ENGL 150 and 250 Portfolio Excellent
Writer responds
thoughtfully and creatively, requiring little or no revision
Good
Writer responds fully, requiring some revision
Fair
Writer responds mostly competently, requiring focused, substantive revision Needs Work Writer responds incompletely, requiring extensive revision
Context Clear and engaging
articulation of context and purpose; the audience is well oriented from the outset:
Adequate articulation of context; the introduction is mostly engaging and the audience is mostly well oriented from the outset:
Paper’s introduction is not engaging, and orientation for the audience is inadequate:
Paper does not meet audience needs by not providing engagement and orientation at the outset:
Introduction Introductory reflection engages the audience; its approach to portfolio’s introduction shows evidence of original thinking and attention to interesting details related to the portfolio’s purpose of summarizing the semester by examining individual pieces of work. Thesis is succinct and clear. Opening paragraph of each component #1-4) skillfully and specifically forecasts main points to be developed in each.
Introduction uses adequate details to develop reader interest; approach to portfolio’s introduction is conventional. Thesis gives reader a
general idea about the portfolio’s purpose. Opening paragraph of each component (#1-4) mentions main ideas that component will develop.
Introduction may use some stock or cliché phrasing rather than interesting details. Thesis difficult to identify. Opening paragraph of each component (#1-4) is vague concerning the main ideas of each to be developed. Overall approach is more writer oriented than audience oriented.
Introduction moves straight to content without providing context for the reader. Introductory reflection lacks thesis as do several other required components (#1-4). Overall approach is writer oriented; lacks audience considerations.
Purpose After reading the introductory reflection, the portfolio’s direction, contents, and organization for writing are clear; a strategy for developing audience interest is compelling and the reader has a reason to read on. Approach to portfolio shows awareness of multiple purposes and audiences over time through selection of the artifacts and work samples. Purpose for writing is clear and provides a substantive answer to the reader’s “So what?” question.
After reading the
introductory reflection, the portfolio’s direction, contents, and organization for writing are fairly clear, but a strategy for developing audience interest is less compelling, leaving reader searching for reason to read on. Most of the artifacts and work samples are related to the purpose of the portfolio. The reader’s “So what” question is partially answered.
After reading the
introductory reflection, the portfolio’s direction, contents, and organization are somewhat unclear, and reader interest has not been fully considered. Some of the artifacts and work samples are related to the purpose of the portfolio, but some lack of context creates difficulty in grasping their relevance. Portfolio may overall present like an accumulation of facts with no obvious purpose for their having been amassed. The “So what?” question is answered minimally.
After reading the introductory reflection, the audience has an impression of randomness, generality, and
disorganization, and audience considerations are absent. The artifacts and work samples do not explicitly relate to the purpose of the portfolio. The “So what?” question is not answered for reader.
Substance Content is well selected and
developed to accomplish the
Content is mostly well selected and developed to
Some content is superfluous or not clearly connected to
Focus of portfolio is unclear. Content lacks focus and does
1
4
6
purpose of the portfolio; focus is clear and audience’s needs are accounted for:
accomplish the purpose of the portfolio; meets most of the audience’s needs in terms of focus and interest:
purpose of the portfolio. Audience’s needs are not consistently accounted for due to a lack of focus:
not accomplish the portfolio’s purpose:
Details All portfolio components (#1- 4) critique work insightfully. Ability to transfer learning from previous courses and experiences and to current and future communication contexts is strong.
Most portfolio components (#1-4) critique work adequately. Ability to transfer learning from previous courses and experiences and to current and future communication contexts is generally good.
Some portfolio components (#1-4) show uneven critique of work. Some paragraphs lack an identifiable single topic and details may be missing or not fit well in the paragraph in which they appear. Material may be trite and provide only surface treatment of what has been learned and how it may transfer to future communication contexts.
Portfolio components (#1-4) do not adequately critique work or show insight about current and future learning.
Relevance All portfolio components (#1- 4) clearly describe growth, accomplishments, and include goals for continued learning (long and short term). Paragraph topic sentences are supported by detailed, factual examples from his/her semester’s work and peer and instructor feedback.
Most portfolio components (#1-4) describe growth, accomplishments, and goals. Paragraph topic sentences are mostly supported by factual sentences from his/her semester’s work and peer and instructor feedback, though some important detail may be missing.
Portfolio components (#1-4) are uneven in their description of growth and goals. Several paragraph topic sentences are lack support and important detail is missing in several places.
Portfolio components (#1-4) do not describe growth or include goals for continued learning. Details are inadequate to support main ideas.
Organization Organization of portfolio is
skillful and clear, appropriate to portfolio contents and emphasis, and shows care and originality. Audience processing and navigational needs are well accounted for.
Organization of portfolio is conventional, mostly appropriate to portfolio contents and emphasis. Audience processing and navigational needs are generally accounted for.
Organization of portfolio is uneven (inappropriate to portfolio contents and emphasis in some places). Organization may generally follow “steps” and questions in the assignment sheet, tends to be writer-oriented, creating diffuse emphasis and some processing and navigational difficulty for the audience.
Organization neither follows the assignment sheet
adequately nor is useful for the portfolio or audience
Processing and navigation are impeded for all but the writer.
Style Style is particularly well suited
for topic and audience:
Style is conventional: Style interferes with clarity in some places:
Style significantly detracts from clarity:
Sentence Level Writing is clear, fluid, and mature. Precise, vivid and appropriate word choice. Sentences varied. Subordination and
coordination used effectively.
Writing is understandable and competent with mostly precise and vivid word choice. Most sentence structures are varied, and subordination and coordination mostly used well.
Writing is vague and disjointed. Some sentences are structurally varied with some vivid word choice.
Writing is confusing with conventional word choice. Sentences are structured similarly and/or are simple sentences.
Correctness Conventions
The writing is free of grammatical, spelling or
The writing is largely free of grammatical, spelling or
The writing includes some grammatical, spelling or
Numerous sentence-level and/or word-level errors
1
4
7
punctuation errors. The style of writing facilitates communication with the audience; no editing is required.
punctuation errors. The style of writing generally facilitates communication with the audience; minor editing is required.
punctuation errors that distract the reader and requires some editing in several places.
impede audience
understanding. The style of writing does not facilitate effective communication and requires significant editing.
Delivery Innovative accommodation of
media and conventions; audience expectations and processing are carefully accounted for:
Adequate accommodation of media and conventions; audience expectations and processing are mostly accounted for:
Some problems with audience first impressions; inadequate proofreading interferes in places with audience processing:
Delivery choices distract from portfolio and interfere with audience expectations and processing:
Document Formatting
Contents are consistently double-spaced (unless the opening piece is a letter) and successfully adhere to MLA citation styles. There are no additional spaces between paragraphs. Visuals are placed appropriately and correctly into text, with attention to size, spacing, and margins. Introductory piece takes the form of either an essay or a letter and engages the audience in a way that acknowledges the genre choice. Individual portfolio components (#1-4) are well organized and the portfolio overall is attractively presented.
Contents are mostly double- spaced (unless the opening piece is a letter) and mostly follows MLA style. No extra spaces between paragraphs. Visual placement is mostly correct. Page numbers may be missing. Introductory piece takes the form of either an essay or a letter but engagement with the reader does not entirely account for that genre choice. Individual portfolio components (#1-4) are generally well organized and the portfolio overall is reasonably attractively presented.
The formatting often decreases the audience’s accessibility to the contents. Contents deviate from consistent double-spacing (and the opening piece, if a letter, is not single-spaced). MLA style is not followed consistently. Visual placement lacks attention to size, spacing, and/or margins. Page numbers are missing, and some extra spaces may occur between paragraphs. Individual portfolio components (#1-4) are unevenly organized and the portfolio’s overall appearance is acceptable.
The formatting interferes with the audience’s ability to process the portfolio’s contents. Portfolio does not follow recognizable MLA formatting conventions. Visuals and page numbers are missing, and extra spaces routinely occur between paragraphs. Individual portfolio components (#1-4) lack attention to organization and appearance as does the portfolio overall.
Proper Style Conventions
In-text citations follow correct MLA style, and Works Cited page is formatted correctly. Visuals include title and/or captions.
Some minor problems with MLA in-text citation, and Works Cited is mostly formatted correctly with one or two minor errors. One visual may be missing a title and/or a caption.
Evidence of attempt to cite sources, but in-text citations and/or Works Cited page are not correct. Most visuals cited with inaccurate, improperly formatted citations.
Few to no in-text citations used. No Works Cited or bibliography. No visuals included in portfolio or visuals created by others are not cited with accurate, properly formatted citations.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Firstly, I would like to acknowledge the role that Dr. Volker Hegelheimer has played in the development of this thesis and in my intellectual and academic growth. I am grateful for you guidance in this thesis (and throughout my time as a graduate student) and for your willingness to read and comment on my drafts.
Thank you also to my committee members, Dr. Barbara Schwarte and Dr. Michelle Tremmel for their advice and in helping me narrow down my topic. I value your perspectives and experience and I am grateful to have worked with you on this project. Thank you to Sarah Davis, Dr. Barbara Blakely, and Deanna Stumbo for sending me files from English 101C and English 150 as I requested them.
An enormous thank you should be given to my parents, Marianne, Francis, and my siblings, Anne, Stephen, and Brian Todey, who have given me unending support,
encouragement, and patience. Thank you also to Nathan, Emily, Zachary, Cindy, Steve, Linda, Syd, Naomi, and Calvin for all the delicious food, engaging conversation, and much needed encouragement and respite from writing.
I am extremely grateful for my friends and colleagues in the program, namely Amy Walton, for her patience and support as we worked together on many projects during our graduate school career, and my officemates, Shannon McCrocklin and Zhi Li, for patiently discussing my research and methodology with me. Thank you also to Aysel and Sinem for their friendship in the past three years and to Kavi for her kindness and support.
Finally, and most importantly, my gratitude goes to my 20 participants who agreed to discuss their experiences in English 101C and English 150 with me. Your time and insights are invaluable and without your participation, I would have no study.