E-Portfolios

a computer that shows a file being uploaded to the cloud

In effort to save paper and give students an opportunity to share their work in a course on the web, even face-to-face writing classes are making the move to e-portfolios. A portfolio is essentially a collection of your work (in this case writing) that you generally put together at the end of a course or sequence of courses. A portfolio allows you to revise and polish your work and showcase your best pieces. An e-portfolio simply gives you an opportunity to do this online. While some course management systems allow you to create a portfolio within an online course, you may simply use free web space to make your e-portfolio.

When you make an e-portfolio, you should keep in mind that your work will be read electronically, so you should follow good design principals for creating an e-portfolio space that is visually appealing. Of course, you will also want to keep in mind the requirements of your course.

The following guidelines will help you create a quality e-portfolio, but you should consult with your professor about specific requirements that may be different from this suggested list.

  1. Be sure to polish your work for your portfolio. If you are presenting essays from a writing course, make sure you revise and edit your work again before posting it to your portfolio.
  2. Include a cover or introductory letter. This will allow you to introduce yourself and your work to your audience.
  3. Make adjustments to your text to make your writing more appropriate for the web. This means, unless your professor asks for it specifically, you shouldn’t put an APA cover page on your web page, even though you’ll still use APA formatting for any kind of source documentation.
  4. Share your work. A portfolio is a great way to share the work you have created for your college courses with your friends and family. Ultimately, you may even share e-portfolios with potential employers.

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