For writing project 3, I wrote a cover letter. I used the schema to structure the cover letter, and the different element and attribute types guided me on what to include. The schema helped me write about my past work and school experiences, and it helped me convey why I thought I was a good fit for a company. The schema was appropriate for my rhetorical situation. The situation in which you would write a cover letter is when you are responding to a job posting, and you submit a cover letter with a resume. The cover letter helps highlight certain parts of a resume and convey some skills that may not necessarily be included on a resume. I do not think that the schema was too constraining. For the sections that included experience, I was free to write what I wanted while including relevant information like programs I know and skills I have. The schema helped me write the introduction and closing paragraphs. This was helpful because it guided my response to how the company and work mattered to me. When I read my peer’s work, he used the schema very similarly to the way I used it, so this did not cause me to think differently about the schema. Receiving feedback from my peer on my work did not change the way I looked at the schema either.
Overall, I think that the schema developed for the cover letter was very effective for writing a complete cover letter. However, I think that I would add a “social” element in the experience section. After reading my peer reviewer’s comments, I realized that I did not emphasize soft skills enough. I think that adding a “social” element would remind writers to include information about their ability to work in teams, communicate well with others, etc. I think that this schema was more flexible than the schema I wrote with my group, which was a feasibility report.
