This ENC 2135 course was one of the first courses in my college academic career. It consisted of my first research project, rhetorical analysis, genre creation, as well as many discussions. But while completing these projects, I was still able to write about what I cared about and something that excites me. In all three projects, my focus was the effects of social media on teen girls. I did this because I am an Information Communication Technology major, meaning I learn about things related to IT and Communications. As a future career, I want to be a social media director or marketer for a large company, so I feel that it’s important to note vulnerable audiences that exist in marketing. Teenage girls deal with so much when it comes to social media, and as being one I can attest to it. My research on social media’s effects on teen girls, analysis of artifacts related to it, as well as making content related to my argument has allowed me to learn a lot about genres, composing, and rhetorical strategies.

​

            My first project was an investigative essay focused on the positive and negative effects of social media on teen girls. It mainly served to clarify the bad things social media is capable of, but also the good. In this project, I learned how to properly research for the first time. I have never done a research project as in depth as this, so it was exciting, but also nerve-wracking to see how it was done. I learned how to find peer-reviewed articles, and how to create my own survey. I learned how to organize and format a research paper into introduction, methods, results, and discussion. This allowed me to divide my thoughts as typically I would combine all these types of sections into one. I was able to see what was important and necessary for each aspect rather than rambling. This project overall taught me how to compose a successful research writing project. From formatting charts, collecting information from different sources, and relating it back to my research inquiry, I was able to hit all the components necessary, and will use this when needed in the future.

​

            The second project required me to select two artifacts related to my topic and analyze and compare their rhetorical situation. I selected an impactful Dove commercial and a local news article. These artifacts both expressed the issue of social media and teenage girls’ self-image. Due to this project dealing with rhetorical situation, I learned about ethos, pathos, and logos, which used to be hard for me to differentiate between, but by doing this project as well as the discussion posts related to it, I was able to do a better job at memorizing what each one stood for. I learned that as I was doing the project, I tended to gravitate towards the emotional side of rhetoric rather than logic or credibleness. Due to this, it allowed me to double check my work and focus harder on finding things other than pathos within my artifacts. I also learned to always relate my analysis back to my main argument and the “why’s” of why the artifact wanted the audience to feel or do that thing. Overall, I will apply this project to the future by making sure I am always asking questions in the details of why a company would do that for their brand, especially with my future career involving that.

​

            The third project I did for this course was the most enjoyable, in my opinion, as I was able to be creative and input things, I am uniquely good at. For this project, I built off the rhetorical analysis by creating my own genres that relate to my campaign of making more awareness for the issue of social media and teen girls. I learned how to consider what my target audiences use to gather their information and what persuades them. For instance, I made one of my target audiences’ mothers of teenage girls, so I made the genre a Facebook post. I decided this through observing what my mom, as well as most other moms use that is unique to them which are typically Facebook posts. Doing this project almost felt as I was doing the things I learned before, except backwards. First, I came to the decision of my two specific audiences and through observation, I decided on the genres I would do. Then, I used my creativeness to mimic a Facebook post as best I could use new editing software I found (Adobe + Canva). I also used my research skills from project #1 to narrow down on advertisements and surf the best spots in social media where I could find them. Lastly, I used the rhetorical analysis skills to explain why I created the genre for the audience, and I found this easier because I was the author this time, and I remembered the skills I learned from project #2.

​

          Being a member of the communications and technology discourse community as well as being a teen girl impacted me emotionally as I was doing investigating. Going through the research survey I conducted made me saddened to see the number of girls putting that they have be negatively by social media or have had hurtful things said to them online. Similarly, composing the advertisements that were stereotypical or questioning in how a girl should be made me saddened as well. It was too easy to find these types of ads and made me realize how much work is needed for social media. As a writer, I was able to formulate these emotions into my papers by being a voice for women as I know personally and observationally the negativity social media has on us. I felt that I was stronger with my elaboration and argument, and that I made it clear that the issue was important. After doing these projects, I am more encouraged to spark change within my discourse community, especially when reaching my future career aspirations.