Portfolio Assignment 

                             evaluation

A portfolio review (3 - 5 pages) allows you to reflect on the considerable work that you have done this semester.  It provides an opportunity for thoughtful review of the quality of your work including your strengths and weaknesses, as well as your growth and improvement as a writer; this review is all necessary for continued improvement.  For the portfolio review, you must evaluate your own writing, discuss strategies for improving your weaknesses in the future on your own, and consider where you would like your writing to be when you graduate with a bachelor's degree.

You must

• decide what traits of good writing are important for you to assess (ie, criteria)

• state your honest judgment of that trait clearly in your evaluation/ review of your own work (you will do this for more than one trait)

• explain clearly how you came to that conclusion using specific and detailed evidence including examples from your own work, discussion of your writing process, and/ or information from my comments, the evaluation form, or from the text

• explain how that evidence proves your judgment

• explain how you can improve your work on that "trait of good writing" or criteria: go beyond merely starting earlier or getting help from the instructor or others: discuss particular strategies

You must go beyond summarizing the feedback that you received from me to make your own assessment: I know what I have said in my evaluations of your work.  For the portfolio review, I want you to assess your own understanding of your writing.  Your assessments must include analyses of all four of your essays; you may include the diagnostic essay from the second day of classes if you would like.

Remember that the same writing standards that have applied all semester continue to apply to this essay, so after you do a few drafts, make sure that you review your thesis statement, topic statements, organization, depth of content, and grammar.  Getting feedback from peers or writing tutors is also an excellent idea!

At the beginning of the final exam, you will submit a three-ring binder containing your self-evaluation and graded essays and evaluation forms. You may pick it up next semester after emailing me in advance so I have it ready.