


Hamid Otanloo
ENTREPRENEUR & STUDENT
Hello,
My name is Hamid and I took ENGL-1301 3C03 1 Composition & Rhetoric I for the Fall semester of 2023. I am currently going to Lone Star College and studying to become a Data Analytic. I have want to pursue this field of work because I have many experiment in this field and I like it.
In this portfolio, I decided to put the things I learned in the essay and rhetoric lesson because I think these things will be very useful for success in life and career.
As we practiced composition with written, auditory and visual modes, I realized that there are many ways to influence the audience and depending on the position of the audience, the purpose of the discussion, our background and the audience and the tools available, We can use different techniques.
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On my Reflection page, you will see how I have grown as a student throughout the course.
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On my course artifacts page, I have chosen to use chatbots, proposals, Socratic seminars, podcasts, and video essays because I think these assignments have improved my communication skills.
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On my "About Me" page you can find things like my values, hobbies, goals and motivations.
REFLECTION
ENGL 1301 Composition & Rhetoric 1 was a very unique and different experience for me. In this course, I encountered a different method than what I had experienced before. The class atmosphere was very energetic and creative and we almost always discussed and learned as a team. In this course, I got acquainted with the concepts and techniques of composition and rhetoric, and during this course I had interesting projects such as how to use and prompt Chatbots, Socratic seminars, Podcasts and Video production.
I consider myself an experienced person and I have a lot of experience in business and negotiations, but currently I am an international student and I am trying to adapt to the culture and thinking of my new society as soon as possible. Due to my weakness in speaking English at the beginning of this semester, I had very low self-confidence in entering discussions and playing a role and establishing relationships with other students and professors.

This course had a great impact on increasing my self-confidence with its practical concepts and how to implement it. This was due to teamwork and the use of technologies to achieve goals and familiarization with discussion techniques in persuading the audience in this course.
The projects that improved my knowledge and ability during this course are:
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Chatbots: In this project, I got to know the features, benefits, limitations, prompting, and countless uses of chatbots. Interaction with this technology has made me able to use the volume of available information and categorize and personalize this information to create ideas. The challenge I initially had with this technology was how to correctly prompting the chatbots to get the best output.
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Proposal: In this project, I used what I learned about chatbots to find the right topic, as well as find reliable and relevant sources that support my position on that topic. The topic of my proposal was about the effect of limited access to the Internet on students' learning, and in it I had a comparison between students who have access to the proper Internet and those who do not, and I examined its effects. My challenge in this project was to find the ultimate solution to eradicate this limitation.
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Socratic Seminars: These seminars challenged what we learned about composition and rhetorical techniques. When I was inside, I had to provide information that was searched and mined by my partner to convince my audience at the right time, and when I was outside, it was a big challenge for me. The limited time and the connection of information with the situation that my partner needed to discuss was one of the main challenges of these seminars.
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Podcast: The purpose of this project was to practice the technique of persuading the audience when two people with opposing opinions are placed in two completely different categories in terms of gender, religion, culture, or any comparable or opposite category. In addition, I got acquainted with the technique of performing and making podcasts. It was an interesting project and my challenge was mostly in sound recording.
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Video Essay: As a team of three, we had to make a short video about reviewing three films and comparing them to other films made in the WWII genre. We each chose a carpet and divided the different parts of this project together. In this project, we learned and practiced how to communicate with the audience visually. The challenge of this project was to coordinate with other team members for the integrity of the storytelling in the video.
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These assignments and projects, in addition to learning various composition and rhetorical techniques, had other positive results for me. By doing these assignments individually and as a team, my self-confidence to communicate and work as a team in my new community increased. I got acquainted with the techniques of research and using chatbots to create and cultivate business ideas.
Course Artifacts
Chatbot
How did this experience help me grow?
Interaction with this technology has made me able to use the amount of available information and categorize and personalize this information to create an idea. An example of using a chatbot that strengthened my ability to overcome an obstacle is when I needed a comprehensive view of a topic for my research so I could compare different aspects along with accurate statistics and authoritative sources. One of the obstacles was the vast amount of information that needed to be reviewed. Using the chatbot, I was able to find different aspects that were more important and needed to be investigated and that influenced the research, giving me clues about what sources and what kind of statistics to look for for confirmation.
Proposal
If I were to do this experience/assignment again, what would I do differently and why?
I feel that I have more experience and knowledge about prompting chatbots than at the beginning of the course. Therefore, if I do this assignment again, I would use chatbots more usefully to find resources and a more useful way to find answers to questions and form an idea to eliminate these limitations.
Socratic Seminars
What made this assignment the most difficult for me and how did I overcome it?
I think I had a harder time when I was abroad as a researcher and for my partner's support. I had to find material from reliable sources in a short period of time to support the position of my partner in the discussion and provide him with it. It was really hard to tune in to what was being said at the time and find the best response to my wife's reaction to them. For better performance, before starting the discussion, I would talk with my partner about his position and opinion, and I would research and search for different aspects of the issue from my partner's point of view and position. I would try to guess to predict what my partner's audience would think and react, and I would prepare myself for them.
Podcast
What skills did this experience/assignment allow me to practice that I plan on using in other areas of my life?
One of my weaknesses as an international student is not being able to speak English fluently, which in some situations leads to my lack of self-confidence. This task forced me to enter one of the black boxes of my life and share my voice in English in the form of a podcast. Listening carefully, finding the other party's position relative to my position on the topic of discussion, finding key words in the other party's speech and planning an appropriate response in order to convince him and the podcast listeners, and supporting my own position by citing reliable sources. These were the skills I learned in this assignment and I think it is similar to many real life situations where these skills can be used to convince the other party.
Video Essay
Out of the three forms of communication we learned (verbal, written, and visual) which do I feel I need to continue to practice and which do I feel the most strong in? Why?
I feel that I am stronger in written communication, but weaker in verbal and visual communication due to weakness in fluent English and lack of self-confidence. According to my experience, I have no weakness in communicating or learning and using the techniques I learned in this course, and I just need to focus on strengthening my English conversation and do more exercises. For example, in the video assignment, I had to use technology instead of using my voice because the words needed to be in harmony with the images that were being played, and also in order to coordinate more with the other members of the team. Of course, I used my own voice in the podcast because only the sound was playing and there was no need for my speaking tone to match the tone of my partner's voice.
About Me


Me & my friends


I am student in Data Analysis at Lone Star College. I have a lot of experience in managing software and information technology teams. I am a patient and sociable person who have a great desire to grow and develop my personal and professional abilities. My values are patience, endurance, family, and kindness.
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HOBBIES
Sport: Soccer, Jogging, Swimming, Billiard, Bowling, Ping pong
Pets: I love pets especially dogs.
Family & Friends: I love to spend time with family and friends.
Others: Traveling/Reading/Watching Movie & Serie.
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GOALS
Short term: Taking degree in Data Analytics, Enrolling in Data Scientist , Finding a internship related with my major.
Middle term: Taking degree in Data Scientist, Changing my visa status, Working in a good related company.
Long term: Establishing my own company
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MOTIVATIONS
Remembering the way I left behind.
Why am I on this path?
Focus on my goals and future.
Sticking to my values.
Having a step-by-step plan.
I reward myself after each step.
Using AI

Claim
Interacting with this technology has allowed me to use the vast amount of information available and categorize and personalize this information to generate ideas.
Evidence
One of the obstacles was the vast amount of information that needed to be reviewed. Using the chatbot, I was able to find different aspects that were more important and needed to be investigated and that influenced the research, giving me clues about what sources and what kind of statistics to look for for confirmation.

Example
When I needed a comprehensive view of a topic for my research so I could compare different aspects along with accurate statistics and authoritative sources.

Closing
I will use this technology not only to do my research better, but also to develop current ideas and create new ideas. By combining ideas and artificial intelligence, unique ideas will be created.

Letter to students
A letter to prospective students participating in this course:
The Composition and Rhetoric course will enhance your communication skills and make you a more effective and persuasive writer and speaker. This skill is valuable in the workplace and improves your ability to communicate ideas clearly. In addition, this course will strengthen your critical and analytical thinking skills, allowing you to fully evaluate information. Finally, the course provides a foundation for continued academic and professional growth, enabling you to confidently tackle complex challenges.
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