Overview

The product of your engagement with English 101 this semester will be your English 101 portfolio, a sample of the work that you have completed that demonstrates your core competency in the skills covered in the course.  This portfolio will consist of both final, revised drafts of paper assignments you have worked on throughout the semester, and a set of drafts illustrating your composition process.  The documents will be graded by your instructor.

A “passing” English 101 portfolio is a requirement for passing English 101 and placing into English 102:  Freshman Composition II, the University’s required research writing course.  Students who fail to produce a satisfactory portfolio will be required to repeat the course. 

The English 101 Portfolio 

The English 101 portfolio will contain final, MLA formatted, revised drafts of each of your major writing assignments and drafts / supporting materials as designated by your instructor. 

1. Final and Working Drafts as required by the instructor of each of the major writing assignments in English 101:

One of the following:

• The Narrative Essay:  An essay discussing a personal experience or telling the story of a person, place, thing, event, or phenomenon 
• The Expository Essay:   An essay offering description, information and explanation of a given topic;

Both of the Following:

• The Compare-Contrast Essay:  An essay discussing the similarities and differences between two things.
• The Argument Essay:  A piece of persuasive writing that argues that an audience should accept a particular fact, causal relationship, quality, or action. 

And if required by the instructor: 

• The Writing Process Analysis Essay:  A reflective narrative essay that discusses your experience with the writing process over the course of composing the Narrative, Compare-Contrast, and Argument essays.  This may take the form of a Writing Process Analysis Cover Letter, depending on your instructor’s preference.

2. Other Materials as required by your instructor, such as your MyLabsPlus post-test or Entry Diagnostic, any short writing assignments, surveys, assignments, or other paperwork.

The English 101 portfolio is collected and evaluated twice during the semester—once at Midterm and once at the end of the class.   It must be presented to the instructor on the specified  due date and in a format (hard copy or online) specified by the instructor. 

No late English 101 portfolios will be accepted for any reason short of a certified medical emergency. 

English 101 Portfolio Grading and Evaluation 

To be considered “passing,” the portfolio must contain all required assignments as indicated by the instructor.    Likewise, the major writing assignments (Narrative or Expository, Compare-Contrast, Argument, and Writing Process Analysis if required) in the portfolio must average to a C (70/100), based on the ENGL101 Qualitative Rubric provided on the ENGL101 syllabus. 

A passing (C-level) portfolio is required to pass English 101.