Self Assessment

This self assessment explores the success in achieving the course learning goals of the FIQWS (Freshman Inquiry Writing Seminar) course titled “Gentrification and Cultural Identity of Harlem”. By citing the parts of the essays and other writing documents, I will illustrate the course learning  goals that I have achieved and the course learning goals that I have not achieved.

The FIQWS course is split into two sections: The Composition section, which focuses on developing your skills as a writer by teaching valuable writing techniques, and the Experience section, which is focused on class discussions and lectures about Harlem, the Cultural Identity of Harlem, and the Gentrification in Harlem. Beginning with an overview of the course, during this semester, we have explored different genres of reading. We have read an opinion/editorial based article, online articles via academic databases, peer-reviewed studies and/or abstracts, and even a Textbook titled The Norton Field Guide to Writing with 2016 MLA Update : With Handbook (Ed. 4).

Additionally, during this semester, we have also explored different genres of writing. The first of which was the Diagnostic/Process analysis paper. The purpose of the Diagnostic/Process analysis paper was to be used as an evaluation for our writing ability; gauging the degree in which we can receive information from another person and succinctly structure the information into a paper. The audience of the Diagnostic/Process analysis paper is the professor of the FIQWS courses’ Composition section, professor Alice Nicholas. Professor Alice Nicholas already knows what a Diagnostic/Process analysis paper entails and expects us to present the information in the best way that we can in order for her to evaluate how well we know how to present information succinctly. The stance of the Diagnostic/Process analysis paper  is objective because the purpose to only receive and put down information. The media of the Diagnostic/Process analysis paper is print.

The second genre of writing explored during the semester was the Literacy narrative. The purpose of the Literacy narrative was to explore a writing and or reading experience we had as an individual and the way it allowed us to grow as a person. The audience of the Literacy narrative was also our professor, Alice Nicholas. Professor Alice Nicholas already knew what a Literacy narrative entails, and expects us to creatively express the writing and or reading experience in a concise story-like narrative. The stance of the Literacy narrative is a passionate stance because I am personally talking about the time when I had taught my little brother how to read and how that, in turn, made me want to become a teacher. The media of the Literacy narrative is print.

The third genre of writing explored during the semester was the Summary and Response paper. The purpose of the Summary and Response paper was to summarize an article, which in our case was the article “On Whole Foods, Gentrification and the Erasure of Black Harlem” by Angela Helm, and respond to the article by either disagreeing, agreeing, or seeing both sides of the article. The audience of the Summary and Response paper was not only our professor, Alice Nicholas, but also potential readers of the article by Angela Helm, as our paper is either supposed to support or refute the article. The stance of the Summary and Response paper was passionate, yet critical, as I critiqued her writing, while passionately agreeing and disagreeing with Angela Helm. The media of the Summary and Response paper is print.

The fourth genre of writing explored during the semester was the Exploratory essay. The purpose of the Exploratory essay was to research on the internet about our topic, which mine was about the Harlem Renaissance and visual art, and write about the research question that we had created during class. In my case, my research question was “In what ways and to what effects has the Harlem Renaissance artists influenced the modern day Harlem artist”? The audience of the Exploratory essay is both our professor, Alice Nicholas and other potential researchers of the same topic. The stance of the Exploratory essay is curious and passionate, as I evaluating the influence that the Harlem Renaissance artists have had by formally analyzing the works of art that both the Harlem Renaissance artists and the modern day Harlem artists have made, passionately discussing the similarities and influences shown the modern day Harlem artists’ art. The media of the Exploratory essay is print.

The fifth genre of writing explored during the semester was the Critical research paper/Field report. The purpose of the Critical research paper/Field report was to expand on the research initially done during the Exploratory essay and conduct actual field studies using surveys and conducting interviews to stakeholders surround your topic. My question had stayed the same. The audience for the Critical research paper/Field report was both our professor, Alice Nicholas and potential other researchers researching the topic, which in my case was the influence that the Harlem Renaissance artists have on modern day Harlem artists. The stance of the Critical research paper/Field report was objective, objectively presenting the information gotten from surveys and interviews, then analyzing it. The media of the Critical research paper/Field report is print, electronic, and spoken, as I also presented this Critical research paper/Field report to the class through the use of a slideshow.

The sixth genre of writing explored during the semester was Reflective pieces; reflections on the papers that we had done. The purpose of the Reflective pieces was to reflect on the paper we had just done and evaluate what we had done, what we could improve on, what we used to improve, and how well we had done on our own personal scale. The audience of the Reflective pieces was our professor, Alice Nicholas, as she has already seen and read the pieces we are reflecting on and is expecting the reflection to be something we had learned or improved on actively in the writing stages of the paper. The stance of the Reflective pieces is objective; objectively evaluating the knowledge gained and the ways I have improved the paper during the writing stages. The media of the Reflective pieces is print.

The seventh and last genre of writing explored during the semester was presentations. The purpose of the Presentation was to exhibit the work and research done for the Critical research paper/Field report. The audience of the Presentation was the whole class, along with other potential researchers of the topic, which in my case was still the influence of the Harlem Renaissance artists on modern day Harlem artists. The stance of the Presentation objective, similar to the Critical research paper/Field report, because I am presenting the same information. The media of the Presentation is electronic and spoken.

This entry is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International license.