In May 2001, the Carleton faculty voted to launch a pilot project on portfolio assessment of student writing. The goal of the portfolio project is to develop a fair and efficient method of evaluating your work, not to mention improve our teaching of writing.

You can find a list of the portfolio requirements here.

Note: Writing Portfolios are due Friday, May 15, 2009

Other questions you may have about the portfolio are answered below; you may also contact Carol Rutz, Director of the College Writing Program, if you have any questions that aren't answered here.

Q. Exactly what do I need to turn in to complete my portfolio?
Here is a checklist of everything that needs to be included in your completed portfolio.
The Portfolio Requirement Sheet or the Insider's Guide contain more detailed information.

Q. If I didn't have to take a WR course because I had an AP score of 5, do I still have to come up with a WR paper? No.

Q. If I took more than one WR course, may I choose a paper from any of them? Yes.

Q. Where can I find the forms I need for my portfolio?
Copies of all forms are available in Willis 307. They can also be found at the bottom of this page.

Q. How can I authenticate a paper assigned by someone who is not on campus this term? Have you talked with the department assistant about ways to contact the person? Start there.

Q. Is it OK to revise my papers before submitting them? Yes. Readers like to see that you care enough about your work to revise it.

Q. May I use first person in my cover essay? YES! Please do.

Q. What else is required in that “reflective” essay? Faculty readers count on this essay to prepare them to read your portfolio, so consider this a persuasive document. Establish your voice, lead your reader through the portfolio, so s/he has an idea of what to expect, and reflect on your work from your own point of view. Have you always been a good writer? How do you know? Has your writing changed since you arrived at Carleton? In what ways? Does your portfolio show strengths and weaknesses? What are they? And so on. Most people write 2-3 pages.

Q. Do my title pages and bibliographies count in the 30 pp. I'm allowed? No—be sure to include bibliographies. Readers do look at them.

Q. Does the reflective essay count in the 30 pp.? No.

Q. May I submit a paper written as part of a group? Probably. If you can show in your cover essay or in a memo attached to the group paper which part (or parts) are your work, you’re in business.

Q. What happens if I don’t submit a portfolio by the end of my sixth term?
The Academic Standing Committee will decide how to deal with those who do not submit portfolios on time. One thing is clear: You will not be excused from preparing a portfolio.

Q. The permission form you ask me to sign refers to “ongoing research” about student writing. What’s up with that?
The College is interested, for faculty and curriculum development purposes, in knowing what kinds of writing students are assigned and in which courses, and many related questions that can only be answered by examining actual student writing. As the permission form states, you will never be personally identified in any such research.

Q. Where do I turn in my portfolio? To Carol Rutz, Leighton 310 or to Susan Quay in Willis 305. If neither of them is available there is a box clearly marked for you to put your portfolio in. Be sure you include the summary sheet with your portfolio. Do not drop portfolios off at the Write Place.

Q. How should I prepare my portfolio to hand in? Do you want it in a fancy binder or something? No! The best thing to use is the original writing portfolio folder. If yours has disappeared since freshman year, any other folder or manila envelope will work.

Q. I received a CD in my portfolio folder. What's the CD for? We ask that you download your submitted papers, as well as the reflective essay on the CD. This helps save money, trees and staff time in copying.

Q. How did the Writing Portfolio begin anyway? Great question. It all began when the Carleton faculty voted to include the entire class of 2005 in a pilot project on portfolio assessment of student writing. Click here to find out more.

For more information, see the Insider’s Guide to the Sophomore Writing Portfolio.

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These forms may be of interest to you as you complete your portfolio.