1.   The essay that I chose was the descriptive essay. I enjoyed writing my own personal experience with detail, especially since I remember the event very well. I accidentally gave a guy a black eye by throwing an orange. That's not very common to hear about and it is something that I will never forget. The first major essay assigned in the class was the descriptive essay. I still am nervous when starting a paper, but have improved by writing what's on my mind, even if it doesn't quite add up with my thesis. I do care how I do in school and with my writing, but with rough drafts, I've tried to not worry too much how it turns out, since it's only a rough draft. I thought that my first draft with the descriptive essay was awesome. Unfortuantly, it wasn't as well done as I hoped and thought. I had it peer reviewed and revised it a few more times before turning in my final draft, realizing how much better it was after each revision. I became more confident in my writing and not as afraid to write with my own personal style during and after the descriptive essay. It was fun to write about and helped me overcome fear of failure by improving and learning that one rough draft isn't always enough.

2.   The typical answer and probably the expected answer for the grade people think that they should receive on their portfolio is an 'A'. I honesly don't think that I should reveive an 'A' because my work doesn't feel 'A' quality. Thats my reason for that. I do think that I should receive a 'B' or a 'C' depending on whoever gives me the portfolio grade because not everyone grades the same. I think I should receive a 'B' at the highest because I have learned quite a bit from my mistakes. There are quite a few mistakes in my papers, but from the teacher's revisions and comments, I know what my strengths and weaknesses are and where I need to improve. When writing involves creativity and detail, I do well. If writing requires research and citing my sources, I struggle more since my own opinion and experiences usually aren't valid for a research paper. I have learned to improve on this by writing three research papers this semester total from my all of my classes (with my english paper being the weakest our of the three). My portfolio shows that I know where I need to improve with my writing and that I am willing.

3.   As "humbling" as this may sound, my own portfolio was my favorite. I can explain to people and tell them how I have improved, but I am the only one who truly understands my own improvements and strengths and weaknesses.

Benjamin Weakland

1. What essay did you choose and why?

•  I chose my exemplification essay because I believed that it portrayed my writing skills the best. It was also my highest essay grade, so I know that it was the strongest essay I wrote as well. Once I revise it again I am confident that this essay will be one of the best I have ever written and it was also the most fun for me to write as well. 

2. What portfolio grade do you think you should receive and why?

• I believe I should receive an A on the portfolio because after all the revisions are completed my essays will prove that I have learned a tremendous amount from this class and that I am able to reflect what I have learned in my essays. I also have put more voice and better vocabulary in my essays which was needed in the rough drafts, so with these additions I believe my writing was better as a whole.

3. What is your favorite portfolio you looked at and why?

• Because we have had limited time to view other portfolios I do not actually have a favorite. I have read only little bits and pieces of other essays: Sierras', Bens', and Ahnuns', and they all equally have proved themselves in their writing.    

By: Sydney Evans

All About My Portfolio

1. What essay I chose and why.
• I chose to put my review essay into my portfolio because it has a more structured layout than my other previous essays have had.
• It also was written with all of my added up experience from this semester.
2.  What grade I think I should receive on my portfolio and why.
• I believe that I should get a B on my portfolio because I believe that I am a decent writer and that the teachers who review my portfolio will find things wrong with my papers that other people may not have.
• I also know that I do have issues with grammar and not very much time to find people to revise my essays because of finals so there will probably be some issues within my pieces.
3. My favorite portfolio I looked at and why.
1. I cannot say that I have a favorite portfolio that I have read due to the fact that I have not read very many. I can say, though, that the pieces I have read were all unique and each had a different voice to them, they each had their own style based on the author.

By Sierra Baumann

One Portfolio to Rule Them All...

well it seems that the semester is ending and the final looms over the class. Passing, or failing sits upon a knife edge;one which is wielded by not only our instructor, but one of her peers as well. We must prepare an end of year portfolio and it must include papers to which prove our competence on the field of English 121.

The research paper, the shield in which I hope can guide me to a passing grade, is still weak. My examples need photos, like the shield needs ribs for strength. I must add more facts to polish my perspective, then I can truly blind my foes with the glare of research.

To add to my success, an essay, sharp as a spear, the reflective essay can be the point which can lead my way through this battle. Assessing my papers for the class, I'll be able to create an reflective essay  that will confirm my victory. The instructor and her peer will see how my skills have improved from my start, where i was only armed with a rock and now have come to battle with a well crafted spear.

In the heat of the battle, I have only one trick, like magic or sorcery, my Media review essay will distract my foes though humor and charm. With this essay, the battle I will win, because it shows my paper writing talent and ability that my instructor armed me with. So with the grammar, and structure skills I have learned I will build my shield, and sharpen my spear because this will be a fight to pass.  

The Portfolio Plan

1. What will I change in the research paper:
• Fix the formatting that makes the spaces between paragraphs appear double spaced.
• Clarify my first thesis.
• Fix in text citations and capitalization errors.
• take out unneeded words and add more expressive verbs in places were they are rather plain.
• ALTER THE TWO PLACES WHERE I USED THE SAME QUOTE.
• Clarify some points about Banksy. Probably remodel the whole paragraph about him to fix the reasons why, what his work does, and the prior to what point.
• Add in figure 1 in the Banksy paragraph.
2.  News Report on Reflective Essay:
• The thesis will introduce that I have made a few important improvements in my writing this semester.
• I probably use my media review essay as the basis for my reflective essay, describing how sub-par my prior writings were in comparison that leads me to believe so.
• I will use the essays in my portfolio to show my strength with active verbs and better wording that improve the overall aesthetics of the papers.
• I will bring up where I started using an outline to help organize the structure and clarity of papers.
• I will express how I need to improve my understanding of grammar in writing papers since I am generally able to be moderately grammatically correct but I do not understand WHY it is grammatically correct.
• I will conclude my paper by express my belief that even though I have not made a major jump in progress from the beginning, I have learned a lot through the baby steps I have taken. Overall the outcome has improved my current writing skills and I've taken one step closer to becoming a proficient, competent writer.
3.  Which Essay Will I Choose and Why:
• I feel like I will probably choose the event/media review essay to demonstrate my writing skills because this essay will be the one in which my more refined skills will be used to write the essay and it will be more thought out than I feel that the other two are. I also feel like I will be more passionate about the subject and understand what I am doing so much more than I was in the prior essays.
• I might choose the descriptive essay because I feel more comfortable with descriptions than I do with examples. I will only do this, though, if I do not feel comfortable with how the event/media review is turning out.

By Sierra Baumann

The Portfolio Plan

1.) What to change in the research essay:

• Intro. - Do not begin with a quote, begin with personal statement on what eating disorders are. Also, define the thesis more (state clearly that there should be a weight limit.)
• Fix run-on sentences in 1st body paragraph
• Relate binge eating to over-all eating disorders and how relates to models (clarify) in paragraph 2
• Go back to Kylie Bisutti's story and add in in-text citations. Also, add in that models are not strictly to blame because the standards to be a model are strict (clarify) in paragraph 3.
• Take out some rhetorical questions in paragraph 4
• For support bit number 5, show how models aren't directly to blame , but play a role in the psychological factor that leads to eating disorders, so that's why there should be a weight limit.
• Find  a source for the standards of beauty support bit.
• Clear up conclusion by making a statement about how although models are not the sole reason for eating disorders, they play a role in the beginning phases of developing a disorder, so the U.S. should create a weight limit in order to emphasize what true beauty is.

2.) News report on reflective essay:

• Introduce essay with how I started out in class, what I knew what I didn't, my thoughts, ect.
• Thesis: Eng. 121 has improved my overall writing skills...
• Explain writing the mini essay and revising is (my initial thoughts)
• Comparing essays and seeing the growth and new understandings
• Discuss my preferred type of writing (creative) vs. my least favorite type of writing (research) and how my creative writing  is better than my research essays.
• How I can improve my writing from all the feedback I have gotten (from both peers and professor.)
• Conclude with my overall journey ( the ups and downs)
• Thesis #2: My writing may have be rough at the beginning of the semester, but I have seen myself grow and am excited to continue to grow.

3.) Which essay I will choose and why:
I will choose to add the descriptive essay because I believe that it showcases my strengths the most. Because I typically enjoy writing creative pieces, this essay exemplified why I enjoy writing them and how descriptive I personally feel about certain topics. I do still need to go back and fix pieces that I was given feedback on and even add in more personal descriptions. After I have completed a few more revisions I am confident that not only my strengths in writing, but my personality as well will shine through.

By: Sydney Evans

Date or Die: Grammar Edition

By: Sierra Baumann, Ben Weakland, Sydney Evans, and Ahnun Brainerd