels.
Jose Modesto
Professor Doutherd
English 5M
Nopvember 29, 2017
Rhetorical Analysis Cover Letter

On of the course goals that I met when doing the Rhetorical Analysis was to develop
awareness of how communitie shape reading, writing, and research. I learned how to develop
skills from teaching methods demonstrated in the CSUS Handbook that are taught by instructors
of the Arts and Humanities field which is like a community. I learned methods like using quotes
from research to support an argument. Liberal Studies falls into the community of the Arts and
Humanities field, having the same goal which is teaching. As a writer, I learned how this field
argues with only experiences and theories which actually back-up the main point. With this
demanding critical thinking from the audience since a theory could be proven wrong by examine
it with research.
What went well in the essay was the idea of putting together both my experiences with
what the article demonstrated about the Art and Humanities field. Examining the paper was
actually easier after putting all the information in order. Another thing that went well was the the
prompt instructions since it was clear to understand because the steps to writing this paper where
indicated. What not went well in my case was the organization of the article, making it a bit
confusing because one part explained the main point and the other part had examples that had a
whole different point, but showed the same style of writing as explained in the first part.
If I was to do this essay all over again, I would change some of the vocabulary I normally
use to a fancier one that causes an impression, but that sounds just as common word. This could
help the audience develop critical thinking since using fancier words could be a problem if the
audience does not know its meaning. I would also try to make it even more clear for my
audience. This writing assignment will affect me in many ways and one of them would be the
sentence structure. Having a more elaborate sentence structure would make my future writing
assignments clear to read and understand. Another thing that would help me a lot in a future with
this kind of writings would be the transitioning between elements. Having to go back and forth
between elements was a bit difficult to learn, but it will be of great help in future assignments
that demand more than one part.
I think that this essay is ready for my ePortfolio because everything is well organized into
the parts where the prompt demanded them. I also think that it is well structured and that it is
very well wrapped up in the last part. The last part does conclude with what I think in my
perspective about the first part and the second part. It also explains what I learned from doing it
like said in the prompt. Another reason why I think this essay is ready would be because of the
support I give. When rechecking this essay, I tried to fit the best quotes from the CSUS
Handbook which had the most information to make my argument stronger.
Questions to Consider:
1. Does it answer the question in the prompt?
2. Is it well developed?