Final Portfolio Information

Your final portfolio will be a polished compilation of the work you’ve been doing this semester and a process paper. You’ll have a chance to workshop it with a colleague, but this portfolio should be error-free. I’ll expect you to use all formatting guidelines. Also, I’ll expect that each piece will have been revised again since I saw it last—I will be able to tell! Think of this as a final art exhibit of your work.

Cover Page
Your cover page should have the title of your final portfolio, your name, class number (090___), times, my name and YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS. I will give all portfolio comments by email unless specified otherwise. (If you want your portfolio returned to you, please give me a self-addressed stamped envelope with your portfolio.) Other than these specifications, feel free to be as creative as you like with your cover.

Table of Contents
Your table of contents page should have all your pieces listed by title and the corresponding page numbers.

Essays
Ideally you will include all four of your essays, revised and polished. (See length requirements)

Process Paper
This is a final essay that will either introduce or conclude your portfolio. You can take many different angles with this essay. It can either be an introduction to your pieces, talking about themes, inspirations, etc., as if you were the painter explaining your paintings at the exhibit. It could be a concluding piece, wrapping up your progress this semester, discussing where you began and where you ended up, etc. It could be a conclusion to your Creative Monster story, slaying the Creative Monster, yourself as a creative hero, etc. It could be a persuasive paper where you argue what grade you deserve in this class and why.

You can draw from any of the styles we’ve looked at this semester: descriptive, narrative, expository, argumentative. Examples could be:

Descriptive: Describe your process this semester, describe your pieces, etc, focusing on descriptive language, nouns, verbs, etc.

Narrative: Tell a story about your experiences with writing this semester, slay the creative monster story, etc.

Expository: Explain your essays to me and how they work together as an exhibit, explain your changing relationship to writing because of the semester, etc, Explain “How to____(pass this class, put together a portfolio, etc.)”

Argumentative: Argue what you believe your grade should be in this class and why, argue any other angle of this class, writing, etc.

Other specifics:
The Portfolio should be 8-10 page of your best work this semester including your process page but NOT including your cover page or TOC.
You may be as creative as you like as long as you adhere to my minimum requirements.
The portfolio doesn’t have to be professionally bound, but it must be stapled with page numbers.

The portfolio must be in my hand or in my mailbox in South Room 313 by 4:00 Thursday, August 5.(If for any reason the mailboxes aren't there, look in Rm 312.) I will NOT accept any portfolios after 4:00. I will NOT accept portfolios by email.

I will be in my office (South 230) during our regular class time on August 5 to collect portfolios and to consult with students.

Have fun!
~NS