The major grade in this course is assigned to a portfolio of writing. There have been four assignments this semester which have been taken through a sequence of drafting and critiquing. The portfolio should consist of those four assignments in their most advanced drafts and any additional work-in-progress you might have begun for the course which would help indicate the quality of your work.
Not all drafts need to be in the same state of completion; some may have been given more attention than others, some may have demanded different strategies or raised different problems, some may have been trial runs for works that in retrospect you are reluctant to pursue further. However, at least one of the assignments should be a final draft (insofar as any draft is a final draft) and only one of the assignments can be an abandoned rough or zero draft--the other two should at least be in states of completion between these two extremes, preferably closer to final.
In addition to the drafts themselves, provide an introduction and rationale
to the portfolio which discusses:
1) each submission in terms of how far along it is it and what more
you have to do to it. Be specific.
2) the submissions collectively in terms of how representative they
are of your writing generally and your creative nonfiction specifically.
Essentially the introduction and rationale will be a 1-2 page document letting me know what to expect in the portfolio and also giving you a chance to evaluate your accomplishments to date.
If portfolios are turned in to me by 5:00 p.m., Friday, April 30, in my office mailbox outside Anspach 215, the English Department office, I'll do my best to get them back to their authors at the final meeting Monday, May 3, 4:00-6:00 p.m. If portfolios are turned in to me at the final meeting, hand me a stamped self-addressed envelope if you want the portfolios returned soon.
Note on Writing Fair:
The final meeting, Monday May 3, 4-6, will be a Writing Fair. Bring one paper you'd like to stand as a representative of your best or most typical work in the course. Expect to read aloud one or more passages from the piece--each student will be given seven-nine minutes of reading time. We'll also hope to have some final conversation on writing nonfiction, depending on how long people read.