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Reflective Introduction

This document is a cover letter submitted with an electronic portfolio for an English course. It summarizes the contents of the portfolio, which includes various writing assignments such as resumes, letters, reports, and a business plan. It explains that the business plan is the author's best work because it required managing a large project and exploring a potential business opportunity. Areas for revision are ensuring assignments include all requested elements. The portfolio meets course objectives by producing different text types for various audiences and integrating knowledge through group and individual projects requiring research and planning.

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ScottHoule2010
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© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
40 views

Reflective Introduction

This document is a cover letter submitted with an electronic portfolio for an English course. It summarizes the contents of the portfolio, which includes various writing assignments such as resumes, letters, reports, and a business plan. It explains that the business plan is the author's best work because it required managing a large project and exploring a potential business opportunity. Areas for revision are ensuring assignments include all requested elements. The portfolio meets course objectives by producing different text types for various audiences and integrating knowledge through group and individual projects requiring research and planning.

Uploaded by

ScottHoule2010
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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3250 15th Ave. S.

#22
Fargo, ND 58103
December 4, 2010

Department of English
North Dakota State University
NDSU, Dept. 2320
P.O. Box 6050
Fargo, ND 58108-6050

Dear Portfolio Assessment Readers:

Found within this electronic portfolio are the main writing assignments for English 320:
Business and Professional Writing. The writing assignments included are as follows: cover letter,
designer resume, scannable resume, transmittal letter, recommendation report, group
instructions, usability test report, proposal, progress report, and business plan. I will explain
which of these products shows my best work and why, what elements I could improve during the
revision process, and how these projects as a whole meet the course objectives and upper-
division writing outcomes.

Best Work
I feel that I did the best work on my business plan because not only did I learn how to manage a
large project but I also found another entrepreneurship opportunity. During this project I went
through all the basic needs for a start-up storage facility in Forest Lake, MN. I talked to local
contractors to get bids, found out all the legal documents that need to be filed to start an LLC,
and determined if the city would be able to sustain a storage business in the community. My final
project was a 16 page business plan that had an overview of all the main costs, legal regulations,
a basic market analysis, and other considerations. The considerations sections compared buying a
preexisting business vs. starting one up from scratch.

Revision Improvements
The biggest thing that I could improve for revisions on all of my projects is to go back and make
sure I have everything asked for in the original assignment. I should check the layout of my
document, proofread, and make sure I have included all necessary sections. By doing this for all
assignments I would be much more likely to catch mistakes and this would allow me to change
them if needed. I will always have to consider how much time I have to revise my document and
then determine which tasks are best for me to complete.

Meeting Upper-division Writing Outcomes and Course Objectives


Gen Ed Outcome 1: Communicate effectively in a variety of contexts and genres, using a variety
of communication skill. This outcome was met by producing memos, transmittal letters, cover
letters, reports, manuals, and proposals. I learned the basic format for all of these and how to
make each individual style of writing effective. Learning the formats for these will aid me in my
professional career after college.
Gen Ed Outcome 6: Integrate knowledge and ideas in a coherent and meaningful manner. I met
this outcome along with the first course objective which is as follows: working alone and with
others, students will analyze and write documents that address the needs of specific audiences
and specific purposes. Both of these outcomes were met when I worked on a group instruction
manual to aid readers in managing music in Windows Media Player. We had to combine all of
our ideas and make them sound as one voice in our final instruction manual. I integrated my
knowledge and ideas in my final project. I had to make a proposal for whatever I wanted. So I
proposed to make a business plan to start a self-storage business in Forest Lake, MN. I had to
take my ideas and research on them and then put all of the information that I gathered in a useful
document. The writing assignments in this class all addressed different audiences so I had a good
overview of the main business writings.

Departmental Outcome 4: Manage sophisticated writing and research projects, planning,


documenting, completing, and assessing work on time and within the constraints of the project.
In my business proposal I managed a large project from the starting ideas all the way to the
finished project. I also had to write out my plans ahead of time and show how I would complete
the final project on time. Our last course objective was that students will use a variety of research
tools. In this project I did personal interviews for quotes, research in books, research online, and
interviews with professors at the college of business. The most in depth research that I completed
was going to Forest Lake and determining if there was a market for another self-storage business
in the area. During this project I had to start with the proposal, then submit a progress report, and
finally turn in my final business plan.

Departmental Outcome 7: Develop professionalism exhibited in such qualities as self-direction,


cooperation, civility, reliability, and care in editing and presenting the product. In all of my
assignments such as the group instruction manual I was very cooperative and reliable. I was
always will to listen and integrate other people’s ideas. I tried to keep the group motivated and
scheduled group times so we would finish our manual on time. Mastering the discourse and
generic conventions of writing, of business communication was worked on all semester long. I
learned how to make documents effective so they do communicate in the way I wanted and in
the way the audience expected. I had to adapt for different writing styles such as writing a cover
letter or a recommendation report.

Conclusion
In conclusion the assignments and projects have met all of the course objectives along with the
upper-division writing outcomes. This class taught me a lot about writing to different audiences;
different document formats, working in a group, reflecting on previous work, and how great
research can make your project much easier to write.

Sincerely,

Scott Houle

Scott Houle

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