Portfolio Revision Goals

Remember that another writing instructor will be reading and grading your portfolio, and so a large part of this final revision exercise is making sure that your ideas translate to someone who doesn’t know you nor have a complete sense of the topic or discussions we have had in class.  In other words, this is an exercise in communicating your ideas to an impartial, objective reader, which means that you need to be careful to sufficiently explain all your important terms and concepts.  Remember also that as your portfolio revision has already been graded and revised at least once, they are going to be evaluated as per the Writing Program’s most rigorous grading standards.  (See the rubric in your course book, p. 129.)  

Towards preparing your final portfolio revision essay:

Start with the INTRODUCTION.
Does it set up the important concepts of the essay?
Establish a clear and manageable context for your discussion (not too broad or narrow)?
Effectively present your thesis statement?

Next examine the THESIS STATEMENT itself.
Consider what a thesis needs to do:
Answer the Question.
Present the blueprint or road map for your argument.
Remember that it is often best to answer the question in the language and logic of the prompt.

Then consider your TRANSITIONS.
First between your sentences.  Are there choppy or logically disconnected sentences?
Are the opening sentences of your paragraphs specific enough?  Do they help establish how the paragraph relates to your greater argument?
Transitional words and phrases.  There better be some of these—no essay is going to work as well as it can without proper transitional words and phrases at either the paragraph or sentence levels.

Make sure each PARAGRAPH offers the following things:
Transition from previous paragraph.
One unified topic sentence.
Supportive examples/details and warrants.  Is it clear how the supportive ideas in each paragraph refer back to your thesis and what they are contributing to your argument?

Concerning GRAMMAR AND SYNTAX
Consider your use of pronouns.  Too many pronouns can lead to vague sounding writing.  You may know what “it” is or who “he” or “she” is, but your ready often needs more precise language.  Remember that your argument will always benefit from more specific and more concrete (vs. vague) language choices.
Any overly long sentence, please READ THEM ALOUD.  This is the best way to catch awkward sounding or overly complex sentences.  If you get lost reading your own sentences, think how the reader is going to feel.
Actively work to avoid sentence fragments and run-ons.

Finally, some issues to consider with regards to your CONCLUSION
Does the conclusion simply repeat your thesis statement?  Remember that we want more than simple repetition.  Don’t add any important new ideas, but make sure your conclusions is doing or saying something different about your main claim.