11 May 2015

Portfolio Assessment Committee

English Department
North Dakota State University
Fargo, ND 58102
Dear Assessment Committee,
This portfolio contains numerous works that I have written as assignments for this class, Creative
Writing I. They represent a variety of genres for different audiences, purposes, and situations,
and they satisfy the various outcomes outlined by the English Department at North Dakota State
University.
I have written in a variety of genres, including poetry, summary and analysis, fiction, as well as
uncreative writing, which fulfills Gen Ed Outcome 1, which is to communicate effectively in
a variety of contexts and genres, using a variety of communication skills. I wrote two
collections of poetry, each containing ten poems. For our first poetry assignment, I focused on a
theme of personal commentary on life, love, and nature. This collection featured a variety of
styles and forms. Our second poetry assignment was to create a chapbook, which I made by
hand. The overall theme relates to space, as I took articles from an astronomy journal and created
blackout poetry. The artwork is spray paint. Both of these assignments fulfill Gen Ed Outcome 6
which is to integrate knowledge and ideas in a coherent and meaningful manner.
For the fiction assignment, I wrote a story that incorporated characters from the classic fairytale
Cinderella, and a modern science fiction television show, Doctor Who. It was meant as a
combination of a fan fiction and a twisted fairy tale.
For the summary and analysis assignment, we were required to choose a text from the textbook
to read, summarize, and analyze. The first was an analysis of a short story, and other of a poem.
This assignment fulfills English Ed Outcome 6, which requires us to become familiar with
literatures as culturally and historically embedded practices. This outcome includes goals such as
familiarity with major writers, genres, and periods, and technologies of writing. We shared these
assignments with the class, so each person shared the work they analyzed and the information
about the author, which expanded class knowledge of great works and authors.
The uncreative writing assignment required us to take the work of another author and
repurpose it in a way that gives it new meaning or teaches a concept. I chose the option that
stated we were to rewrite three pages from our favorite book exactly how it is written. I retyped
the first three pages of chapter 10 of Tolkiens The Hobbit. This assignment opened my eyes to
the level of detail and description that characterizes the series.
For the last part of the semester, the class participated in large-group workshops so that we could
give and receive constructive criticism for our work. We provided feedbakc and fostered an

atmosphere of cooperation and communication. Through this experience, I developed

professionalism exhibited in such qualities as self-direction, cooperation, civility, reliability, and
care in editing and presenting the final product, which is departmental outcome 7.
Throughout this class, I was required to plan, document, and complete writing assignments in a
variety of styles for different audiences and purposes. I have fulfilled the requirements for the
course through these assignments, which are categorized by genre with links above.