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Smarthinking Writer's
Handbook
Chapter 1, Lesson 6
Writing to Argue a Position
Objectie
!n this "esson, #ou'"" "earn
ho$ to dee"op an argument
designed to conince readersthat #our position is "ogica"
and reasonab"e%
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!ntroduction
&ou'"" $rite man# arguments
in #our co""ege career%
nderstanding ho$ to create
an academic argument is oneke# to success in co""ege
$riting assignments% (ost o)
those arguments $i"" be$ritten as research papers in
#our major discip"ine* the#'re
ca""ed research papers simp"#
because #ou must inestigate
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issues to )orm educated
opinions% Other names )or
these kinds o) argumentsare academicorintellectuala
guments%Writing these arguments
re+uires #ou to take a position
and de)end it% &ou do nothae to conince #our
audience that #ou are
correct* it is impossib"e to
conince a"" o) #our readers
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that #our position is the on"#
or the right one% !nstead, #our
primar# purpose is toconince #our audience that
#our position is a"id, "ogica"and-or $orth considering%
."ements o) the !nte""ectua"
Argument
Audience and purpose
/hesis 0assertion
2ood reasons and "ogica"
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eidence
Counter3arguments
!ntroduction and
conc"usion
4ocumentation
Audience and Purpose
5e)ore #ou $rite aninte""ectua" argument,
consider #our audience and
purpose% !) #our audience is
#our pro)essor, there is a goo
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chance that s-he kno$s more
about the subject than #ou do
!n that case, the purpose o)the argument becomes a test
o) #our abi"it# to )orm areasonab"e thesis and to
support and de)end it
"ogica""# and thorough"#%Ho$eer, een i) #our
pro)essor kno$s something
about #our issue, $hen #ou
conduct a good inestigation,
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#ou become the subject3area
epert and there's a er# good
chance that #our argument$i"" present ne$ materia"s
and $a#s o) thinking about#our subject%
!) #our audience is broader
than #our pro)essor a"one0possib"# inc"uding #our
c"assmates, peers, or the
readers o) a ne$spaper
editoria" or !nternet $ebsite,
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#ou'"" be arguing #our
position to peop"e $ho
probab"# kno$ "ess than #ouabout the issue% /hen, #ou
rea""# hae the opportunit# toin)"uence someone's $a# o)
thinking about #our issue7
the stakes are higher and the$riting becomes more
eciting%
/hesis 0Assertion
(an# times, #our
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pro)essor $i"" assign the
paper and ma#be een the
speci)ic subject% Ho$eer,most "ike"# it'"" be up to #ou
to choose the ang"e that #ou$ant to research on the
topic and the position that
#ou choose to take% !) thechoice o) topic is up to
#ou, )ind a topic that
interests #ou% Perhaps #our
pro)essor "ectured about
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something )ascinating or
ma#be there $as an
interesting +uestion in atetbook% 8o matter $hat
subject #ou pick, be surethat it's a topic in $hich #ou
are genuine"# interested and
about $hich #ou're $i""ingto "earn more% Peop"e $ho
are engaged in their
research $rite more
interesting and origina"
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papers%
Choose a topic that'""
a""o$ #ou to take a side%
Academic arguments seek
to address +uestions thatpeop"e are concerned about
9esearch papers that argue
a position do so $ith
subjects )or $hich there are
no certain ans$ers% !n )act,these arguments are bui"t on
controersia" topics $here
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more than one ie$, or
position, is possib"e% &our
position is astancethatamounts to an attitude or
judgment about some issueSo, #ou need to aoid topics
that are simp"# a matter o)
opinion or that just need anep"anation% !nstead, )ocus on
topics $here reasoned and
"ogica" argument can support
an in)ormed ie$% :or
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eamp"e, it $ou"d be hard to
bui"d an argument around the
thesis 9oses are the mostbeauti)u" )"o$ers* in this
sentence, #ou're simp"#stating an opinion, or
pre)erence7#ou can't argue
about that% /he sentence !ttakes man# #ears to cu"tiate
a beauti)u" garden a"so $on'
$ork* this thesis ca""s )or an
ep"anation o) $h#% ;see
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.position< .p"aining
Wh#=
Write an assertion that
reea"s #our position% An
academic argument thatargues )or a position
re+uires a specia" kind o)
thesis, o)ten ca""ed
anassertion% An assertion is
a statement that o)ten 0butnot a"$a#s inc"udes a
moda" erb such as
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shou"d or ought and
asks the $riter to make a
judgment o) )act or o)a"ue% .amp"es o)
assertions that argue )orpositions are% /here is no $a# to predic$hether such chi"dren $i""
ki"" again, so it is better to
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gie them a second chance%
Can #ou think o) an# other
counter3arguments that this
argument shou"d address@
!ntroduction- Conc"usion2ood arguments $i"" present
an interesting introduction
that te""s the reader% Wh# it is controersia"0background,
? Wh# it is important
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0background, and
B% What #our position
0assertion is%
/he introduction sets up #our
argument and reea"s #ourassertion% Ho$eer, #ou
might )ind it easier to $rite an
interesting introduction
A:/.9 #ou'e $ritten #our
)irst or second dra)t o) thepaper% 5# then, #ou'"" be
much more certain o) eact"#
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$hat #ou $ant to argue and
$h#%
2ood arguments a"so present
the reader-s $ith an
interesting conc"usion% /heconc"usion pu""s together the
entire argument, summariFing
and stressing the main points(ore than that, in an
academic argument, the
conc"usion o))ers #ou a
chance to suggest )urther
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consideration o) the prob"em
or research that peop"e shou"d
do% Sometimes, theconc"usion is a good p"ace to
ask +uestions )or $hich #ouhae no ans$ers33this strateg#
"eaes the reader thinking%
Ask #our pro)essor $hetherit's oka# to ask thought3
prooking +uestions at the
end o) #our paper%
4ocumentation
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:ina""#, in an argument that is
intended )or #our co""ege
c"asses, #ou'"" probab"# beasked to document #our
sources% Ask #our pro)essor$hich method s-he pre)ers )o
documentation and then
)o""o$ the )ormat precise"#%Summar#
&ou'"" $rite academic orinte""ectua" essa#s in most o)
#our co""ege courses% A good
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essa# that argues a position
$i"" 01 address a speci)ic
audience and purpose, 0>hae an arguab"e assertion,
0? support the assertion $ithgood reasons and "ogica"
eidence, 0B address counter
arguments, and 0 $i""proide thought3prooking
and in)ormatie introduction
and conc"usion%
Smarthinking Writer's
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Handbook
Chapter 1, Lesson D
Writing to PersuadeObjectie
!n this "esson, #ou'"" "earn to
dee"op a persuasie
argument that coninces
audiences to share #ourbe"ie)s and motiates them to
take action%
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What is Persuasion@
Persuasion attempts to moe
peop"e to action, to get them
to do something% :or more
than t$o thousand #ears,rhetoricians hae studied ho$
to persuade peop"e to act% !n
courts o) "a$, "a$#ers bui"dcases that the# hope $i""
either conict or re"ease
peop"e on tria"% !n goernmen
debates, po"iticians use
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"anguage to encourage peop"e
to ote 0or not oteG )or
particu"ar peop"e or pub"icpo"icies% !n re"igious
gatherings, "eaders speak totheir congregations to
persuade them to behae in
particu"ar $a#s to$ard their)e""o$ humans% And, o)
course, teachers use
persuasion on a dai"# basis, to
moe their students to
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become interested in their
subjects and to "earn ne$
concepts and ski""s%
&ou, too, hae used
persuasion man# times in#our "i)e% &ou ma# hae tried
to persuade a parent to pa#
)or #our schoo"ing, to bu##ou a car, or to "et #ou "ie
a$a# )rom home% &ou
probab"# hae persuaded
)riends to go to a part# $ith
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#ou or to change a behaior,
such as to +uit smoking%
4i))erences and 4istinctions
Persuasie $riting is di))eren
)rom $riting an academicargument such as a research
paper% !n academic argument,
#ou're using "ogic and reason
to conince #our audience
that #our position, $ritten asan assertion, is "ogica" and
reasonab"e% !n a persuasie
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argument, #ou a"so must
conince #our audience that
#our position is reasonab"e orcredib"e% 5ut persuasion goes
one step )urther< #ou inite#our readers to act or to do
something% ;See Writing to
Argue a Position%=Persuasie arguments are
specia" kinds o) arguments
that, un)ortunate"#, man#
students don't "earn to $rite%
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Written essa#s, te"eision and
radio broadcasts, and )orma"
speeches are common kindso) persuasion% Ho$eer,
persuasion isn't "imited tobroadcasters or po"itica"
"eaders* it's important in an#
job% .ecuties, sa"espeop"e,adertising and customer
serice representaties, and
ski""ed trades peop"e "ike auto
mechanics a"" need to
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persuade peop"e to be
success)u"%
/o moe an audience to take
action, #ou mustK
each, spend more time on
the JK +uestion% Ans$er the easiest
+uestions )irst%
5# ans$ering the ones that
#ou kno$ right a$a#, #ou
can c"ear #our mind o)
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those obious ans$ers and
a""o$ #our brain to $ork on
the other, more di))icu"t+uestions%
5rie)"# out"ine each short
ans$er be)ore $riting%
Out"ines in the )orm o)
simp"e "ists he"p #ou toorganiFe #our ideas% ot
do$n )acts, ideas, or
concepts that $i"" he"p
ans$er the +uestion% Se"ect
the ideas that make the best
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ans$er and organiFe them
+uick"#% /his process $i""
keep #our ans$ers on3track
!) #ou'e )o""o$ed the steps
aboe, #ou're read# to beginto $rite% Consider the
)o""o$ing $hi"e $riting #our
ans$ers% High"ight important
passages in the tet and take
good notes to he"p #ouremember $hat #ou read%
?% &ou might be asked to
$rite about the piece o)
"iterature in seera" $a#s
pages i) #our $ork
eperience is 1J #ears or
"onger* keep it to a sing"epage i) #ou hae "ess than
1J #ears o) $ork
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eperience%
Smarthinking Writer'sHandbook
Chapter 1, Lesson 1B
Writing a Coer and /hank3
&ou Letter
Objectie
!n this "esson, #ou'"" "earn
ho$ to $rite strong coer
"etters to enc"ose $ith #our
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resume and thank #ou "etters
to send a)ter interie$s%
!ntroduction
A"ong $ith #our resume, the
coer "etter and thank #ou"etter represent #our best
chance to communicate $ith
prospectie emp"o#ers% /hese
"etters set #ou apart )rom
other candidates%/he Coer Letter
A coer "etter is a one3page
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"etter sent $ith a resume% &ou
shou"d inc"ude a coer "etter
eer# time #ou submit aresume%
A coer "etter gies #ou anetra opportunit# to sho$ the
emp"o#er $ho #ou are and
ho$ #our ta"ents match thejob that needs to be )i""ed%
A"though #our resume a"so
ans$ers that +uestion, it does
so in a er# rigid )ormat% /he
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coer "etter a""o$s #ou to te""
the potentia" emp"o#er things
about #our eperiences andabi"ities in a targeted $a#%
&our coer "etter shou"dep"ain precise"# $h# #ou )it
the +ua"i)ications o) a speci)ic
position%.en i) #ou send #our resume
ia e3mai", $rite and attach a
coer "etter% 8ot sending one
is a sign o) "aFiness or
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ineperience in the job search
process, neither o) $hich is
he"p)u" in getting aninterie$% 8ote< in some
cases, it ma# be acceptab"e to$rite #our coer "etter in the
bod# o) the emai" $ith $hich
#ou send #our resume% Look)or cues in the job
description%
Writing a 2ood Coer Letter
/he )o""o$ing tips $i"" he"p
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#ou $rite an e))ectie coer
"etter to
?-B o) a page%
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4on't repeat #our resume
!nstead, se"ect a one or t$o
re"eant high points )rom
#our resume and use them
to he"p demonstrate that #ouare a good )it )or the
position%
5e actie.press #our interest in the
job and don't be sh# about
high"ighting #our ski""s and
eperiences that make #ou
good match C"ose b#
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te""ing the emp"o#er that
#ou "ook )or$ard to hearing
)rom him-her% Ho$eer, #oushou"d not stop there% /e""
the emp"o#er that #ou'"" ca"
or e3mai" in one $eek or ten
da#s to see $here the
compan# is in the hiringprocess% /hen, make the
ca""% /his proactie stance
sets #ou apart )rom otherapp"icants $ho simp"# $ait
to hear )rom the emp"o#er3i
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demonstrates #our
dependabi"it# and
independence%
5e po"ite and aoid
sounding desperate%4o not demand a positie
response% !nstead, epress
#our interest in theopportunit#% &ou ma# a"so
add, ! "ook )or$ard to #ou
response to he"p prompt a
rep"# )rom the emp"o#er%
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Proo)read care)u""#%
Spe""ing, grammar, and
t#pographica" errors in
coer "etters and resumes
are an eas# ecuse )oremp"o#ers to dismiss #ou
immediate"# as a potentia"
emp"o#ee% Hae anotherperson read #our document
be)ore #ou send them and
read them a"oud #ourse"),"istening and "ooking )or
readabi"it# and c"arit#%
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A samp"e out"ine )or an
e))ectie coer "etter
Paragraph 1< .press #our
interest in the position, using
the position name in the jobadertisement% (ention
$here #ou sa$ the ad%
Paragraph >< (ention 13>
accomp"ishments that
demonstrate #our suitabi"it#)or the job and distinguish
#ou )rom other app"icants%
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Paragraph ?< Address #our
desired outcome )rom the
"etter 0an interie$, adiscussion $ith the emp"o#er
about their hiring p"ans or jobopportunities, etc%% Sa# $hat
#ou $i"" do to )o""o$ up and
epress #our $i""ingness tosupp"# an# additiona"
in)ormation the emp"o#er
ma# need% /hank the
emp"o#er )or considering
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#our "etter or app"ication%
Samp"e Coer Letteram Smith
J Water Wa#
Wateri""e, Washington 11111
(a# 1J, >JJJ
on 5"ackman, 2raphics 4irector
he 2raphics P"ace?>? (ain Street
urkes, (ontana ?????
ear (r% 5"ackman,
am $riting in re)erence to #our adertisement )or a graphic artist-designer in #esterda#'s Montana Morningost% (# enc"osed resume $i"" sho$ that ! hae the +ua"i)ications and ski""s that are necessar# )or success in
his position%
(# )ormer position, in $hich ! $as promoted t$ice, re+uired that ! dee"op and use eperience in
hotoshop, 4rumbeat, !""ustrator and :reehand% !n this position, m# specia"t# $as ep"oring the potentia" o)isua" communication in a"" its contemporar# )orms and ! hae $on three a$ards )or m# $ork in this area% !)
ou are "ooking )or someone dedicated to )resh approaches in the communicatie arts, p"ease "ook at m#
esume attached to this e3mai"%
am aai"ab"e )or an interie$ at an# time% ! ma# be reached at home at 33 or ia e3mai" at"oaQao"b%com%Ho$eer, ! $i"" be happ# to ca"" #ou net /hursda# to see $hether #ou hae receied and
eie$ed m# app"ication% At that time, ! $ou"d be de"ighted to set up an interie$ appointment or to ans$er
n# +uestions that #ou might hae%
"ook )or$ard to meeting $ith #ou to discuss the position )urther%
hank #ou,
am Smith
ttachment< 9esume
.ercise
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sing the samp"e coer "etter
aboe, use the tet bo be"o$
to $rite a coer "etter )or ajob in $hich #ou are
interested% !) #ou are notcurrent"# seeking
emp"o#ment but #ou $ant to
practice $riting a coer "etteran#$a#, use a job
adertisement )rom #our "oca
ne$spaper% When #ou're
)inished, compare #our "etter
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$ith the eamp"e%
/he /hank &ou Letter
&ou shou"d $rite a )o""o$3up
"etter to a prospectieemp"o#er $ithin t$ent#3)our
0>B hours o) #our interie$
)or the position% /his "etter isa er# important part o) the
interie$ing process% (an#
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peop"e )ai" to send a thank
#ou "etter, making those $ho
do stand out in contrastG
5# sending a thank #ou to the
emp"o#er, #ou are "ettinghim-her kno$ that #ou are
sti"" interested in the job% !n
addition, it is a chance )or #outo remind the interie$er o)
#our interie$ and ski""s%
:ina""#, the "etter gies #ou an
opportunit# to te"" him-her
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things that #ou ma# hae
)orgotten to sa# in the
interie$ or things that #ou$ish #ou had said better%
Writing a 2ood /hank &ouLetter
Send the "etter as soon as
possib"e%
4o not de"a#7get it in the
mai" or emai"% &ou neerkno$ ho$ +uick"# the
emp"o#er $i"" be "ooking to
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hire%
/#pe the "etter in standardbusiness )ormat%
/he "etter shou"d use the
same )orma" tone and)ormat as #our coer "etter%
Send it direct"# to the
person $ho interie$ed #ou)or the position%
4ee"op a thank #ou "ette$ith the standard
components%
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o !n #our )irst paragraph,
epress #our appreciation
)or the interie$% !nc"ude
an# e"ements o) the
interie$ that come tomind 0e%g%, touring the
)aci"ities or meeting
potentia" co3$orkers%!nc"ude the names o) the
peop"e $ho interie$ed
#ou and the position tit"e)or $hich #ou
interie$ed%
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o !nc"ude speci)ics detai"s
about the interie$ to
re)resh the interie$er's
mind about $ho #ou are%
!nc"ude an# comments ora part o) the conersation
that $ou"d make #ou
stand out )rom others%o 4rie home an# main
points that #ou think
$ou"d be he"p)u"% 9e3
emphasiFe #our most
important ski""s and sho$
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the interie$er $h# #ou
are the right )it )or the
organiFation%
o 5rie)"# add an# re"ean
in)ormation that #ou)orgot to inc"ude in #our
resume or interie$%
o Let the emp"o#er kno$
that #ou $ant to continue
#our discussion about theposition% 5e proactie and
te"" him-her $hen #ou $i"
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ca"" to )o""o$3up the
interie$% /hen ca"" as
promised, as #ou did prioto receiing the interie$
Samp"e /hank &ou Letteroe Smith
6 C"ear Lane Hami"ton, /eas 11111
ugust 1J, >JJJ
amie Wi"son
irector o) Pub"ications
om's Pub"ishing Compan#J /ria" Wa#
ami"ton, /eas 11111
ear (r% Wi"son,
enjo#ed speaking $ith #ou this a)ternoon about the Pub"ication Assistant position% ! be"iee m# passion )orditing and ta"ent in the marketing and graphic arts )ie"d mesh $e"" $ith /om's Pub"ishing business goa"s and
bjecties%
uring our meeting, #ou said that #ou $ant someone to step in and take oer the editoria" aspects o) the
ompan# in an organiFed manner% ! am a er# organiFed and methodica" indiidua" $ho can easi"# "earn the
test dee"opmenta" so)t$are programs )or the medica"-nursing industr#% ! am a"so er# interested inarning more graphic design% /hese kinds o) responsibi"ities certain"# $i"" put m# creatie e))orts to the testG
s #ou suggested in m# interie$, ! "ogged on to #our $eb site and do$n"oaded the Writing 5etter /est
uestions demo% ! )ound it both interesting and eas# to )o""o$% /he step3b#3step eamp"es, guide"ines, andducator /ips gie great insights into $hat is epected on an eam%
nce again, thank #ou )or meeting $ith me% ! "ook )or$ard to continuing our discussion and $i"" ca"" #ou on
rida# to see $here #ou are in the interie$ing process% !n the meantime, p"ease )ee" )ree to contact me at
n# time% ! can be reached at home at 33 or ia e3mai" at ao"bQb"oa%com%
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incere"#,
oe Smith
.ercise
sing the eamp"e thank #ou
"etter as a guide, $rite a
)o""o$3up "etter in the tetbo be"o$% &ou ma# use the
eperience o) a past interie$
to guide #our $riting%
Compare #our "etter $ith the
samp"e $hen #ou are)inished%
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Summar#
&ou'e "earned $h# coer andthank #ou "etters are
important to the job searchprocess and ho$ to $rite
e))ectie ones%
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Chapter 1, Lesson 16
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