instructor: Jentery Sayers 
~ classroom: smi 309 
& ougl 101 ~ TTh: 9:30-11:20
Portfolio Grading Rubric
Outstanding Portfolio (3.7-4.0)
This portfolio exhibits outstanding proficiency in all outcomes categories – academic argumentation, purposeful use of texts, rhetorical awareness, and revision, editing, and proofreading – outweighing its few weaknesses.The cover letter clearly indicates which items in the portfolio demonstrate the course outcomes, and makes a compelling argument for how they do so. In so doing, it displays thorough and thoughtful awareness of the writer’s own writing, using evidence from the course outcomes, assignments, self-assessments, peer responses, and teacher responses by quoting or paraphrasing from these materials in support of its argument. The selected major paper and shorter texts offer an outstanding demonstration of all the course outcomes through a very highly proficient and skillful handling of the traits associated with them. The outstanding portfolio will likely demonstrate some appropriate risk-taking, originality, variety, and/or creativity.
Strong Portfolio (3.1-3.6)
The strong portfolio exhibits strengths clearly outweighing weaknesses, but may show somewhat less proficiency in one or two of the outcomes categories, perhaps strong in academic argumentation, purposeful use of texts, and rhetorical awareness, but slightly less in revision/editing/proofreading. The cover letter clearly indicates which items in the portfolio demonstrate the course outcomes, and makes an effective argument for how they do so. It also displays thoughtful awareness of the writer’s own writing, using evidence from the course outcomes, assignments, self-assessments, peer responses, and teacher responses by quoting or paraphrasing from these materials in support of its argument, but may not present as clear an argument for the choices as the outstanding portfolio. The selected major paper and shorter texts, although slightly less consistent in demonstrating the course outcomes, nonetheless offer a strong demonstration of effectiveness in many traits associated with the outcomes, handling a variety of tasks successfully. This portfolio engages the material and follows the assignments given, but may risk less than the outstanding portfolio.
Good Portfolio (2.5-3.0)
The good portfolio also exhibits strengths outweighing weaknesses, but may show less strength in two of the outcomes categories, perhaps strong in academic argumentation and purposeful use of texts, but less so in revision, editing, proofreading, and rhetorical awareness. The cover letter indicates which items in the portfolio demonstrate the course outcomes, and makes an argument for how they do so, although the argument may display less thoughtful awareness of the writer’s own writing by using less evidence from the course outcomes, assignments, self-assessments, peer responses, and teacher responses in support of its argument. The selected major paper and shorter texts effectively demonstrate the course outcomes, but with less proficiency and control. The portfolio usually will not display the appropriate risk-taking and creativity of the strong and outstanding portfolios.
Acceptable Portfolio (2.0-2.4)
The acceptable portfolio is competent, demonstrating that the course outcomes are basically met, but the traits associated with them are not as fully realized or controlled. The writing can succeed in the academic environment. The strengths and weaknesses are about evenly balanced, but should be slightly stronger on academic argument and purposeful use of texts, as these represent key facets of academic writing. Some parts of the selected texts may be underdeveloped, too general, or predictable, or leave parts of the outcomes unconsidered. While demonstrating knowledge of conventions, this portfolio typically will not display rhetorical awareness or control over revision, editing, and proofreading. The cover letter indicates which items in the portfolio demonstrate the course outcomes, but may not make as effective an argument for how they do so, one based in evidence from the course outcomes, assignments, self-assessments, peer responses, and teacher responses.
Inadequate Portfolio (1.0-1.9)
A portfolio will be inadequate when it shows serious deficiencies in three of the four course outcomes, especially in academic argument, purposeful use of texts, and revision, editing, and proofreading (for example, revision is limited to correcting grammar or to adding or deleting sentence and phrase level changes). Alternatively, this portfolio may be error free, yet does not adequately demonstrate the other outcomes. The portfolio cover letter will be brief and may not indicate which items in the portfolio demonstrate the course outcomes or make an effective argument for how they do so. The portfolio indicates that the student may need more time to be able to handle the demands of both academic reading and writing as characterized in the course outcomes and associated traits.
Incomplete Portfolio (0.0-0.9)
The incomplete portfolio covers the range from no portfolio turned in (0.0), to the portfolio that includes only part of the required work for the class, a portfolio missing significant portions of the work for the course.
University of Washington Grading Scale
(taken from http://www.washington.edu/students/gencat/front/Grading_Sys.html )
A ( 4.0-3.9 )
A- ( 3.8-3.5 )
B+ ( 3.4-3.2 )
B ( 3.1-2.9 )
B- ( 2.8-2.5 )
C+ ( 2.4-2.2 )
C ( 2.1-1.9 ) ( 2.0 or above is required for the “C” credit )
C- ( 1.8-1.5 )
D+ (1.4-1.2 )
D (1.1-0.9 )
D- (0.8-0.7 ) ( Lowest passing grade. )
E ( 0.0 ) ( Failure or Unofficial Withdrawal. No credit earned. )
uw english | jentery at u.washington.edu
