Q What is a portfolio? Your portfolio is a collection of the revised work you’ve completed in the semester and an analysis of your progress and achievement as a writer. The portfolio will include: Collection: a collection of 2 of your revised essays Reflection: reflections of your writing and revision process and rationales of what you have learned and how you have progressed as a persuasive writer and critical thinker this semester. What is the purpose of the portfolio? Because we have so tirelessly revised our essays throughout the semester, we now have the opportunity to submit our best work for grading in a cumulative portfolio. The purpose of the portfolio is to show me that you have learned how to revise your work. The portfolio will help me to assess your progress based on your work over the course of the semester. 50% of your course grade is determined by the work you exhibit in your portfolio; however, the final product, (the final drafts of the essays that you submit), are not the only way you will show your learning and growth as a writer. Your reflections about what you have learned and what you have revised are an important part of the portfolio as well. Producing a series of strong essays is only one aspect of this project; the larger goal and purpose of this portfolio is to show me that you have learned how to revise your work. What should I include in my portfolio? 1. Cover Letter 2. Reflection Piece for Essay 1 3. Essay 1 Final Draft 4. Reflection Piece for Essay 2 5. Essay 2 Final Draft with Works Cited page Cover Letter The purpose of your one or more page cover letter is to introduce your portfolio and explain how your portfolio shows your growth as a writer. This cover letter should explain what you have learned about writing, revising, argument and education throughout the semester and how you have applied what you’ve learned to the essays you’ve written this semester. Remember that your cover letter (and all your reflection pieces) will also demonstrate your skill as a writer. Your cover letter might include the following: 1. a discussion of your growth as a student and what education means to you now 2. a discussion of your growth as a critical thinker and/or reader 3. a discussion of your growth as a persuasive writer and reviser 4. a discussion of how you’ve incorporated what we learned in class into your writing process and your finished products 5. a discussion of how you’ll use what you’ve learned this semester in future classes 6. a discussion of your specific uses of instructor and peer feedback in the revision process Final Drafts of Essays You will include two (2) essays you’ve written this semester 1. Essay 1 (Visual Argument Essay) 2. Essay 3 (Essay on Problem Posing or Banking) with Works Cited page NOTE: Even though we are not including Essay 3 in the portfolio, all students MUST turn in at least one draft of Essay 3 in order to pass the class. Reflection Pieces Each essay section should begin with a one (1) page or more reflection or rationale in which you discuss what you’ve revised in the assignment and why. A portfolio is not just a collection of your work; the purpose of a creating portfolio is to assemble work in order to critically analyze the progress of your writing and revision processes over a semester. This awareness of the choices we make as writers is crucial to my goals for you this semester and for your success in college. Take these page long reflections seriously. Final Draft of Essays The final products/essays will: • Demonstrate SUBSTANTIAL revision from previous versions • Show the writer’s attention to the assignment directions and objectives; • Have a clear academic thesis statement that is the main claim/argument for the entire essay; • Demonstrate the writer’s ability to effectively integrate, cite and analyze sources to supplement his or her argument; • Demonstrate the writer’s ability to fully develop claims and fully support claims with varied evidence; • Demonstrate the writer’s ability to use Aristotelian appeals of ethos, pathos and logos; • Demonstrate the writer’s ability to create an academic tone (no using “you” or using questions to talk directly to the audience; no reference to the assignment itself) How will the Essays Be Evaluated? The portfolio will be worth exactly half the points of our semester. When we have completed all of the assignments, I will know the total (we didn't do quite as many Response Papers and Discussion Boards as expected). I will make the portfolio the exact amount of points that we have already earned. Here are the ways I will be evaluating the essays: 1. ESSAY FOCUS & THESIS Does the thesis appear in the introduction of the essay? Does the body of the essay stay focused on the thesis throughout the paper? 2. USE OF SOURCES Does the student introduce the author AND article title of his or her sources? Does the student refer to the author by his or her last name after fully introducing them? Are each of the student’s quotes connected to his or her own sentence? Are each of the quotes interpreted and analyzed fully? Are each of the quotes and paraphrase cited parenthetically? 3. DEVELOPMENT OF IDEAS Are there places in the essay that are unclear or confusing? Are all major terms in the essay defined for the reader? Are there many various claims made in the body of the essay (summary, definition, cause and effect, comparison and contrast, etc?) Is there enough evidence for each of the essay's claims? Are there clear connections between ideas? Are Aristotelian appeals used? Are rhetorical devices used? 4. PARAGRAPH DEVELOPMENT Does each body paragraph begin with a main claim (NOT a quote or an introduction of a source) and follow with an explanation of the claim, personal examples and/or examples from experts, an explanation of those examples and a closing sentence? 5. ACADEMIC CONVENTIONS Does the student avoid using “you,” and/or talking directly to the audience? Are there correctly formatted MLA cited Works Cited pages where needed (Essay 2)? Portfolio Due Date: SUBMIT YOUR WORK ONLINE THROUGH CANVAS BY Friday, July 29th. If you run into any problems submitting your work on CANVAS, you may email me your portfolio to stevenb@arc.losrios.edu. Because this is the final project for the class, you will not have another opportunity to revise this work. I will NOT make comments on the portfolio as a whole or comment on individual essays. NOTE: You can submit the portfolio in one giant document or in multiple documents (as long as you add them all simultaneously on CANVAS.) PreviousNext