The Minor in Writing has allowed me to experiment with many different styles of writing in numerous concentrations.  Whether it's a linguistics or communications class, professional, argumentative, or creative writing, or just an opportunity to step back and evaluate exactly why it is that I write, I have been able to take nuanced bits and pieces from each writing class I've taken and transfer such insight into making my next papers even better.  Below are a few of the many papers I've written to fulfill the requirements of my minor in writing.  



​English 225 - Academic Argumentation
English 225 taught me the methodology behind constructing a solid argument.  Not only is it important to back up your stance on the issue with qualified and reputable sources, it is also equally important to acknowledge the opposition's position and disprove it through evidence.  Throughout the semester, we were required to write about various topics of interest while using the basic framework of an argumentative essay.
 

The paper I have chosen to use is the third of four papers I wrote for the class.  It talks about the experience of my one week stint on the Atkins diet and how processed food manufacturers take advantage of our physiology through the use of excessive amounts of salt and sugar in their products.



Linguistics 375 - Language in the Mass Media

Linguistics 375 set out to show how people use different language and modes of communication in our mass mediated culture to create and uphold social norms.  Discussion revolved around what kinds of communicational methods are appropriate in specific contexts as well as pronunciational and word-use differences across various geographical regions.

The paper I have included is the final project I submitted at the end of the Fall 2011 semester.  It is a research paper that introduces multiple computer-mediated communication (CMC) techniques used in the professional workplace as well as the norms associated with each method.  I then selected a specific communication method in the form of email and conducted a content analysis across three years of my own received emails to see if there were variations in norms (greeting, length, closing/signature) across the lines of email topic and relationship with me.  Such characteristics were then compared to Facebook interactions for similar criteria to exhibit the social norms of each method. 


Writing 200 - Intro to the MIW

Writing 200 challenged me to look at writing through a different lens.  For the first time, I was required to question the very motives I had for writing in the first place.  Why do I write?  Through the use of an introspective essay, repurposing essay, remediating project, and reflective piece, my methods of and motivations for writing came full circle.



The piece I have chosen to share is  my first essay of the semester titled "My Love/Hate Relationship With Writing."  In it, I discuss how though I am a very adept and experienced writer, I do not enjoy the extent to which I have come to obsess over and perfect my writing.  Though I hate the writing process, I love having written.  



Communication 488 - Masculinity in the Media

Comm. 488 revolved around male masculinity and its dominance in mainstream media.  From muscularity, to cars, guns, and the portrayal of women as mere extensions of one's maleness, print and television media alike glamorize the alpha male while simultaneously enforcing heterosexuality and dominance as the norm in society.    



After having written about my own perspective on masculinity, masculinity in the show "The Jersey Shore," and masculinity in movies, the piece I have chosen relates to the enforcement and allusions of masculinity in James Bond films as opposed to that described in the movie "The 40 Year Old Virgin."  By comparing and contrasting the two films, it becomes evident what practices and ideals, as described by the media, are desirable of men in society. 



 

Writing 400 - MIW Capstone: Advanced Rhetoric and Research

Writing 400 is the capstone course to the minor in writing and allows students a generous amount of freedom in their selection of a final project.  From novels to screenplays, research papers to podcasts, students truly are given the opportunity to explore a medium of writing that they are passionate about or have yet to experiment with in college.  This semester-long project, paired with a final e-portfolio/website, provides a final culmination of writing achievement that students may then take with them to show employers or continue after undergrad.