The document discusses the significance of higher education, questioning the motivations behind attending college and its impact on career success. It critiques Mark Edmundson's argument that education should be prioritized over social aspects, emphasizing that economic stability and networking opportunities also play critical roles in students' decisions. Ultimately, it argues for a balanced perspective on the educational experience, highlighting the importance of acquiring skills and personal development in addition to traditional academic learning.

1. Running head: EDUCATION ESSAY
1
EDUCATION ESSAY
2
Education Essay
Thyiest A Mosley
Park University
30 June 2019
Why do we need education? This is a question you as a student
that is going to off to college may have wondered at some point.
Many argue that education is the gateway to a good life, accords
one a certain quality of life, and opens up employment
opportunities (Reda, 2019). Mark Edmundson in his article
“Who Are You and What Are You Doing Here,” “ argues that
most people attend college, not for the education itself but
rather for the parties, the connections, and the accolades that
will finally lead to a good job with benefits. Although
Edmundson’s arguments about how students should focus on
their educational needs rather than conforming to the current
educational system appear convincing [?] [incomplete
expression], he fails to point out that dreams do not always pan
out. The system is flawed and therefore even though students
will end up might graduate with large student loan debts for

2. careers they never [?] wanted to pursue in the first place, the
social, and economic stability that comes with having a well -
paying job, are is [subject/verb agreement: stability is] far
superior to any purported happiness thought to be acquired from
seeking better education or pursuing a career path of one’s
choosing. Introduction paragraph incomplete: thesis/purpose
statement not clear; no blueprint statement (overview statement
of topics to be discussed in the essay).
Economic stability is one of the reasons students attend
institutions of higher learning. The reason is that h Higher
paying jobs often require the knowledge and skills acquired at
these institutions. Every person who wants a better life for
themselves himself or herself [pronoun/antecedent agreement:
“every person” is singular, not plural] has at some point had a
revelation that they he or she [pronoun/antecedent agreement]
needed papers a college degree to get [“get” is casual; avoid
using] gain access to these jobs. These jobs also come with
perks [casual] benefits such as medical insurance which in turns
makes [subject/verb agreement: insurance makes] healthcare
that much affordable. Is it that unfathomable that you would
want to choose a career path solely based on future perceptions
rather than fleeting happiness? [I’m not sure what the point of
this statement is] Truth is in as much as people try to encourage
others to live in the present, people often avoid or pity those
who are struggling and thus may not want to help out, and if
they do so, they will do so begrudgingly [I’m not sure what the
points of this statement is: what does it have to do with
Edmundson’s article?]. Let nobody lie to you, people will
always have choice words for someone who followed their
passion but failed to succeed. It is only those who succeed who
are used as poster children for the case for following dreams
[I’m not sure what the pint of this statement is].
There is a certain social status that comes with being successful.
Most students imagine such a successful [?] life for themselves,
which is perhaps the major reason you they [pronoun/antecedent

3. agreement] will attend college. Edmundson recognizes the same
idea in his article. He speaks of a time when he himself was
willing to go along with the flow. [vague, casual statement]
follow the paths of his fellow students [?]. He shares a
conversation he had with his father before he went off to
college. When asked by his father what career path he intended
to undertake, he argued stated that he wanted to take pre-law
because he thought lawyers made a lot of money. His father
instead urged him to choose a career path that he loved, since he
would only get [“get” is casual, vague, overused] one shot at
one opportunity to attend college, and that is how he ended up
an English major (Greene, & Lidinsky Edmomndson, 2011 2019
[?]). However, the pressure to do something celebrated by
society [I’m not sure what this means] is still there and most
people's career choices involve a bit of societal expectation
[I’m not sure what this statement means]. This [vague “this”;
this what?] is not always a bad thing [“thing” is casual,
overused] idea as it gives someone a baseline [?] if one ever
decides to deviate from their his or her [pronoun/antecedent
agreement: “one” is singular] chosen path. In addition, a wealth
of experience from another field can make a person an
insightful worker
Happiness is defined as a state of well-being, a moment when
one feels content [How is this statement related to college
education?]. There are a variety of reasons a person may feel
happy; [fused sentence] for instance when they he or she
[pronoun/antecedent agreement: “person” is singular] does work
that is meaningful, when they he or she volunteers, or when
traveling. While being passionate about what you do is of great
significance, I believe that happiness is relative. Some people
derive their happiness or rather their motivation extrinsically. If
they are successful at what they do, they are happy, and that
should be considered instead of equating happiness to this
abstract thing [?] that has to be achieved in totality [I’m not
sure what this statement means]. Even those who pursue careers
of their choosing have moments of sadness just like everyone

4. else. In addition, there are other things [“things” is casual,
vague, opverused] issues that can make someone happy besides
career choices, for example, flexible working hours or not
working in an office.
In conclusion, I agree with Mark Edmundson’s assertions that
there is more to college than parties, getting [“getting” is
casual, overused] earning a degree and connections for a plush
good-paying job as taking interest in what students learn in
universities is paramount. However, I opine [?] that today’s
realities have led to this aspect being overlooked and going to
college has become more of a symbolic practice [I’m not sure
what this expression means]. However, the system is faulty
[What do you mean by “faulty? In what way? Who says so?
Edmundson? You?] and students are just sticking to what has
become the norm following standard educational paths [?].
Therefore unless more emphasis is put into skills and
experiences rather than fancy degrees [What are “fancy
degrees”? Do you discuss this topic? Does Edmundson?], there
is nothing much that students could do to change the system.
Thyiest, your essay is not clearly organized; you do not discuss
Edmondson’s points in an organized manner, and many of your
statements are not clearly expressed. There are several
grammar errors as well.
References
Greene, S., & Lidinsky, A. (2011). From inquiry to academic
writing: A text and reader. Macmillan. [you do not cite the
entire text; you cite the specific article in the text]
Reda, M. (2019). Top 10 Reasons why Education is Extremely
Important. Retrieved from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/top-
10-reasons-why-education-extremely-important-mohamed-reda
Running head: PURPOSE OF EDUCATION
1

5. PURPOSE OF EDUCATION
2
Essay 3
Thyiest A. Mosley
Park University
07 JUN 2019
Higher education or rather the chance to attend an institution of
higher learning is something that most people envision. The
motives behind the attendance may differ but one thing [“thing”
is casual, overused] aspect that most people can agree on is that
college is part and parcel of society. College, unlike high
school, has much more significance. It offers a person an
opportunity to write establish their his or her
[pronoun/antecedent agreement: “person” is singular] own path.
People who attended institutions of higher learning are revered,
and failure to attend may make a person seem less
knowledgeable even when they he or she [pronoun/antecedent
agreement] are is successful. Mark Edmundson’s‘s essay, “Who
Are You and What Are You Doing Here?” [no italics; quotation
marks only]raises some questions about the validity of a college
education in today’s world. While the quality of education in
institutions has dwindled, Edmundson fails to recognize that
skills acquisition, friendships and connections, and self-
discovery are a crucial part of the college experience. Good
introduction.

6. Chan (2016) notes that that higher education does not
necessarily equate to having the necessary skills or the job. This
[vague “this”; this what?] trend has been largely caused by the
diminishing quality of education at institutions of higher
learning. Universities are more focused on the financial aspects
as they have become corporate entities. Schools are now more
about how they could maximize their earning potential and less
about students’ needs. Initially, universities main role was to
focus on the personal development of the students, encouraging
them to adopt their own values and increase their leadership
potential. However, commercialization of colleges has resulted
in a dual role for schools. Therefore, not only are schools tasked
with the above responsibilities, but they are also required to
promote college access, affordability and completion. Optics
has become very crucial. [what does this phrase mean?] [the
style of these sentences suggests that they are quoted from the
original source; you should use quotation marks to indicate
when you are quoting phrases or sentences from a source]
Completion rates are equated to school’s performance;, [comma
splice] thus the higher the completion rate, the more the school
is regarded as a performer. Moreover, an increased tuition fee
means that colleges maintain the stature that they have. The
labor market is quite demanding and thus requires highly skilled
professionals. Institutions have to adapt to this changing system
to ensure that their graduates are ahead of the curve [casual
expression]. After all [?], in recent years, many hiring managers
feel believe that skills such as good communication skills,
adaptability, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills are
much more beneficial than an undergraduate major [what is
your support for this statement? What is your source?]. I
believe that the emphasis should be more so on the skills
acquired rather than the education itself, as the society needs
well-rounded individuals who do not only have the knowledge
but are better equipped to use it. What use would is a college
degree if an employee can is not be able to solve problems
without having to contact their his or her [pronoun/antecedent

7. agreement] supervisor? This [vague “this”; this what?] situation
would only create redundancies within the organization and
consequentially waste resources.
Institutions of higher learning have a lot more to offer than a
great [“great” is casual, overused] solid education. Emphasis
has always been placed on the kind of college a person goes to.
Students and parents alike prefer to go to Ivy leagues
institutions but are often limited by a number of issues whether
it they [pronoun/antecedent agreement] is are financial
restrictions, low grades, or the rigorous process it takes to get
into be accepted by a reputable institution. The prestige that
comes with being an alumnus of such an institution is unheard
of significant. Most of the American elite are proud alumni of
Ivy-league colleges. Looking at the Forbes list or the C.E.Os of
big firms, one notices that most of them are products of these
institutions. College is typically about more than just the
education;, [comma splice] it is a network that will guarantee
future opportunities. It is a signal that a person is of a certain
stature, and it is an identity that a person can share with others
from all over the world (McCabe, 2016). That is why parents
and students are caught in the admissions struggle every year.
Several people have advanced the idea that where you go to
college does not necessarily define who you are going to be.
Mark Edmundson arguesd that the education one receives in
college should be the focus for students and not the other
aspects of the school. However, I opine believe that it is
extremely hard difficult to focus on the kind of education one
gets receives when the mere mention of which college a person
is an alumnus of can result in an interview. That is the reason
why students will always try to get enter these institutions, as
they are a pathway to success. In addition, the connections that
the student make will not only be an alley pathway to success
but can also create well-adjusted students who have a support
system both within and outside school that will help deal with
whatever challenges they may face.
Self-discovery is a vital portion of the education system, and

8. many people attending college are yet to figure themselves out
(Benner, 2015). There are myriads of Many people who believe
that choosing a career that a person loves is essential. The
famous quote “If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day
in your life,”, has been used variedly to reiterate exprsses this
notion idea best. Edmunson in his article spoke of how says his
father persuaded him to choose a career path that he was
passionate about rather than the one that had a better salary and
perks (Greene, & Lidinsky, 2011 [incorrect parenthetical
citation for this source]). Unfortunately, many people go
through life without ever discovering their true passion. Dreams
may be unrealistic even for those who discover their passions
early enough. Life is full of discoveries even about you as a
person. What may be appealing to a person when they he or she
[pronoun/antecedent agreement] are is 18 years old headed off
to college may not be as appealing 10 or 20 years later. When
children are asked what they want to become, they all have
dreams of grandeur. Nevertheless, life experiences may result in
many people abandoning the paths for whatever reason.
Therefore, advising people to follow their passions is great
[“great” is casual] a good idea, but failure to understand that
dreams and realities are two separate things is a bit of a fallacy.
Moreover, happiness is not something that can be achieved in
totality. One could always find something that fulfills them him
or her [pronoun/antecedent agreement] other than their a career
choice.
In conclusion, Edmundson’s view that the quality of education
in colleges has deteriorated is completely founded [??]
[founded? unfounded?] as the institutions and professors are
engrossed with other issues such as public status and their own
work [do you discuss this issue?]. However, I opine believe that
college still has a lot much to offer students, friendships,
connections, self-discovery, and acquisition of skills that are
crucial to the current job market. While the education system in
itself is defective [do you support or discuss this idea?],
students should embrace the experience in its entirety and know

9. that 2this experience could lead to life-changing opportunities
and decisions. In addition, they should be proactive enough to
acquire relevant skills they may not learn in college.
References
Benner, D. G. (2015). The gift of being yourself: The sacred
call to self-discovery. InterVarsity Press.
Chan, R. Y. (2016). Understanding the purpose of higher
education: An analysis of the economic and social benefits for
completing a college degree. Journal of Education Policy,
Planning, and Administration, 6(5), 1-40.
Greene, S., & Lidinsky, A. (2011). From inquiry to academic
writing: A text and reader. Macmillan. [this is not the correct
References entry for the Edmundson article]
McCabe, J. M. (2016). Connecting in college: How friendship
networks matter for academic and social success. University of
Chicago Press.
Course Overview and Schedule
English 106 is the second in a three-course writing program
required of all students. The first course in the writing program,
EN105, focuses on critical reading, writing, and thinking
practices. This course, EN106, asks you to apply those skills to
common academic tasks that involve integrating research into
your writing. Finally, EN306 (or your program's equivalent
course) engages you in the particular work of writers in your
discipline. The writing program reflects the University’s
mission to "transform lives through accessible, student-
centered, quality education."
The faculty of the Department of English have developed the
following philosophy statement to articulate our beliefs about
writing, writers, and writing instruction. These beliefs are
reflected in the content of all EN courses.
The English Department at believes that:
· writing is a social and collaborative act;
· writing is an act of exploration and discovery;

10. · writing is thinking;
· writing is a recursive and developmental process;
· writing is a set of complex skills involving language;
· writing is the work of all academic disciplines;
· writing is a life-long learning endeavor.
Writing instruction should include:
· one-to-one consultation;
· peer response;
· feedback and commentary on work in progress;
· attention to purpose and audience;
· emphasis on both process and product;
· opportunity for student reflection.
Student writers need:
· time to write;
· positive encouragement;
· freedom to choose a topic.
Writing teachers must:
· be writers themselves;
· coach and mentor student writers with respect and humor;
· engage in life-long learning of the craft of writing and of the
teaching of writing.
Underlying these belief statements is a vision of writing as a
process. That process, however, is different for each writer and
cannot be codified or mapped out in a linear formula. In EN106,
we will discuss pre-writing, drafting, revising, and editing,
however, we will do so with the recognition that those “stages”
of writing as a process are enacted differently by every writer in
every writing situation. In other words, many aspects of writing
process are personal. Similarly, the art and science of writing is
not something that can be “mastered” in one eight-unit term, a
college career, or even a lifetime. Our skill as writers is
developed over time as we write for varied audiences and
purposes, as we read, and as we learn from the feedback given
to us by our readers.
Liberal Education
English 106 is an important part of Park University's Liberal

11. Education (LE) program. As stated in the Undergraduate
Catalog:
The Liberal Education Program at Park University—Integrative
Literacies for Global Citizenship—is education that develops
an awareness of human potentials. It develops proper
attitudes for realizing such potentials through critical and
informed judgments that foster concern for individual and social
well-being. It develops a love for learning by encouraging
activities that promote knowledge of the basic concepts,
methodologies, and rewards of learning. It builds skills and
competencies that help students acquire the distinctive
outcomes defined in the University vision, mission, core values,
and literacies. These outcomes include:
1. Thinking And Communication
2. Citizenship
3. Ethical Competency
4. Scientific and Quantitative Competency
5. Literary and Artistic Competency
6. Interdisciplinary And Integrative Competency
Each of the five core learning outcomes of English 106 is
aligned with one or more of the literacies or sub-literacies.
While we focus our efforts on learning how to do academic
writing and research, the overall goals of the LE literacies will
also guide our work this term.
The Curriculum of EN106
English 106 focuses on those writing and research tasks
common to all collegiate courses, regardless of discipline. We
will cover such topics as engaging in academic inquiry,
developing an argumentative thesis, organizing an academic
essay, documenting sources, and editing your prose.
The core learning outcomes (CLOs) for this course are as
follows. Students in English 106 will do the following:
1. Process: Apply writing processes, collaborative strategies,
and effective academic research practices to participate in
academic discourse. (Literacies: 1.2, 1.5, 4.2, 4.4)
2. Focus: Maintain a controlling idea/thesis for a variety of

12. academic genres. (Literacies: 2.4, 5.1, 5.4)
3. Development: Apply strategies for developing academic
arguments across the disciplines, including conducting research
and incorporating culturally diverse perspectives. (Literacies:
1.3, 3.2, 5.2, 6.2)
4. Rhetorical Strategies: Consider the rhetorical situations
faced by academic writers to respond appropriately in both
writing and research. (Literacies: 1.4, 2.5, 4.5, 6.1, 6.4)
5. Conventions: Use common formats and conventions
(e.g., research, structure, documentation, tone, mechanics) for
various genres of academic discourse. (Literacies: 1.1, 3.4, 6.3)
The core learning outcome(s) covered each unit are listed
among the unit learning outcomes that appear on each Unit
Overview page.
What To Expect From EN106
Not surprisingly, EN106 is a reading and writing-intensive
course. Expect complex readings that demand your active
participation as you wrestle with new ideas and sophisticated
vocabulary. You will be expected to demonstrate:
· openness (not necessarily acceptance) of new ideas;
· critical thinking (not criticism);
· diplomacy when presenting your thoughts and responding to
those of other students.
In general, each unit is organized as follows:
· The Unit Overview provides a summary of the unit’s work,
including all assignments and due dates, as well as a complete
checklist for that unit's coursework.
· The Reading content item specifies all required and
recommended reading assignments and explains the rationale
behind them. Each unit, you will have a variety of reading
assignments from our primary text, Greene and Lidinsky’s From
Inquiry to Academic Writing: A Text and Reader; the other
writing handbooks (Lunsford's Easy Writer and Reynolds and
Davis's Portfolio Keeping); and, occasionally, from
supplemental online resources.
· Unit Lectures cover fundamental skills and strategies for

13. academic research and writing. It’s generally a good idea to
read all assignments and lectures by Wednesday of each
unit.
· Each unit we will engage in asynchronous, threaded
Discussions. These discussions will ask you to read closely
and respond critically to the course texts, to practice various
strategies for writing academic essays, and to constructively
review your peers’ work-in-progress. Your first post to all
threaded discussions will be due on Thursday noon Central
Standard Time (CST), with the requirement that you return to
the discussions to comment on other posts between Thursday
and Sunday each unit.
· In addition to discussion assignments and peer review,
five major writing assignments (Essays) provide the occasion
for developing your academic writing skills. Two of these five
essays will be expansions of your previous essays to
incorporate scholarly research. Final draft Essays are due
Sunday midnight Central Standard Time (CST) of the unit they
are assigned. Please note that rough drafts (sometimes called
“discovery drafts”) are typically due earlier in the unit for peer
review.
· Some units will have additional content items: online readings
or presentations, or Peer Reviews. In this course, Peer
Review will function much like our Discussions: you will
interact with classmates in discussion threads, responding to
their work-in-progress through prompts that I will provide.
· A summative Writing Portfolio (due in Unit Seven) will allow
you to reflect upon and showcase your accomplishments from
the term, and an Exploratory Essay (in Unit Eight) will provide
you an opportunity to look ahead to the writing skills and
research strategies needed for your major and career.
Starting in Unit 7, you will have access to the online Student
Opinion of Teaching Survey (SOTS) for your courses. Your
feedback on the SOTS helps your instructor improve their
teaching, and provides Park University with essential feedback
on what works in this online course. Surveys must be completed

14. by the last day of the course, 11:59 p.m. Central.
Please be assured that your responses are presented
anonymously to your instructors, and will be compiled for the
university via a third party provider, Campus Labs. All student
responses will be summarized and reported to your instructor(s)
after the term is over and grades have been posted.
Course Schedule
On the next page you will find a thumbnail sketch of the
course’s major topics, readings, and assignments. You can find
details about reading and writing assignments, including due
dates, in the unit content. For information about how your work
will be assessed, please refer to the Grading and
Assessment content item under Course Information, and each
assignment's grading rubric.
Unit
Topics
Readings, Activities, & Assignments
Unit 1
Habits of Minds of Academic Writers
Read & Discuss: Lunsford, “The Top Twenty." Greene &
Lidinsky, Ch. 1.
Unit 2
Reading Like An Academic Writer
Read & Discuss: Lunsford, "Analyzing and Reading Critically."
Greene & Lidinsky, Ch. 2 & Ch. 3; assigned readings from Ch.
14.
Write: Essay #1: Rhetorical Analysis
Unit 3
Defining Academic Conversations
Read & Discuss: Greene & Lidinsky, Ch. 6 and at least three
articles from Ch. 14. Lunsford, "Integrating Sources and
Avoiding Plagiarism," "MLA Style," and "APA Style."
Write: Essay #2: Putting Sources in Conversation
Unit 4
Conducting Research

15. Read & Discuss: Greene & Lidinsky, Ch. 7. Lunsford,
"Conducting Research," "Evaluating Sources and Taking
Notes," "Building Arguments."
Write: Essay #3: Expanding the Conversation
Unit 5
Entering Academic Conversations
Read & Discuss: In Greene & Lidinsky, articles from Ch. 14-19,
as assigned by your instructor and Ch. 5 (recommended);
Lunsford, "Writing to Make Something Happen in the World,"
"Language That Builds Common Ground."
Write: Essay #4: Entering An Academic Conversation
Unit 6
Making Evidence-Based Arguments
Read & Discuss: Greene & Lidinsky, Ch. 8 & 12; other readings
as assigned.
Write: Essay #5: Revision Project
Unit 7
Proofreading and Editing
Read & Discuss: Lunsford, "Creating Portfolios" and other
readings as assigned.
Write: Writing Portfolio.
Unit 8
Looking Ahead: Writing In Your Major
Read & Discuss: Readings as assigned.
Write: Exploratory Assignment.
The Purpose of the Writing Portfolio
The portfolio should demonstrate what you know about
academic research and writing. Toward that end, the choice for
portfolio organization belongs to you. Let's start there: with the
rhetorical situation. You know the writer (you), the reader (me),
and the purpose (to demonstrate your learning in this course).
Let's use that rhetorical knowledge to invent strategies for

16. organization. You might consider giving your portfolio a loose
"thesis." For instance, consider the following two portfolio
"theses":
This portfolio demonstrates both my facility with research and
also my skills in critically synthesizing diverse sources to enter
an academic conversation.
Or:
This portfolio illustrates my growth as an academic writer over
the past eight units. Specifically, this portfolio shows how I
have moved beyond offering my own opinion on a subject
to using both my experiences and the expertise of others to
provide a fuller picture of my argument.
After you have invented a working thesis for your
portfolio as a whole, consider organization. Remember, I
will read your portfolio in the order you choose. So, endeavor to
structure the portfolio in a manner that supports your argument.
For example, the writer of the first portfolio will probably want
to include a completed source summary discussion postto show
her facility with research. On the other hand, the writer of the
second portfolio may want to organize the portfolio in
chronological order, beginning with a rough draft of each essay
and showing its evolution through peer review, revision, and
editing.
Portfolio readers tend to make judgments early in the reading
process: usually in the first three or four pages! So consider
putting your best work early in the portfolio. You should also
think about where your reflective essay is best placed: as the
first piece, in order to serve as an introduction? As the final
piece, to serve as an "afterword" to the portfolio? Separated into
brief sections that explicate each essay and artifact, functioning
as a sort of running commentary on the other pieces of the
portfolio?
Finally, you must include some kind of table of contents in the
portfolio, in order to give me a clear sense of what to expect as
I read your work. For instance, a table of contents could look
like the following:

17. NAME
Prof.
Class
DAte
Table of Contents
1. Reflective Essay: "Conversing with the Conversation" (p. 3)
2. "Lies I Told My Teachers: One Student's View of Education"
(p. 7)
3. Artifacts related to "Lies I Told My Teachers": Close reading
log, brainstorming list, rough draft #1, peer feedback (p. 12)
4. "How Pharmaceutical Companies Market Flu Medication")
(p. 22)
5. Artifacts related to "How Pharmaceutical Companies Market
Flu Medication": rough draft, instructor commentary, source
summaries (p. 26)
Reflective Essay
The reflective essay should be an 800-1200 word essay that
examines your writing in light of our core learning
outcomes: Process, Focus, Development, Rhetorical
Strategies, and Conventions. You may choose any number of
approaches to this assignment. For instance, you can introduce
your reader to any of the following:
· evidence of ways you understand your writing to have
improved this term, either by identifying your habits and
processes of writing or by examining specific examples from
the essays included in your portfolio
· accounts of struggles or challenges this term, specific to
academic writing
· consideration of the rhetorical contexts of academic writing,
using the terminology you explored in Units One and Two
· descriptions of your next steps as an academic writer
· analysis of the similarities and differences between academic
writing and the sort of popular discourse in magazines,
newspapers, and popular web sites
· examples of particular paragraphs that you find to be strong or
representative of your best work (in the body of the portfolio,

18. you might put these passages in bold if you refer to them in the
introduction)
· examples of particular paragraphs that you find to be weak or
representative offrustrations you encountered related to writing
or certain ideas
· meditations on the most important writing skills you will bring
forward to your upcoming academic coursework
· descriptions of changed attitudes or levels of confidence
related to your writing (for better or for worse)
· analysis of one or more particular learning outcomes and how
it is represented in the portfolio at large
Because your reflective essay will be relatively limited in
length, you will not have space to develop a response to all of
the above issues. Remember that all good writing is focused,
developed, and organized—so consider choosing just one or two
of the prompts to write about. You also have leeway in terms of
genre. If you prefer, you could format your reflective essay as:
· a letter to your instructor or a fellow student about academic
writing
· a researched academic essay making an organized argument
· a rhetorical analysis or close reading of your own writing
· a running commentary on your polished final drafts and
artifacts
· an autobiographical account of your journey as a writer
· some other structure of your own choosing
No matter how you choose to approach the reflective essay, it
should be thoughtfully composed and carefully proofread. If
you refer to outside sources, you must document your research
using a standard academic format (e.g., MLA or APA).
Final Drafts
The purpose of this portfolio is to show what you know about
academic research and writing. Toward that end, you must
include your two best essays from this class. But that’s not
all: Your instructor expects to see further revisions of your
essay. Even an “A” paper can be improved!
In making decisions about what to include, think about our

19. definitions of academic writing and the level of quality
expected in this writing course.
Artifacts
Related to the two other primary pieces of your portfolio — the
reflective essay and the final draft essays — your portfolio must
also include artifacts that reflect your writing process for each
final draft essay. These artifacts can include related discussion
posts, brainstorming documents, outlines, email conversations,
peer responses, instructor comments, or rough drafts. The
purpose of including these artifacts is to give me a full picture
of your writing process, which is part of the assessment criteria
for the portfolio.