Composition

Key terms are so important when learning about rhetoric. Rhetoric, rhetorical situation, rhetorical discourse, all seem words and expressions that are mind boggling. Whether understanding one helps you define them all, or having to understand everyone to truly find the meanings of them all, we all have our own ways of learning. One of the key words that I connect with these words is audience awareness. Although this seems like a simple understanding this, for me, starts to connect all of the dots and lines that can be connected when thinking about these expressions. Another simple yet meaningful key word is style. This one small word again continues to connect the meanings of rhetoric, as once you understand one, they all seem to fit into each other. These key words also coincide with composition.

Although an easier word to get your head around, composition is also a very detailed and complex word, with words such as review, reflection, revision, editing, style, ideology all connected to this word in some format. The way that these terms connect and link to each other is quite amazing and you begin to see and understand the connection they all have. Covino and Jolliffe explain how they feel that it just came into the world “ as a method of writing instruction.” The way that this function came into the writing world so quickly shows that it has been around us forever, however, until a name was put upon this and a clear understanding was given, it was able to be used correctly and understood.

Knowledge is something that is progressed as your age goes on. If everyone had the same knowledge level, the world would be very boring, learning would be simple, and tests would be easy. There would be no need for different levels of education and different stages in a job as everyone would supply the same needs and wants. I think that knowledge definitely progresses and you can really gain knowledge as you progress through life. In this class for example, the knowledge I am learning to put into practice when I compose will help me in the job line I want to go down, however, someone who wants to be a doctor has no need to understand the meaning of rhetorical situation as they aren’t going to need to define it during surgery. The way that different people progress and different rates and some are able to do so easier than others, shows the way that knowledge differs per person.

I have learnt so far in this class, that my theory of composing bodes very differently from every other person in my class. Everyone is different and has different way of understand, using and applying certain things. The way I go back and revise, revise, revise my work, probably doesn’t seem useful to the person sat next to me, however, I have learnt that this process could be the one that saves you valuable points and can earn you extra letter grades. Although these key terms, to me are difficult to understand, I am getting to learn valuable tips to help my composition. Co

mposition to me is the need to write, edit, review, edit, review and edit, and keep editing till there are no mistakes and no errors and I am happy with what I have. Although this isn’t a very detailed or in depth insight into my way of thinking, this is what I do and all I really do. I see the need to edit and revise more than write on a piece of paper all my ideas for two hours prior to writing. I prefer to write then go back and edit and add more as I go along. This process will definitely not work for everyone, however this is my process.