Portfolio and Cover Letter Assignment
WRIT 102

Portfolio Assignment
Due:  Friday April 23 at my office by noon; no extensions!

To enable you to revise your work and to demonstrate your learning over the course of the semester, 50% of your grade from this course comes from your revised written arguments submitted as a portfolio of your writing at the end of the term.

The portfolio must contain the following:

1. Three revised versions of previously-submitted papers. The final portfolio must include at least one paper of 1500 or more words and one paper documented correctly in MLA style.  You must include all stages of each assignment, so clip together all versions, including drafts and workshop sheets, with the final version on top. Eligible papers are
   a) Toulmin argument on slang; b) Rogerian argument; c) Midterm in-class rebuttal assignment; d) critique of sources; e) long researched argument.
    

2. A cover letter addressed to me that discusses your work as a writer this semester: where you started, how you revised these three papers, the kinds of gains you feel you have made, and the areas you still want to keep working on. Tell me about the kinds of questions you asked yourself, the kinds of new techniques and approaches you’ve tried, what seemed to work and what didn’t, what nifty tricks from class or the book that you tried to use, etc. What was easiest and hardest for you to do? What do you feel more confident about now, and what gives you trouble? What will you take away from this class, and what do you still need to work on?  In terms of the Rubric, what kinds of qualities of writing does it show? This letter should be a persuasive argument, a kind of Cliff’s Notes for your portfolio, that shows me what to look at and how to see you as a better writer, not just a chronological narrative of what you did.  The length is up to you, but most are two double-spaced typed pages, or more. Your purpose is not to kiss up but to evaluate honestly your progress as a writer this semester.
    

3. The two graded papers that you haven’t revised—put these in the back of the portfolio. All papers from WRIT 102 are kept on file for several years, then destroyed, so make a photocopy of anything you want before you turn in the portfolio. These are stored off campus and I can’t get them back after the term.

The portfolio, optionally, can include decorations, cartoons, a cassette or CD of music you want me to listen to while playing it, dark chocolate (no nuts), etc. But remember that it will be judged by the revised papers and cover letter, not the extras, so allot your time accordingly.

I will have your portfolios read and graded by the final exam, so you will have the opportunity to see what you got, even though the university retains possession of your papers.

Feel free to bring any of your revisions by my office during office hours or make an appointment for a conference if you like. You should also feel free to take revised papers or your cover letter to the Writing Center. Make your appointments soon; the remaining appointments will fill up fast! The number is 323-2138.