College of Communication - Writing Arts
Portfolio Seminar Requirements
Background to Portfolio Seminar
Based on a two-year evaluation of the major, the Department of Writing Arts adopted a set of core values we want our undergraduates to achieve. Whether you plan to be a professional writer, teacher of young writers, or something else, we believe all students should meet the core values.
One of the changes to the major is the addition of the Portfolio Seminar requirement. This one-credit course provides you the opportunity to reflect on your Writing Arts career via an analysis statement that will constitute the major portion of your Portfolio Seminar.
What the Analysis Statement Is
The analysis statement (AS) asks you to demonstrate your understanding and achievement of the core values of the Writing Arts major. In the AS, you will articulate an argument that demonstrates how your electronic portfolio—comprised of five papers completed as part of the major—provides evidence of your having met these goals. (For a guide on working with your electronic portfolio, click here.)
You should point to, quote from and reference your work as evidence within your argument. You are not to simply write a bulleted list, nor should this be a narrative. You might want to consider it a research paper where the five papers constitute the source material that you are going to draw from as you create your AS.
To help guide your understanding of the Core Values, we have provided a series of questions for each value that you might consider when discussing them. This does not mean you should simply answer each question or attempt to answer them all. These are meant to prompt you as you write the AS.
Length
Each of the nine core values needs to be treated in enough detail to demonstrate that you have met the value. While there is no specific page-length requirement for the analysis statement, we suggest approximately 6-8 pages of double-spaced text.
Evaluation
The Analysis Statement will be evaluated on an A, C, or F basis.
Procedures
Your advisor will read and provide a grade for the analysis statement. As part of your regular meetings with your advisor, you should discuss the progress of your portfolio and, during Portfolio Seminar, the AS. More specifically, the advisor will:
- follow the progress of your portfolio inclusions through regularly scheduled advising sessions throughout your career at Rowan
- check the number and distribution of items included in the portfolio
- read and evaluate the analysis statement based on a holistic grading rubric
- approve the portfolio once it is in good order
- suggest a grade to the Coordinator of the Undergraduate Major for the analysis statement
Important Dates
By week 8: Have met with a group member and provide feedback on his/her analysis statement
By week 11: Have revised your analysis statement and shared it with your advisor. This leaves time for revision if you need to do more before the end of the semester.
Questions
Any questions should be directed to your advisor or the Coordinator of the Undergraduate Writing Arts major, Sanford Tweedie, at tweedie@rowan.edu or 856-256-5223.
Adopted September 2008
