Delia McDonald-Abraham 

Dr. Stein 

English:1510 

6/4/26 

Reflection: The Communication Culture of Fast-Food Employees 

For this project, I chose the fast-food employee discourse community because it is a community that I am personally a part of. I started working in fast food when I was fifteen years old, and I wanted to write about my experiences communicating with coworkers and customers. Since I have firsthand experience, I felt comfortable explaining how communication works in this environment and why it is important. 

The easiest part of the drafting process was writing about my personal experiences. I already knew the examples I wanted to include, such as using headsets during busy shifts, working through lunch rushes, and handling difficolt customer situations. Because I experienced these events myself, it was easier to describe them in detail. 

The most difficult part of the drafting process was organizing my ideas and connecting them to the concept of a discourse community. I understood what happened at work, but I had to think carefully about how those experiences showed communication and shared goals. It took time to make sure my examples supported my main point. 

During peer review, my partner provided helpful comments on my essay. They pointed out places where I could add more details and make my explanations clearer. Their feedback helped me see areas that needed improvement. Based on their suggestions, I expanded some of my examples and explained more about how communication helps employees work together efficiently. I also revised a few sentences to improve clarity and flow. 

Overall, this project helped me think more deeply about my workplace and the skills I have developed while working there. 

 

Throughout this writing process, I used ChatGPT as a tool to help me brainstorm ideas, and improve sentence structure. I think ChatGPT can be useful because it provides quick feedback and suggestions that can help writers improve their work. 

However, I do not think ChatGPT should write an entire essay for a student like me. The purpose of an essay is to share personal experiences and ideas. AI does not know the details of my life or my experiences working in fast food. If I allowed ChatGPT to write everything, the essay would not accurately represent my own voice or perspective. 

I found ChatGPT most helpful when revising my draft and looking for ways to make my writing clearer. It served as a tool to support my learning rather than replace my work. Using AI responsibly means understanding both its strengths and its limitations. 

 

So far, I feel positive about my progress in this course. I have improved my ability to organize essays and connect personal experiences to academic concepts. This project helped me better understand discourse communities and how communication shapes different groups. 

The next major portfolio project will involve continuing to build my portfolio by adding new writing and reflecting on my growth as a writer. I will need to apply the skills I have learned throughout the semester while continuing to improve my organization, analysis, and revision techniques. 

My plan for success is to start assignments early, carefully review feedback, and continue revising my work before submitting it. I also plan to use available resources, including peer review and AI tools, to strengthen my writing. 

Overall, this course has helped me become a more confident writer, and I look forward to continuing to improve throughout the rest of the semester.