Course Portfolio
Throughout this semester, you have learned that writing is a process of revision that occurs over time, not writing that occurs in a single sitting. Included in the process are freewriting, journaling, planning, drafting, discussion with instructor and peers, re-drafting, and editing. The portfolio is a culmination of this process, and allows writers to assemble a collection of their best work that they have completed throughout the semester.In order to pass ILS 2385, students must submit an ELECTRONIC portfolio of written work that includes an annotated table of contents, an earlier piece of writing before the class began, ONE revised essays from the term (ad analysis), several blog posts, and a reflective essay.
Please keep in mind that your portfolio should demonstrate the following:•Your development as a writer and a critical thinker
Your development as a writer and a critical thinker•Your ability to write from and about a text, to write multiple interpretations of a text
Your ability to write from and about a text, to write multiple interpretations of a text•Your ability to write for different audiences and purposes.
Your ability to write for different audiences and purposes.•Your understanding of visual rhetoric (how an author persuades an audience using
Your understanding of visual rhetoric (how an author persuades an audience using visuals)
• Your understanding of how these visuals communicate sociological messages about gender, race, ethnicity, sexual identity, social class, and the myriad intersections of each of these.
Your portfolio will be presented as "pages" on your blog. You will need to set up these pages immediately.
Late work will not be accepted!
NOTE: DO NOT ATTACH ANY FILES TO THE PAGES THAT YOU CREATE FOR THE PORTFOLIO! ALL INFORMATION MUST BE TYPED INTO THE TEXT BOX PROVIDED (OR COPY AND PASTE).
The following worksheet should aid you development of your portfolio:
Step 1: Set up your portfolio pages on your blog.
Step 2: Select a piece of writing that you completed before this class began that best illustrates what your writing ability was like before this term.
Step 3A: Revise ONE essay written over the course of this semester (The Ad Analysis) and be prepared to discuss how it illustrates your development as a writer.
Using the graded copies of your essay in ulearn, make any necessary corrections and write a new, corrected draft. Submit this Revised Ad Analysis on your portfolio pages.;
Step 3B Although you don't have to revise it, you should also include a copy of Essay 3, the Scene Analysis. Place it on the portfolio page you created for the Scene Analysis Essay
Step 4: Write a short introduction to each of these essays.
Step 5: Select 3-5 entries from your blog (NOT DOCUMENTARY PHOTO PROJECT)
Step 6: Write one introduction for these three to five journal entries
Step 7: Feel free to include photos related to the content found on your blog pages.
Step 8: Complete an Annotated Table of Contents.
Step 9: Write Your Reflective Essay
Step 10: Attend to the visual presentation of your portfolio (i.e., design, layout, color, etc.)
Step 1
You should set up the pages on your blog that you will need for your portfolio. This is the page (webpage) where you will place your content for steps 2-9 above.
Step 2
You should select a piece of writing that was completed before this class began that best illustrates what your writing ability was like before this term. This can be any type of writing—a book report, essay, lab report, short story, poem, etc. If you do not have a piece of writing that was written before this term, select something from another class that demonstrates your ability to write for a different audience or purpose.
Step 3A
Make any necessary corrections or changes to the ONE major essay you wrote during the term. Any remarks made by the instructor on your draft should be addressed in the corrected copy.
Essay One: Ad Analysis Essay
Step 3B
Although, you do not need to revise your Scene Analysis paper, please copy and paste your final draft onto the page you created for the Revised Scene Analysis Essay.
Step 4
Write an introduction to each piece of writing addressing each of the following questions:
•What did you perceive to be the purpose of this piece?
What did you perceive to be the purpose of this piece?•Who was your intended audience?
Who was your intended audience?•What questions did you ask yourself as you wrote this piece?
What questions did you ask yourself as you wrote this piece?•What did you learn from this piece?
What did you learn from this piece?•What did you see as the strengths of this piece?
What did you see as the strengths of this piece?•What did you see as the weaknesses of this piece?
What did you see as the weaknesses of this piece?•What questions do you still have?
What questions do you still have?•How did this assignment affect your understanding of the term "voice in writing"?
How did this assignment affect your understanding of the term "voice in writing"?Step 5
Choose 3-5 blog entries from the term that you feel demonstrate your growth as a writer
Step 6
Write an introduction to these blog entries addressing the following questions:
• What did you see as the strengths of these entries?
•What did you see as the weaknesses of these entries?
What did you see as the weaknesses of these entries?• How do these entries reveal your development as a writer and/or reader, or as a film critic?
- What do they reveal about the development of your critical thinking abilities over the term?
Step 7
You can include photos/images if you like.
Step 8
An Annotated Table of Contents outlines the contents of your portfolio by offering a short abstract explaining the importance of each piece and why you chose to include it.
Example of an Annotated Table of Contents:
Annotated Table of Contents
•I chose “The Main Causes of the Civil War” from my high school senior exit project partly to be used as a contrast text to the academic cause-effect essay I wrote this semester, and partly because in most cases I prefer to write academically.
I chose “The Main Causes of the Civil War” from my high school senior exit project partly to be used as a contrast text to the academic cause-effect essay I wrote this semester, and partly because in most cases I prefer to write academically.•The film review essay is my revolutionary piece. I broke out of my academic writing mold and wrote relaxed and conversationally; this was a milestone for me!
The film review essay is my revolutionary piece. I broke out of my academic writing mold and wrote relaxed and conversationally; this was a milestone for me!•The scene analysis essay was the most difficult for me. This paper demonstrates how organization was particularly problematic for me, but I am also proud of my versatility by writing academically about film . Ultimately this paper illustrates the lesson learned on the value of concision.
The scene analysis essay was the most difficult for me. This paper demonstrates how organization was particularly problematic for me, but I am also proud of my versatility by writing academically about film . Ultimately this paper illustrates the lesson learned on the value of concision. Step 9
The reflective essay should not be written until after the portfolio is composed. It should be between 3 and 5 pages and address ALL of the following questions:
•What was your view of writing before the term began?
What was your view of writing before the term began?•How did your view of writing change as the semester progressed?
How did your view of writing change as the semester progressed?•Was your writing influenced by the work of any of the professional or
Was your writing influenced by the work of any of the professional or student writers we read this semester? •Which of your writings is your best work? Why?
Which of your writings is your best work? Why?•Which of your writings is your weakest? Why?
Which of your writings is your weakest? Why?•What are your strengths as a writer?
What are your strengths as a writer?•What are your weaknesses?
What are your weaknesses?•Can you trace your development as a writer this term?
Can you trace your development as a writer this term?•What have you learned about yourself as a writer this semester? How
What have you learned about yourself as a writer this semester? How does that correspond with what you knew before the term began?• How would you have defined the terms "audience," "purpose," and
"voice" at the beginning of the term? How do you define those terms now?
If your definition changed, did your experiences in this class change how you
defined those terms? If so, how and why?
• Has this class changed how you view the world, how you view others, or
how you view yourself? If so, how and why?
- Has this class changed your view of visual texts? If so, how and why?
- What is the most important lesson that you feel you have learned as a result of this course?
Step 10
The final step is to the visual aspects and design of your blog. Be creative! Have fun!
NOTE: DO NOT ATTACH ANY FILES TO THE PAGES THAT YOU CREATE FOR THE PORTFOLIO! ALL INFORMATION MUST BE TYPED INTO THE TEXT BOX PROVIDED (OR COPY AND PASTE).
Each of these items should appear in your portfolio in the following order:
1.Annotated Table of Contents
Annotated Table of Contents2.Intro to earlier piece of writing
Intro to earlier piece of writing3.Piece of writing that you completed before the semester began
Piece of writing that you completed before the semester began4.Intro to the Visual Analysis Essay.
Intro to the Visual Analysis Essay.5.The revised copy of the Visual Analysis Essay
The revised copy of the Visual Analysis Essay6.Intro to the Scene Analysis essay.
Intro to the Scene Analysis essay.7.The revised copy of the Scene Analysis essay.
The revised copy of the Scene Analysis essay.8.Intro to 3-5 blog entries
Intro to 3-5 blog entries9. Each of your blog entries (all can be on one page)
10 Reflective Essay
Your grade for your portfolio will be determined as follows:
Total Points: 40
Completes an Annotated Table of Contents (2 points)
Includes a piece of writing before class began (1 point)
Includes two essays written over course of this term (1 point)
Makes necessary corrections on these two essays and includes new, corrected draft
(13 points)
Writes a short introduction to each essay and addresses all relevant points about them (2 points)
Includes 3-5 journal entries (1 point)
Writes an introduction to journal entries (2 points)
Visual Presentation and Design (1 point): Blog is logically organized and visually appealing
Reflective Essay (17 points):
Focus (4 points): Does essay have a clear purpose? Focus on a main idea and clearly identifiable thesis? Are reader’s expectations set and then met? Ideas, examples, and reasons developed in the body of the paper are clearly related to the main focus?
Development (4 points): Does essay address each of the following questions:
• What was your view of writing before the term began?
•How did your view of writing change as the semester progressed?
How did your view of writing change as the semester progressed?•Was your writing influenced by the work of any of the professional or student writers we read this semester?
Was your writing influenced by the work of any of the professional or student writers we read this semester? •Which of your writings is your best work? Why?
Which of your writings is your best work? Why?•Which of your writings is your weakest? Why?
Which of your writings is your weakest? Why?•What are your strengths as a writer?
What are your strengths as a writer?•What are your weaknesses?
What are your weaknesses?•Can you trace your development as a writer this term?
Can you trace your development as a writer this term?•What have you learned about yourself as a writer this semester? How
What have you learned about yourself as a writer this semester? How does that correspond with what you knew before the term began?Organization (4 points): Do ideas and paragraphs proceed in logical and apparent sequence or pattern? Does writer use sufficient audience cues to let the reader know what has been discussed, what is being discussed, or what will be discussed? Does writer use attention-getting title and lead-in, essay map, summary and forecasting statements, paragraph hooks, transitional words and phrases? Do effective conclusions guide the reader from beginning to end?
Style (3 points): Is language clear direct and readable? Are sentences clear, concise, and easily read by intended audience? Is word choice appropriate for audience? Do sentences reveal and sustain appropriate voice and tone?
Mechanics (2 point): Are there obvious errors in spelling, punctuation, and grammar? Are there patterns of error?
Grading Scale:
27-30 A
24-26 B
21-23 C
18-20 D
0-17 F
