Professional Writing Portfolios

Due: May 8|Final exam 1:30-2:30pm

01. Requirements for Our Course (revised to reflect my comments)

1. Resume
2. Design Brief
3. Social Media Campaign
4. YouTube Video
5. Workshopped Writing Sample
6. 5 best info-graphics (2 about the English major)
7. A brief bio/branding statement about who you are and what you do

*Note: The amount of revision you do on each is up to you, but I would like to see some
engagement with the comments I have given you on your graded class essays. The workshopped
writing sample is another story. Its entirely up to you how much revision (if any) you want to
put into it. But, remember, revision will make you look better. Ive mentioned shortening your
writing samples, but thats not necessary for our portfolio.

02. Suggestions for Portfolios from Our Readings

https://designschool.canva.com/blog/portfolio/
http://www.creativebloq.com/create-perfect-design-portfolio-111153
https://expresswriters.com/10-key-tips-to-help-you-build-a-rockstar-copywriting-portfolio/
http://www.artisancreative.com/artisan-blog/7-tips-for-your-online-writing-portfolio

Q. What documents should you include?
A. The big goal of your writing portfolio is to highlight the variety of writing you can create as
well as the best writing you have. Eventually, as you work and do projects youll want to collect
those real world projects and put them in your portfolio. But, for now, try to highlight the variety
of classes youve been in. (Thats why this class is so cool, right?!). You could organize these as a
traditional design portfolio, see Figure 1, or grouped under key genre terms like visual, video,
social media, essay.

Q. What should a profile/bio/branding statement include?
A. Start with a branding statement instead of a story. Imagine it as the start of a resume. If you
want to expand to a more personal summary (that uses the I form) after this paragraph that
includes things like your hobbies, etc., thats fine. But I would always start with a branding
statement.

Organizer, Educator, and Researcher with 10 years experience working in a university

setting to highlight diversity and inclusion, whether through teaching courses on Cultures of
Medicine and Latino/a Studies, leading workshops on Black Lives Matter, organizing and
marketing conferences on Queer and Feminist narrative theory, or mentoring underserved
students in a summer bridge program. Non-university skills include political campaigning, GED
tutoring, and public affairs.

You should also think about what kind of image/s you want as your profile photo. Something
professional, something fun, theres no wrong answer. I always like a process photo. Something
that is showing you writing/designing in a cool environment.

DO NOT include a welcome to my website on this page you will find blah blah blah message
anywhere in your portfolio. No one is visiting your portfolio who doesnt know what it is.

Q. How should documents be presented/framed?
A. Recommendations vary. But I recommend writing two or three sentences (short single-
spaced bulleted list, roughly 100 words) describing the assignment you created the document
for. However, try your hardest not to use the terms teacher, student, or class. That is, avoid
painting yourself as a student. Paint yourself as a professional. To do so, Id try to frame your
writing as a project: What were the goals of the project? What was your solution (Why focus on
the topic you did? What was your solution?) Why did you write it in the way you did?
Implications for your client? What did you help them do? See a professional sample of this below
(you wont have all this info now, but try framing your writing as professionalin the future
youll want to get client and boss testimonials!)

Project Goals
To help an academic researcher win grant funds to support the development of an app that
helps disadvantaged babies and children with early language acquisition.
Our Solution
We helped this client with major revisions to four different grant applications.
We edited for content, structure, clarity, and style.
Implications for Our Client
This client has won a highly competitive national grant and is moving forward through a
multi-tiered grant competition, beating out over a hundred other competitors.
With these funds, the client has built a functioning beta version of a new language-learning
mobile app.
Also using these funds, the client is moving forward with a large research project that
determines the impact of the app; this research will inform further developments of the app.
Testimonial
This was the most amazing learning experience for me. You helped me truly polish my
words/ideas to say exactly what I needed it to say, in an effective way that impacts. I think
this grant application is the app Im the most proud of, ever. Mostly, Im just grateful for the
opportunity to get feedback to learn and be a more effective grant writer. THANK YOU SO
MUCH!

Q. How should I actually upload my documents?
A. I recommend using scribd.com to upload your documents as PDFs (its what I sometimes use
on our blog). <https://en.support.wordpress.com/scribd/>. The great thing about scribd is it
maintains your formatting and is easily readable online. Most academic portfolios use scribd. You
should also provide a download link for your document for accessible reading.

Q. How can I build a little visual interest? Should it be just text?
A. One thing you should be thinking about doing, especially if you are using a portfolio layout. Is
adding thematic and tonal images to your portfolio: copyright free images (or even copyrighted,
people dont really care as long as your portfolio isnt monetized) that highlight what each piece
is about.

Figure 1. A traditional portfolio view. What images could you put like this that would highlight what the topic of your sample is
about.

03. YouTube Video

Your YouTube video should be viewable from your WordPress site. All you have to do is copy
and paste the link into WordPress and it will show up.
Remember your video must be 3-5 minutes.
Include captions through YouTube.
Include the opening image provided (or the new one from our Twitter site).

04. Your Infographics
Put all 12 of your weekly infographics you created this semester into one word file and submit it
to the dropbox in canvas.