Critical Reflection

Well, that concludes the bulk of my research process. But how did we reach this point? Answering this question requires a reflection on my writing throughout the semester, which will ideally demonstrate the four intended outcomes of ENC 1102:













In Unit 1, we read and discussed a variety of media about writing and language. Three of these pieces became the heart of my first Checkpoint assignment, wherein I analyzed, synthesized, and cited them. This process involved discussions of some central concepts in these sources, one of which is code-switching. Code-switching, the focus of the third paragraph, "occurs when one concurrently shifts from one language system to another" (Young, 2009, p. 49). Later in the paragraph, I also related Vershawn Young's "Nah, We Straight" to Talking Black in America in order to coalesce the linguistic and writing conceptions of these authors—in other words, to argue for the connection of the sources. Thus, my Checkpoint 1 satisfies Outcome 1. It demonstrates an understanding of the situated, intertextual nature of writing and research through comparisons and analyses of the three cited sources.

Outcome 4 may be the last of the outcomes, but it was one of the first I grappled with in this course. Dr. Schneier noted the lack of individuality in my Checkpoint 1; it centered on our class discussions, texts, and media but was bereft of my own voice. This is where my Checkpoint 2 entered the picture. In it, I bridged the gap between the secondary research I had previously reviewed and my niche of interest regarding linguistic diversity, reflecting on my perceptions to meet Outcome 4. Furthermore, I undertook the difficult task of connecting my experiences to the content, a process that was greatly aided by Victoria Smith. Her account of how the English language expresses "the ever-evolving identity of Guyana and its people" (Smith, 2013, p. 99) was thought provoking. I had never looked at my people's language in this way, but it resonated with me, and I was suddenly eager to peel back the once illusory layers of Guyanese creole. And for every source I collected, I had a way of relating to it. One overlap that stands out is the feeling of linguistic inferiority. At one point in my life, I spoke so much standard American English that my native creole began to sound foreign, which my grandmother took great issue with. This is decreolization, the process by which language loses its basilectal attributes to its standardized variety (Klingler, 1988, p. 244). I long believed that these changes were the result of my coming of age rather than byproducts of complicated sociological issues, and without the research, reading, and writing of this course, I would probably still believe that.

Outcome 2 states that we will conduct research for a specific community, and that this research will be recursive—building on previous research and work—and inquiry based—driven by questions and observations. Really, my primary research project (found on the Method & Results page) in itself is this outcome. Process Log Week 4 also lent to my achievement of this outcome. It introduced several key terms and helped familiarize me with the research process, in addition to being a major point of revision in my work this semester. I had originally intended to conduct a digital ethnography (see Checkpoint 3 Rough Draft), but the feedback from my groupmates during Peer Review Week 9 made me rethink this approach. They pointed out the strengths and weaknesses of my research plans, the latter contributing greatly to my revisions. One peer suggested that I may have been taking on too much, and that digital ethnography would likely have yielded similar results to my other methods. They also emphasized the importance of protecting participants' data, so I reduced my methods to interviews and surveys and emphasized confidentiality in my project (these changes are visible in my final submission of Checkpoint 3).

The Analysis & Discussion portion of my e-portfolio directly addresses Outcome 3. There, I synthesized the results of my primary research studies with various scholarly media and texts. This all just means that I examined and made sense of my findings using secondary research for context. As a result, I was able to make arguments for several communities: the West Indian community, of course, as well as other groups that can relate to the linguistic experiences of my participants. The beauty of my research is that it is not unique to my community of interest; many populations can put themselves in the shoes of my participants.

This may be the end of my formal research into these matters, but my inquisition does not stop here. I started this course having given little thought to the language of myself and others. But through our in-class discussions, course materials, and my research, I have attached new meanings to these processes. In fact, I now find myself ruminating on what others write and say, trying to uncover the "why" behind their words. They may not even realize it, but their speech is indicative of many things: their upbringing, environment—not only in general but also in the moment—and perceptions. Rarely does one come across a concept so complex, rich, and ambiguous, yet so free. Language is a blank canvas on which the speaker can depict any story in any way imaginable. It is a universal means of communication, not just something you passingly theorize about in your English or literature classes. I will continue to explore linguistic diversity at every opportunity in my future academic and professional lives. Frankly, I think it says as much about others as it does about me.

It is only fitting to finalize my research project by revisiting where it all began. I concluded Checkpoint 1 with the following: "My ultimate goal is to educate others on language diversity and collapse the barricades between all groups of people so that languages can be embraced by all." All being well, you will now walk away with a good understanding of these varieties and an even greater willingness to encourage and accept others' ways of speaking as they are. I know I will.