portfolio contents

A portfolio consists of a completed information form together with the following four equally important pieces of prose writing. Poetry may be included as part of any piece, but since this is a prose portfolio, poetry should not comprise an entire piece.

a reflective letter

The reflective letter, addressed to Miami University’s composition teachers, sets the tone for the portfolio by introducing both the writer and the individual pieces of prose writing. Readers are not expecting a narrative of your experiences and growth as a writer but, rather, evidence of the critical reflection you used when you produced and assembled your portfolio. Successful letters explicitly introduce the prose pieces and explain the purpose and audience of each. Both creative and traditional letters work equally well to introduce your portfolio.

an explanatory, exploratory, or persuasive essay

This essay should be a focused, informative treatment of a specific topic. It should not only provide convincing examples and supporting data but also examine multiple points of view and show strong evidence of critical thinking, awareness of audience, and attention to social context. If secondary sources are used, they must be documented. This explanatory, exploratory, or persuasive essay should have a title. You may find that you’ve written an essay which fits this category for a class other than English.

a response to a text

This essay should respond to a written text (essay, novel, play, poem, or short story) or a cultural text (film, music, or visual art) produced by professionals, classmates, or yourself. The response should interpret or evaluate all or part of a text. Possible approaches to this response include:

Use support from the text to develop ideas and strengthen focus without overshadowing your own response or giving extensive summary. If secondary sources are used, they must be documented. This response to a text should have a title.

writer’s choice

This selection may be a blog (print copy), editorial, informal essay, multi-genre essay, narrative, short story, or other genre of your choice. Be especially careful in your reflective letter to name the genre of this selection. Explain why you have included it, the purpose of the piece and the audience it is intended for, and what it shows about your writing. Please print out a hard copy of any electronic genre.