Perfecting Your Portfolio

 Apply what you have learned.  Reflect on your progress.  Demonstrate your writing competence.

 Revised versions of all of your projects  word summary of:  The changes you made to each project  What you’ve learned about writing

 The portfolios are graded holistically.  Brief evaluation of strengths and weaknesses.  The portfolio may help balance your grade in the course.

 Quality and Thoroughness of Revisions ▪ Did you address each issue mentioned in your grade sheet and proofread each document carefully?  General “sheen ▪ Do the essays in your portfolio represent A, B, C quality work? ▪ Are you prepared for the writing tasks ahead of you?

 It is not necessary to work with the same group if you’d rather work alone.  Do not start a new project.

 Compute your revisions with the following formula:  Percent of Revision Needed: 50 – Grade Received multiplied by 2.  So, if you scored a 40, the percent of revision you’d need to score an A would be 20%.  The lower you scored on your original essay, the more changes you should plan to make for your portfolio version.

 You will receive an F.  Even if you scored highly on your essays, the point of the portfolio is to revise and improve them.  Consider adding more sources, fine- tuning some sentences, and adding more examples.

 Plan to spend considerable time reviewing your portfolio.  Consider these two areas:  Global Concerns ▪ Focus, Organization, Development  Lower Level Concerns ▪ Grammar, Mechanics, Style

 What are some things you have learned about writing this semester that will help you improve your essays?

 Will readers understand my reasons for writing? Have I provided the specific examples, concrete language, careful reasoning, and supporting evidence that they need?  Have I provided enough background?  Can I make my manuscript more enjoyable to read by incorporating more images and metaphors, by offering more creative examples?  Have I clarified the credibility of my sources? Have I provided sufficient evidence for my claims?

 Have I used any terms or concepts that need clarification?  What additional examples or concrete, sensory details can I provide to help readers understand my message?  Can I revise any passages to make them less emotionally charged and more sympathetic to my readers' feelings about the matter?  Are any of the examples and illustrations unnecessary, given the audience's level of knowledge? Are any examples and illustrations redundant?

 Is the tone appropriate, given my intended audience and purpose?  Do I sound like an informed expert, an inquiring scholar, a technocrat, a concerned citizen, a crank?  Is this the voice I really want? Would presenting a different persona allow me to convey my meaning more effectively?  Am I presenting a consistent voice throughout the text? If there are variations in the tone of the document, are they intentional and effective?

 Does my introduction hook my readers' interest? Does my document accomplish what the introduction promises?  Throughout the document, have I offered my reader a deductive overview of my purpose and forecast any organization?

 Could I use a picture, a graph, or a table to visually represent my meaning?  Can I make my work more scannable by using headers, bullets, or lists?

 Take PRIDE in your work and put some energy into it.  Remember, the idea is really show off your new skills as a writer.  Apply what you’ve learned!