Reflective Cover Letter
- Include image(s) (use alt-text)
- Follow specific guidelines below.
- To find the sample ePortfolio, look in the Resources folder. (Approximately 500 Words)
Student X with her dog, Norbu.
Dear ePortfolio Reader,
Write a letter of 500+ words. Follow the instructions below. Do break your letter up into paragraphs.
Write a short paragraph of introduction. Remember that your reader has seen your home page and welcome message already.
As you complete your Writing and Rhetoric course, one of the most important things to consider is what you are taking with you and what you have already applied. In educational terms, this is often called “transfer of learning.” Your cover letter should first reflect on what sorts of skills, knowledge, and writing strategies you can transfer, or use in other contexts.
Here are a few questions to spur that reflection. Do not answer all of them! Just answer the ones that you think apply to you:
- Before this course what were my initial attitudes, feelings/or ideas about my writing, and why?
- What did you learn to do or improve on in one paper for Writing and Rhetoric that you applied to a later paper for the class?
- What skills or strategies from this class did you utilize in another class? (These may include close reading or annotating texts, critical thinking, rhetorical analysis, engaging in a writing process, working on public speaking. etc.).
- Provide 2 specific examples of critical reading and thinking practice from your portfolio, and how these skills as part of effective writing will be useful in future studies or your career. Explain why these will be valuable.
- Using at least one specific example, explain any change/s in the way that you think about college level reading, writing strategies, situations, or processes. What are the reasons behind that change?
Once you have reflected on these transfer of learning topics, reflect on the class more directly:
- Providing 2 specific examples, explain what you have learned about the writing process (possibly including, brainstorming, outlining, drafting, revising, editing, etc.) and how it helped develop your writing.
- What do you now consider your writing strengths? What are the areas that need more growth in your writing? Considering specific skills you practiced in the main course assignments, consider at least 2-3 of the following areas and explain:
-Meaning/clarity in reaching my audience and achieving my purpose
-Organization or structure of an entire essay or within a paragraph
-Creating a focused and debatable thesis (argument or analysis)
-Development and support through description, detailed evidence and explanation of examples
-Rhetorical appeals or strategies (repetition, questioning, parallel structure)
-Language use, tone, and word choice
-Conventions (specific to genre, MLA format, spelling, and grammar)
-Research process and ethical citations (quotations/paraphrase and in-text citation style)
-Critical reading and analytical thinking
- Upon completion of this course, how prepared do you feel regarding college writing expectations and other professional contexts? How has your attitude toward writing changed?
9. Thank your ePortfolio reader before signing off!
Sincerely,
Student X