My Rhetorical Situations

Writing I've done in that past week:

• Texting a friend
• Texting my boss
• Writing a poem for a class assignment
• Making a facebook post
• Writing an analytical paragraph about a previous assignment
• Evaluating my work compared to others in English class
• Making a list
• Writing a letter of instruction to a friend (in class assignment)
• Writing a reminder on my calendar 
• Taking notes in Political Science class

Texting a friend:

         Texting a friend is a very different type of writing from writing formally in class, or creating a poem. The tone of my texts are most often upbeat and positive, and using humor is more effective in reaching my audience. I use the knowledge of what my friend and I have in common to appeal to their personalities and opinions. I have much more freedom to be myself when writing to a friend, because they are already familiar to that side of me. It seems more normal to them for me to write like how I would speak to them. However, I don't always assume my audience is interested, so I try to always keep the conversation flowing, and changing so they do not get bored. My purpose most often is for entertainment, catching up on their lives, or making plans to hang out. Often times, I will include emojis and photos to further get my message across. For example, if I am talking about what my dog is doing, I will try to take a picture and send it so they can fully grasp the situation. Emojis help to avoid confusion as to my mood or emotion towards them. Sometimes, people's emotions can be misinterpreted through text, and feelings are hurt. 

Making a Facebook Post:

        Making a Facebook post in some ways can be similar to texting a friend. Sometimes I want a specific group or individual to see this post, so I can tag it in them, or tell them about it. Depending on the content of my post, the tone can change. Most often, I try to remain upbeat and humorous, but sometimes the content of the post requires a more serious tone. For example, if I share an article about a tragic accident, or a ridiculous publicity act by Donald Trump, I will likely be more harsh and critical in my tone. It is important to be aware of my audience, because on Facebook I am friends with all kinds of people: close friends, family friends, parents, relatives, teachers and so forth. It isn't always wise to use the same language you would with a close friend on a post where a parent or teacher would see it. Therefore, I use more appropriate words when writing on Facebook. My purpose when writing or posting on Facebook is always to entertain, or inform. Pointless posts like "I'm going to get a cup of coffee with my mom" are never seen on my dashboard. When sharing a controversial article or video, I always make it clear what my stance is. I don't want people getting confused, and thinking I'm a Trump supporter, or someone who wants the government to de-fund Planned Parenthood. The medium and design of Facebook posts varies. Most often I share videos or articles with my opinion or input above the link. 

Taking notes in Political Science Class:

        The genre of taking notes is often in bullet point form. I find it is easier to read and understand my notes when they are organized that way. The tone is very neutral and factual, because all I am trying to do is record information in a quick, but effective and understandable way. Given that I am the audience, it is easy to write for myself. I can write in a way that I will understand, and that is not too long. The soul purpose of my taking notes is to use them for future assignments, and papers. Therefore, I always try to get the most important information. The medium and design varies as well. Sometimes I will insert drawings, graphs, tables, or quotes to my notes. These are used to further my understanding of the content.