Boston University Learning Activities Performance Evaluation Letter Audience: The Instructor and Writer Length: 700 – 1000 words Writing a letter is some

Boston University Learning Activities Performance Evaluation Letter Audience: The Instructor and Writer

Length: 700 – 1000 words

Writing a letter is something you’ll need to do at some point in your professional lives, whether it’s a cover letter for a resume, a thank you letter to a client, a complaint letter to a manufacturer, etc. Writing a good letter is all about precision and concision. It’s also about knowing your audience and being clear about your purpose.

For Project 4, this letter’s purpose is evaluate your performance this past semester by proposing that you’ve indeed grown as a writer through the work of the course and offer two reasons of support. “Grown as a writer” can (and should) mean different things for each student, so it’s critical that you focus on your personal experiences. The letter’s scope is limited, so your task is to curate the most specific and apropos reasons (rather than highlight all the reasons, this letter is only asking you to hone in on the two most influential). This will force you to be selective, which, in turn, will help you purpose your letter more clearly.

Each letter must have the following 5 parts:

Opening Salutation and Proposition: Open the letter with a friendly salutation that leads directly to the proposition. The intro can discuss early expectations of the semester, perceived skills before the term, fears when writing the first-week online self evaluation, etc. Use this part to set up the rest of the letter’s content.
Reason 1: A specific reason that supports how you’ve grown as a writer.
Reason 2: A second specific reason that supports how you’ve grown as a writer.
Closing Salutation: Close the letter with a friendly salutation that connects the proposition to your potential career/professional working life. The closing could also note areas that still need improvement, next steps, etc. Use this part to conclude the letter in an appropriate fashion.
Enclosures: The evidence to support/show Reason 1 and Reason 2 in action. Include these documents as attachments to the letter. The enclosures should begin on their own pages after the letter.

The letter’s intended audience is me (and you, to a degree) and will reflect on the writing you have done for this course. This is a chance for you to take stock of your writing this semester. You should consider how your written assignments reflect the course’s learning goals (see the 11 NU Student Learning Goals in the syllabus) but please note that this is not an opportunity for you to try and convince me you have met the goals. Rather, it is an opportunity for you to say something about the writing you have produced this semester and what you may have noticed or learned about yourself as a writer in the process of producing that work. Your basic goal is to think critically about your writing and articulate your thoughts using a proposition and two specific, detailed reasons. Your letter will also provide evidence that shows the reasons in action (some example pieces of evidence might include peer reviews, rough drafts, model documents, etc.).

You’ve written performance evaluations for the three major projects this semester; this final letter is a chance to continue and, I hope, polish your ability to reflect and review by synthesizing your work from the semester and considering its connections (or perhaps lack thereof) to work outside of this course. You’re encouraged to use writing or sections of writing from your project performance evaluations, if they’re applicable for this final letter. The directions here for the letter are intentionally open so that you can create a letter that showcases your style in a way that’s appropriate for the work you accomplished.

Note: You will not be judged in the letter on how well you did in the other projects; therefore, you are encouraged to be honest in both your successes and difficulties, since you will be judged on your self-analysis. Remember… this is a 14-week course and there’s a limit to what can be accomplished. Be honest and specific as you analyze what you were (or were not) able to achieve. Sometimes acknowledging your shortcomings in a positive way can reveal just as much about your growth as highlighting your strengths.

A template letter is provided to assist you with formatting.

Criteria and Grading for the Performance Evaluation Letter:

Shows a strong understanding of the uses of writing in an academic discipline and/or career path
Demonstrates critical understanding of, and facility in, the discourse of business
Demonstrates an understanding of the importance of audience and context with respect to writing style and arrangement
Demonstrates written reflection on writing processes and texts and their role in the practice of critical reasoning
Demonstrates a strong understanding of purpose
Demonstrates a strong understanding of the letter genre
Demonstrates the ability to be precise and concise with language
Demonstrates a clear ability to write a proposition and support it with two specific reasons (with attachments that help to add further support and clarity) A few things to think about as you continue with your letters…
1. Be sure to use the provided template… Follow the template provided… it’s that
simple. Follow the format. Follow the 4 paragraph model (intro, reason 1, reason 2,
conclusion… that’s it!). Don’t be creative with the font, spacing, or margins. Instead,
be creative with your examples and your analysis.
2. Propositions… Don’t over-write your propositions. They are not meant to be crazy
complicated or long winded. They’re meant to propose an idea, one that is based in
growing as a writer. They are meant to be singular in focus, while the two supporting
reasons directly support its central idea. Avoid the proposition that mentions the key
growth AND includes both reasons. For example: I’ve grown as a writer through both
working on peer reviews and engaging different genres. That proposition is actually
bifurcated in that it sets up the reflection to discuss growth through peer reviews and
genre. A crazy complicated proposition potentially leads to hectic organization and
flimsy connections to reasons and examples.
A proposition could note a growth in audience awareness and use two reasons to
analyze that goal (examples could range from revisions, peer reviews, reflections,
model documents, transition from Project 2 to Project 3, etc.). Another proposition
could note a growth in the surrendering to the process of writing (and use any two of the
examples listed above). For example: I grew as a writer most in my awareness of the
importance of audience. Another example: The dedication to the revision process is
where I grew most as a writer. These examples are singular in focus, which helps keep
the examples connected to supporting a singular vision. In turn, transitions are much
easier to craft and the overall letter can be more precise and concise. Whatever you
do, choose a proposition that honestly reflects how you see your growth this term—
that’s the key!
3. Focus on Analysis/Interpretation… Your task with this final reflective letter is to
analyze your work in terms of the learning goals of the course to show how you’ve
grown as a writer (again, “grown as a writer” is left intentionally open to your
interpretation). You must analyze your work. Simply stating what you did in terms of
assignments/projects does NOT show any analysis. I know you all wrote 3 projects and
worked on peer reviews and outlines and annotated bibliographies and reflections, etc.
What I don’t know is the effects those assignments had on you in terms of your
understanding of writing and reading in the Business Professions (and in general, too).
Go beyond summarizing what you did so that you can analyze the importance of what
you did in relation to the learning goals. Remember your audience.
4. Be smart with your Evidence/Additional Materials… This piggybacks the above
tip because smart evidence usage helps you to explore analysis in relatable ways. If
you are trying to interpret and analyze the value of peer reviewing, then show exactly
what that means. Don’t briefly talk about ALL your peer reviews. Instead, highlight one
or two that really illustrate what you’ve learned. Then you have something specific to
use to help you show the progression of your learning. Highlight or point to parts of the
peer review that were helpful or assisted you in specific ways. If you just mention or
refer the peer review as a whole, then I’m not going to understand how YOU used it (or
what about it was so illuminating).
Remember, you must include (as enclosures) two examples from your work this term
that directly help to analyze your proposition. Carefully curate your materials and only
select the two best examples to pinpoint your analysis. Now, one example could
include multiple elements (as noted above), but be sure not to make the examples too
complicated. Be sure that your letter makes clear when to refer to examples and where
to find those examples. The letter should have page numbers in the upper right hand
corner, so use page numbers to help. Additionally, label the examples so it’s clearly
easy to distinguish between them both. For example, you might refer to an example like
this: “As shown in Example 1 on page 3.”
Perhaps you wanted to show the major changes your introduction went through as a
way to talk about the importance of revision. Then don’t provide your entire first and
final drafts; instead, focus in on only the introduction (by way of photo-shopping a PDF
or highlighting with color). Include a before and after of the introduction and highlight
key changes so that the examples do the showing. Take screenshots of the
before/after, if that’s easier. This then allows your letter to be more precise and concise
with its usage of language.
5. The Power of a Positive Spin… I’m not saying that the semester was all rosy for
everyone (or that you liked all the assignments and all the work you did). However,
your analysis should focus on the positive. Even if you feel as though you did not meet
a learning goal or didn’t grow as much as you had wanted, analyze why and what
you’ve learned by trying to achieve the goal in the first place. As an example, if you feel
like citations are still an issue for you even though you paid particular attention to
sources for your report, then highlight what you did learn and what you still need to
learn. Stating that you understand the value of citations can be a valuable point to
make, especially if your work needs citation improvement.
A main purpose behind your reflection is to analyze both your successes and failures
but to do so in a way that highlights what you learned through the process of the course
(in other words, how you’ve grown as a writer). Show what you learned from your
mistakes that have made you a better, more aware reader and writer.
6. Any questions about the final project? Post them in the Course Q & A forum or
email me (if the question is more personal or might only benefit you).
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December 4, 2019
Professor Ted Moss
English Department, Writing Program
Northeastern University
Boston, MA 02115
Dear Ted:
Begin with a friendly opening salutation and transition into the purpose of your letter. Then state
your proposition but do not go into detail, however, until the next two paragraphs. Be sure to
follow the style and format provided here (including fonts, spacing, margins, etc.). Don’t forget
to change the date at the top.
In the second paragraph, transition from the introduction and state the first of your two reasons to
justify your proposition. This paragraph should directly reference an example (included in the
enclosures) that helps to illuminate the reason. Analysis connecting the reason to the proposition
is needed. Be clear and detailed, while maintaining precision and concision.
The third paragraph should transition from the previous paragraph and discuss the second of your
two reasons to justify your proposition. This paragraph should directly reference an example
(included in the enclosures) that helps to illuminate the reason. Analysis connecting the reason
to the proposition is needed. Be clear and detailed, while maintaining precision and concision.
Finally, close the letter with a friendly salutation that connects the proposition to your future
career goals and plans. Relate back to the letter’s purpose. Typically, business letters close with
gratitude for the reader’s time, so your letter should do the same.
Sincerely,
(Signature)
Student Name
Northeastern University
Email address
Enclosures
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Example 1: Example 1 Title
Here’s where you include your first example. Place each example on its own page. Should an
example extend past one page, then begin the second example on the next page by itself.
Your letters should extend beyond 1 page, so start your enclosures on the first new page after
your letter. Be sure to clearly label your examples and refer to them specifically in your letter.
Examples can include screenshots, portions of drafts or peer reviews, etc. If your reflection
discusses a particular part of a draft or peer review, only include that portion as an example.
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Example 2: Example 2 Title
Here is where you place your second example.

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