Portfolio Time

For my portfolio, the essay of choice will be my media review essay. Not only do I think that is reflects some of my best writing for the semester, but I liked it. Of all the essays that I wrote this semester it had a lot of personal investment in it. As for the portfolio grade I am honestly not sure what grade I think I should receive. I do think that I have met the requirements of sufficient mastery, how well real depends on which essay. I feel very good about my media review essay and think would qualify in the superior to strong range. Where the reflection essay I do not feel as good about and may just be a competent essay. So it will mostly come down to how well my research essay does. I fairly good about it, I think that it is a good essay, I just don’t know how good. So all in all I would guess that I will fall some were in the strong range, but were I don’t know.

                I didn’t get the chance to look at to many portfolios, so I can’t give a good comparison of to many different portfolios. Though of the ones that I read I like Stephanie’s the best. She always had such descriptive writing that would draw you in to the work. I found this made her work very satisfying to read.

Portfolio Workshop

The essay I chose as part of my portfolio is "Success without Formal Education."  I chose this essay because the thesis is identifiable and somewhat arguable, and that it is also properly backed up with supporting detail and information.  With this essay I learned how to become a better writer.  I learned to keep track of the main idea without going off tangent with irrelevant information in relation to the thesis.  This essay also helped me understand how to use proper chronological order when including supporting detail and how to include in text quotations.  I also learned that I write best when I am passionate about something.

At the end of the semester I went back to compare and review all the essays and blogs I have written in this class.  I have definitely seen improvement in my writing.  I understand how to use commas better, focus on my grammar and understanding what a thesis is and how to support it correctly.  I have also seen improvement in my work cite using proper MLA format and in general how to place ideas correctly in words.  After looking back, and from the teachers feedback during the semester I feel I should receive a B.

I have not had the chance to look at other peers portfolios except for my English class partner Austin Hennigan.  I feel he has a strong point when he writes and gives a satisfying feeling when you are done reading.  He creates a good connection with the reader, and can express his thoughts through his work.

Portfolio Post Dec. 02

Final Portfolio

The essay that I chose for the final portfolio was my descriptive essay. I decided to include this essay in the final portfolio because I feel like it was one of the best essays I wrote, and where I got the best feedback from my classmates and professor. I learned that I need to watch my tenses, which I did not know that I was doing wrong.

Over the past four months I feel like I have become a better writer and have learned many new things about writing that I did not knew in the past. I have learned new writing skills that I will definitely use in future classes. Although I have learned new writing skills there are a few things I could have improved on, and worked on harder. I think that the grade I will get on this portfolio will probably be a “C” I think that my writing skills are still improving and are not yet at the level I wish they would be.

So far I have only looked at one of my classmate’s portfolio. I liked her portfolio because she chose the essays that she felt the most proud of. She is confident that she will get a good grade based on the choices that she made. Her writing was excellent and I definitely think she will do well in her final portfolio.       

-Cristina A.

Today in English our class is beginning to wrap up, and by Thursday with the handing in of our portfolios it will be over. For our portfolios we had to put in three different essays. One of the essays was our choice, and I chose to put my descriptive essay (I'm not sure that's what it was called now that I think about it). I chose this essay because I felt i accomplished describing something well, and I feel like I acquired a good grade on it the first time around.
 Now, about h portfolio in general I feel like I deserve a c or a b. I would hope for an A but I'm keeping myself more pessimistic because I can't handle disappointment very well and I know my essays are not as polished as they could be. They are a lot more polished than they were when they started though! So that's something.
 My favorite portfolio that I read is probably my group member Christine's. I read all of her essays as the year progressed and got to see the rough drafts and the finished products and can compare them, even if I didn't quite read the whole portfolio. I saw the drafts grow and change and so I feel like she definitely did self improvement and I hope she's satisfied with it.

The Portfolio Plan

1. What will I change in my research paper?

First of all, I need to make sure that my fonts, font size and line spacing is correct.  I should not trust the computer's default.

Placing commas and using parenthesis correctly.

The thesis in my research paper is good, but could be stronger. I need to address the thesis more directly and stick to one idea.  For example I am talking about how GMO's can have adverse effect on health (which is my F.P) but then I mention the pro's and con's of GMO's in our society.  I need to stick with my first F.P and not branch out.  Sometimes there is so much information on one topic that I need to filter it down and not get to excited writing random bits and pieces of information!

I will make sure that I do not address the public with YOU, US, WE and still make it persuasive.

There are some quotes I included that should be in block quote.

Joining certain paragraphs and avoiding the repetition or words or phrases.

Some of my cites may have been correctly misplaced, I need to make sure that all the information corresponds to the proper cites.

I would like to delve a little more on personal take.

Proper MLA citations and image should be in MLA caption.

I want to spend a little more time mentioning statistics and include more research on the labeling of GMO's.

More specific details on history of health and financial benefits or not of GMO's.


2. News report on reflective essay

F.P: Citations, MLA formats, block quotes and thesis's were unknown in my world.  These words were intimidating as well as mysterious. What are they and how are they used? After a semester with Jen Zuko, it all seems clear, for the most part.  The information I received in English 121 has not only helped me become a better writer, but I actually understand the steps involved to writing correctly.  I can put my words in order, find a main idea and support it correctly with detailed information.  After all, writing in my journal and spilling out words is not the same as academic writing.  These traits will help me in my career and become more professional with my words.

I will put some examples of previous work I have done and how I have been able to correct my mistakes.  I am still not a perfect writer, but I understand the structure better.

One mistake a peer noticed that I do, is I become to metaphorical and almost poem like in my writing.  I think this is because of spending years reading Spanish novels and most of them are like a sung story.  I will avoid doing so as it distracts my readers and does not seem academic.


3. Which essay I chose to add and why?

The essay I feel the most comfortable with is "Success without Formal Education."  I chose this essay as part of my portfolio because it is the paper that I can see the most improvement as a writer.  With this paper I learned to be more organized and it gave me a sense of how to write logically.  I made mistakes and was able to successfully correct them with the teachers guidance and my peers.

I have to make a few changes similar to the changes I will make in my research paper.

The Portfolio Plan

The Portfolio Plan

1.       Something that I have to change in my research paper is the use of “you,” this essay is more professional than other essays that we have done in the past and the use of the word "you" does not sound proffesionl in this essay A second thing that I have to change in my essay is support examples. My argument is good but I need more examples to support my argument. I will try to look for examples that support and clarify my argument.

2.       I still have to do this.

3.       The essay that I will be choosing to add to the portfolio will be the Exemplification essay. I think that this has been one of my best essays and I feel confident about putting this essay in the Portfolio.

Crstina Aguirre

Homophones