Leah Hamm

PO Box 61
Kremlin, OK 73753

Mrs. Tamera Davis

Northern Oklahoma College
615 N. Monroe
Stillwater, OK 74074

April 20, 2022

Dear Professor Davis,

I would like to thank you for your patience and constant feedback in my learning journey. I
have never thought of myself as a good or even competent writer. With your instruction and the
patience to answer my many questions, I have learned to not only express myself but to organize
my thoughts so that they are understandable and enjoyable to the reader. This portfolio expresses
my thoughts and beliefs. It is a collection of writings that portrays how I view the topics that I
was assigned to write about. It also shows my growth as a writer and my progress in being able
to find research to back up my point of view. I find that when I am writing it is a very
therapeutic experience for my mind. I enjoy being able to pour my feelings out on the paper. It
is very gratifying to have your feedback and learn a more eloquent way of wording those ideas.
This collection shows the growth in my writing and my ability to not only make my point but to
evoke an emotion in the reader.

I chose the first essay “The Things I Would Say,” from my English Comp I class, as an
example of one of my first works. This artifact shows where I started as a writer. When I began
writing I was inexperienced and had not written a paper for thirty years. This paper is coherent
but does not convey the exact tone I would have liked. Although, I did not have a tough time
writing this piece due to the personal nature of the assignment, I believe I could have made the
essay wording flow with better rhythm. In the second artifact “The Power of Words,” also from
my Comp I class, I learned to back my thoughts and opinions up with research and examples. I
can see growth in myself when I look at this paper. The flow of this paper is improved from the
first. I enjoyed writing this paper, because I do not believe people stop and think about the
words that come out of their mouth, or that they put online. People do not understand the true
impact they have on others. For my third selection I chose the proctored exam essay I wrote in
Comp II, “I Love You.” This was a piece that poured from my heart. When I read it today, I still
cannot hold back the tears. It is a deeply personal piece that shows where I came from and the
events that have molded me into the person I am today. I find that when I have deeply emotional
connection to the piece I am writing it is easier to express my thoughts. I still have a lot of work
to do as far as punctuation as I can see in this artifact, but overall, with this piece I find that my
word usage is getting more expressive. My final artifact is my essay for History1483 American
History to 1877, “Liberty Comes at a Cost.” This essay covers how the gain of liberty for some
becomes the loss of liberty for others. This essay was compiled of all the information we learned
over the entire semester. I included this essay as an example of my ability to take several months
of learning and compile it into a chronologically organized paper that shows the effects that
different social classes have upon one another. This artifact also shows my growth as a writer,
by my ability to switch from MLA format to APA format. The artifact also displays my ability
to create smooth transitions. Thanks to English Comp II this paper was not the daunting task it
would have been otherwise. The tools that I have learned in this English Comp II class enabled
me to become a more organized and eloquent writer.

Since starting Comp II my ability to outline my ideas on paper has greatly improved. This is
a concept I have always struggled with, never knowing whether to add or omit information.
Thanks to your patience and answers to my many questions I have learned to organize and use
details. You have taught me writing is about getting my ideas down on paper, and then adding
the supporting facts. I have also learned to enjoy writing. I have always dreaded English class,
yet in this class I have felt the support and ability to get the instruction needed to create essays
that I am proud of. This semester has sparked not only a new confidence, but a new love of
writing.

There are many items I will keep in my toolbox. The first would be the NOC library, it has
been a God send. The Gale Database is one of the most useful places to search for peer
reviewed, or scholarly writings to add research to any paper. The second is the Purdue Owl,
which is also a valuable tool I will keep with me. It was extremely helpful when I needed to
format papers or when citing sources. Another thing I will keep in my toolbox is the advice
given in one of your videos. You said to get started, such simple advice. I have found even if I
do not know what I am going to say in my writing if I sit down and start typing the words
generally come to me. So, I have learned and will always keep with me, Stop Procrastinating!

To sum it all up, I believe this class has given me confidence. Even though I do not believe I
am a great writer yet, I have learned I am not the incompetent writer I believed myself to be. I
have always dreaded writing papers, never believing I had enough words to fill up the paper.
But this class has taught me how to take a single idea and expand on it. It taught me how to add
facts, details, and how to address an opposing point of view. I also would like to thank you for
the skills I have acquired to write a letter to a person of authority. This will come in most
valuable, there always issues that we need to address with an authority figure, and now I can
address them.

The next step in my college journey will be to begin my sophomore year and to keep working
towards my degree in Biological Sciences. I see many more papers in my future, and with the
skills I have learned in Comp II I am more prepared to tackle them. Upon getting my degree I
foresee many reports that I will need to prepare on test results and findings. Thanks to your
patience and clear instruction, I now have the confidence to do something I never thought I
could. Even though I still have a lot of work to do in the punctuation department. I have the
skills now to express my thoughts and feelings on paper in manner that is clear and somewhat
entertaining.

Sincerely,

Leah Hamm