The letters are used to contact someone that holds a specific position or job title about being the focus of a research project for students in English 301. They all have similar formats and contain similar things. They are designed as a gentle probe to see whether the person would be willing to let a college student come to their place of business to observe them, look at some of their work, and possibly interview them. The letters let the person know that the student will be as unobtrusive as possible, and that they will disturb their work as little as possible.
The letters also describe the processes that the student has decided will be most effective in studying their research subject. They describe the different stages of development that occur ending in the final report, or the ethnographic report. The different deadlines and the time periods in which the student would like to meet with the research subject are outlined clearly. This way the research subject has a clear idea of what is expected of them. Finally, the student offers to share his or her research and final report with the research subject.