Letter of Intent

Well, here it is, the first GRADED English assignment. The last one was not graded. This was to answer three questions: What is the purpose of being in the online version of the course? What do I hope to learn from the class? Lastly, do I think I am ready for a fully online course? The answers are below. Funny thing I did yesterday too. I got a notebook and on the front of the notebook I wrote ENGISH just to spite my brain...

Nichole Hill

ENGL 111 WC3

23 August 2011

Letter of Intent

            The purpose for me being in the online course version of English 111, as opposed to the on campus version, is a work issue. I work full time at a software company as technical support and I am required to work, at minimum, forty hours per week or I will lose my full time status there. I cannot give up my full time status yet because I have three small children and a husband who retired from the Navy not long ago. Retired means unemployed in my book, but that is an argument for him and me. I was enrolled in the on-campus class but it conflicted with my work schedule so I requested to be moved to an online course instead. The purpose for actually taking an English class, of any type, is because it is required for my major. However, I love writing; any chance to tell a story that has not been told is exciting to me. I am a blogger for my paranormal research group and I blog for my family and friends on my personal site as well. The writing part of this class is not intimidating to me. I think what scares me is, I consider myself a halfway decent writer and hope to finish my novel one day, but I know I have so much to learn. I know I take criticism personally and I think it is an attack on me! I know that it is not but in my heart, I am scared to death for someone to tell me that I am a bad writer.

            This class will not be an easy one as I can see from the curriculum, but I will learn to write better and of course use appropriate grammar. I seem to have an issue with commas and run on sentences. They are not my friend. Every time I ask one of my journalist friends to edit my stories I get the same response, “Nichole, please watch your commas and run on sentences.” I am looking forward to showing them what I learned!

            I am completely prepared for a fully online course; I have a couple already with Southwestern Community College. I have taken many online courses from University of Phoenix and ECPI University as well. The style and procedures are a bit different from UOP online courses, which will take some time getting used to, but I am motivated and excited, yet nervous at the same time. UOP and ECPI, where I have attended before, have required APA formatting for all papers. I have never learned MLA style, and because of that, I have a lot to learn.