Mohamed Bushra
UNIV 112
11/30/2015
Professor Dempster
Reflective Cover Letter
Throughout this semester, our class has focused on three main units. The first major
assignment our class had was the Multimodal Analysis. This project challenged us to think
outside of the box in order to come up with a product that featured multiple modes. For this
project, I chose to write a poem about the time in my life I spent living in Sudan. The next major
assignment was the Group Presentation. We were instructed to choose a topic from the book
Radioactive, by Lauren Redniss, to expand our knowledge on the subject, and present what we
learned to the class. My group chose to focus on the positive effects of radiation as the book
focused primarily on the negative effects. I focused specifically on the invention of the x-ray and
its positive impact on day-to-day life. My group members focused on radio-carbon dating, the
effects of radiation on stress on animals, and the effect of radiation on plants. The final
assignment we were given was an argumentative essay about a topic of our choosing. I chose to
write about the secession of South Sudan from Northern Sudan. Being that my parents were both
born and raised in Sudan, this topic has always appealed to me. One skill that all three units
allowed me to cultivate was planning. Prior to submitting my assignments, I worked with
multiple drafts. This allowed me to enhance my final product. Discussion also played a huge role
in all three assignments because it allowed me to expand on my projects verbally. Writing and
creativity were both skills that were essential to the first unit, the Multimodal Analysis. My poem
had a specific rhyme scheme while also telling a personal story. Group presentation/planning
was a crucial part of the group assignment. My group met on several occasions, in and out of
class, to insure that our presentation was meticulous.
Note-taking was definitely a new skill for me. It became apparent to me that it is a
valuable skill and makes planning considerably easier. Something that surprised me about the
course was the amount planning that went into assignments. At first I thought it was
unnecessary, but I eventually realized that editing is a valuable skill to have. One thing about the
course that fulfilled my expectations was having class discussions. It allowed people to voice
their opinions and introduce new ways of thinking.
One piece advice I would give to students that are new to the course is stay on top of your
work because things add up. Falling behind can be very stressful when you have other courses to
worry about. One pitfall to look out for is how short the semester is. It may not seem like it at the
beginning, but due dates come quickly so it is best to start working early in order to get
everything done on time. New students should expect to work every day and have a working
printer available to them,
The most challenging skill for me was researching topics. At first, it was difficult for me
to find scholarly sources, but after having one of our classes led by a VCU Librarian, I realized it
is a relatively simple task as long as you go to the right places. The most valuable skill, by far,
was editing. I learned that it is highly improbable to come up with a final product on your first
try so revision is absolutely key.
One thing that I can take away from this course is accepting feedback on my work even if
I don’t agree with it. Sometimes people can’t see your vision the way you do and you just have
to take it in. Other times, people actually give you valuable feedback that can greatly enhance
your product. Accepting feedback is a vital skill for all people to have in academic as well as
professional ventures.