Cover Letter

A period of reflection after submitting a major piece of writing is an invaluable thing.  Granted, we don't have a lot of time to sit back this week, but as long as you've been working on it, you should have time to assess how it's gone overall.

As you're handing the final draft over to me, this is a good time to be self-critical about the work that you're turning in.  In the form of a personal letter (to me, from you), I'd like you to introduce your work to me.  You know that I am quite familiar with your thesis and major arguments at this point, so here's a chance to comment instead about the process of writing this major essay, and what you felt like worked, and what didn't.

In a 200-400 word, multi-paragraph letter, recount the process that led you from beginning to end on the research essay project.  Highlight what you felt was most successful, both in preparing for the writing and in the essay itself.  Comment on parts of the process that didn't seem tailored to fit your needs, and remark on parts of the essay that aren't as strong as you'd like them to be.  If you had another week to continue working on it, what would you concentrate most on?  Did you do anything outside of the steps required in the class, that you felt helped you achieve your goals?  What challenged you here, and what was a piece of cake?  Do you feel that this final essay draft reflects the finest writing of which you are capable?

This letter will assist me in getting your own perspective on your work.  It is also an opportunity to take some control over the assessment process. (You direct me how to review the final project, by emphasizing certain passages.)  You shouldn’t explicitly give your research essay a grade, but it should be evident in your cover letter how well you feel your submission reached the overall goals of the course.
 
This letter should be a professional document, meaning that it should be evident that care went into proofreading and editing its contents before you submitted it.

Thank you for all your hard work this quarter!!!

No late work (submitted after 12:00:00am) will be accepted for this assignment--no exceptions.