The Portfolio Assignment FAQ

Ms. Scragg, Fall 2002

What is a portfolio?

A selected collection of your work over the semester. You do not include every piece of writing you have done, but instead, show work that you feel demonstrated learning or growth on your part; also any piece that you are particularly proud of.

Why assign a portfolio?

A portfolio accurately illustrates a student¹s growth and learning. Also in creating a portfolio, a student must reflect upon their work, write about their work, and self-evaluate their work over the duration of this course.

What should I collect for my portfolio?

Include any work that you feel shows something about your growth over the course of this semester. Some students pick out work that they are proud of; other students show different stages of their writing to illustrate how far they have progressed. Your portfolio should include at least 8 pieces of work and no more than 12.

What other material should I include in my portfolio?

1) A one-page introduction should start off the portfolio. What am I about to read? What story is told by these pieces? Is there a common theme or a problem you managed to work through in your writing this semester? Have you learned something specific about writing, this subject, or yourself?

2) An annotated table of contents. List each piece. Come up with a title, and a one-line description for the piece of writing you are including (I shouldn¹t have to wonder: "Why is THIS piece of writing in here?")

3) A final reflection looking back at the semester & this course. Evaluate yourself as a student and evaluate this course. What did you do right this semester? What areas do you still need to work on? What did you like best about this course? What did like least? What would you change about this semester if you could? How should my portfolio look? To some degree, this is up to you. Creativity is a plus. Your work should be collected in a binder or folder so the papers can be easily read. Neatness and organization is important‹this is a finished product & weighs heavily on your final grade.

On what basis will my portfolio be graded?

The most important thing is to be truly reflective. I will be looking for honesty and the ability to look at your work objectively. Can you honestly sum up your work and tell a story through your writing? Selection is important also: what pieces did you choose? Creativity will be a great benefit to you‹this portfolio is also somewhat personal‹how do you want itto reflect who you are as a person? Organization and being easy to read will also weigh into the portfolio grade.

Any final suggestions?

Yes, be as creative as you possibly can. Keep the goals of the portfolio in mind & go from there. #2, be honest about your work. Don¹t say you tried your best if you really didn¹t. Honesty will count more than a phony story. Last tip‹keep the portfolio assignment in the back of your mind this semester. Remember that you have to do it and start collecting work now. Don¹t blindly throw papers away‹keep them in a safe place. Also, I want originalsŠmake copies of work you want to hold onto.

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