PORTFOLIO SELF-ASSESSMENT

PORTFOLIO SELF-ASSESSMENT INSTRUCTIONS
ONE OF THE PORTFOLIO REQUIREMENTS IS A SELF-ASSESSMENT IN ESSAY FORM DISCUSSING ALL COURSE ABILITIES AND ALL DOCUMENTS IN THE PORTFOLIO.

The self-assessment is just as important as the essays and other assignments you include. It will likely be the first thing anyone will see, and, therefore, will get a lot of attention. Spend time on it. Make sure it’s polished, revised, and proofread.
Here are some tips and ideas that might help you when working on the self-assessment:
• The self-assessment essay must reference all documents in the portfolio and all course abilities – the abilities you feel you’ve learned, as well as the abilities on which you’re still working. Try to explain how each document displays the course abilities.

• Show that you can evaluate your strengths and weaknesses, that you understand what you do well and what you need to work on. You may want to show how you’ve worked (or are working) to overcome your weaknesses. No one is looking for perfection; we prefer that you’re perceptive and self-aware.

• Here are some other things you may want to include, though they’re not required:
o Discuss your best entry and why it is your best.
o Explain what your portfolio shows about you as a writer, thinker and a student.
o Reflect on what you learned in the course about writing, reading, or other topics.
o Share what you learned about your writing/reading process, what works for you.
o Acknowledge readers/peers who have influenced your pieces and describe how.
o Point out revisions/improvements you’ve made that you want readers to notice.

• Though the self-assessment is an essay (and therefore should definitely be more than a paragraph long), be as brief and concise as you can. You’re being asked to give a lot of information, so there’s no chance of it being too short if you complete the prompt.

• Be yourself! Be funny! Be creative! Show your personality! Instructors have to read a lot of portfolios. Try to make yours stand out from the pile.