Guidelines for English Portfolio at JCC
Dear Writing Students:
JCC’s Department of Language, Literature and Arts has implemented the portfolio as an assessment tool for all Eng 090, 131,
and 132 courses. Please read the following information about the portfolio:
- Every writing student at JCC must submit a portfolio, consisting of a variety of revised papers completed this semester that
best demonstrate competency in skills and strategies appropriate to the course in which you are enrolled.
- The portfolio is worth 30-50% of your total course grade. Your instructor will determine the specific percentage. See your
course syllabus for this information.
- Your instructor will evaluate your portfolio and offer comments on the strengths and weaknesses of your work.
- Successful portfolios contain papers that have undergone serious revision. This portfolio is the culmination of your
semester’s work and should show evidence of careful revision and editing.
- Your portfolio will be evaluated holistically; your instructor will give feedback on your overall work. See the back of this
sheet for departmental descriptions of good writing.
Portfolio Formatting Requirements:
-
Include a cover sheet for the entire
portfolio listing your student identification number, course and
section number, instructor’s name and other identifying information
as your instructor directs.
- Your instructor will identify a date near the end of the semester for the submission of your portfolio. Please hand in
one copy of your entire portfolio to your instructor the day the portfolios are due.
- Although MLA does not require a title page, you must include a title page for each essay in the portfolio. List the title of
the essay and a brief description of your purpose or reasons for writing and the audience or intended readers you imagine for it.
- Please print your portfolio double-spaced, using a 12 point font, with one inch margins on all sides.
- Please put your ID number in the upper right hand corner of each page.
- If you use source materials, be sure to follow MLA Guidelines for documentation and citation. Specifically, you must include
parenthetical citation and a Works Cited page.
- Please use a two pocket folder for your portfolio. No other folders or binders will be accepted.
We encourage you to devote time to the revision process throughout the semester. Successful portfolios include papers which have
been revised extensively. Your instructor will make suggestions for revision throughout the semester and as you compile your portfolio
at the end of the term. If you have any questions about any of the information contained here, please ask your instructor.
Sincerely,
The Language, Literature and the Arts Composition Faculty
Grading Criteria (revised 8-08)
4
The writing is engaging, original, clear, and focused; ideas and content are richly developed. Essays contain
abundant examples, comparisons and facts that are used to expand and support ideas. Clear organization and appropriate transitions
move the reader easily through the text. The voice and tone are authentic and compelling. Contains few if any errors in spelling,
punctuation, or grammar. This is an outstanding reading experience at all levels.
3
The writing is generally clear, focused, and well-developed; examples and details support ideas and content where
appropriate. The presentation is generally coherent, and its organizational structure is functional. The voice, tone, diction and
sentence structure support meaning. May contain occasional errors. This is a good reading experience overall.
2
The writing has some focus and support; ideas and content may be developed with limited details and examples. The
presentation shows some evidence of structure, but it may be artificial or only partially successful. The tone may be inappropriate or
the voice uneven. Sentence structure and diction are generally correct but basic. Mechanical errors are numerous enough to distract
the reader. This is an average reading experience.
1
The writing has little focus and development. Support for ideas is minimal, and at times the ideas themselves may
be difficult to identify. There is little discernible shape or direction. The writing demonstrates no control over voice and tone,
suggesting the writer’s inability to address an idea. Errors in spelling, grammar/usage, capitalization, punctuation and/or
indentation are numerous and interfere with the reader’s understanding. This is a poor reading experience.
0
The portfolio fails to meet assignment guidelines, is plagiarized or incomplete.
Additional Factors in Determining Grades:
| Eng 090 |
Eng 131 |
Eng 132 |
|
8 page minimum required.
1 page papers acceptable, though not to comprise the bulk of the portfolio.
- Fewer than required pages:
.5 Deduction
Mostly narratives acceptable.
Title pages must include audience and purpose statements.
- Missing or disconnected audience & purpose statements: .5 deduction
|
10 full page minimum required.
Individual essays must be 2 full pages or longer to be considered in the page count.
Title pages must include audience and purpose statements.
- Missing or disconnected audience & purpose statements: .5 deduction
Papers must represent at least two different modes: narrative/descriptive, informative and/or persuasive essays. One essay
must demonstrate ability to integrate and document material from 1-2 sources, using MLA parenthetical and works cited format.
- Lack of variety: 1.0 deduction
- Incorrect source citation and documentation: .5 deduction
- Plagiarism results in a 0.0 for the portfolio.
|
12 full page minimum required.
Individual essays must be 3 full pages or longer to be considered in the page count.
Title pages must include audience and purpose statements.
- Missing or disconnected audience & purpose statements: .5 deduction
Most papers should be informative. A research paper* is required using MLA parenthetical and works cited format.
- Incorrect source citation and documentation: 1.0 deduction
- Lack of research paper results in a 0.0 for the portfolio.
- Plagiarism results in a 0.0 for the portfolio.
|
*English 132 research papers must be at least five pages in length with a minimum of five different sources.
