My Critical Reflection

As a student in the Rhetoric and Composition concentration within the English major at Georgia State, I approach my academic work as a planner, a listener, and often a quiet observer. I value structure and preparation, and I tend to absorb conversations and course material carefully before contributing. This approach allows me to engage thoughtfully with rhetorical concepts and apply them intentionally across my coursework. Consequently, as a writer, I am highly organized and rarely begin a project without an outline. I often spend a significant amount of time developing details and examples, which can make my writing feel wordy, but it also reflects my commitment to clarity and depth. At the same time, I consider myself a creative writer who enjoys shaping ideas in both analytical and expressive ways.

 

My current definition of rhetoric is the strategic presentation of an idea to an audience to persuade them of a certain viewpoint. In other words, being rhetorical is never neutral; it’s very subjective, and at times, premeditated.  One author who strongly influenced my definition of rhetoric is June Jordan, who defines rhetoric as “a way to expose and redefine official language, and to advocate for a more inclusive vision of society” (Genesis). With this definition, I agree that there are multiple ways to write and persuade in standard English. In the contemporary world, I find that there should be more inclusive writing and speech, allowing anyone to share their experiences however they want. For example, June Jordan often expressed herself using Black English because she believed it was a powerful way to preserve cultural identity while also challenging dominant linguistic norms. Her work helped me recognize that rhetoric is not only persuasive, but also political and deeply personal.

 

Additionally, a reading that thoroughly expanded my understanding of rhetoric and its purpose was James A. Herrick's The History and Theory of Rhetoric. Herrick explains that, “Regardless of the goal at which it aims, rhetorical discourse involves forethought or planning. Thinking of rhetoric as planned symbol use directs our attention to the choices people make about how they will address their audiences” (9). Of the six rhetorical discourse characteristics, the aspect of rhetoric being planned sounds self-explanatory, yet it encouraged me to think more critically about situations in which rhetoric appears unintentional. Even individuals who may be oblivious to their rhetorical choices still communicate persuasively; their rhetoric simply may not be as deliberate. Herrick’s discussion emphasizes that rhetoric is embedded in everyday human interaction, suggesting that people are often more rhetorically aware than they realize when attempting to persuade others. I also believe that rhetoric involving preparation and organization is generally more effective than rhetoric that is improvised or unstructured. Overall, rhetoric is strategic and arranged with intention, and this planning provides the framework that supports the other characteristics of rhetorical discourse. Not only was my understanding of rhetoric shaped by these theories and readings, but engaging with them also strengthened my ability to think critically about how arguments are constructed.

 

With that in mind, I define critical thinking as deeply analyzing and contemplating a topic or idea rather than taking it at face value. It means going the extra mile in my thinking to get to the heart of an issue, whether that is through research, questioning assumptions, or consulting credible sources. An example of this can be seen in my writing, particularly in my research and persuasive essays, where I am required to expand on a subject and respond to the questions that arise in order to clearly show my audience my reasoning. The assignment that most strongly expressed this ideology was from my Honors Literary Studies class (ENGL 3040, Fall 2025), in which my final project was to write a 12-page analytical argument combining two cultural texts; I chose Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and The Dark Knight (2008) directed by Christopher Nolan. The premise was to pair each with a literary framework, such as postcolonial and cultural studies, and discuss how they went together and conflicted with eachother. For instance, in my thesis, I state: “Adichie’s Americanah deconstructs dominant Western myths of order and authenticity by celebrating hybrid identity and challenging racial hierarchies, while Nolan’s The Dark Knight reinforces these same myths by presenting a white, hyper-masculine vigilante as the necessary enforcer of civilization and control”. All of this to say that I got a better grasp of my critical thinking skills by learning to write and apply them to ideas and frameworks that connect to the real world.  Overall, once I fully understand an issue myself, I am then able to write in a way that communicates my critical thinking to others by breaking down complex ideas and providing evidence to guide readers through my thought process.

 

By being aware of my audience, my writing has evolved from informal and reflective to academic, and now, to a more professional style. At first, I was more comfortable with the informal writing because I tend to write the exact way I speak. However, in college, my primary audience has been professors who often expect a balance between personal reflection and scholarly analysis. Because of this, I focus on presenting my work with a cohesive structure that maintains a professional academic tone while still allowing my personality to come through for peers and instructors. As I near graduation, I have become more intentional about shaping my writing to fit the professional audiences I hope to reach in my future career. Through my Business Writing course, I gained experience writing for an audience I was previously less familiar with, which required a different rhetorical approach. In particular, I have adjusted my writing to fit The Seven C’s: clear, concise, concrete, complete, courteous, coherent, and constructive. Using this framework has helped me avoid overly flowery language and communicate more efficiently. Altogether, when I write with a specific audience in mind, I consciously adapt my style, tone, and format to meet their expectations and present myself as a capable and effective communicator.

 

My attitude toward revision and editing has changed most significantly through my experience in Intro to Literary Editing & Publishing (ENGL 3120). Through hands-on editorial work and class readings, I learned to recognize an author’s voice and approach a piece of writing with respect for its original purpose rather than trying to reshape it to fit my own preferences. Editing taught me that strong writing is not about making a text sound more complex, but about making it clearer, more focused, and more intentional. This perspective has also influenced how I revise my own work, encouraging me to prioritize precision, organization, and audience awareness over length or unnecessary detail. 

 

Ultimately, I have grown the most in the way I approach revision, both as an author and as a producer of texts. While my writing style is generally straightforward and avoids overly ambiguous language, I have become more aware of my tendency to repeat ideas or linger too long on a single point. This often results in run-on sentences or unnecessary elaboration, especially when I am focused on meeting a word count rather than strengthening my argument. Throughout college, I have written essays and discussion posts where I restated the same idea instead of developing it further. Recognizing this pattern has shifted how I view revision, not as a final, surface-level step, but as a crucial stage for refining clarity and focus. Moving forward, I plan to revise more intentionally by reading my work aloud and actively cutting repetition so that each sentence serves a clear purpose. In general, this reflection demonstrates how my growth as a writer has come from learning when to expand ideas and, just as importantly, when to refine and cut them, allowing my rhetoric to communicate more effectively and confidently across academic, creative, and professional contexts.