Rhetorical reflection
Rhetorical reflection is the practice of analyzing writing choices in relation to audience, purpose, genre, and context. It invites students to consider not only what they wrote but why and how they wrote it, turning writing into an intentional, adaptive, and transferable process. In First-Year Composition (FYC), rhetorical reflection is essential for helping students internalize key writing concepts and apply them flexibly across academic, digital, and real-world contexts. It also supports writing transfer, as reflection allows learners to recognize patterns in writing situations and adapt strategies accordingly. Recent scholarship in writing studies, including work by Taczak, Yancey, and Driscoll, shows that when reflective practices are integrated systematically and scaffolded throughout a course, students develop stronger rhetorical awareness and are more likely to transfer knowledge beyond the classroom.
References
- Yancey, K. B., Robertson, L., & Taczak, K. (2014). Writing Across Contexts: Transfer, Composition, and Sites of Writing. Utah State University Press. Available online
- Taczak, K. (2020). Reiterative Reflection in FYC: Reframing Misconceptions for Transfer. In Writing Spaces: Readings on Writing, Vol. 4. WAC Clearinghouse. PDF link
- Driscoll, D. L., & Powell, R. (2020). Working With and Working Against Rhetorical Reflection for Transfer. Composition Forum, 43. Read online
- Moore, J. L. (2017). Reflective Writing and Transfer of Learning: Student Reflections in First-Year Writing Portfolios. The Journal of General Education, 66(2), 104–125. DOI link
- Nowacek, R. S. (2011). Agents of Integration: Understanding Transfer as a Rhetorical Act. Southern Illinois University Press. Available from SIU Press