Final Portfolio Assignment

Teaching Assistant: Patrick Mooney
Writing 2
Fall 2014

Due: Wednesday, December 17, between noon and 3 p.m., in my mailbox (South Hall 3421) or office (South Hall 5432E).

No late portfolios will be accepted except in the event of a documented catastrophe. If you need to turn your portfolio in earlier, please speak to me to make arrangements.

Overview

All of the work we've done this term has been leading to the final course portfolio. In this portfolio, you'll want to significantly revise two of the WPs we've worked on this term (see below for more on this) and include them, along with your remaining (unrevised) WP and a cover letter indicating how you think they demonstrate your learning in the course.

We've worked on three projects this term:

• In WP1, you explored pieces of writing that you'd already written before you took this class. You specifically compared the writing situations in those pieces of writing and the genre-based expectations for those pieces of writing. If you choose to revise WP1, I expect you to apply the knowledge you've gained in this class since completing WP1 to the revision. This might include: developing an argument based on your comparison of conventions in academic and non-academic genres; discussing the types of evidence used in the genres you selected genres, or the lack of evidence used; or any other ideas you might have.
• In WP2, you closely observed literacy practices and strategies that structured how discourse happens in a class that you are currently taking. If you choose to revise WP2, your description of types of evidence and analysis of their use of sources should be more thorough and insightful than in your previous draft. I also expect you to expand your argument so that, instead of merely talking about what happens in this particular class, you draw conclusions about what is expected in your chosen discipline as a whole.
• In WP3, you engaged in an intervention in a scholarly discipline of your choice. You chose two academic and two non-academic sources that applied to your topic, identified a question, and used all of your sources to construct an argument that advanced "our" understanding of that question. If you choose to revise WP3, you will need to strengthen the connections between your argument, use of evidence, and attention to genre conventions in the examples you chose. I expect your argument to be sharp, analysis insightful, and rhetorical choices made with purpose (for example, attention to the intended audience for your argument).

In addition to these assignment-specific (general) suggestions, you will need to address issues of organization, style (being concise, making sure that your writing is clear and to the point) and spelling and grammar.

In other words: You need to pay close attention to the comments you've received, both from your peers and from me.

If you have questions, or if you need guidance or suggestions, you are welcome to come talk to me during my office hours. Please send me an email if my office hours are at impossible times for you–we can certainly find other times to meet. Remember that we will also be scheduling individual appointments to meet during week 10.

Revision

Remember that, as we have discussed throughout the quarter, you are expected to engage in a substantial revision of two of your WPs. This is to say that you should not merely edit for surface-level issues, but should engage in substantial changes to your papers: your portfolio should demonstrate that you have have made meaningful changes to the structure and logic of your arguments in these assignments, not merely corrected unclear phrasing or grammatical problems (though these are also important). Here are some suggestions for how you can start thinking about satisfying this requirement:

When you revise, there are four things you can do: add, delete, substitute, rearrange.

Add: more concrete examples, details, data, quotes/paraphrases, explanation, context, adjectives, a unifying or contrasting point or view or perspective…

Delete: details that distract or confuse the reader, repetition, clichés, tangents that cannot be clearly connected to your purpose, unnecessary sentences or information…

Substitute: active, powerful verbs for weak, passive ones; one efficient sentence for two sentences; specific subjects for vague pronouns; a variety of sentence structures for a predictable pattern; precise words for vague generalizations…

Rearrange: the organization (chronologically, most important ideas to least important ideas, compare/contrast. Ask yourself, is this the most effective organization for this piece of writing? What would happen if I organized it differently?); word order to vary the pattern and create points of emphasis; check for paragraph unity and consider combining or separating paragraphs so that each focuses on one topic and makes one main point…

Revision should be an ongoing part of the writing process, not something that you try to cram in at the last minute. You need time to engage in several rounds of revision, so that you can let your revised piece sit and then assess it when your mind is fresh. Trying to revise entirely at the last minute is likely to be very stressful, and is unlikely to produce the best writing that you are capable of producing. You should revise in manageable chunks spread throughout your revision period rather than trying to get everything done the night before.

When revising, start with the big considerations—did you fulfill the assignment? Are the ideas arranged in a logical and fluid way? Can your argument be made more solid, more logically sound? Do you need to provide more argument or evidence for a position that you take? (or, is there more evidence present than is required to make your point?) Have you skipped over any steps in your argument's logical chain? Is there anything that you can do to make your argument more convincing? Have you thought about who your audience for this piece is?

After you are satisfied with your response to these questions, move toward more specific concerns (grammar, word choice, etc.)

Revise in this order:

1. Content/organization
2. Language
3. Syntax/mechanics

Don't do 3 or 2 first, because they might change as you rework the content.

Cover Letter

As with all of the WPs this term, your final course portfolio must include a reflective letter. In this letter, you want to reflect on what you have learned in Writing 2 this quarter and where that learning is evident in your portfolio. Write about specific changes you made in your WPs that reflect your learning and your process of revision.

Your letter should also address:

• Any changes in your awareness of your writing process.
  • Do you view your approach to writing differently now than you did before the class?
• Given what you've learned about writing and the different ways to approach it, what is the most productive approach for you when you are given a writing task?
  • You might consider timing, what you do in revisions, how many revisions you do, getting input from a classmate/friend, or any other aspect.
• What is the strongest feature of your writing now?

Grading

The final course portfolio is worth 50% of your grade in this course. Since you won't revise any of the material in it, my comments will be minimal. You're welcome to pick up your portfolios from me next quarter—and, of course, to talk about their content.

Staple or paperclip together individual items in the submission packet for each WP. Do not staple the whole packet together: if you feel the need to hold each individual WP packet together, you may do so with a large paper clip. Mark off each item that you include in your folder on this checklist, and include the checklist with your final packet.

If your grade on any individual WP was held down to a C for an incomplete submission packet, then you may replace that item in your portfolio with a short (no more than one paragraph) explanation of why that item was not included in your original submission packet for that WP. (I have kept notes on when this has happened for everyone.) If you have since lost any piece of work that you are supposed to have kept for your final submission packet, please come talk to me in my office and I will tell you how to replace that piece of work.

Presentation of your work matters. Make sure that everything is organized neatly according to the instructions above. Don't just throw papers into the folder at random and expect me to organize them and make sense of it.

When you turn in your portfolio, you are asserting that your work is in the best state into which you can possibly get it, and that it demonstrates what you have learned during the term. Remember that the absolute latest time to turn in your Writing 2 portfolio is 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, 17 December.

Once you've turned in your final packet, go off and do something fun and relaxing: You've done a lot of work this quarter! It's been a pleasure working with all of you, and I look forward to hearing about how your future academic and professional endeavors turn out. Please feel free to stop by my office and say hello during future quarters.