Instructors: Having students evaluate their own performance is an excellent way for them to think about what they have learned throughout the course while also demonstrating their grasp of business communication. We include a sample you can share with your students.

Now that you have spent a semester learning about business communication, write your instructor an e-mail in which you justify the grade you think you should receive. Include specifics about graded and non-graded assignments, participation, attendance, and any special efforts you have put forth during the course.

Dear Prof. _____,

In response to your request, I am writing to justify the grade I believe I have earned in this class: A-.

Throughout the term, I have consistently received a B+ and A- on all written assignments, and an A on an oral presentation for a team project. While the actual points I have earned add up to 89 percent, I feel that my consistent participation in class and outstanding attendance record should bump me up to a 90 percent, or an A-.

Moreover, while working on the group project, I took on the role of team leader, which entailed keeping four other team members on track. Perhaps the most demanding aspect of this role was working one-on-one with a nonnative speaker whose writing skills were not up to par. In addition, I designed all the slides to accompany our oral presentation on that group project.

Finally, I do not consider myself to be a strong writer, but I have worked my hardest to learn from my mistakes. As you may recall, I have been a frequent visitor to your office hours, which has helped me improve to the point where I now feel confident in my ability to enter the workplace. In fact, I have been offered a permanent job after interning at an insurance company this semester.

I hope you agree that I have truly earned an A- in this class, and I thank you for teaching me such valuable skills. Have a great summer!

Sincerely,

Stu Dent