9 May 2014

Dr. Leslie Bruce

Department of English, Comparative Literature, and Linguistics
California State University, Fullerton
P.O. Box 34080
Fullerton, CA 92834-9480

Dear Dr. Bruce,
In this letter I will describe each document included in my writing portfolio and how they
satisfy each student learning objective (SLO) outlined for this course. The documents included in
my portfolio are presented in order of which they were written and aim to demonstrate my
increasing proficiency in various elements of scientific writing.
The first piece of writing included in my portfolio is a peer review on a fellow scholars
statement of purpose. This reflection clearly demonstrates the requirements of SLO1 as a piece
of informal writing with a purpose of aiding in the editing and reflection process of my peers
writing. This document also fulfills the requirement described in SLO6, as I have shown my
ability to contribute to the writing of others. In this peer review, I display my attention to the
audience with the language used and show a substantial amount of constructive criticism and
insightful commentary to improve my peers writing.
Additionally, a peer review of my research proposal by a fellow scholar is included in my
portfolio. This document satisfies SLO6, showing how I have been able to improve my own
writing skills through assessments and internal reflection. This is evident through the changes
that I have made throughout my research proposal and my ability to incorporate commentary,
specifically regarding alteration of headings and addressing redundancies in my writing.
Furthermore, the peer review of my proposal also demonstrates my advanced ability to utilize
citations in the text, fulfilling SLO2. My ability to discuss previous research contributions,
ethically cite sources and compile a consistent works cited list provides further evidence towards
my mastery associated with SLO2.
The next piece of writing included in my portfolio is my initial submitted research
proposal with your comments included. This document demonstrates the requirements of SLO1
as a piece of formal writing with the purpose of persuading an institution for research funding.
This shows my ability to address different audiences as well as write for various purposes,
clearly fulfilling SLO1. Additionally, my research proposal with your revisions exhibits my
mastery of SLO5. My ability to remain sensitive to my audience regarding gender issues is
evident through this document as I do not include gender preferences or address a specific
gender. Furthermore, the language and tone incorporated in my proposal is more formal and
objective, showing my attention to the audience.
Lastly, the final piece of writing included in my portfolio is my updated research
proposal. Mastery of SLO4 is seen through this document, as I have employed descriptive
headings, clear communication and appropriate organization throughout my revised proposal.
My improvement in this area is evident, as I was reluctant to create my own headings when first
writing this assignment. My ability to step outside my comfort zone, trust my instincts and
design unique headings attests to this fact, further supporting my growth regarding SLO4.
Additionally, I have displayed expertise regarding SLO3 in my revised research proposal. In my
updated proposal I have addressed redundancies and clearly streamlined the proposal, showing
my capacity to synthesize research clearly and concisely.
The elements of scientific writing incorporated into this portfolios documents will
ultimately aid in my continued improvement as a writer. In the future, I will continue to utilize
what I have learned over the course of this semester including organization, outlining techniques
and incorporating constructive feedback. I sincerely appreciate your hard work and effort
throughout the semester and hope this letter clearly conveys my improvements in each area.

Kind Regards,
Jennifer Spencer