Portfolio Reflection on Self-Growth in English 104
Throughout our English 104 course, you have worked on improving your use of various areas of WOVE (written, oral, visual, and electronic) communication. In addition, you have examined each other’s work through peer reviews, and you have received feedback from me, your instructor. As you take other courses and as you enter the work world, you will want to continue requesting feedback from others, but it will also be helpful to self-evaluate your own communication. Reflecting (looking back) on your own growth and establishing future goals (looking ahead) will be important aspects of finding success in your career.
Think back over the past semester and re-examine with new eyes your work in this course. Then analyze and evaluate your use of communication by looking at your accomplishments and by assessing areas for future improvement. To support your points, refer to examples from your work and tell your action plan for how you will accomplish your communication goals. Compose an in-class essay, using the following questions to assist your reflection. Be sure to include an introduction and conclusion.
- Communication habits/process
- What is included in your composing process?
- How do you go about brainstorming ideas for topics and details?
- How do you revise papers?
- How do you use others (peers, instructor, etc.) to assist you in making
effective revisions? - How have you worked on improving your editing process? What tend to be common mechanical problems? What are you doing to improve in this area?
- Which communication habits have changed or remained the same during this semester?
- Communication strengths. What talents or strengths do you possess in the following areas:
- writing (material, organization, expression, correctness)
- oral (interviews, large group discussions, small group discussions, etc.)
- visual (art-on-campus analysis, brochure, etc.)
- electronic (word processing, e-mail content and ethics, using the Internet, using images, etc.)
- Communication improvements
- Which of the above communication areas have you strengthened during the semester? How?
- What is your best accomplishment during this semester?
- Communication action plan
- Which of the above areas (writing, oral, visual, electronic) do you consider your weakest area?
- What is your action plan for how you can improve in this area(s)?
Audience
Your immediate audience for this oral presentation will be your instructor. Most importantly, though, you will be the chief audience because this essay will be a roadmap for you in showing your original starting point in communication this semester, your future destination, and your plan for reaching this destination.
Criteria for evaluation
This assignment is the culmination of the semester’s work. The following areas are criteria for this assignment:
- analysis and evaluation of all four areas of WOVE and the communication process
- references to prior work to support the analysis
- a plan of action for accomplishing the established goals
- effective use of material, organization, expression, and correctness