Ngo 1

Dr. Leslie Bruce

University Hall room 435

800 N. State College Boulevard

Fullerton, CA 92831

Dear Dr. Bruce,

My writing skills has improved tremendously throughout this semester by taking this

course. We were to understand the six student learning outcomes (SLOs) and to also implement

them into our assignments. Specifically, we were challenged to write for both a general and

specialized audience while incorporating a variety of rhetorical elements, such as: research and

argument skills, ethical citations, organization, design, and etc. To exemplify my growth in

writing skills, I have prepared a portfolio consisting of a revised annotated bibliography and a

peer review.

I chose to include my annotated bibliography because it incorporates several of the

SLOs for this course. Advocating for stem cell research focused on rhetorical focus and

developing a persuasive argument (SLOs 1 and 3). This was done by explaining what stem cell

research was to a general audience and also by mentioning the numerous medical benefits that it

brings. Also, any scientific terms and concepts that needed to be defined were done so that

readers could clearly understand. I also used a variety of peer reviewed sources and researches to

help strengthen my essay and to build credibility (SLO 2). To help guide the readers, I used

headings (for example: history, controversy, uses and advantages, etc.) so that the readers could

understand the focus of the paragraph. By adding transition words, the audience were able to
 Ngo 2

read with fluidity (SLO 4). In addition, the language and design of my bibliography has allowed

me to write in a gender and culture neural setting, which was done by including the controversies

of the research (SLO 5).

In addition, I chose to include a peer review on the definition assignment in my portfolio

because it also includes several elements of the SLOs for this course, more specifically

collaboration. This peer review exemplifies critiques done to help improve others writings

(SLO 6) by making suggestions to better their writing. For example, I suggested that this student

should include some kind of organizational element, such as headings, to help guide readers to

know what they are going to read about and also what the focus of the paragraph would be on.

(SLO 4). I also suggested for her to talk about present uses for gel electrophoresis instead of

having the bulk of her essay being on the history of it. The overall tone written for the peer

review of the students work was informal. This demonstrates how I am able to switch from a

formal to informal tone depending on who the readers are and the context of the assignment

(SLO 1).

This course has helped me to better my writing which will be very useful in my other

upper division courses when I am writing my lab reports. I believe that this course has improved

the quality of my writing skills through the components of the student learning outcomes. I hope

that you see the progress of my growth while incorporating the elements of the student learning

outcomes into my writing assignments throughout the semester with the coursework provided in

my portfolio.
 Ngo 3

Sincerely,

Jacqueline Ngo