Tips from a PWR Major on Senior Portfolio

Because registration is this week, please keep in mind how your specific classes can influence your portfolio, including the projects you include, and the PWR skills that you reflect. Because senior portfolios are due this week, I thought this would be a great way to rap up the week. These tips are brought to you by Dannie Cooper.

20140815_085325-2Senior portfolios are something we hear a lot about in the PWR major. We practice writing narratives and even make class portfolios, but it still doesn’t quite compare to the real deal. Everyone has tips for how to go about writing your portfolio. Personally, I have my own set of recommendations:

1) Get peer feedback on your narratives

When you’re writing 10+ narratives plus introductions, you eventually start to lose focus. You may miss that word you keep repeating or forget to include reflection for one of your pieces. Sometimes it takes a fresh pair of eyes to see what you’re missing.

2) Finish your narratives before you work on your branding

While branding is important and gives shape to a portfolio, your narratives are what tells the reviewer who you are. You can invest hours into your branding only to find you’re short on time, so you shortcut the narratives. Put the work into your narratives first; you can always work on branding after you submit the complete draft.

3) Select all of your pieces before you create sections

Since the portfolio sections are representative of your skills, most people try to create their sections based of their skills and force their documents into those categories. This can work, but you may find it beneficial to pick your best documents and then see what categories form naturally. You might find you’ve developed skills you might not be conscious of.

Senior portfolio is something all PWR students must confront. While most people say it is a reflection of your growth as a PWR student, I believe the act of completing portfolio is also a learning experience. So take it from me, you don’t have to go into portfolio with a complete understanding on yourself. Take the time to develop your narratives, talk to your peers, and think about what the body of your work says about you as a professional writer.

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2 Comments

  1. Posted November 8, 2014 at 6:55 pm | Permalink

    Even though I am not a PWR major, these are some great tips that I had not considered! Thank you!

  2. Posted November 9, 2014 at 11:55 pm | Permalink

    As a fellow PWR major, I completely agree with your tips. Keeping up with the pieces you are proud of is important, but even more important is understanding why you are proud of them. If you can translate them into a rough draft of a narrative, you’re on the right track!