Rather than construct a typical portfolio of your best work, this final assignment will accomplish two goals. It will show 1) your understanding of the writing process by addressing the various forms of revision used throughout the semester and 2) how you respond as a writer to the comments -- both by me and your peers -- provided on your work. The portfolio consists of multiple components as described in the table below. Each of these components will be turned in separately by 11:59pm on Wednesday, 6 May via turnitin.com.
| brief description | possible points |
| an introductory reflective essay, which includes a clearly established and supported thesis statement that focuses on the writing contained in the portfolio | 50 |
| two revision exhibits | 50 |
| two peer review exhibits | 50 |
| a significant revision of one essay (100 pts.) of the two written for this course -- revised, edited, proofread -- with markup (50 pts.) to compare revision to original version | 150 |
Read through the contents of this page, watch the descriptive videos [on eLearning], and view the samples. The surest way to earn points is to follow directions!
introductory reflective essay
This essay will serve as the introduction to your revision portfolio and should thus critically analyze not only the contents of the portfolio but your writing process as a whole. Explain what composing practices, strategies, or skills your peer reviewers suggested that helped you in the revision process. Where there contradictory comments offered by two different peers? Whose advice did you follow, and why? Think about the different types of assignments and workshops held throughout the semester along with the class discussions and readings. How have these various elements contributed to your improvement as a writer? What elements of the process have helped you most? How might the writing skills gained in this class prepare you for the rest of your academic career (and beyond)?
Remember, too, that this essay should be thesis-driven, so organization continues to play a guiding role in your writing. The reflection on the exhibits provided in your portfolio should be a narrative -- first person is suitable here, but don't overdo it -- explaining the writing and revision processes you have experienced throughout the semester. Use one of the paragraphs in this essay to analyze the changes made to the revised essay. This document, along with the exhibits, aids in proving that you have gained the knowledge necessary to revise your writing.
Length: 750-1000 words.
revision exhibits
The revision exhibit contains two examples of revision you have made, not those suggested by your peers or another outside source. Rather than look at the whole essay, though (which we'll do in another part of this portfolio), these exhibits will focus more narrowly at key parts of the essay. Viable examples will trace the improvement in...
- the thesis statement
- the introductory paragraph
- the concluding paragraph
- a single supporting paragraph
- the structure of your essay (thesis and topic sentence outline)
The template below shows the overall content of this part of the portfolio. Watch the video overview [on eLearning] and view the pdf sample for more details.
Focus: In 2-3 sentences, describe the component of your essay that will form the basis of this exhibit. Include details from the assignment itself.Versions: Copy and paste at least three versions of the component you’re analyzing in this space. Consider visual elements such as distinctive fonts, formatting, etc., to display the versions Clearly label the versions, either with draft names or dates. Depending on the elements you select, this section will likely be the longest of the three.Commentary: In a well-developed paragraph of at least five sentences, discuss the versions that appear above. Why did you make the changes you've displayed? How did the changes improve your essay?Revision exhibits are meant to show improvement, so you need something that has improved. To complete this assignment, you must first decide on an element of your essays that has changed A LOT, not just by a word or a comma.
Once you have picked a focus for the first exhibit, find the various versions of that element in the freewriting exercises, preliminary drafts, and final graded versions of the essays complete for this course.
Consider the following elements when displaying your revision exhibits on the digital page:
- appearance: Decide how you will visually present and organize your selections of the exhibits. Use different fonts, colors, or notation functions in the Google Doc to distinguish between the various parts of your exhibit.
- organization: Order the drafts logically to enhance clarity and coherence.
- analysis: Critically consider why you have chosen this selection. Why did it need to be revised and how did the comments help you improve it?
Commonly asked questions about the revision exhibits:
Q: I have more than three versions of the thing I want to show. Is that okay?
A: Yes. Use at least three versions to show improvement, but you may use more.
Q: I used the same document throughout my revision process. How do I find past versions to track my revision history?
A: Remember that Google Docs save constantly, so as long as you wrote your essay in the Drive, you should be able to see how it has changed by accessing the version history. Click on the link "All changes saved in Drive" or "last version saved at..." next to the menu at the top of the page.
Q: Can I show changes to the thesis statement in both essay 1 and essay 2?
A: No. The elements have to be different.
Q: Do I have to choose parts from all of the essays we've written this semester?
A: No. Both elements can be from the same essay as long as they don't overlap; in other words, do not choose to compare the thesis statement and the intro paragraph for the same essay.
Q: Do I create separate documents for the two different exhibits?
A: No. Both revision exhibits appear on the same Google Doc. This pattern applies to the peer review exhibits, too.
Q: I only have two drafts of a particular element. Can I still use it?
A: If you only have two drafts/versions, add another revision written for this purpose (it doesn't matter that it wasn't turned in for a grade).
peer review exhibits
The peer-review exhibits evaluate input given to you by your peers and show how you put those types of comments to use. Select two examples from the multiple peer review activities we've done this semester. Look for comments that are not only abundant but also insightful/helpful.
As with the revision exhibits above, a clear structure will help make this assignment easier. The template below shows the overall content of this part of the portfolio. Watch the video overview [on eLearning] and view the pdf sample for more details.
Focus: In 2-3 sentences, describe the peer review activity that will form the basis of this exhibit. Include details from the assignment itself. if you need a reminder on what the activities were called or the goals, view the revision guides page.
Activity: Insert a screen shot or photograph of the activity. Size/crop the image so that the comments added by your peer are clearly visible and readable.
Commentary: In a well-developed paragraph of at least five sentences, discuss the activity that appears above. What was most helpful about the exercise, either from your peer's comments or the intention of the activity? How did your peer's comments help you revise for the next draft?
Consider the following elements when organizing your peer review exhibits:
- appearance: Decide how you will visually present and organize your selections of the exhibits. Use different fonts, colors, or notation functions in Google Docs to distinguish between the various parts of your exhibit.
- organization: Order and crop the images from the activity logically to enhance clarity and coherence. I'd like to be able to actually read the comments your peer inserted.
- analysis: Critically consider why you have chosen this selection. Why did it need to be revised and how did the comments help you improve it?
Commonly asked questions about the peer review exhibits:
Q: Am I supposed to show the before and after of the my peer added comments on?
A: No. Do not show me an "original" and "revised" version. Your commentary will suffice.
Q: How do I take a screenshot?
A: Google it.
Q: I went to the Writing Center. Is it okay to use that instead of an in-class activity?
A: No. While the writing center can be helpful, I'm asking you to reflect on the comments offered by your peers in class and on the activity itself.
Q: I resolved the comments my peer added to my draft on the Google Drive. Can I find them again?
A: Let's hope so. To view past comments, select the "open comment history" option at the top right of the Google Doc page.
Q: Most of the peer review comments I have are digital. Should I just retype them in the activity space?
A: No. Take a screen shot and insert the image.
Q: I missed all the peer review days. What do I do?
A: Since we had multiple activities on multiple essays, unfortunately you cannot complete the peer review assignment. If this is the case, you can earn partial credit by providing an additional revision exhibit (described above). To take advantage of this offer, add a note to this effect on your revision exhibit document in the "Focus" of the optional exhibit three.
Q: Can I use the same activity if the comments are from different people?
A: No. Reflect on one activity per exhibit.
essay revision guidelines
View the video overview of this assignment on eLearning. Keeping in mind that revision means to "see again," this portion of the portfolio presents an opportunity to rework the final draft of one of the essays you've submitted previously for this course, approaching it from a new perspective. Remember the following points as you revise:
- Revision is more than simply correcting grammatical errors and refining word choice. Your revised essay should look decidedly different from the initial, graded draft you turned in earlier in the semester.
- My grading standards are naturally going to be more stringent this second time around. Not only have you had more time to consider the essay, but you have also had the benefit of my comments.
- With that in mind, review my comments on turnitin.com from the first time you submitted the essay. You are sure to get a lower grade on the revision if you do not implement changes I specifically address in my comments.
- Use the draft notes you submitted with each essay -- especially the final question asking what you'd change if you were starting over -- and revisit the topic with fresh eyes. Perhaps you completely rework your introductory paragraph and/or incorporate several new paragraphs to support your revised thesis statement.
Effective revision considers each of the following elements of the writing process.[1]
- Purpose: what do I hope to achieve? How can I achieve it more effectively?
- Audience: who is my audience? Does my writing meet some need or desire my audience might have?
- Topic/content: Is my topic interesting? Does it follow the guidelines of the assignment? Have I narrowed it enough? Too much? Is my topic suited to my audience and purpose?
- Organization: How is my essay organized? Are the points arranged logically and coherently? Is each point clearly highlighted in its own paragraph, or have I jumbled points together? Can I expect my reader to understand the transitions I have made from one idea to the next? How can I make these transitions more clear and flowing?
- Development: Is each paragraph developed fully with concrete examples or illustrations? Have I avoided generalizations and abstractions? In places where I have had to use them, have I defined them clearly through examples and illustrations? Have I emphasized the right points?
- Style and tone: Is my writing clear and readable? have I avoided slang? Where in my essay can I improve the effectiveness of my prose by using more active verbs and concrete nouns? Have I overused adjectives and adverbs, especially such empty intensifiers as "quite," "really," "definitely," and "very"?
- Surface correctness: Have I eliminated all errors of spelling, grammar, and punctuation? Have I proofread for those errors to which I am especially prone?
For additional inspiration in this process, see UNC Writing Center's page on revising drafts.
There are two parts to this assignment -- the revised essay (100) and the "markup" or commentary about the changes you've made (50). We'll accomplish this task by using the "compare documents" tool in Google Docs. Check out this page with helpful info and a how-to video about this process.
Once you decide which essay to revise, follow these steps to prepare your revision.
- Copy and paste the text from the first graded version of the essay into a new document titled revised essay--original in your revision portfolio folder. This will be your base document.
- Make a second copy of this document (same folder) and title it revised essay--revision. This is the version you're going to work on throughout the revision process.
- Revise, and revise again. Use some of our peer review activities to evaluate your own work.
- When you're ready too compare your revision to the original version of the essay, open the original and select "compare documents." Use revised essay--revision as your "comparison document." A new document will be generated to show every insertion or deletion you made since you turned the essay in the first time. Title this document revised essay--markup. This is the version you'll submit on turntin.com, but NOT YET.
- Look at your revision. How much has changed? If you need or want to continue making revisions, turn on "suggesting mode" to avoid having to go through this process again.
- When you are satisfied with the level of changes you've made, use the "insert comment" tool, add at least one comment per paragraph to justify your improvementts. These comments should be complete sentences (i.e. "This new thesis statement is better because..." or "Most of the revisions in this paragraph helped to tighten phrasing. I did _____ in my first draft, but this draft is ___.")
- Turn in the revised essay--markup as a Google document on turnitin.com. Save a backup version in your shared Google folder in case the comments don't come through.
Commonly asked questions about the revised essay:
Q: This process looks confusing. What happens if I don't do it?A: Since the grade is based on the revision (100) and the markup (50), you will not receive points for the part you do not complete.
Q: What is the document that I turn in supposed to look like?A: It will contain crossed out and inserted text and inserted comments. See the sample at right. This should look familiar to our peer review experiences in Google Docs.
Q: I'm happy with the grade I made on the essay the first time around. Do I still have to revise for the portfolio?A: Yes. Failure to revise significantly will likely result in a lower grade.
Q: Can I consult the writing center about this revision?
A: Absolutely. Check the UNG Tutoring Services website for details.
Q: I made an A the first time. Doesn't that mean I don't need to revise?
A: No.
Q: I made below a 70 the first time you graded this essay I'm revising. Will this revision help my grade?
A: Yes. If you made below a 70, I will average the original grade with the revision grade to boost the original grade. The revision grade will count for the portfolio as well.
Q: Does this grade improvement opportunity apply to me if I made a 70 or above?
A: No.
Q: If I change my topic entirely, what kind of comments should I add in the markup?
A: The same standards apply in this case. What makes this new intro/thesis/paragraph better than the previous one? How do they interact with each other to form a better overall essay? Why did you change your topic?
Q: Can I revise both my essays for the chance of improving my grade?
A: No.
Q: Is it possible for me to get a lower grade than I did the first time it was graded?
A: Yes. See above.
Q: Is there any way I can earn extra credit at this point?
A: YES. I'll award up to 25 points to any student who uploads a voice commentary to talk about the revision process for this essay, almost like a spoken version of some of the comments you've added into the document itself. If you choose this option, please upload your file (audio only or audio+video) in your revision portfolio folder by the portfolio deadline. Email me once the file is in place so I can evaluate it and give you appropriate credit.
[1] Adapted from M. McFarland's revision guidelines.
