Cover Letter

Catherine Duncan

English 1200/75

Melissa Tetterton

5 May 2010

Final Portfolio

Cover Letter

            Throughout this semester I have grown immensely as a writer and critical thinker.  From the first project up until the final portfolio I have continued to learn more ways of analyzing text and integrating rhetorical strategies.  I have learned how important it is to keep your language concrete and concise in order to make your paper sounds more direct.  It is important to not only provide statistics and information for your reader but also to further explain it and point out why it is relevant and important. 

            During my revision process of project 3 I realized that much of my paper was very vague and needed more specifics in order for my language to be more convincing.  For example, instead of “this age group” I replaced it with “children aged 3-11”.  I also found that it was important to provide my audience with useful information that supported the ethos and credibility of the statistic I was providing.  Such as putting that not only did Dr. David say this, but he is the director of the children’s hospital.  I integrated more specifics on where research came from in order for the reader to find it more convincing and reliable. 

            Much of my paper was repetitive and there were paragraphs that were unnecessary.  I worked on trying to narrow in on the important information that was relevant to my argument.  I also decided to add more logos for certain points that I was trying to make in my paper.  For instance it was not convincing enough for me to say that many obese children would become obese adults.  I had to find a statistic to prove that statement. 

            Throughout this specific revision process and the entire semester I have found how important it is to back up your argument to make it more convincing.  Not only do you have to present what “they say”, but I have to respond with your analysis “what I say”.  I found it very helpful to go through many revisions of project 3.  I would revise my paper once and then come back and revise that after I was able to see it again with more critical eyes.  I found that looking at the paper on multiple different occasions made me able to see different corrections and improvements each time.  

This semester I have learned so much about writing and ways to improve my work so that I am more direct, concrete and convincing.  It is critical to include pathos, logos and ethos in your writing in order for your work to sound intelligent.  This semester I have learned not to just read something, but to analyze it by picking out the main argument, specific points and the "they say" "I say".  Throughout the three projects we developed in this course I feel as though I have grown as a writer and learned critical skills for future college courses and my professional life.