Core Value 1. My work demonstrates that I used a variety of social and interactive practices that involve recursive stages of exploration, discovery, conceptualization, and development.

This value was demonstrated within all my papers, but more within my Definition Argument. Before beginning the writing portion, I generated many different ideas about what aspect of the topic I wanted to define. Moreover, rather than just defining mindfulness meditation, I decided to take a different route and define ego depletion. This is a state reached by basketball players and calls for the use of meditation. From there, I consulted with many different scholarly sources and only used the ones that fit the narrative that I was trying to convey. Afterward, I began to write what I thought was a clear and concise argument, but from my professor’s standpoint was unclear and confusing. He and I chatted about the feedback he left, which ultimately led me to revise the paper into the clear and understandable piece it was intended to be. 

Core Value 2. My work demonstrates that I read critically, and that I placed texts into conversation with one another to create meaning by synthesizing ideas from various discourse communities. 

This value was incorporated heavily within my Research Persuasive Argument. In this piece, I included many different scholarly sources to help support my argument. Being that most of the sources  I included were experiments, there were many details in the full report that did not play a vital role in supporting my argument. Therefore, I had to critically read and gather specific points of the methodology, results, and discussion that did. From there, I connected other real-life occurrences involving basketball to further explain the sources. For example, in the paper, I pointed out that the presence of anxious emotions is a cause of “choking” in basketball players. I then included an instance in which an NBA player “choked”  at the free-throw line as a result of nervous feelings. Thus strengthening my argument that mindfulness meditation can improve free-throw shooting.

Core Value 3. My work demonstrates that I rhetorically analyzed the purpose, audience, and contexts of my own writing and other texts and visual arguments.

This value was demonstrated within my Research Persuasive Argument. In this paper, I referred to multiple real-life instances that have taken place. For example, I indicated a time when I failed my driving test as a result of the anxious feelings I felt in the situation. Using a situation outside of basketball appealed to the audience’s sense of trust. This because it allowed them to connect with the point I was conveying, which was about the influence of negative emotions while performing strenuous tasks. Next, I indicated that mindfulness meditation can be useful for treating disorders like ADHD, PTSD, and OCD. This also allowed the audience to relate to something outside of basketball and provided a further understanding of how mindfulness meditation is effective at improving free throw shooting, which was the basis of the essay. 

Core Value 4: My work demonstrates that I have met the expectations of academic writing by locating, evaluating, and incorporating illustrations and evidence to support my own ideas and interpretations.

This value was portrayed best in my Causal Argument. To begin this essay, I illustrated an occasion that had taken place within the NBA to provide a basic level of understanding about the topic of choking in high-pressure situations. From there, I consulted with many different sources, but after deeply analyzing and examining all, I only included the three that I felt best supported my argument. These sources included studies regarding the fear of negative evaluation, the effects of previous losses, and outside judgment, which all played a role in explaining how they negatively affect players’ performance in demanding situations.

Core Value 5. My work demonstrates that I respect my ethical responsibility to represent complex ideas fairly and to the sources of my information with appropriate citation. 

This value was portrayed best in my Definition/Categorical Argument. Within this piece, I cited multiple scholarly sources within the field of psychology meaning that many complex ideas were displayed throughout the text. For example, one of the sources I included was an experiment that examined ego depletion and its effects on athletes’ performance. Being that the full text presented many convoluting ideas, I decided to only explain the important ones in a way that was understandable and recognizable to the audience. Upon completion, I was able to further develop the meaning and purpose of the source by making connections to other occurrences outside of the study. I included an example of someone who exerted high levels of self-control in a high-pressure situation, which is the opposite of what a person in an ego-depleted state would do. This addition provided the reader with a further understanding of what ego depletion is and how it affects an athlete’s performance.