WR121 Genres
This guide is for WR121 students to support their investigations related to writing in a variety of genres.
Context, history, background
- Letter writing in AmericaFrom the Smithsonian's National Postal Museum. This research article gives history, context and examples. Use the right side navigation to see more related articles.
- Correspondence: Text Messages, Emails, Memos, and LettersGeneral guidance from free ebook Technical Writing Essentials about private online communications.
- Books with personal lettersEbooks with personal letters, available through PCC Library.
- Ebooks about letter writingEbooks about letter writing, available through PCC Library.
Private letter examples
- "I'm amputating you." from Frida Kahlo to Diego RiveraLetter from Frida Kahlo to her husband Diego Rivera in 1953 as she waited in a hospital to have her leg amputated. Use the search glass icon on the upper right side of this site to search for other letters by author or topic.
- Letter, Eleanor Roosevelt to Walter White detailing the First Lady's lobbying efforts for federal action against lynchings, 19 March 1936.From the Library of Congress; see "notes" for context and click on "view enlarged image" to read the letter.
- Selected Digitized Correspondence of Eleanor RooseveltFrom the FDR Library. Scroll to the bottom to see digitized versions of letters written by First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt.
- Charles Darwin to J.D. Hooker introducing the idea of evolution1884 letter written to his friend and fellow botanist. Early documentation of Darwin's theory of evolution.
Letters from the Greatest Generation by ISBN: 9780253024602Publication Date: 2016-10-03A ebook collection of letters written by world war II soldiers back home to their friends and families.
The Letters of Cole Porter by ISBN: 9780300219272Publication Date: 2019-11-25An ebook collection of private letters written by American composer and songwriter, Cole Porter.
The American Journey by Call Number: Sign in to request the book delivered to your PCC libraryISBN: 9781881089360Publication Date: 1995Diaries and letters are the most reliable of firsthand sources, more so than memoirs that are long removed from the fresh experience of the past. These 29 eyewitness accounts provide a unique entrance into the diversity of American society.
Letters of reccomendation
- How to write good letters of recommendationGuidance from MIT admissions.
- Two sample letters: strong and weakTwo sample letters of recommendation- one strong and one weak, from the City College of New York
- 9 Sample Excellent Recommendation Letters for Your Jobsamples focusing on recommendations for jobs.
- How to Write a Letter of Recommendation (Template + Tips)Basic guidance including an example.
Business letters
- Writing the Basic Business LetterFormatting and style guide for business letters from the Purdue Owl. Look on the left side of the page for a link to sample letters.
Scholarship essays and letters
- Fourteen Scholarship Essay Examples That Won Thousands 2023A website with examples of successful scholarship essays. Scroll to see the free examples (and ignore the guide/advertising, etc.)
- 6 Awesome Scholarship Essays That WorkedAnother website/blog with scholarship letter/essay examples. Ignore the marketing.
Cover letters, job search letters
Knock 'em Dead Cover Letters by ISBN: 9780996662321Publication Date: 2015-09-20An ebook with tips to write a great cover letter with examples, guidelines, structure and more.
Job Search Letters for Dummies by ISBN: 9781118436424Publication Date: 2013-07-03Ebook with guidance on writing job-search related letters including cover letters and more. Includes guidance and examples.
- Cover Letter SamplesBasic guidelines and examples from Indeed.com. Examples by job- note these are very basic and should be viewed as a generic starting place.
This work by PCC Library is licensed by Portland Community College under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.- Last Updated: Apr 29, 2025 12:35 PM
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Subjects: Reading & Writing