Composition 1
Portfolio Presentation
By Kelly Hoggarth
December 18, 2000
Introduction
 I would have to say that overall my writing
skills have greatly increased. It is now
easier for me to grab the audience’s
attention through a strong introduction. I
also feel that I have found my own “voice”
or writing style.
 In this portfolio I will show you where and
how I have developed into a better writer.
Changes/Skills Demonstrated
 I used language from the common course
syllabus to identify some of the material to
cover.
 I also used language from the
Ability/Skill/Levels document—this is what
the portfolio should demonstrate.
Changes in My Writing This
Semester
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I have learned to write an effective summary.
I know how to cite sources correctly in my writing.
I have learned four ways to organize essays.
I know the essential features of a good thesis statement.
Student option 1: I have learned how to use the words
you and your less.
 Student option 2: I have learned how to contrast between
paragraphs. Or make them flow better with each other.
Conclusion
 I feel that I have applied or learned all of the
skills that are stated in Writing Skill/Levels 1 & 2
 As a writer I feel that one of my strengths is the
fact that I can keep it interesting. On the other
hand my down fall would have to be the lack of
being able to always find something to write on.
 Do to the fact that I will not be attending college
next semester I have set no goals for next the
composition class. For the long term though I
would love to become a stronger writer and have
an easier time thinking of how or what I am
going to write on.
Writing Skill / Levels 1 & 2
 Level One:
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Expresses clearly thoughts and ideas in informal writing
contexts.
Composes structurally correct sentences in Standard
American English.
Generates well-developed, coherent paragraphs.
 Level Two:
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Processes information to produce writing that clearly and
accurately summarizes and/or reports.
Writes, well-developed, focused essays.
Searches for information and inserts research appropriately.
Back
I Have Learned to Write an
Effective Summary.
 One of the major importance of summarizing is
the fact that the reader is putting the text into his
or her own words. This makes it easier to
understand.
 Example: The author clearly is for the death
penalty. He states that every law-abiding citizen
feels menaced and frustrated until the criminal
has been struck down.
 This was wrote after I read “The Penalty of
Death,” by H.L. Mencken.
 Back to Main Page.
I Know How to Cite Sources
Correctly in My Writing.
 In class I further learned how to use the MLA
documentation style. This allows the author to
give credit were credit is do. If one was to
include some facts that someone else may have
came up with than it is this person’s
responsibility to properly document it.
 Example of MLA Documentation.
 Back to Main Page.
I Have Learned Four Ways to
Organize Essays.
 The four ways to organize an essay are:
Persuasion, Compare and Contrast, Personal
Narrative, and Extended Definition.
 Out of these four ways I have chosen the
persuasive essay to be my favorite. For me this
form of writing is easier because it is something I
feel has meaning behind it. It can be a very
valuable asset to someone if they know how to use
persuasion in their life and even business. Like
they say, “The pen is mightier than the sword.”
 Example of Persuasive Essay.
 Back to Main Page.
I Know the Essential Features of a
Good Thesis Statement
 A good thesis statement grabs the reader’s eye, it
makes him or her want to keep reading. It also
should contain what the main ideas are of the
paper and give the reader a little taste of what is
to come.
 “The trill of pulling the trigger and watching
what is in the sights drop, this is hunting.” This
was my thesis statement for my comparative
essay. I felt that it was strong because I used
descriptive words and tried to add energy to it.
 Back to Main Page.
Student Option 1
 Instead of using the words you or your I have
started using others, such as one or he and she. I
feel this makes the paper less personalized and
more open to people.
 Example:……..and when one does he or she
must know how to approach them.
 Apposed to:……and when you do you must
know how to approach them.
 This shows how we can sometimes get stuck into
using the you form to often.
 Back to Main Page.
Student Option 2
 Making paragraphs flow better I find
makes a paper much stronger. To a reader
a paper means more if it looks as if it was
put together with some time, instead of the
old “I just threw it together.” A nicely
plotted paper is much easier to read than
one that is not.
 Back to Main Page