|
|
 |
 |
 |
  |
 |
 |
  |
 |
 |
Introduction
to the FYS Portfolio Assignment
Toward the end of the
fall term, all FYS students submit portfolios for evaluation. Each portfolio will be read by at least three faculty: the instructor
and two "outside" readers. One
reader will be from the same department as your FYS instructor; the second
reader will be another FYS instructor.
Each faculty reader scores your portfolio on a six-point scale
and provides brief written comments.
This triple reading of each portfolio increases the opportunities
for students to receive beneficial responses to their work.
Sharing of portfolios among faculty also helps ensure that grading
practices among different sections remain fair and equitable.
Why Portfolios?
Coe is among a small minority
of colleges which do not require freshman composition courses. Instead
our composition instruction is handled through a Writing-Across-the-Curriculum
(WAC) program, which involves faculty from all departments on campus. Each year Coe's faculty offer approximately
200 Writing Emphasis courses, as well as assign composition tasks in courses
that do not meet Writing Emphasis criteria.
For first-year students, the First-Year Seminars introduce the
practice of writing within specific disciplines.
The portfolio assignment plays both an instructional and evaluative
role in these seminars. It offers
the opportunity for revisions, giving students the opportunity to reconsider
and rework their compositions, a process critical in the development of
strong writing skills. The portfolio
assignment also enables students to discover how well their first-term
compositions meet the faculty's expectations of quality.
While portfolio evaluations
do not necessarily govern the final grade in a course (each instructor
decides what factors determine the course grade), having multiple readers
helps instructors see how their evaluations compare with other faculty. You should be aware, however, that the faculty
readers' evaluation of your portfolio can have a substantial impact.
For example, the readers nominate portfolios for the Outstanding
Portfolio Awards. Each year the Writing Committee distributes several hundred dollars
in Coe Book Store Gift Certificates to first-year students who have submitted
portfolios of unusually high quality. You should also be aware that if
your portfolio receives a composite score of 7 or below (out of a possible
12 points), you are expected to discuss the implications of the score
with your instructor. To ensure
that your writing meets college standards, you may be asked to choose
one or more of the following options:
- Enrollment in a course focusing on
writing, such as a Seminar in Writing or Writers' Studio.
- Development of a plan to improve writing
skills while completing appropriate Writing Emphasis courses in the
Spring and/or May Terms.
- Acceptance of an "Incomplete" or "X"
grade for your FYS section until you submit a satisfactorily revised
portfolio.
And finally...
The FYS portfolio assignment provides you with an excellent occasion for thinking seriously about your writing--and gaining assistance with your compositions from a college community seriously committed to the value of written expression. The Writing Committee hopes you take full advantage of this opportunity.
E-mail Dr. Bob Marrs with any questions, comments or suggestions.
