Purpose of the Portfolio

Personal Journey Through Writing Challenges

How Conflict Shaped My Growth as a Writer

Essay #1: Critical Response – The Outsiders

Summary of the Essay and Main Argument

Early Struggles with Literary Analysis and Organization

Challenges in Interpreting Themes of Identity and Class

What I Learned About Crafting Focused Responses

Essay #2: Researched Argument – A Good Man Is Hard to Find

Overview of My Argument and Thesis

Integrating Research and Primary Text: A New Challenge

Difficulties with Structuring Evidence and Maintaining Voice

Growth in Analytical Depth, Tone, and Source Integration

Reflection Paper

Comparing Essay 1 and Essay 2: What Changed

How I Overcame Writing Blocks and Self-Doubt

Clear Signs of Progress in Clarity, Confidence, and Process

Module Assignments

Brief Overview of Each Module Submission

What Each Assignment Taught Me

Small Conflicts That Led to Big Improvements

How the Modules Supported My Essay Writing

Feedback and Revisions

Summary of Instructor and Peer Feedback

Major Revisions That Changed My Work

Learning to Accept and Apply Criticism Constructively

Conclusion: Who I Am Now as a Writer

Final Reflections on My Growth

How Perseverance Led to Confidence and Skill

Looking Ahead: Applying These Lessons in Future Classes

Cover letter should be a single page

Francisco LopezFeb 25, 1:49 PM

find a name

Francisco LopezFeb 25, 2:08 PM

Don't begin with the story. Introduce it and make it brief.

after this I began to write better cover letters using the reflection

B. Whos behind the information. To check if this post was credible, I used lateral reading by opening new tabs to research the source. First, I looked up "GOP Teens" to see if it was an official Republican group or just a random account. I found that it wasn’t affiliated with the Republican Party, which made me question its reliability. Next, I researched "coffeedudeXX" (LeeSutton4) to see if they were an expert on school safety or just sharing a personal opinion. There was no evidence that they had any background in education, security, or policy-making, so their credibility was weak.

I also searched fact-checking websites like Snopes and PolitiFact to see if similar claims had been verified. I didn’t find strong evidence supporting the idea that more guns in schools would make students safer, which made me doubt the post even more. The tweet seemed to be pushing a political perspective rather than providing factual information. This research reinforced how important it is to check sources before believing or sharing something online. By looking beyond the post itself and verifying the credibility of its authors and claims, I could determine that this post wasn’t a reliable source of information. This helped me to make sure I used credible sources and information

C. MLA Assessment

Assessment Content

Question 1

1

True/False

10/10

Grade: 10 out of 10 points possible

The sources listed on the Works Cited should be double-spaced, arranged in alphabetical order, and incorporate a hanging indention.

1. T

   True

2. F

   False

Feedback

In addition to these required elements, the Works Cited should start at the top of a new page.

Question 2

2

True/False

10/10

Grade: 10 out of 10 points possible

The following in-text citation is properly formatted.

Human beings have been described as "symbol-using animals" (Burke page 233).

1. T

   True

2. F

   False

Feedback

The word "pages" shouldn't be used here.

Question 3

3

True/False

0/10

Grade: 0 out of 10 points possible

The following in-text citation is properly formatted.

Human beings have been described as "symbol-using animals" (Burke, 233).

1. T

   True

2. F

   False

Question 4

4

True/False

10/10

Grade: 10 out of 10 points possible

The following in-text citation is properly formatted.

Human beings have been described as "symbol-using animals." (Burke 233).

1. T

   True

2. F

   False

Feedback

The sentence period should follow the in-text citation, so the period after "animals" should be deleted.

Question 5

5

True/False

10/10

Grade: 10 out of 10 points possible

The following in-text citation is properly formatted.

According to William Burke, who lectures about the American education system at Duke, human beings have been described as "symbol-using animals" (233).

1. T

   True

2. F

   False

Feedback

This is correct. The author's name is used in the signal phrase, so it need not be repeated as part of the in-text citation.

Question 6

6

True/False

10/10

Grade: 10 out of 10 points possible

The following in-text citation follows proper formatting for an indirect source.

Richardson argues that high schools are pressured to act as "social service centers, and they don't do that well" (qtd. in Weissman 259).

1. T

   True

2. F

   False

Feedback

This is the correct formatting for an indirect quotation. Richardson is credited for the quoted material, and Weissman is credited for having quoted Richardson's words.

Question 7

7

Multiple Choice

10/10

Grade: 10 out of 10 points possible

What is missing from the following Works Cited entry?

Sacks, Oliver. “The Autist Artist.” The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat, and Other Clinical Tales, 1998, pp. 204-23.

1. City of publication

2. Publisher

3. Medium

4. Proper title formatting

Feedback

The publisher is missing.

Question 8

8

Multiple Choice

10/10

Grade: 10 out of 10 points possible

What is missing from the following Works Cited entry?

1. Type of computer used to access the material

2. City of publication

3. URL

4. Page range

Feedback

The page range for the article is missing.

Question 9

9

Multiple Choice

10/10

Grade: 10 out of 10 points possible

What are timestamps or runtimes in relation to MLA in-text documentation?

1. They indicate how much time was spend reading/watching the source

2. They tell readers the total amount of time for a source

3. They are used in place of page numbers for media sources, such as a movies, songs, videos, and podcasts.

4. They are never used in MLA documentation

Feedback

When a source has timestamps or runtimes (instead of page numbers), you must include this information for your readers.

Question 10

10

Multiple Choice

10/10

Grade: 10 out of 10 points possible

How many people must have authored a work before it's proper to use the terminology "et al." for the in-text citation?

1. 1

2. 2

3. 3

4. 4

Feedback

Once you've reached three or more authors, it's time to abbreviate in order to make things easier for your readers.

I did well on this assessment and it helped me to use MLA citations and format and keep up to date on it.

Another key lesson I learned was to question who is behind the information. The materials emphasized the need to ask why a source is publishing certain information and what its goal might be. While researching bullying, I noticed that some websites only focused on the negative effects, while others made it seem like bullying was a natural and even necessary part of childhood. After looking into the authors, I realized some of the articles downplaying bullying were tied to groups that promoted "tough love" parenting or had financial interests in anti-bullying programs. This made me realize how important it is to check for biases in sources. From now on, I’ll always ask, “Who wrote this, and why?” so I can make sure I’m getting trustworthy information.

C. Plagiarism Assessment
True/False

10/10

Grade: 10 out of 10 points possible

Is the following situation considered plagiarism?

Getting an excessive amount of "help" on a writing assignment from someone not affiliated with the college.

1. T

   True

2. F

   False

Question 2

2

True/False

10/10

Grade: 10 out of 10 points possible

Is the following situation considered plagiarism?

Using outside sources (even "just for ideas") when the assignment has specified not to use outside sources.

1. T

   True

2. F

   False

Question 3

3

True/False

0/10

Grade: 0 out of 10 points possible

Is the following situation considered plagiarism?

Not citing your own original ideas and insights.

1. T

   True

2. F

   False

Question 4

4

True/False

10/10

Grade: 10 out of 10 points possible

Is the following situation considered plagiarism?

Having Works Cited entries for sources that do not have corresponding in-text citations in the essay or writing assignment.

1. T

   True

2. F

   False

Question 5

5

True/False

10/10

Grade: 10 out of 10 points possible

Is the following situation considered plagiarism?

Having in-text citations in your essay with no corresponding Works Cited entry for the source.

1. T

   True

2. F

   False

Question 6

6

True/False

10/10

Grade: 10 out of 10 points possible

Is the following situation considered plagiarism?

Using the exact wording from a source without putting that wording in quotation marks.

1. T

   True

2. F

   False

Question 7

7

True/False

10/10

Grade: 10 out of 10 points possible

The situation described above (source text is word for word, with no quotation marks) still counts as plagiarism, even if you cited it.

1. T

   True

2. F

   False

Question 8

8

True/False

10/10

Grade: 10 out of 10 points possible

Is the following situation considered plagiarism?

Bringing in text from an outside source, and then only slightly rearranging it and/or changing the occasional word.

1. T

   True

2. F

   False

Question 9

9

True/False

10/10

Grade: 10 out of 10 points possible

Is the following situation considered plagiarism?

Citing information in a research paper as having originated from a library database source, when it actually came from somewhere else.

1. T

   True

2. F

   False

Question 10

10

Multiple Choice

10/10

Grade: 10 out of 10 points possible

What is the maximum percentage of a researched writing assignment that is allowed to be directly quoted from outside sources without it being considered over-quoting?

1. 25%

2. 15%

3. 30%

4. 5%

   I did well on this and it helped me to make sure I did not plagarize.

Question 1

1

Multiple Choice

CORRECT

1/1

Grade: 1 out of 1 point possible

A sentence is complete if it has the following components:

1. A subject and a predicate

2. Correct: A subject, predicate, and a complete thought

   Correct answer

3. A complete thought and a subject

4. A dependent clause

Question 2

2

Multiple Choice

CORRECT

1/1

Grade: 1 out of 1 point possible

What answer choice correctly re-writes the following fragment as a complete sentence? 

1. Before reviewing the confidential files.

2. Correct:

   Officer Paxon is reviewing the confidential files.

   Correct answer

3. Officer Paxon reviewing the confidential files.

4. Reviewing the confidential files, Officer Paxon.

Question 3

3

Multiple Choice

CORRECT

1/1

Grade: 1 out of 1 point possible

Identify each of the following word groups as either a fragment or a complete sentence.

Benjamin Franklin invented bifocals.

1. Fragment

2. Correct: Complete sentence

   Correct answer

C. Finding facts isnt so simple

Nicholas Kluge

ENG-102-W08

Francisco Lopez

Thursday, March 6th, 2025

Is it legal to burn the American flag in protest?

At first, I thought burning the American flag had to be illegal. It just seems like something that would be against the law because it’s so controversial and disrespectful. However, after conducting some research, I found that it’s protected under the First Amendment as free speech. The Supreme Court made this decision in a case called Texas v. Johnson in 1989. A man named Gregory Lee Johnson burned a flag outside the Republican National Convention to protest the government, and he was arrested because Texas had a law against flag burning. When the case went to the Supreme Court, they ruled in a 5-4 decision that burning the flag is a form of symbolic speech, which means it’s protected by the Constitution. Later, in United States v. Eichman (1990), the Court struck down a federal law that attempted to ban flag burning again.

Although it's legal, America tends to agree to disagree about whether it should be. Many patriotic Americans believe it is disrespectful, especially to  U.S. military families and veterans who go to war for us and sacrifice themselves and their time to protect us. Some Americans believe that if you burn the flag or do not like it in America, you shouldn't live in America. Some politicians have even tried to pass an amendment to make it illegal, but none of those efforts have been successful. On the other hand, groups like the ACLU argue that free speech includes protecting actions we might find offensive. The Supreme Court has said that just because something upsets people, that doesn’t mean the government can ban it.

This research made me think differently about free speech. Before, I just thought of flag burning as something wrong, but now I see why it’s protected. If we start limiting free speech just because it makes people uncomfortable, where does it stop? This also showed me how important it is to research things instead of assuming I already know the answer. Many laws are way more complicated than they seem, and it’s easy to believe something is true just because it feels like it should be.

Works Cited

Texas v. Johnson, 491 U.S. 397 (1989).

United States v. Eichman, 496 U.S. 310 (1990).

• Alliteration  

• Antagonist 

• Character 

• Genre 

• Imagery 

• Irony 

• Metaphor/Simile  

• Narrator 

• Plot 

• Point of View 

• Protagonist 

• Setting 

• Symbol and Symbolism 

• Theme 

• Tone 

Knowing the definitions of these literary terms isn't the same as being able to use them to understand a literary text, so your task this week is to start applying the terms and practicing their use. To begin, you should read and reread "Snow" (listed below), which is a short creative piece of nonfiction.

Here is what you need to do:

• Read and reread "Snow" with an eye toward the literary terminology.

• Identify four literary terms that apply to the story.

• Explain in 2-3 sentences each how these four literary devices work to enhance the speaker's message.

• Compose your response as a Word document, use MLA essay formatting, and attach your document in the submission box below.

"Snow"

by Lee Martin

Once, when I was five, a snow storm came overnight and lingered into the morning. We lived on the farm then, and for some reason I can’t recall, my mother and father set out up the lane in my father’s Chevrolet pickup, leaving me in the care of my grandmother. I dragged a ladder back chair to the front door and stood on it, so I’d be tall enough to look out the glass. I watched the back end of the truck slide a little in the deep snow before finding purchase and going on. My father turned onto the County Line Road, and I was still watching when the truck, nearly to the crossroads, slid into the ditch.

I still remember the sight of my parents walking back up the lane, heads bent against the force of the snow, my mother’s scarf tied beneath her chin, the skirt of her dress flapping around her legs, the bill of my father’s cap dusted with snow, his cheeks red from the cold.

Although I didn’t know it, then, this must have been one of the first times when I sensed that my parents lived inside imperfect bodies. They’d tried to move through space and failed. I didn’t know, as I felt the cold they carried back into our home, that this was only one of their many rehearsals for leaving this world.

Now I think of their footprints in the lane, proof that they once walked upon this Earth—those footprints disappearing even as I celebrated my parents’ return, all sign of them filling in with snow.

-- from Bending Genre: Essays on Creative Nonfiction

C. Initial Post – Part I Argument

In Theodore Roethke’s poem “My Papa’s Waltz,” the relationship between the father and son doesn’t feel playful or affectionate—it feels tense, rough, and honestly a little scary. While some people might read this as a clumsy bonding moment, the details in the poem point to something darker, something that’s not easy to laugh off.

Right away, the opening lines set the tone: “The whiskey on your breath / Could make a small boy dizzy” (Roethke 1–2). That’s not a detail you would include if this were just a silly dance in the kitchen. The word “dizzy” suggests discomfort, not joy, and the mention of whiskey shows us this man is drunk. From there, things only get rougher. The boy says, “At every step you missed / My right ear scraped a buckle” (11–12). That’s a very specific, painful image. It does not sound like the kind of thing a kid remembers fondly.

Even the line “But I hung on like death” (3) feels heavy—it’s not “I held on tight” or “I clung to him with love.” “Like Death” is intense. It suggests fear or desperation, not affection. And we can’t ignore the line about the father beating time on the boy’s head (13). That may be meant as rhythmic, but it’s still a grown man striking a child’s head, no matter how softly.

I’m not saying the father didn’t care about his son—there may even be some love buried in this memory—but the way Roethke tells the story, it doesn’t feel like a tender moment. The tone is unsettling, and the physical imagery is more violent than it is warm. This poem doesn’t describe a dance of love. It feels more like a memory of chaos that the speaker still hasn’t fully processed.

Works Cited

Roethke, Theodore. “My Papa’s Waltz.” The Collected Poems of Theodore Roethke, Doubleday, 1966.