Academics is based on the pursuit of knowledge, since essay writing is also part of academic research, therefore essay writing strategies and concepts are equally important. Essay writing was nothing new to me when I started taking the English 105 class since I had written numerous essays in high school. When I started taking English 105, there were several essay writing concepts that I was already familiar with the essay writing concepts of Author, Audience, Purpose; Thesis, Topic Sentences, etc. The essay writing concepts that I learned in High School certainly helped me improve my essay writing skills but when I started taking English 105, I realized I had a lot more to learn. There were also essay writing concepts that I had not managed to properly grasp in high school, such as paraphrasing and citation, and there were those concepts that was not familiar with, such as Rhetoric; Ethos, Pathos, Logos, etc. I am writing this essay to reflect on the three main concepts that I managed to learn while taking English 105 classes, to explain their importance in English 105 and to express my opinion on how they will help me in the future.
The first major essay writing concept that I learned while taking English 105 classes is the concept of using rhetoric in essays. In modern language, the word rhetoric invokes a negative feeling or idea and is often considered as arguments in which the truth is concealed. However, I believe that rhetoric assists speakers or writers in effectively or persuasively communicating their thoughts into something that their audience can easily understand, and as a result, influencing them by the message that was sent. I believe that rhetoric grants us the ability to use of the power of language. From what I have learned, when it comes to speaking or writing, rhetoric allows us to inform others about our feelings, or thoughts, and persuade them to agree with our concept. At the university, the use of rhetoric will help me in writing essays and reports that are more persuasive.
While taking English 105, another major essay writing concept that I learned was the use of ethos, pathos, and logos. Arguing is a natural part of life, and persuading an audience that an idea is sound, or is more sound that someone else’s idea is the purpose of arguments. I believe that Ethos, Pathos, and Logos are important to learn in English 105 because they are persuasion strategies that make an idea that is the basis of an argument appears sound. There are two reasons why ethos, pathos, and logos are important in an argument. Firstly, they help develop the skills that are necessary for crafting a sound argument that is taken seriously by others. Secondly, they help develop the skills to recognize an argument, or claim that is very feeble when it is heard or seen. The ability to use of ethos, pathos, and logos will help me write argumentative essays and reports that are sound, and enable me to convince others.
Finally, after taking English 105 classes, I managed to learn how to correctly cite sources, especially in the APA and MLA format. A citation is both a guidepost and recognition. As a guidepost, the location of a south in academic writing is signaled by it. As recognition, the indebtedness to that source is revealed by it. I feel that learning how to cite sources was important in English 105 for three reasons. Firstly, citation is important in academic writing because they help a writer credit and honor original contributor of a source of information. Secondly, not citing sources counts as plagiarism because the person who actually contributed to the information in the source does not get credit. Thirdly, citing sources is important because it helps a writer keep track of how ideas and information develop. Of course, the importance of citing sources correctly will increase once I am in university, and I am glad that I know how to.
As mentioned, the purpose of this essay was to reflect on three main concepts that I learned while taking English 105 classes, to explain their importance in English 105 and to express my opinion on how they will help me in the future. Since my major is criminal justice, I believe that arguments and persuasion will not only be a part of the essay writing that I will do in the university, but are also a part of the criminal justice field, so the mentioned essay writing strategy and concepts might even help me in my future criminal justice career, a lot of which will include writing reports. I am certain that these three main essay writing concepts that I have learned in English 105 class will also help me in the future at the university. “Criminal justice bureaucracies depend upon symbolism and rhetoric as a major component of organizational stability” (Lorinskas, Kalinich & Banas, 1985). I believe that using rhetoric; ethos, pathos, and logs; and citation will help me craft more persuasive and sound arguments, whether spoken or written, in the future at the university, and help me cite sources appropriately, since academic research will be a part of my life as long as I am studying. As for the future areas of my life, while I do not see the importance of citation, but whenever I need to make a sound argument, whether find myself debating against some or perhaps fighting for my rights, I am sure that the use of the concepts of rhetoric and ethos, pathos, logos would turn an argument in my favor.
References
Lorinskas, R., Kalinich, D., & Banas, D. (1985). Symbolism and rhetoric: The guardians of status quo in the criminal justice system. Criminal Justice Review, 10(1), 41-46. Retrieved from http://cjr.sagepub.com/content/10/1/41.abstract
