Professional Writing Program
Portfolio Assessment 2010
CURRICULAR OVERVIEW
All Professional Writing majors take four core courses, to establish a common background:
 WRA 202: Introduction to Professional Writing
 WRA 210: Introduction to Web Authoring
 WRA 260: Rhetoric, Persuasion, and Culture
 WRA 360: Visual Rhetoric for Professional Writers
Students then select a “track” or emphasis area in the major:
Digital and Technical Writing
WRA 320: Technical Writing
WRA 410: Advanced Web
Authoring or
WRA 417: Multimedia Writing
WRA 415: Digital Rhetoric
Writing in Communities and
Cultures
WRA 331: Writing in the Public
Interest
WRA 444: Writing in American
Cultures
WRA 453: Grant and Proposal Writing
Writing, Editing, and Publishing
WRA 370: Grammar and Style for
Professional Writers
WRA 380: Managing Publication Projects
WRA 470: Editing and Publishing
EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES OF THE BA PROGRAM
The Professional Writing program engages students in exploring, experimenting with, and enjoying forms of
communication, types of technologies, and the ability to interact and work with other students, faculty, and
business and community mentors. The program is designed to be flexible to accommodate changes in approaches
to professional and digital writing and changes in technology in the coming years. The career-related and
educational objectives of the program include:

preparing students for successful careers in technical/professional writing;

providing students with theoretical and practical (application of knowledge and production-related)
experience in professional writing;

encouraging students to understand the cultural and rhetorical dimensions of all communicative acts;
and

supporting students in making significant contributions to the College, University, and community prior
to their formal entry into the workforce.
GOALS OF PORTFOLIOS
All students in the Professional Writing program are expected to
prepare and maintain a working professional portfolio during their time
in the program, and to present a professional portfolio prior to
graduation. Professional Writing courses support students in
understanding portfolios, recognizing the goals of portfolios, designing
their portfolios, and creating pieces to eventually add to their portfolios.
Each student’s professional portfolio
should demonstrate educational
growth, development of a professional
identity, ability to reflect upon and
illustrate skills gained, and readiness
to transition from college to the
workplace and/or to graduate school.
GOALS OF PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT
Your task in this process is critical; student portfolios are a key place where evidence of students’ educational and
professional preparation should be displayed. Please bear in mind that we are not necessarily “grading” or
evaluating students directly—this process is meant to grade and evaluate the Professional Writing
program and how well it meets its goals for student learning.
The following heuristic is a tool for assessing student portfolios. Please rank each component, indicating strong
evidence, some evidence, no evidence, or N/A (not applicable). In the “overall” portion, please rank the
portfolios overall, and include narrative comments or mention of specific portfolios and/or work that you
thought was particular illustrative or strong.
Professional Writing Program Portfolio Assessment
Comments from evaluators should be submitted to the Director of Professional Writing no later than two weeks
after students’ portfolio presentations (email is ideal, devossda@msu.edu). Comments will be combined and a
written report will be prepared, available to faculty, CIAB members, and students; the report will be archived in the
Professional Writing offices for program review and assessment.
Thank you for your expertise and help in this process. If you are interested in reviewing the annual Professional
Writing portfolio report, please contact the Director of Professional Writing.
Professional Writing Program Portfolio Assessment
REVIEWER:
DATE:
PORTFOLIO COMPONENTS
Preparing students for successful careers in
technical/professional writing.
Strong
Evidence
Some
Evidence
No
Evidenc
e
N/A
Strong
Evidence
Some
Evidence
No
Evidenc
e
N/A
Strong
Evidence
Some
Evidence
No
Evidence
N/A
Strong
Evidence
Some
Evidence
No
Evidence
The portfolios demonstrate evidence of educational and/or
professional development and growth over time and/or projects.
The portfolios include biography, philosophy, or objective
statements that reflect the authors’ educational and/or
professional purposes.
The portfolios include resumes.
The content of the portfolios complements and illustrates the
resumes.
Providing students with theoretical and practical (application
of knowledge and production-related) experience in
professional writing.
The portfolios include evidence of students’ ability to write and
produce different types of texts.
The portfolios show evidence of the authors’ abilities to work
productively and collaboratively with others (in pairs, in small
groups, etc.).
The design and layout present a unique and professional identity.
The navigation and structure of the portfolios and their content
are easily understandable and usable.
Encouraging students to understanding the cultural and
rhetorical dimensions of all communicative acts.
The portfolios show evidence of the authors’ understanding of
communication as a cultural and rhetorical act.
The portfolios show attention to appropriate education and
professional audience(s).
The portfolios reflect the authors’ ability to understand historical
and cultural context and their relevance to communicative acts in
professional writing.
Supporting students in making significant contributions to the
College, University, and community prior to their formal entry
into the workforce.
The portfolios demonstrate engagement with and contributions
to the Professional Writing program.
The portfolios demonstrate engagement with and contributions
to the university.
The portfolios demonstrate engagement with and contributions
to the larger community (Lansing, Michigan, etc.).
Professional Writing Program Portfolio Assessment
N/A
Professional Writing Program Portfolio Assessment
PORTFOLIO RATINGS
In this final, summary section, please include both a rating for each category and also provide some narrative
discussion to support your rating. Feel free to draw upon specific examples as necessary.
Collection of materials.
The portfolios show what the students can do; the portfolios
include excellent selections of example materials.
Strong
Evidence
Some
Evidence
No
Evidence
N/A
Strong
Evidence
Some
Evidence
No
Evidence
N/A
Comments:
Selection of materials.
The portfolios evidence excellent attention to detail and
appropriate selection of key work.
Comments
Professional Writing Program Portfolio Assessment
Reflection on materials.
The portfolios show that the students have reflected on their
skills and abilities, and well represented reflection across their
portfolios.
Strong
Evidence
Some
Evidence
No
Evidence
N/A
Strong
Evidence
Some
Evidence
No
Evidence
N/A
Strong
Evidence
Some
Evidence
No
Evidence
N/A
Comments:
Writing skills.
The portfolios reveal the authors as sophisticated, creative,
attentive writers of carefully edited and polished prose.
Comments:
Professionalism.
The portfolios do an excellent job revealing a sense of the
authors/writers/designers as individuals with unique skills and a
professional identity.
Comments:
Professional Writing Program Portfolio Assessment