Portfolio Reflection Essay

Purpose and Genre

This reflective essay synthesizes all of the learning about literacies youve done this quarter. In
this essay, you should reflect on your experiences of writing, reading, researching, drafting, peer
response, feedback, and revision in this course, and you should use these reflections to think
about the extent to which your portfolio demonstrates that youve met the UWP 1 learning
outcomes. You should consider how your skills and experiences as a reader and writer have
changed over the course of the quarter, and what significance these changes have for your
understanding of literacy and language. Your writing and research journal will be an excellent
resource for this self-assessment.
When writers submit their work for publication, they often include a reflective cover letter or
cover memo for editors to review. This usually gives the editor some context for reading. Artists
use a similar genrethe artists statementto provide context for evaluating and understanding
an exhibit or portfolio of their creative work. You have practiced some of this self-reflection in
the cover letters you have included with each draft of the previous two writing assignments.
This essay will function as an extended cover letter for your portfolio. Therefore, the portfolio
reflection essay has two primary audiences: the first is you, and the second is me. By reflecting
on what you have learned about yourself as a reader and writer this quarter, you will practice the
skill of self-assessment. I will use the information you provide me in your self-assessment and
reflection to more fairly assess the work youve done in UWP 1.
Format
The format of your portfolio reflection essay will depend on the medium in which you choose to
compose. For example, most print essays use serif fonts like Times New Roman and rely on a
double-spaced, indented-paragraph structure. They also typically include page numbers and
headers that include the authors last name or a short title on each page. This format makes
print texts easier to navigate for readers. Online texts, however, typically use sans serif fonts
like Helvetica and rely on single-spaced, non-indented block paragraphs. This format makes
digital texts easier for readers to interact with on screens. Visual and audio media have their
own conventions. Be sure that the format and conventions you use in your portfolio reflection
essay are consistent and appropriate to the medium in which you choose to compose.
Regardless of the medium in which you choose to compose, this essay should be the first
element of your portfolio that a reader encounters. Keep this in mind when you are organizing
your portfolio.
Your essay should be the equivalent of 1,200 to 1,500 words. For a non-print medium, your
required word count may be less, since more of your labor will go into creating visual
elements, editing video or audio, etc.
Criteria for Grading
See the UWP 1 portfolio scoring rubric. You should also refer to the UWP 1 learning outcomes.

Timeline
Date: Before class, upload a rough draft of your portfolio reflection essay to Canvas. Bring a
print or digital copy to class for peer response.
Dates: Bring a revised draft of your portfolio reflection essay and your writing and research
journals to our one-on-one conference. I will provide verbal rather than written feedback on this
revision.
Date: Submit a final draft of your portfolio reflection essay with your finished portfolio.