Student Samples
Key to this final assignment as students developed their Writer's Webs were three factors:
- that they metaphorize their effort in some way, that is, create a non-text, non-print unifying principle for the pages they were to include
- that they include within the drafts of their texts self-reflective material concerning how they addressed particular writing problems of their own between drafts
- that they included a process essay for the semester in which they assessed what they had learned across the course, what areas in their writing still needed work, and what they would do differently if they had either more time or another opportunity.
The samples I have included below are image-captures from three of my student writers as illustrations of the ways in which they dealt with creating a web portfolio with the above specifications.
Web Portfolio Sample 1
This writer's choice of circus theme matched her personal approach to research and writing. Her description of what she learned about choosing a topic is reflected in the "doors" through which readers view her essays: "The most important thing I learned is to write about a topic that interests me. On essay 1, I received a grade of 95/100, essay 2- 85/100, and essay 3- 95/100. Essay 2 was ten points lower and the main factor was that the topic was of no interest to me. After little brainstorming I decided to write about the reasons why women usually do most of the child rearing. I explained the economical and the psychological aspects of this topic. The information that I included in my paper was good, but I needed to add more information. A suggestion that was made to me from a peer editor was that I needed to make my position on the subject more clear. I think that I was unclear myself about my position because I was not emotionally involved in it, at all. The essay was very demanding and hard for me to write compared to essay 1 and essay 2. I don't have any advice for someone who is faced with this same situation. Believe me, I would have taken the advice if I had it."
Web Portfolio Sample 2
This student took a more linear approach to the final compilation. He wanted to stress his improvement across drafts, highlighting his later efforts to show his process by the progression of the successive links: "I feel that I did a good job forming my ideas for this paper. I started off with a general idea and narrowed it down as I worked on it. I know that no matter what topic I chose, I would have had to change it as I got more involved in the paper. I think that it could have used some more revising. Every time I read it over I found something that I did not think sounded right. I understand that this is part of the revision process, especially since I had explained this in my paper. By reading aloud to myself I was able to judge if it sounded write. This is my favorite part of writing. I enjoyed perfecting my work. I knew that each time I revised my paper it was going to be more coherent and that I would get a better grade." He also used the table formatting to foreground his improved grades over the semester. The diamond image reflects his belief that his writing was a "diamond in the rough" that improved with practice, peer responding, and conferencing.
Web Portfolio Sample 3
The bricks and mortar backgrounds this student chose for his web demonstrated his interest in focusing first on the basics of his writing--getting the structure right, being certain of his evidence, and having enough of it from the right sources to be convincing. His epigraphs also demonstrate his interest in order, change and accuracy.
His process essay indicated that he believed he had accomplished these goals, and that he intended to focus his efforts more on style and voice now that he felt comfortable with his knowledge of the basics.
In his final process essay, he says: "One of the most important things I have learned this year is that it doesn't do you any good to wait till the last minute. I have done this all my life and its has done more harm than good. On the third essay I didn't do it at the last minute, but it got close. I think that you should take gradual steps to changing. Please do not try to change overnight. It doesn't happen and you find yourself in the same boat as you were in before."
