Think of your final project, an electronic magazine of your writing, as a persuasive argument that you can and do think for yourself and that you can express your ideas articulately. This is not a piece of propaganda; on the contrary, it should demonstrate your commitment to clarity, evidence, and audience-appropriate discourse. It should also be something that looks good and that you feel proud to publish.
What to Do
Use GoogleSites or Yola (formerly Synthasite) to create a website that will showcase you and your work. I leave it up to you how youÕd like to this to look, but remember what your purpose is, who your audience is, and what the situation in which you are representing yourself is. Don't forget that your writing must stand up for you when you're not around!
The portfolio MUST include the following:
- A homepage: This should: a) make some kind of visual argument about you as a critical thinker in the Age of Information, b) include a brief (3-10 lines) passage that makes and appeal to the audience to read the contents of your portfolio, c) provides an overview of its content and central purpose, and d) provides some sense of the author (you). Use images (either of yourself or anything you deem relevant to your project) or design elements (you have many templates to choose from). This page will also display links to each of the essays in your portfolio as well as to any additional pages you may decide to add.
- At least two (3) fully revised and edited essays written for this course, also on their own pages. (Use MLA style correctly.)
Note that the essays you include in your portfolio must be ready for publication, meeting the goals listed in the bullets below to the best of your ability. (See ÒExtra CreditÓ below for advice on submitting more or all of your essays.)
- Exhibit the ability to analyze and respond critically to college-level texts.
- Write effectively organized text-based expository essays.
- Demonstrate an understanding of purpose and audience in reading and writing.
- Construct syntactically mature and grammatically sound prose.
- Integrate textual material using standard MLA format.
Your grade on the portfolio will be based on my assessment of the reflective essay, the strength and thoroughness of your revisions, and how effectively the look and feel of the website conveys the identity you choose to project.
More about the Flavor of Your Site
When you are designing this site, think of yourself as the publisher of a magazine about yourself as a thinker. The site should frame the contents, your essays, in an appealing way, the elements you include should expressing the seriousness of your work, your attitude toward the issues you write about, your creativity and your personal authority.
You MAY consider including:
- a link to a brief bio
- a link to a resume
- links to your writing in other courses
- a link to video of you or that represents some aspect of you that serves to establish your authority with your audience.
Restrict access to your site to all but the members of the class unless you want to seek a broader audience.
Extra Credit
Highly motivated students may want to submit more than just two FULLY REVISED and EDITED essays written in class for extra credit. I strongly encourage you to revise all of your work, to make it a good as you can make it. With the exception of the 4th Essay, which I encourage you to post anyway, please donÕt include essays that have NOT undergone a thorough revision process beyond your initial submission of them. If the work is there, I will be generous with extra credit.
Submitting the E-portfolio
Please submit your e-portfolio by e-mailing the link to me at timmax@gmail.com by the 28th of May. Please be sure to have given me the form stating whether you will allow me to share your site as an example with other students and/or teachers. In the next months, I will be showing other teachers how to use this technology in their classrooms, so your participation will be highly appreciated. |
