Composition Writing Studio

Final Portfolio

Portfolio Process:

In order to include a document in the course portfolio, a student must accomplish each of the following steps for every portfolio paper:

The student must submit a one page proposal to their studio instructor and peer group outlining 1) the topic they have chosen to write about; 2) the purpose for the text; 3) the audience in which the text will be written; and 4) the genre chosen for the text. The student will receive feedback on their proposal and, after it is accepted by the instructor, the student can begin the project. Once a draft is completed, the student should post the draft to the group discussion board at least 72 hours (three days) prior to their next studio meeting. The draft will be reviewed by the studio instructor and the peer group and comments/suggestions will be offered at the studio meeting.      NOTE: Each text completed for the studio must incorporate research from outside sources, including primary, secondary, and online texts; appropriate in-text and end-of-text citation should be displayed in at least one of the papers. Papers that do not incorporate information from outside sources cannot be included in the final portfolio.

The following is a recommended guideline for when drafts of each paper should be submitted; drafts can be submitted earlier to the group. Your studio instructor reserves the right to revise these guidelines based on student feedback and/or performance:

• A draft of the first genre should be posted for review by no later than Friday January 27, 2012
• A draft of the second genre should be posted for review by no later than Friday February 17, 2012
• A draft of the third genre should be posted for review by no later than Friday March 16, 2012
• A draft of the fourth genre (if applicable) should be posted for review by no later than Friday April 6, 2012.

Portfolio Submission:

Students will submit a portfolio of their writing for review during their time in the Writing Studio. The following are the requirements for the writing portfolio:

• Must consist of at least 7,000 words in final draft form, which translates into roughly 22 to 26 finished pages;
• Must display the ability to write competently in three to five different genres. Each paper in the portfolio must be from a different genre (i.e. two papers from the same genre cannot be included) unless instructor approval has been given;
• At least one of the genres should be a documented text using a consistent citation format and incorporating a number of sources with a sustained argument that results in a paper of at least 8 pages; and
• In addition to the finished pages, the portfolio must include a statement of self-assessment that has not received feedback from the group instructor or peers (see below for more information)

Upon submission, the student’s group instructor will review the portfolio and recommend either submission or revision. If submitted for review, the portfolio will be read by a team of three studio instructors (not including the group instructor) who will decide upon a grade for the portfolio.

The final course portfolio must be submitted for review by no later than Monday, April 16. All portfolios must be submitted to the student’s Epsilen Learning Matrix. If the portfolio receives a grade of NC prior to April 16, the student can revise and resubmit the portfolio based upon comments from the evaluation team for resubmission by no later than Monday, April 16.

Statement of Self-Assessment: Each portfolio should include a statement of self-assessment that analyzes your work in the course this semester. In this statement, you will argue for why you feel you have satisfied the course objectives of ENGL 1110 and why you are ready to move on to either a second semester composition course or to advanced writing classes here at the university. You can cite any text you have completed for this studio class in support of your argument. As a reminder, the following are the course objectives for ENGL1130, 1140, and 1150, as listed on the syllabus.

• Create a thesis that establishes claims for both a main argument and intermediate arguments that support it.
• Be able to distinguish between background, primary, and secondary research sources, and use those sources appropriate for the genre they are      writing and the audience for whom they are writing
• Write collaboratively with others, while remaining responsible for their own contribution to a group project
• Use at least two different citation styles, and identify the disciplines for which they are appropriate.
• Apply advanced methods for integrating outside sources into an argument, such as endnotes, footnotes, appendices, or similar references.
• Use electronic environments to collaborate on texts, conduct peer review, and produce texts appropriate for publication in electronic forums.

Choose at least three and no more than five of the objectives listed and explain, in detail, how you have satisfied those objectives through your course work. Pay particular attention to referencing portfolio papers in your letter. The letter should conclude with a broader reflection of your strengths and weaknesses as a writer.