1 May 2015

Dr. Leslie Bruce

Department of English, Comparative Literature, and Linguistics
California State University, Fullerton
P.O. Box 34080
Fullerton, CA 92834-9480
Dear Dr. Brice,
I am writing this letter to you to help you navigate my portfolio. During this semester in
English 301 I have finished many rigorous writing assignments. Of these many assignments, I
chose two writing assignments that I feel best showcase the skills that I have acquired during my
final semester here at Cal State Fullerton. I feel as though my revised profile best satisfies four of
the six Student Learning Objectives (SLOs) that were outlined and discussed at the beginning of
the semester and revisited during the review of every assignment. I also included a peer review
sheet demonstrating 1 of the SLOs and this letter will serve as the final example of the last SLO.
Ultimately, this letter will serve as a navigation tool by directing you to specific examples of the
SLOs in my work and my growth as a writer throughout this semester.
When the profile was first completed it was a collaborative effort on the part of myself,
and my group members, demonstrating the first SLO: collaborative effort. By working together
in a collaborative effort myself and my group members were able to critique each others work in
an effort to help one another and build upon our own writing skills. I was able to review the
comments made by my peers and the professor from the first draft that was turned in. labeled
Original Profile, and improve upon my writing. This is especially evident on page five,
paragraph two of the original profile, and page 5, paragraph 3 of the edited profile. The professor
noted that the sentence was repetitive and needed to be re-organized, so that was accomplished in
the edited profile. I also believe that this piece of writing shows great Organization, another SLO
focused on this semester. This was a profile of a city and the profile worked as a timeline, first
introducing the reader to the city and its past, then revealing financial issues that contributed to
the citys decline, and eventually the current financial crisis that has turned into a humanitarian
crisis. This is organization is highlighted by the subheadings that are displayed throughout the
paper, giving the reader an idea of what is to come next. The subheadings are followed by a
thesis statement and then supporting evidence. This is clear on page three, second paragraph of
the edited profile. This subheading is followed by a topic sentence as well as supporting evidence
of the claims made, each cited by their original authors.
As a student it is always important to me to protect the intellectual property of others so
there are numerous citations throughout the paper giving credit to those whos work helped
contribute to my own. This is also evident on page 3 in the first and second paragraphs of the
edited profile. These citations fulfill the ethical citation student-learning objective for this class
as well. After its revision, this profile demonstrated rhetorical focus as it is suitable for a variety
of audiences. It contains audience-appropriate language and defined terms such as MRSA, on
page five of the edited profile. The definition of MRSA explained that this particular illness
required frequent bathing which supported the statement made on page four that the water
departments decision to shut off water to residents . . . puts the lives of many residents at risk.

The edited profile also exemplifies the 5th SLO, language and design. While it was difficult to
write about such a controversial and hotly debated topic without including my own opinion, each
side was fairly represented and ultimately the reader is left to make their own decision about
what they think of the crisis. This is evident on pages five and six of the edited profile under the
subheading The Two Sides Of Detroit. Additionally, the citations throughout the paper are in APA
format, as well as the references page attached to the end of the edited profile.
Finally, I believe that this letter is a great example of the last SLO, persuasion. I have
compared my original profile to the edited profile and pointed out where mistakes have been
corrected. I have taken you through all of the SLOs discussed this semester and directed you to
where in my edited profile these SLOs were demonstrated. Overall, I feel as though I am better
prepared for my graduate studies as well as my professional career. While I realize that there is
always room for improvement, I feel as though I have a great understanding of my strengths and
weaknesses and plan to address them accordingly in the future. Thank you for reviewing this
letter and I hope that this serves as a great roadmap to my e-portfolio.
Thank you,

Jessica Marquez