Early Stages
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Working Stages
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Final Stages
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What makes the portfolio option different from the thesis or exam option?
The portfolio option is different from the thesis or exam option because of the breadth of the portfolio. While you could cluster all five of your portfolio projects into the same subfield, the portfolio definitely lends itself to exploring several different topics and subfields during your MA career. However, there are some things the portfolio option isn’t suited for: for instance, if you’re interested in doing a more large-scale study by examining a dataset alongside a hearty scope of literature, for instance, the thesis option would make a better fit. If you’re interested in composing two essays in a short amount of time, the exam option might be a better fit for you.
All three of the completion options have their benefits and drawbacks. The exam option, for example, can be used as a way to prepare/practice for the PhD comp exams, learn how to synthesize concepts and readings from several courses into a single, narrow research question, or simply as a way to practice writing under deadline. For some people, the exam option may seem daunting, because there’s a more strict timeline than with the thesis or portfolio options. On the flip side, though, that short timeline may be good for someone who works well under pressure and would prefer to get the completion process done and over with. Have an honest discussion with your chair about your strengths and weaknesses as a scholar to decide which completion option would be best for you.
The portfolio option is different from the thesis or exam option because of the breadth of the portfolio. While you could cluster all five of your portfolio projects into the same subfield, the portfolio definitely lends itself to exploring several different topics and subfields during your MA career. However, there are some things the portfolio option isn’t suited for: for instance, if you’re interested in doing a more large-scale study by examining a dataset alongside a hearty scope of literature, for instance, the thesis option would make a better fit. If you’re interested in composing two essays in a short amount of time, the exam option might be a better fit for you.
All three of the completion options have their benefits and drawbacks. The exam option, for example, can be used as a way to prepare/practice for the PhD comp exams, learn how to synthesize concepts and readings from several courses into a single, narrow research question, or simply as a way to practice writing under deadline. For some people, the exam option may seem daunting, because there’s a more strict timeline than with the thesis or portfolio options. On the flip side, though, that short timeline may be good for someone who works well under pressure and would prefer to get the completion process done and over with. Have an honest discussion with your chair about your strengths and weaknesses as a scholar to decide which completion option would be best for you.
How do I know if the portfolio option is right for me?
Some students decide to pursue the portfolio option for professional reasons, while others choose to do the portfolio option because it allows them to explore several projects at once. Before deciding to pursue the portfolio option, it’s important to ask yourself if you’re good at juggling several projects at once. For example, while you might be making final edits on one of your projects, you may still be in the early drafting or brainstorming stages of another project. If going between multiple different projects while talking coursework sounds stressful, then maybe the thesis or exam option would make more sense for you. Being able to jump between projects during the portfolio writing process is crucial to completing a project you’re proud of.
Another important reason why you might choose the portfolio over the thesis or exam options is having several project ideas that you’re unable to narrow down. If the thought of only being able to explore a single one of those projects doesn’t satisfy you, the portfolio could be a great option for you. Ultimately, like many things in life, choosing right right completion option might just come down to a gut feeling for you. If there’s one option that you just can’t stop thinking about, then go for it! Even if everyone else around you is going in another direction, it’s important to go with the option that you’re most drawn to because your passion is going to be what fuels you from the start to the finish.
Some students decide to pursue the portfolio option for professional reasons, while others choose to do the portfolio option because it allows them to explore several projects at once. Before deciding to pursue the portfolio option, it’s important to ask yourself if you’re good at juggling several projects at once. For example, while you might be making final edits on one of your projects, you may still be in the early drafting or brainstorming stages of another project. If going between multiple different projects while talking coursework sounds stressful, then maybe the thesis or exam option would make more sense for you. Being able to jump between projects during the portfolio writing process is crucial to completing a project you’re proud of.
Another important reason why you might choose the portfolio over the thesis or exam options is having several project ideas that you’re unable to narrow down. If the thought of only being able to explore a single one of those projects doesn’t satisfy you, the portfolio could be a great option for you. Ultimately, like many things in life, choosing right right completion option might just come down to a gut feeling for you. If there’s one option that you just can’t stop thinking about, then go for it! Even if everyone else around you is going in another direction, it’s important to go with the option that you’re most drawn to because your passion is going to be what fuels you from the start to the finish.
How can I come up with ideas for my portfolio projects?
One of the most exciting parts of the portfolio option is being able to explore several different project ideas at once. That being said, though, having to come up with five different unique projects can be somewhat overwhelming. There are many different strategies to find projects that would make great fits to your portfolio.
One of the most exciting parts of the portfolio option is being able to explore several different project ideas at once. That being said, though, having to come up with five different unique projects can be somewhat overwhelming. There are many different strategies to find projects that would make great fits to your portfolio.
- First, draw from your classwork. The RW program and your committee members won't expect you to create five new, entirely unique pieces to include in your portfolio. Rather, they expect that you will include projects you already created in your coursework. That said, they will also expect that you may do some tweaking, editing, and/or tailoring of the pieces before you include them in your portfolio.
- Work from your interests, first: You’re here, in graduate school, for a reason. There’s likely some different topics that you’d like to learn more about while at MSU. Consider starting from those topics when deciding which projects you’d like to work on for your portfolio.
- Draw from the topics taught while taking classes: As graduate students, we’re not here to only learn about the topics we’re passionate about—we’re here to learn about different parts of our field that we didn’t know about before. Take advantage of the topics covered in your classes to draw inspiration from when coming up with portfolio project ideas. Maybe there was a reading that was particularly inspiring to you, maybe a peer in your class mentioned a topic you hadn’t thought about before, or maybe you stumbled on something exciting when researching for a final project. It’s a good idea to use these moments of heightened interest to your favor and turn those questions and ideas into fully formed projects for your portfolio.
- Collaborate! Collaboration is a natural part of the academic experience. If there’s a project that you and a peer (or faculty) are coming up with together, consider adding that project to your portfolio. Of course, for ethical reasons, ensure that both your partner(s) and your committee are aware that you plan to include that piece in your portfolio. Bring up adding the collaborative project to your portfolio sooner rather than later, though—you wouldn’t want to spend several hours working on a project that either your partner(s) or your committee tell you can’t or shouldn't appear in your final portfolio.
- Check Call for Papers (CFPs) and trends in the industry. As professionals and academics, we’re often expected to be aware of the trends that appear in the field. For those interested in pursuing a higher academic position, CFPs can be useful in determine what major topics are gaining traction in the field. Some useful places to check out CFPs are the UPenn Call for Papers page and Tengrrl’s Blog. These are CFP pages specifically designed for composition and rhetoric scholars. If there’s a subset or accompanying field you plan to work with in your scholarship, be sure to find CFPs for those fields, too. If you’re planning to go into the industry following your masters degree, CFPs could still be useful to you, but consider also checking out some trade journals in the field you’re aiming to work. Similarly to academic CFPs, there are also going to be trends and hot topics that make waves in the industry—these trends are good places to check out for when you’re trying to figure out what kinds of projects you might pursue for your portfolio.
When should I be working on my portfolio projects?
Formally, your last two semesters should be spent working on your portfolio projects. Realistically, though, don’t be surprised if you don’t start formally writing and drafting your projects until your final semester. The timeline for the portfolio varies from student to student, based on workload, personal habits, life events, and project timelines. What worked for me was to start seriously researching, outlining, and drafting some projects the my third semester, then I spent my fourth semester finalizing those started projects and finishing up the additional projects.
For example, I took WRA 425 when WRAC still offered it, the focus of which wais on multimedia writing and documentary production, with Alexandra Hidalgo my final semester. The video essay I created for that class was a final project in my portfolio, but obviously, I didn’t start working on that project until my final semester. There isn’t an ideal timeline, there’s just what’s reasonable for your work habits and your schedule. Touching base with your committee members and the peers who are also working on the portfolio isn’t a bad idea—see what the faculty suggest and then set up some accountability deadlines with your peers. Just be realistic about what kind of timeline will work for your lifestyle and decide on the best way to keep yourself accountable during this hectic period of your graduate career.
Formally, your last two semesters should be spent working on your portfolio projects. Realistically, though, don’t be surprised if you don’t start formally writing and drafting your projects until your final semester. The timeline for the portfolio varies from student to student, based on workload, personal habits, life events, and project timelines. What worked for me was to start seriously researching, outlining, and drafting some projects the my third semester, then I spent my fourth semester finalizing those started projects and finishing up the additional projects.
For example, I took WRA 425 when WRAC still offered it, the focus of which wais on multimedia writing and documentary production, with Alexandra Hidalgo my final semester. The video essay I created for that class was a final project in my portfolio, but obviously, I didn’t start working on that project until my final semester. There isn’t an ideal timeline, there’s just what’s reasonable for your work habits and your schedule. Touching base with your committee members and the peers who are also working on the portfolio isn’t a bad idea—see what the faculty suggest and then set up some accountability deadlines with your peers. Just be realistic about what kind of timeline will work for your lifestyle and decide on the best way to keep yourself accountable during this hectic period of your graduate career.
How can I keep track of all these different projects at once?
Time management is crucial during all of grad school, but especially when trying to juggle your five portfolio projects. The best advice for finishing your portfolio on time is to start early and be consistent. This means making a schedule for yourself. Obviously, you know how you work best, so this schedule can vary from person to person. You just want to be sure that you’re not just scheduling when you plan to complete your projects—you should schedule when and what you plan to research, when you plan to brainstorm/outline, when you plan to start drafting your project, when you plan to have a completed draft, and when you plan to show this completed draft to one of your committee members. It may seem tedious at first, but once you get started on your five projects, you’re likely to feel a bit all over the place. Having a place to keep track of your different timelines is going to be a huge relief once you’re in the throes of your projects.
Time management is crucial during all of grad school, but especially when trying to juggle your five portfolio projects. The best advice for finishing your portfolio on time is to start early and be consistent. This means making a schedule for yourself. Obviously, you know how you work best, so this schedule can vary from person to person. You just want to be sure that you’re not just scheduling when you plan to complete your projects—you should schedule when and what you plan to research, when you plan to brainstorm/outline, when you plan to start drafting your project, when you plan to have a completed draft, and when you plan to show this completed draft to one of your committee members. It may seem tedious at first, but once you get started on your five projects, you’re likely to feel a bit all over the place. Having a place to keep track of your different timelines is going to be a huge relief once you’re in the throes of your projects.
How can my committee help me while I work on my portfolio?
The way each student uses their committee is different. These differences come from the student’s own working habits, the makeup of the committee, or sometimes simply timing. For MAs at WRAC, each committee is made up of three people. You, the student, choose each of these members, and one of them serves as your chair. Think of designing a committee as forming a team: You want to be sure that all of the bases are covered amongst your committee. This could mean choosing people because of similar research interests or choosing people because their personality and/or work style aligns with yours. Just be sure that you’re organizing a collection of faculty who you think will best serve you and your work.
As for deciding how to share your work with your committee members, that’s really just up to you and your committee. Because your portfolio will likely span several research topics, one of the easiest ways to get the most of your committee would be to break up your projects across your committee. For instance, say you’re interested in doing a writing center theory-based portfolio project—it would make more sense to get guidance for that project with the committee member who has the most writing center experience. Be smart about how you ask for help from your committee: Remember, faculty are busy people. Asking for in-depth, thorough feedback for all five of your projects from your committee might be a tall order. Consider lessening the load for your committee members to 1) give you a better chance of them actually looking it over and 2) allow them to give more generative feedback in the long run.
The way each student uses their committee is different. These differences come from the student’s own working habits, the makeup of the committee, or sometimes simply timing. For MAs at WRAC, each committee is made up of three people. You, the student, choose each of these members, and one of them serves as your chair. Think of designing a committee as forming a team: You want to be sure that all of the bases are covered amongst your committee. This could mean choosing people because of similar research interests or choosing people because their personality and/or work style aligns with yours. Just be sure that you’re organizing a collection of faculty who you think will best serve you and your work.
As for deciding how to share your work with your committee members, that’s really just up to you and your committee. Because your portfolio will likely span several research topics, one of the easiest ways to get the most of your committee would be to break up your projects across your committee. For instance, say you’re interested in doing a writing center theory-based portfolio project—it would make more sense to get guidance for that project with the committee member who has the most writing center experience. Be smart about how you ask for help from your committee: Remember, faculty are busy people. Asking for in-depth, thorough feedback for all five of your projects from your committee might be a tall order. Consider lessening the load for your committee members to 1) give you a better chance of them actually looking it over and 2) allow them to give more generative feedback in the long run.
What kinds of portfolio projects are accepted?
Portfolio projects are exactly what you make of them. Technically, your committee has final say in what they will accept, but you really have the power to make whatever kinds of projects you feel will best populate your portfolio. For reference, I turned in three traditionally written, article-length projects, one collaboratively created website, and one video essay. Be sure to have conversations with you committee (or at least your committee chair) early and often. If a project is going to change directions, formats, or scopes, you always want to be sure that your committee is prepared to see those changes. But otherwise, don’t be afraid to get creative! This is your opportunity to experiment with different genres and formats, so if there’s a composing method you’ve been eager to try but never felt able to, the portfolio is a great time to try that alternative method out! That being said, of course, don’t push yourself past your reasonable comfort level.
And, if you want to build a website from the ground up, but don’t know anything about website coding, consider an alternative: perhaps using a premade-website builder instead. Just be reasonable about what you’ll be able to accomplish during this time period and keep yourself within those limits.
Portfolio projects are exactly what you make of them. Technically, your committee has final say in what they will accept, but you really have the power to make whatever kinds of projects you feel will best populate your portfolio. For reference, I turned in three traditionally written, article-length projects, one collaboratively created website, and one video essay. Be sure to have conversations with you committee (or at least your committee chair) early and often. If a project is going to change directions, formats, or scopes, you always want to be sure that your committee is prepared to see those changes. But otherwise, don’t be afraid to get creative! This is your opportunity to experiment with different genres and formats, so if there’s a composing method you’ve been eager to try but never felt able to, the portfolio is a great time to try that alternative method out! That being said, of course, don’t push yourself past your reasonable comfort level.
And, if you want to build a website from the ground up, but don’t know anything about website coding, consider an alternative: perhaps using a premade-website builder instead. Just be reasonable about what you’ll be able to accomplish during this time period and keep yourself within those limits.
What is the certifying process for the portfolio like?
Unlike the thesis, a portfolio does not have to be defended. It is up to you and your committee to determine if you should have a formal meeting to discuss your portfolio. Having a formal meeting to discuss the portfolio, once it’s been turned in and reviewed by your committee, can be a useful culminating moment to discuss your work. (Plus, for all you know, it could be one of the last times yourself and your entire committee are in the same room together.) The meeting is a useful moment to discuss future plans and general feedback with your committee. That final meeting is a place for you to decide what kind of information you want from your committee. However, the end of the semesters can be hectic, and a final meeting with your committee isn’t technically necessary to certify the portfolio. Determine what would make most sense for you and your committee and ensure that if you have a final meeting planned that you are able to discuss what you see as the most pressing issues.
Unlike the thesis, a portfolio does not have to be defended. It is up to you and your committee to determine if you should have a formal meeting to discuss your portfolio. Having a formal meeting to discuss the portfolio, once it’s been turned in and reviewed by your committee, can be a useful culminating moment to discuss your work. (Plus, for all you know, it could be one of the last times yourself and your entire committee are in the same room together.) The meeting is a useful moment to discuss future plans and general feedback with your committee. That final meeting is a place for you to decide what kind of information you want from your committee. However, the end of the semesters can be hectic, and a final meeting with your committee isn’t technically necessary to certify the portfolio. Determine what would make most sense for you and your committee and ensure that if you have a final meeting planned that you are able to discuss what you see as the most pressing issues.
Who decides if a portfolio passes or not?
The portfolio, like the thesis and exam, is used as a culminating artifact that is intended to exemplify if you can produce work at the graduate level. A portfolio, thesis, or exam is considered acceptable if it shows that level of work. Once the product is approved, your project—whether it be a thesis, a portfolio, or an exam—is considered certified. Unlike the thesis, which has to be sent to the College of Arts and Letters, the people who determine if a portfolio is certified is your committee. Ideally, your chair would ensure that your portfolio is certified when it’s presented to your committee, because, ideally, your chair and other committee members would be familiar with your projects before they’re formally turned in.
The portfolio, like the thesis and exam, is used as a culminating artifact that is intended to exemplify if you can produce work at the graduate level. A portfolio, thesis, or exam is considered acceptable if it shows that level of work. Once the product is approved, your project—whether it be a thesis, a portfolio, or an exam—is considered certified. Unlike the thesis, which has to be sent to the College of Arts and Letters, the people who determine if a portfolio is certified is your committee. Ideally, your chair would ensure that your portfolio is certified when it’s presented to your committee, because, ideally, your chair and other committee members would be familiar with your projects before they’re formally turned in.
What can I do with a portfolio once I graduate?
What you do with a portfolio after you graduate can vary just as much as each individual portfolio. Personally, I was aiming to further my position as an academic scholar, so I spent my energy trying to get publications and conference presentations out of the projects that I made for my portfolio. However, if I wanted to go directly from my masters degree to industry, I may consider doing something different with them, such as building an online portfolio to illustrate the kind of work I’m capable of doing to potential employers. Chances are, faculty, and even some peers, at Michigan State will be able to prepare you for the route you want to take following the completion of your degree. Try to talk to them and see what suggestions they have for you. Maybe they’ll have recommendations of employers, journals, fellow academics to connect with, or other alumni to reach out to. Be creative, but more importantly, be communicative about what you want. Ask for suggestions and don’t be afraid to show your work off in ways that will benefit you.
What you do with a portfolio after you graduate can vary just as much as each individual portfolio. Personally, I was aiming to further my position as an academic scholar, so I spent my energy trying to get publications and conference presentations out of the projects that I made for my portfolio. However, if I wanted to go directly from my masters degree to industry, I may consider doing something different with them, such as building an online portfolio to illustrate the kind of work I’m capable of doing to potential employers. Chances are, faculty, and even some peers, at Michigan State will be able to prepare you for the route you want to take following the completion of your degree. Try to talk to them and see what suggestions they have for you. Maybe they’ll have recommendations of employers, journals, fellow academics to connect with, or other alumni to reach out to. Be creative, but more importantly, be communicative about what you want. Ask for suggestions and don’t be afraid to show your work off in ways that will benefit you.