Assignment 1: Complaint and Response Letters and Reflective Memo

Write two letters and one Reflective Memo. 1. The first is a letter of complaint about some issue to a named authority (see item #3, p. 481). Read page 481 for more information. The letter can be one to two pages in length, single spaced. Sample topics for the letter of complaint might include:

lack of parking on campus issues pertaining to property rental/apartment issues construction obstacles on campus problems with shuttle bus schedules difficulties with UMN email or other programs (e.g. UMCal)

2. The second is a letter from the named authority back to you as a student (see item #4, p. 482). The letter can be one to two pages long, single spaced. Read through the directions on p. 481 and 482 of our text. Search to find the appropriate person and office on campus or elsewhere to whom you will address the letter. For example, if you write about parking, you might address the letter to someone in the office of Parking and Transportation Services, found at http://www1.umn.edu/pts/. As you construct the letter of response, keep in mind that the university might not be able to accommodate the student's request: in other words, the response letter might need to share unwelcome or bad news in the letter. See this link from our textbook for more information on writing about "bad news." 3. The third is a Reflective memo from you to your instructor in which you discuss how you addressed the unique rhetorical situation of each letter. This memo should be about one page, and no more than two pages. To assist you with this task, refer to the "Reader Analysis Chart" on page 44 of our text, and the "Rhetorical Analysis Chart" found in the supplementary link http://www.pearsonhighered.johnsonweb3/3.3. Use these charts to help you articulate, in your memo to your instructor, the rhetorical situation of each letter and how you addressed that situation through your words, organization, style, and format. Be sure to use a memo format rather than a letter format. For guidance, see Figure 17.2 (b) on p. 455 for suggested memo format. Note that Figure 17.2 (a) on p. 454 shows a letter format; Figure 17.2 (b) shows a memo format. Criteria for Evaluation

All letters use proper format in terms of return address, inside address, greeting, message, closing with signature, and spacing, as specified on p. 475 of our text. Reflective memo should reflect format as specified on p. 478 of our text. Letters have strong organization, with clearly articulated subject and purpose and clear address of audience. Reflective memo to your instructor fully identifies and explains the rhetorical situation of each letter such as how audience needs vary for each writer. Letters and Reflective Memo do not have grammatical or mechanical errors.