WSU Junior Writing Portfolio: 15 Things You Need to Know

Before you graduate from Washing State University (WSU), you’ll need to prepare and submit a WSU Junior Writing Portfolio.

Here is what you need to know about a WSU Junior Writing portfolio:

The WSU Junior Writing Portfolio is required for graduation. Students must possess at least 60 credits to submit the portfolio. To complete the portfolio process, students must upload two college-level writing samples and complete a series of related online questions.

In this article, you’ll learn everything you need to know about a WSA Junior Writing Portfolio.

What Is A WSU Junior Writing Portfolio?

(This post may have affiliate links. Please see my full disclosure)
WSU photo - WSU Junior Writing Portfolio
Image from the author using Canva–WSU photo

A WSU junior writing portfolio is a collection of student work that reflects their development as writers over the course of their junior year.

The portfolio showcases the student’s growth and mastery of various types of writing, from expository to persuasive to creative.

It is an important tool for evaluating a student’s progress and readiness for senior-level writing courses.

The junior writing portfolio is typically comprised of two pieces of writing, including essays and papers written in college-level courses.

The portfolio should reflect the student’s range of interests and abilities, and demonstrate their growth as a writer over the course of the junior year.

The portfolio is usually compiled during your junior year, but students may begin work on it earlier if they wish.

It is typically due before the end of your junior year.

15 Tips for Completing Your WSU Junior Writing Portfolio

Making a WSU writing portfolio can be a daunting task, but with a few easy steps, you can get started.

Here are a few tips to help make your portfolio more effective

  1. Start with the basics. Your writing portfolio should include a selection of your best writing, including both academic and non-academic pieces. If you’re not sure what to include, start with one personal essay and one research paper.
  2. Choose a variety of writing samples. Your portfolio should showcase your range as a writer, so aim to include a mix of different genres, formats, and purposes. That gives the reviewers the most information upon which to base their evaluations.
  3. Edit your work carefully. Once you’ve decided on the pieces you’d like to include in your portfolio, it’s important to take the time to revise and edit them carefully. Make sure each piece is as strong as it can be before you add it to your portfolio.
  4. Make sure you have 60 or more credits. To qualify for turning in your WSU writing portfolio, you need at least 60 credits of college courses. Check with your counselor if you have any specific questions about your credits.
  5. Only submit one portfolio. You only get to submit one portfolio for review, so be sure to make it your best presentation possible. Don’t try to re-submit the same or a new portfolio.
  6. Meet the deadline. Usually, you will have 1 or 2 weeks to submit your portfolio once you start the portfolio submission process. Don’t start the process if you are not ready to upload your writing samples.
  7. Use lots of subheadings in your samples. You can make your sample more readable by including many subsections to break up the text.
  8. Use white space effectively. White space doesn’t just make your writing portfolio look better — it can also help to make it more scannable. Use plenty of margins and line spacing to break up your text and make it easier on the eyes.
  9. Keep your design simple. When it comes to the design of your writing samples, less is often more. Stick to a clean, simple layout that makes it easy for readers to focus on your writing.
  10. Use visuals sparingly. Including images, graphs, and other visuals in your writing portfolio can be a great way to add interest and variety. However, it’s important not to go overboard — too many visuals can be distracting and make your work look cluttered.
  11. Use a consistent font. Using a single, consistent font throughout your writing portfolio will help to create a sense of cohesion and make your work look more professional. Stick to simple, easy-to-read fonts like Times New Roman or Arial.
  12. Use work from another institution. You can upload a piece of writing you completed for another college or higher-level institution.
  13. Make sure your work is easy to print. If you think there’s a chance people will want to print out your writing portfolio, make sure it’s designed in a way that will make that easy. Use standard paper sizes and margins, and avoid colors or fancy fonts that might be difficult to reproduce.
  14. Answer all of the portfolio questions. In addition to uploading several writing samples, you’ll be prompted to answer questions related to your submissions. Answer these questions carefully and fully, using professional language.
  15. You can appeal your results. If you feel unhappy about the results you receive, you can send a professional letter of appeal to the WSU faculty. Include information about yourself, your coursework, your writing samples, and your abilities as a writer. You’ll need to save your appeal letter as a Word or PDF document and send it as an attachment to writing.program@wsu.edu.

What To Include In A WSU Writing Portfolio

When you submit a writing portfolio as part of your application to WSU, you will be required to include two samples that showcase your writing abilities and strengths.

In order to best reflect on these pieces of writing, it is important to articulate what the texts show about your capabilities as a college writer.

The first paper should demonstrate your ability to engage with and analyze source material. This could be a research paper that incorporates outside sources, or it could be an essay that critically evaluates a particular text.

Either way, your paper should show that you are able to engage productively with the ideas of others in order to develop your own argument.

The second paper should showcase your ability to communicate your ideas clearly and effectively.

This could be a personal essay, or it could be a piece of creative writing. Either way, your paper should show that you are able to communicate your thoughts in a way that is both interesting and understandable.

By including these two types of papers in your portfolio, you will give the admissions committee a well-rounded sense of your writing abilities.

So long as you take care to showcase your strengths and highlight your achievements, you should have no trouble impressing the committee and getting into the school of your choice.

What Not To Include in a WSU Writing Portfolio

When it comes to what not to include in a WSU writing portfolio, students should err on the side of caution.

Anything that could potentially be seen as offensive, inappropriate, or overly personal should be avoided.

One of the main purposes of a writing portfolio is to showcase your best writing samples. However, there are some types of writing that you should avoid putting in your portfolio.

Group work is generally not a good idea to include.

This is because it can be difficult to assess your individual contribution to the piece, and it also gives the impression that you are not capable of producing quality work on your own.

Similarly, submissions from the same course should not all be included in your portfolio.

This makes it appear as though you do not have a wide range of writing experience, and it also runs the risk of limiting the feedback you can receive.

Finally, any formatting errors or typos should be corrected before the portfolio is submitted, as this can reflect poorly on your attention to detail and professionalism.

Including any of the above content in a WSU writing portfolio may result in low scores or the portfolio being rejected.

How To Submit A WSU Writing Portfolio

If you’re a student at WSU, you may be required to submit a writing portfolio as part of your coursework.

Here’s what you need to know about how to submit a WSU Writing Portfolio.

The WSU Writing Portfolio is an online submission system for students to showcase their best writing.

Once you have submitted your writing portfolio, it will be reviewed by the English department faculty and staff for writing excellence.

To submit a writing portfolio, simply follow the instructions on the website.

First, create an account on the WSU Writing Portfolio website. Then, log in to the WSU Canvas portal and click on the “Writing Portfolio” link and follow the instructions on the page.

On the page, you will be asked to provide your contact information, as well as the name and course number of the class for which you are submitting the Portfolio. You will also be asked to upload your essays.

You will be asked to upload two essays that you have written for college-level courses. Then, students can upload up to 10 pieces of their writing.

Each piece should be in either PDF or Microsoft Word format.

Once all the pieces have been uploaded, students will need to fill out a short form for each piece. This form will ask for basic information about the piece, such as the title, genre, and audience.

Once the forms have been completed, students can submit their writing portfolios for review.

Typically, it takes 1-2 weeks for the portfolio to be reviewed and feedback to be given. WSU Writing Portfolios are due at the end of each semester.

If you have any questions about how to submit a WSU Writing Portfolio, please contact the WSU Writing Center.

Once you have submitted the form, your portfolio will be sent to the Writing Program for evaluation and you will receive a confirmation email.

Your Portfolio will then be reviewed by a WSU Writing Center staff member, and you will be notified of the results via email.

Check out this video about how to complete a WSU Junior Writing Portfolio:

YouTube video by WSU Writing Assessment – WSU Junior Writing Portfolio

Final Thoughts: WSU Junior Writing Portfolio

The bottom line is that the WSU Junior Writing portfolio assesses your writing progress and skills as a junior-level student at WSU.

It allows you to reflect on what you have learned about writing, identify your strengths and areas for improvement, and set goals for your future writing development.

The portfolio also provides an opportunity for you to receive feedback from faculty on your writing.

Before you submit your portfolio, you might want to also know about the free AI writer from H-Supertools.

Other related posts: