Extra Credit Project: Portfolio of Semester Work. This is the only extra credit project offered in this course.  It is offered because I believe that is it helpful for students to self-assess their semester’s work in this class.  Doing so may show students their strengths and weaknesses as writers and may help them prepare for the next required writing course.

Your extra credit project for this semester is to compile a Portfolio of Semester Work.  You may earn up to 15 points to be added to any graded Major Paper (on the Major Research Paper, the points count only once).  This project is due on December 7, 2000 and will be returned to you at the final exam.  To compile the portfolio, complete the following.

The portfolio must be divided into the following sections:

• Section 1:  Letter of Transmittal
• Section 2:  Journal Writing, all 15 arranged in numerical order
• Section 3:  Exploratory Essay
• Section 4:  Toulmin Analysis/Position Paper
• Section 5:  Rogerian Argument Paper
• Section 6:  Annotated Bibliography
• Section 7:  Major Research Paper

The Letter of Transmittal must be typed following the blocked style for business letters on p. 748 LBH
The letter must contain the following information in multiple paragraphs:

• Present the portfolio to me as an extra credit project
• Explain the strengths and weaknesses of each paper written in the course (one paragraph per paper)
• Explain the strengths as a writer overall that have been developed by the end of the course
• Explain the weaknesses as a writer that still remain at the end of the class
• Describe a plan for eliminating remaining weaknesses
• Closing

Each section must have a cover sheet, labeling the section.  For example, Section 1 would have a cover sheet with the label “Section 1:  Letter of Transmittal.”

The portfolio must be spiral bound and contain a cover that includes the following information:

• Your name
• Portfolio of Semester Work
• English 1301
• Ms. Chumchal
• Fall 2000

 Each writing project must be complete, including

• assignment sheets and grade sheet
• final copy
• drafts
• workshops, group  work, notes
• sources

• You are responsible for ensuring that the portfolio is bound securely.  You are advised to either xerox sheets of notebook paper or attach sheets of notebook paper to regular xerox paper.  You should also take care of paperwork during the semester so that none becomes wrinkled or torn.