for ENGL 309

1. ENGL 309 Final Portfolio
(200 points)
Educator and philosopher John Dewey argued, “We don’t learn from experience – we learn from
reflecting on our experience.” In other words, only in the concerted effort to recollect and make sense
of what you’ve done that genuine knowledge is created. Likewise, it’s taken as a truism in writing
studies that it’s in the hard work of revision that the real writing happens. Both of these principles serve
as the basis for the final assignment in English 309.
Your final portfolio will consist of these things:
1. A reflective memo (approximately 1000 words) (100 points).
2. A revised version of either the white paper or the imitative essay (100 points).
You’ll compile each of these into a single document and upload to BbLearn by 11:59 p.m. on the
Monday of finals week.
ReflectiveMemo
As the name suggests, the reflection in the final portfolio comes in the form of a reflective memo. This
memo should do the following things:
 Make a substantive statement about how well you met each of the learning objectives (listed in
the box below) for English 309. Be specific, using examples from your work to support your
claims. Explain which of the learning objectives you feel most accomplished at, and which you
most need to work on.

2.  Provide a detailed revision plan for the piece you plan to revise. Your explanation should move
from global to local revisions – see the pieces I posted about revision on Blackboard to
understand what that means.
 Make a substantive statement about what you learned from the process of revising your work.
Revisionof White Paper OR Imitative Essay
You will actually revise either your white paper or imitative essay. Your revision should involve not just
local or sentence-level (editing) fixes, but a substantial re-seeing of the piece, as we’ve discussed it in
class. You might change the audience to a different, more appropriate one; you might add research;
you might change your point of view, subtract or add details, or otherwise deepen and solidify the
piece. (After you make these global changes, of course, you should then turn to more local, sentence-
level revisions.)
Grading Chart, Final Portfolio
Reflective memo. The writer has given an accurate, well-supported assessment
of his/her performance in the course by discussing how well he/she has met
the course outcomes. The writer demonstrates clear vision and understanding
of how his/her writing could be improved, using language and concepts
learned in the course.
100
Revision of white paper OR imitative essay. The piece has been substantially
revised, and is significantly improved from the original version in terms of
100
Learning Objectives for ENGL 309
Bythe end of thecourse…
 You shouldhave gained a thorough understanding of style as
rhetorical,a product of audience, purpose, and genre.
 You shouldbe ableto effectively composein a wide range ofwritten
genres using thestyleappropriateto that genre, audience, and
purpose.
 You shouldbe ableto thoroughlyanalyzethestylisticdevices of a
given piece ofprose, and to imitatethosedevices in your own writing.
 You shouldhave developed advanced research skills, and an
understanding of how to use that research to advance your own
writing goals.
 You shouldbe ableto effectively giveand receive feedbackabout
writing in small and large-group settings.

3. audience, purpose, content, and style. It shows evidence of global AND local
revision.
TOTAL 200 points