My Theory of Writing
Dear Moshfiq,
As you finish your first semester of College, I can see that you have come a long way in your academic journey as a writer. In the beginning of your first semester, you didn’t think the writing process was significant in the process to become a mechanical engineer, however, as you progressed on your academic journey you have come to realize that not only is writing is an integral process in engineering but that the analysis of sources, data, and other information is critical to validate your claims/stance on any topic or discussion that you participate in. In the beginning of this writing class you used evidence to support your stance, however, you didn’t provide your own analysis of that evidence, as you progressed through the class and looked back on peer feedback you realized that even if you cite sources their are the questions, “So What?” and “What connection does my source have with my claim/stance”. These questions forced you to realize that you must analyze the evidence you use and expand upon that evidence with your own insight so that you can validate your stance.
The Source based essay was really an eye opener for you when it came to developing your Theory of Writing. The sourced based essay made you critically look at the each author’s stance, tone, purpose,genre, and their credibility. When you began to look into various sources you realized that the credibility of the sources mattered when using them in your writing, furthermore, the tone and genre the author uses is crucial when it comes to conveying your message to your intended audience. When you critically analyze the various sources you understood the underlying message that these writers were trying to convey and what methods they used to convey it.
“The author’s purpose for writing this article is to highlight the effects of gentrification by giving the readers a primary account of a person who has been affected by gentrification and is grappling with the social and economic changes that come when gentrification came to his neighborhood of Mott Haven. The author’s stance is shown when he highlights how Monxo was forced to leave his neighborhood and is facing economic pressure to sell his current home as a means to stir the opinion of the reader that gentrification has a negative impact on the pre existing demographic. This written piece would be an informative magazine feature because it highlights a contemporary urban issue that is grappling many cities across the world, furthermore this would be an informative magazine feature because the author is highlighting a primary account of someone affected by gentrification.”
In your Sourced-Based Essay on Gentrification you were able to use what you learned from class and analyze the various writers key rhetorical strategies. As you can see, you analyzed the source and highlighted that this article is a primary account of Gentrification, furthermore, you were able to identify the writers genre as a informative magazine feature and that the author has a negative stance towards gentrification. By analyzing the various theoretical strategies the authors used in their writing you could use those sources effectively in your writing and add your own insight into what that evidence you just used has one your own stance.
Moshfiq, when you wrote your research-based essay, I loved the way you identified a selected audience that you were trying to reach and a specific message which was how to gentrifiers select certain NYC neighborhoods as desirable. By identifying your intended audience and your goal, you made your essay’s message concise,clear, and gave yourself a stance from which you can cite evidence and analyze that evidence to support your stance.
“ When comparing the map graph one can see that household can rental prices have had opposite trends which can be explained by gentrification, the vast majority of New Yorkers cannot afford the increase in rental prices while the small and new demographic can afford this increase in rental prices.
In the map you can clearly see that neighborhoods such as Williamsburg, Park Slope, Dumbo, Greenpoint, LIC, and Astoria have a high rental price for a one bedroom apartment which ranges from $2500-$3500. These high rental prices are due to the proximity of the neighborhood to Manhattan and the travel time from those neighborhoods to Manhattan. In the map you can analyze and see that the father the train station is from Manhattan, the less the rental price will be; for instance compare rent in LIC to that of Sunnyside and Jackson Heights, LIC is 1 train stop away from Midtown Manhattan while Sunnyside and Jackson Heights are 4-6 train stops away from Midtown Manhattan thus the rental prices in Sunnyside and Jackson Heights are cheaper than that of LIC due to each neighborhoods relative distance from Manhattan.” ( Inquiry Based Essay)
Moshfiq, as you progressed in your writing journey you eventually understood that evidence stated by itself will not help justify your position/stance on a given topic. Thus, when you wrote your research-based essay you used the map of NYC rental prices as a source, however, you went further and analyzed the map that you cited and explained how the proximity of the neighborhood relative to Manhattan has an impact of the rental prices on those neighborhoods. The critical analysis of that map allowed you to explain your reasoning of why certain neighborhoods are chosen by gentrifiers due to the proximity to Manhattan; thus you were able to answer the question “ What connection does my source have with my claim/stance” by offering you own insight and analysis of your source and linking the information presented in the source with your stance.
Moshfiq, as an aspiring Mechanical Engineer is always crucial to look at things critically and offer evidence whether it be data analysis or experimental data to back up your thesis. By going though this writing class you were able to understand that your analysis of the sources or data you use is crucial to corroborate your position, and as an engineer it is paramount for you to convince other that what you believe correct using evidence and factual data that correlates your position, and the way to correlate data is to offer your own insight into the source you have provided. I am proud of how far you have came, however, this is just the beginning so don’t give up.
Best Regards,
Moshfiq Ahmed