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Thomas Ryan

Ms. Jizi

UWRT 1102

25 June 2017

Cover Letter

The purpose of this portfolio is to showcase the assignments and projects I completed

during my UWRT 1102 course. Its with high hopes that readers of my portfolio can see how

Ive grown and progressed as a writer throughout the course from the beginning to end. This

portfolio is set up in chronological order from left to right. While not absolutely necessary to

read and look over my work in that order, it is highly recommended since my goal is to show

how Ive strengthened my writing throughout the semester.

I learned a great deal in a short amount of time during this class and have done the best I

can to try and demonstrate this newly found knowledge. There were five main student learning

objectives taught in the duration of this course. The first and one which I found most interesting

of the to me personally was rhetorical knowledge which is the ability to identify and apply

strategies across a range of texts and writing situations. This objective can be seen in almost all

forms of writing in the portfolio put some assignments display it more so than others. In the

supplemental assignments portion of the website, the first piece of work addresses rhetorical

knowledge in whole. The next objective is critical reading, which is the ability to analyze,

interpret and evaluate ideas, information and text. This can be seen in the portfolio strongest in

the annotated bibliography section. For all the sources cited, analyzing and evaluating the

information was one of the biggest factors. The third objective is called the composing process

which is the use of multiple strategies to conceptualize, develop, and put the finishing touches on
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projects. This can be seen best in the peer feedback sections of the major assignments. Using

others feedback to further develop projects and conceptualize them differently is shown in the

transformation from the rough draft to the final copy by incorporating those pointers from my

peers. The learning objective after that is called knowledge of conventions which are the formal

and informal rules and guidelines that shape readers and writers expectations of what is right or

correct. This is the objective I struggled the most with as I make mistakes with grammar and

spelling more frequently than Id like. This objective is best shown in the genre project as it

incorporates a variety of informal and formal practices to get my message across. The last

student learning outcome is called critical reflection which is the ability to demonstrate what one

is thinking and why. This objective can be seen the most in the past authoring portion of the

website as I try to articulate what I was thinking and attempt to put readers in my shoes.

Throughout the course this summer I also learned and practiced something titled habits

of mind. There are eight total habits but I utilized a particular three the most. The first habit I

used is labeled openness. I began utilizing this trait in the very beginning of the class when I was

shown what clustering was by Ms. Jizi. I had never approached a paper in that way or angle and I

was more than open to try a different way as English has always been one of my weaker

subjects. The last time I had taken an English course was when I was eighteen, which is four

years ago. I was slightly nervous but open to embracing the challenge as best I could. The next

habit I practiced was responsibility. Working as much as I do and taking an intensive class over

summer took a lot of diligence and focus. I stumbled during the semester on a few occasions,

like getting my car towed while I was working which in turn made me miss class the following

day. At first I was extremely angry, but after the initial frustration wore off I came to accept that

the situation and outcome of it landed entirely on my shoulders. The last habit Ive practiced
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throughout the semester flexibility. I have never had an English class like this one, and it

required a great deal of flexibility on my part to be able to adapt and adjust to it. From learning

new brainstorming and writing styles to learning about a wide range of topics and including them

in my projects I had to think on my feet. I stepped out of my comfort zone to take new

approaches I normally wouldnt consider for a paper all the way to completing an inquiry project

and presenting my findings in a unique way to reach my target audience.

I learned a lot from taking this course, about writing and English as well as myself. I

learned that even though a task such as putting together a portfolio of all the work Ive done all

semester may seem intimidating and daunting, I am capable of accomplishing it. Ive also come

to realize my writing might not be as bad as I previously thought. Before taking this course, I

didnt know how much I actually enjoyed it. I have always dreaded English class but this was not

a typical English class that normally comes to mind like Ive mentioned. It is the first one I

actually appreciated what I was learning and doing and plan on using my new found skills for the

rest of my adult life.