11/13/2007
Fall 2006--English B60
Portfolio Instructions, Grading Criteria, and Requirements
Instructions
Be sure to keep all of your work so that you have appropriate examples to include in your portfolio. Even keep those assignment you are least proud of or most angry about. They can be excellent examples in your portfolio.
Your portfolio, which is 10% of your grade, is a very important on-going assignment that will require a great deal of personal attention from you. In it you will analyze four (4) major areas of the course: grammar and mechanics; reading, comprehension, and vocabulary; essays; and Student Learning Objectives. Read over the sections and the assignments carefully.
You will need a loose-leaf binder, not more than 1", and dividers to organize the information. How you organize and/or decorate you portfolio is up to you, but it does need to be “user friendly.”
At mid-term (see the calendar for the date) Sections 1 and 2 must be completed. I will collect, review, and grade Sections 1 and 2 of the portfolio and return them to you at our conference.
Toward the end of the semester I will collect, review, and grade Sections 3 and 4 and assign a final Portfolio grade for the entire project. Note: All four sections must be in the portfolio to earn a final grade for the portfolio. Your portfolio will be returned to you at our final meeting.
Grading Criteria
Your portfolio will be graded on the following areas:
Binder Appearance
§ presents a neat and appealing look
§ follows instructions
Organization
§ uses dividers effectively
§ guides the reader easily
Written Analysis (paragraphs, statements, final essay)
§ gives a neat appearance—double spaced, typed or written in blue or black ink
§ exhibits grammatical correctness
§ provides thoughtful examination
§ uses clear and appropriate examples
Requirements
1. Grammar and Mechanics
Assignment: Write a well-developed, minimum 5-7 sentence paragraph for each of the following questions (5 paragraphs total). Include at least three completed homework assignments.
The Least You Should Know about English by Paige Wilson and Teresa Ferster Glazier
1) How much time and effort did you put toward understanding the material?
2) How did the time and effort affect your performance? Explain.
3) What were the most difficult chapters for you? Why?
4) What did you do to try and better understand difficult material? (For example did you use the Student Success Lab? work with a tutor? see your professor?
5) What was most helpful? What would be more helpful?
2. Reading, Comprehension, and Vocabulary
Assignment: Write a well-developed, minimum 5-7 sentence paragraph for each of the following questions (5 paragraphs total). Include at least three completed homework assignments.
Views and Values by Kari Sayers
1) Did you look up unfamiliar words? Why or why not?
2) To what extent did the time and effort you put toward reading affect your understanding of the material?
3) What were your three favorite readings? Explain why.
4) Did the "Something to Think About" questions help you focus on the thesis/purpose of the essay or story?
5) Did the "Words to Keep in Mind" help improve your comprehension of the readings?
3. Essays
Assignment: Choose two essays you wrote outside of class and two PFE’s you wrote in class.
For each essay write a one page statement that responds to the following:
1) Explain why you chose the particular essays.
2) Reflect how the chosen essays illustrate a change in you as a writer
For example you might indicate you chose the essay because you are particularly proud of it for a particular reason, or it might present a good point of comparison to illustrate how much your writing has improved, or the essay could be an example of you efforts to experiment with a particular writing technique. There are any number of reasons you may choose an essay, but you need to carefully analyze why you chose it.
3) Discuss one or two areas with which you are pleased to have made progress.
4) Discuss one or two areas with which you still having some difficulty. What are your plans to resolve the problems(s)?
4. Final Grade
Assignment: First, reflect on your overall performance over the semester. Next, consider the time and effort your put into the course. Third, review the course Student Learning Objectives listed on the syllabus. Finally, in a short 250-300 word narrative essay, discuss whether or not you believe you have attained each of the learning objectives and use specific examples to explain how you came to your conclusions.
