Blog 8: Outline of Group Project

My partner and I will inform the audience that our project will be a newsletter providing information about writing a cover letter for a job application. We will present the newsletter to our audience. We will just give an overview of the main topics that will be discussed. One of us will take a section of what will be on the newsletter and discuss it further. The newsletter will contain information that would be very clear and understandable even without an explanation. It has to be a strong informative piece because we will not always be there to explain it.

Since this course is for students in any major and not a specific degree, we think that anyone would benefit from our information. Therefore, the first topic we will discuss are the three types of cover letters. The following are the three types we will go into detail about are application letter, prospecting letter, and networking letter. The next topic we will discuss are the 8 steps of writing a cover letter. This is a very important part of the newsletter and cover letter writing. Then we will talk about the styles of cover letters. This newsletter will provide an example of the 3 types of cover letters and websites of templates.

We hope that this newsletter will be helpful to future students of ENG 333 and others in need of a place to start before writing their cover letters. 

Blog 7:Editorial

change.org - Caylee's Law

Caylee Marie Anthony was born on August 9, 2005 and was last seen with her mother on June 16, 2008 and reported missing on July 18, 2008 by her grandmother.  Caylee’s skeletal remains were found not far from the home on December 11, 2008. 

Her mother Casey was arrested on various charges during 2008; however on October 14, 2008 she was indicted by a grand jury on charges of first degree murder, aggravated child abuse, aggravated manslaughter of a child and four counts of providing false information to police

On April 13, 2009, prosecutors announced that they planned to seek the death penalty in this case.

The trial lasted for five weeks and concluded with a not guilty verdict on all charges with the exception of four counts of providing false information to police.  This verdict outraged a large percentage of the population that immediately began to criticize the judicial system and the jurors in this case. 

I am one of the many who will disagree with the verdict and I am very disappointed that the accused is now free to enjoy the rest of her life and has to option to bear additional children.  I am a supporter of the proposed “Caylee’s Law” and I firmly believe that any person suspected of being missing should be reported to the appropriate authorities as soon as practical.

This verdict has not encouraged me to lose faith in our judicial system or the many men and women who are taken from their families and sequestered to serve on a jury.  It is very difficult for jurors to convict some one of first degree murder and send some to death.  The jurors did an excellent job during deliberations and although many may believe that the accused is guilty, Casey was to be convicted by evidence and not by what so many people “believe”.

The death was ruled a homicide and the cause of death listed as undetermined.     There were many pieces of evidence such as the duct tape and odor in Caseys’ car, however the prosecution failed to present this case in such a manner that would lead them to a conviction. 

I am confident that with the evidence provided, the prosecution would have been able to get a conviction on a lesser charge that would still have had Casey spend the rest of her life in jail.

In conclusion, I urge everyone to maintain faith and belief in our system.  It is a good system that ensures everyone to a fair trial. 

 I chose this topic because I believe that the Casey Anthony verdict was not due to a poor judicial system or the lack of knowledge of jurors, but that the prosecution failed to present the case in a manner of which would have resulted in a first degree conviction. Shortly after the verdict was revealed on national television I read many comments and posts on Facebook and through other social media criticizing the system and the jurors. I believe the jurors did an excellent job in providing a verdict based on the evidence provided and what is fact rather than their own beliefs and what we have all seen through the media. Regardless of what we believe everyone is subject to a fair trial and conviction as a result of evidence. I also believe that with the evidence provided perhaps another murder charge may have resulted in a conviction. This conviction may have resulted in life in prison. The media also may have been an influence in the results of this trial. Often times in the past, trial with media publicity such as this has been very difficult to get conviction; such as the Simpson Trial.

Assignment 6: Collaborative Writing Project Issues/Progress Report

I honestly have to admit that I didn’t really like the idea of putting together a group project. I usually like to work on my own; therefore, no one else’s grade is depending upon my work. No one would be waiting on me to complete something. I wasn’t to sure how this project would work out or even what we had to do. I am glad my group is very small. It is so easy for the both of us to call each other to discuss ideas. We do not have to relay messages to anyone else. We both are really easy going on this project and the decisions have been easy and very agreeable between the two of us. My group partner and I are both organized people like to have a plan of action. We are ready to get this project going and get it completed. We were a little nervous at the beginning when one of our partners was not responding to emails. Not sure what happened to her, but we have continued and working smoothly.

The collaborative writing project that my group is working on is creating a newsletter on writing a cover letter for a job application. This newsletter will take a lot of research to put it together. You want to make sure you have reliable information, especially if it is something that has the potential to be used by other college students to help in this course. At this point the topics that will be covered are; 8 steps to an efficient cover letter, the 3 types of cover letter, sample cover letter, and cover letter template. This newsletter should be completed by the projected due date.

This project is coming along on schedule. I have almost completed most of the research. I have parts of the newsletter put together. There is still much left to be completed. I would like to add websites addresses for cover letter templates and sample letters to the newsletter. So far I have not come across any unexpected events. Just have to focus and get the project completed. I think this project will be completed one day this week. It is added to my list of many things to work on this week.

I think the overall product will be very informative. It will also help me to complete an accurate cover letter for my resume. Even though I will have a job at the same school I am currently working, I do not plan on being there forever. I am looking forward to seeing everyone’s completed projects. I am sure they will all benefit me and not just future students of this class. Writing is still not one of my favorite subjects, but I am kind of getting the hang of it. Just need to catch up on my blogs. I hope this project continues to go as smoothly as it has been going. My partner and I will make frequent phone calls or send email to check the progress of this project. It helps keep each other motivated to complete it and not just slack.