Lesson 2.6: Professional Email Assignment
For this week’s second graded assignment, you will create your first Formal Writing assignment.
Professional Email Assignment
(printable copy here)
Purpose
The purpose of this assignment is to learn and practice professional communication skills
(including using formal writing language), specifically as they pertain to digital literacy and
digital media.
Tasks
Follow all guidelines from the “how to email my professor” handout.
Write a 5 paragraph essay about yourself as a student and as a writer using paragraphs,
complete sentences, edited, standard American English, etc. This email is really your first
chance to introduce yourself to me in writing, so you want to make a good impression.
This is an email from you, about you–that means “I” is appropriate and necessary in this
assignment.
The introduction (one paragraph) should include a hook and answer some basic
questions about yourself. Consider these questions, but don’t limit yourself to them:
Why are you taking ENG 101? What’s your major and / or career goals? What kind of
writing will you need to do outside of this class?
The body paragraphs (minimum of 3) should address what you know about yourself as a
student / or what you’ve learned about yourself as a writer and as a student (see Lesson
1). Specific questions you might address include:
What kind of writer are you? How do you cope with deadlines if you are not inspired?
Are you prepared to be a college student? Do you have the time required to complete
the course successfully? Do you have the technology available to complete the course
successfully?
Do you have the drive and self-motivation to complete a college course? What about
your personality / characteristics suggest that you do (or don’t)?
What is the “easiest way” or way you prefer to learn new material? Will this course offer
you the material in that format? What can you do to adapt the materials / help yourself
better learn the content?
What academic habits of the mind do you already have? Which ones will you need to
develop further? What skills will you need to develop to become an academic writer?
How will you study for this course / or complete the course work?
What about this course will be easy for you? What will be a challenge? How will you
prepare yourself to meet that challenge?
The conclusion (one paragraph) should leave me with the most important thing you
want me to remember about you.
Citations: After your essay, create a “Works Consulted” area and add in any sources you
used or consulted, including any of the websites I provided and any AI tools for checking
grammar and mechanics. For purposes of this assignment, you should use Citation
Machine (another AI Tool) (choose MLA 8 or 9 as the option) to create these. They won’t
be graded for correctness (yet–we save that for the second assignment), but they do
need to be there. We’re practicing.
Length: The body of the email should be at least 750 words with a minimum of five
paragraphs (intro/ 3 body / conclusion).
Tip
Type your self-assessment on your computer in a word-processing document where you can
save, edit, and proofread while you are working on it. When you are ready to send it to me, you
can then copy and paste it into the text / body of the email.
Grading Criteria (full rubric)
Followed all guidelines for “How to Email My Professor”
Meets minimum word count
Is organized in paragraphs that follow the guidelines above (under Tasks)
Paragraphs offer details and supporting evidence
Formal Writing Language is Used (but, use “I”)
Is well-edited and proofread