Final Portfolio Essay

Crystal Davidson
UWRT 1102
Ingram
4/28/2015
Final Portfolio Essay
What’s Up With All The Glitter and Pictures?
My HOME page is very flashy, glittery, and bright…it’s just me! I am an
extremely exuberant and wild individual and I wanted to showcase that on my web
page. Although, I did tone it down for all of my other pages, because I did not want to
take away from the page itself. For example, my WILDCARD page has a completely
white background, with two pictures and two captions. With it being so simple, the
reader is able to get straight to the point and not get strayed away from what the
purpose of the page is, which is to talk about the other genres of writing I worked with
this semester.
I included many pictures as well, because like the famous quote says: “a picture
is worth a thousand words” and they really help portray my message. For instance, for
my Race Card Project, without having pictures of the couple the message would not
have a strong ethical appeal. Actually reading the couple’s experiences and then
actually seeing what they look like, (happy and in love) the reader is able to feel a
stronger connection to those couples. I also added meme’s and cute graphics on my e-
Portfolio just to add a bit more flair. I am a picture girl, and I know I tend to get bored
when I am just staring (…or let us say “glimpsing”, because by that time I am pretty
sure I am tired of reading) at words!
Trying to make my e-Portfolio easily navigable was a challenge, because
sometimes I like to do some off the wall things, but I really toned it down this semester,
and tried to make everything readily available right on my webpage. For example, on
my Race Card Project page, instead of providing a link to the YouTube video, I went
ahead and attached the actual video right on the page! Easy huh? Last semester, I had
a lot going on, with many links that took my readers every which way, but this
semester I really wanted to make it clean and simple.
How Has My Writing Grown?

My writing has grown tremendously from my first semester here at UNC-
Charlotte to the present, especially since the beginning of this spring 2015 semester. I
feel as though I have definitely become more open minded as a writer. For example, I
was not sure of the many other genres of writing there are like from the list you
provided on the Multi-Genre Assignment Instructions worksheet. You included a lesson
plan and speech or debate, which are both genres I worked with this semester. Here is
an example of a speech outline I wrote:
There Is More to Makeup Than What Meets the Eye
Specific Purpose: To persuade my audience that there is more to makeup than just
“enhancing” ones self and covering impurities and blemishes.
Thesis Statement: Makeup Artists should get more credit for the hard and rigorous
work they put in. Whether it is, cinematic makeup or personal creations, the beauty
world deserves more credit, than just being known as creating “camouflage” instead of
art.
Main Points:
I. Cinematic Makeup
a. They play a major role in the production of a film.
b. Work long hours and involves vigorous work
c. Lump sum of money
II. YouTube Stardom
a. Used for tutorials, reviews, etc.
b. Great rewards: money, awards (the silver/gold play button plaque)
c. Michelle Phan
i. Her accomplishments
ii. YouTube has opened many doors, ex.) Dr. Pepper commercial and
Teen Choice Awards Nominee
III. A Way To Express Oneself
a. Use artistic abilities in a unique way
b. Face and body is the new “canvas”
c. Creates joy and happiness

While I was engaged in this assignment, I did not make the connection that this was a
type of genre until I was made aware of it in my UWRT 1102 class. Due to the increase
of knowledge I have gained about the many different genres in writing, I believe that
my writing had improved tremendously because I am now able to write in many other
genres that I have not had experience in before.
The Research project was actually very challenging for me, which got really
frustrating because I have written plenty of research papers before this one…so I was
not sure what was going wrong. To start, when I came up with my topic, I knew I was
going to be set on it, but I just did not know what route to go because it was so broad.
But after writing a question to Ms. Ingram saying: “My main question for this project
would be, how could I narrow this topic down. Right now, I feel it is too broad a topic.”
She responded: “Maybe you can look at culture/attitude differences within this U.S.?”
Although I did not exactly do just that, I geared my research more toward individuals
in the south, but especially North Carolina. After figuring out what I wanted to
research, I decided that I wanted to conduct interviews and those went very well. I
started off by just jotting some questions down, and then I ended up creating a mass
email that I sent out to my prospective interviewees. In that email I stated:
“Here are the questions for the survey! You can look over them and begin forming
answers. I would prefer to have a phone interview so that you don’t have to type out
your responses and you can elaborate as much as you please, but whatever is best for
you, is good for me!
Please respond with your schedule and availability so we can set up a time to chat or
converse over email (whichever works best).
I really appreciate you taking the time to do this for me. I believe that our voices need
to be heard as an interracial community!
My phone number (just in case) is 336-xxx-xxxx.”
Upon sending out my email, I got many responses from people who wanted to
share their stories which was great news. Although I had a lot of great content, I just
did not know how to include those in my traditional paper. When I began writing my
paper, I started off by just rambling on and on about my boyfriend and I…I even got

annoyed with myself. Then, before I knew it, I had writer’s block and I literally did not
want to finish writing. I had no idea what to say next, and after an incident that
happened within my relationship, I had lost all motivation. After meeting with Ms.
Ingram, she convinced me to try going the Multi-Genre route, and boy I am glad I did!
This situation has definitely helped me grow as a writer, because I have learned that it
is okay to lack motivation and to not feel like I want to finish. Every writer has gone
through this countless times, and I just had to learn that the hard way this semester.
How Was I Engaged With The Key Concepts?
In my midterm I stated that the key concepts that I was strongly engaged in
were independent inquiry and curiosity, getting out of my comfort zone, and
responsibility for my own learning. I am proud to say that I am still currently
engaged in those key concepts, if not in a more intensified manner. In my midterm I
stated:
“I have gone far and beyond in regards to my research project and have been taking
responsibility for my own learning, because not only have I been looking at online
resources, but I have also been looking at physical texts like books and I have been
relying on live human sources. Although my online recourses give me more than
enough information, interviewing actual people and asking them thought provoking
questions has given my research the spunk that I want. A book can’t pour out the
emotions a person can face-to-face.”
I have taken so much responsibility in my learning that I have decided to do
further research and hope to reach out to more individuals outside of the UNC-
Charlotte community. I have realized that it is my responsibility to learn, and nobody
else’s. Which is why that key concept is so influential and important to me. In my Multi-
Genre Project, I used “The Race Card Project” as a genre, and one day I hope to reach
out to the creator, Michele Norris and interview her myself. It is amazing how this
project inspired me to find a spark of motivation and inquiry I never knew existed
within me.
Other key concepts that I have shown engagement in since the middle of the
semester are multi-modality of print and digital texts. Before I started getting

serious about my research project, I was set on doing the Traditional Research Paper,
but after struggling with getting started and lacking motivation, I decided to go a
different route. Do not get me wrong, I have always been tech-savvy, and have enjoyed
digital texts, but I was not SERIOUS about it this semester. Once I changed my project
to the Multi-Genre, I realized how much I could utilize digital print with my ideas and
information I gathered from my research. I enjoy using multi-modality of print
because it allows readers to get a variety of information in a number of different ways.
For example, I do not prefer reading a ten-page essay over watching a video, or
reading a magazine article…but that is just me. So, I figured, why not use multi-
modality if it is something I am interested in, in the first place.
I Deserve a B-…but why?
I believe I deserve a B because this semester I have not been on my game. I have
not been prompt with work and I have also been incredibly lazy throughout the entire
semester. Being a freshman, I was not sure how my second semester of college was
going to be like. I attempted to start it off with a bang, but that slowly ended…with a
bang. I had a problem with my blog posts, mainly; because I would get behind and they
would just keep accumulating to the point where I would get overwhelmed. I will make
a goal for myself for next semester; and that is to just get things done and to not wait
until the last minute for every assignment (like I did for this).
BUT, I’m not the most horrible student in the world, though my explanation
above might convince you of such. I believe I deserve a B- because I have put a lot of
work and time into my research project as well as my e-Portfolio. I have gone far and
beyond and have interacted with people from different cities and states to gather my
information. I have also used my creativity and unique ideas to do things out of the
norm. For example, the mock “Race Card Project” which I used to incorporate all of my
interviews.
All in all, I deserve a B- because I did not put forth the effort I should have, and I
acknowledge that, but I have really outdone myself for this e-Portfolio and research
project and I am extremely proud of myself. I cannot wait to continue on with my
research because interracial relationships and race relations in general are huge

passions of mine and I want to share my passions with the world!