Visual reflection essay format

WOODBURY UNIVERSITY

WRIT 100

Prof. Laurel DiGangi

Essay #6: Visual Reflection (10% of final grade, or 100 points, maximum)

For this final assignment, you will compose a reflective essay that includes images. This essay will represent your journey as a writer over the past fifteen weeks. Compose a 8-10 slide visual essay in which you reflect upon the papers you’ve written and your progress in WRIT 100 this semester. You should honestly focus on your development as a writer and what you perceive to be your strengths as well as areas that need improvement.

The visual essay will have many of the same characteristics of a written essay—a beginning, a middle, and an end – but it will also employ visual modes of communication, such as drawings, photographs, or stock images/graphics. You visuals shouldn’t necessarily be an illustration of your words, but a complement to them. This is more than just a PowerPoint presentation; it should be a reflective narrative that can stand on its own. Consider using dialogue, characterization, and even suspense!

Structure:

Begin your visual essay by establishing who you were when you entered this class, considering the following questions:

· What is your previous experience with writing? What kind of writing do you like to do? Does it come naturally to you, or is it a challenge?

· What were you expecting when you began this course?

The middle should focus on the papers you wrote for this class, particular skills you developed, or challenges you encountered, considering the following questions:

· In this course, what have you learned about writing that is new? Reference specific assignments/lessons/readings.

· Describe your process for writing one of your papers. Did you write the paper overnight? Over a few days? Where did you write the paper? What were your difficulties and satisfactions with the paper?

· How did you respond to constructive criticism from your instructor, peer reviewers, or Writing Center coach?

· How has your process for writing a paper changed during the course, if at all?

· What do you think is your best paper? Why is that one the best?

End the essay with thoughts on how your participation in this course applies to your outside life, considering the following:

· During this class, have you grown as an academic writer? Has your level of confidence in your academic writing skills increased? Please explain your growth (or stagnation) as an academic writer.

· Has this course helped you with a paper written in another course this semester? How? How will you apply the skills you learned in this course to your future career or personal life?

Format:

· You may compose your visual essay with one of the following tools:

· PowerPoint

· Adobe Illustrator

· Microsoft Word (with embedded images)

· Pen/pencil & paper!

· Use the following to illustrate your visual reflection:

· photos you’ve taken

· your own drawings

· photos or graphics from open-license online sites

· Submit your final visual essay as a PDF and send to laurel.digangi@woodbury.com no later than Wednesday, Dec. 10, at the beginning of the class period. You will not be graded on the quality of your drawings/photographs, but on the thoughtful composition of your visual reflection as a whole.

Please note: This is NOT a review of the class or a “last chance” opportunity for you to influence me by telling me how much you loved the course (even if you did!) Save your admiration and criticism for the online course evaluation!

Definition of Self-Reflective Thinking In order to complete this writing assignment, it would be helpful to understand the concept of self-reflective thinking as it applies to writing. A definition of self-reflective thinking will provide a context for or the basis of the Reflective Writing Assignment. Self-reflective thinking means that you as a writer

· Suggest ability for self-criticism or to accept criticism, and change writing practices as a consequence.

· Cast back into the past to explain a present change in terms of writing development or practice.

· Use course content as the catalyst for self-reflection in relation to the topic: evidence of using the writing process for the process of discovery new ideas.

· Critique your own writing processes and improve them as a result of the critique.

· Sincerely describe changing your writing processes through critical thought or developed self-awareness.

Suggestions for the Reflective Assignment

· Review the Learning Outcomes listed in the course syllabus and defend how the outcome(s) was met.

· Write an argument which defends one’s readiness to move to the next WRIT course level and/or to show how you have become a better writer. You should connect your readiness to move to the next WRIT course and/or improvement as a writer to your writing process.

In creating the Reflective Writing Assignment, please avoid the following:

· Avoid creating a list of all that the student completed/learned in the course.

· Avoid offering opinions without showing actual change.

· Avoid arguing for a grade.

Reflective Assignment Rubric I am interested in the degree of the self-reflection, that is, the quality of self-reflection, in terms of how you analyze your writing process, synthesize readings to support your argument, and evaluate different writing strategies to help you become a better writer. The rating categories below and their specific criteria may help you understand how detailed the self-reflection should be.

Score 0 or “Not Acceptable”—Failing, 59 and below No reflection. Possibly “missed” assignment. Lacks structure. Possibly weak mechanics as defined by word choice, punctuation, awkwardness, etc. May pander to the audience, the English professor.

Score 1 or “Below Average”—60-69 Some reflection. An attempt at organization. Repetitious language or a very few points suggest reflective thinking without explaining such or citing evidence for such. May pander and/or provide the teacher with repetitious, perhaps insincere language that re-states the course’s learning outcomes and/or the teacher’s assignment’s purpose(s).

Score 2 or “Passable”—70-79 Developing reflection. Suggests that organization has helped to communicate ideas. Presents evidence for developing reflective thinking, possibly through minimal explanation or minimally citing evidence, but fails to reach an adequate level of complexity or elaboration for the reflective thinking points. The student writer may pander well, recite “lessons learned” well, and/or state opinions—without suggesting real points of self-reflective thinking. May have details that are not well-organized or that are not self-reflective. Generic thought.

Score 3 or “Competent”—80-89 Begins more complex reflection: begins multiple, developed points of reflection. Offers either a broad range of reflective thinking points or well-develops a few such points although some points of reflective thinking are not completely developed. Addresses the audience/professor by offering self-reflective points that include details given in appropriate, meaningful ways.

Score 4 or “Excellent”—90+ Well-embodied reflection on multiple levels. Soundly organized. May have a “voice” as well as critical self-reflective thoughts. Critical thoughts or actions suggest a creative element. Addresses a generally educated audience by the insightfulness of the self-reflective thoughts presented.

Up to 25 pts. extra credit will be awarded to students who present their visual reflection to the class on finals day.