Department of English

West Chester University

Contact Info
Dr. Anne Herzog
532 Main Hall
West Chester, PA 19383
610-436-2822
aherzog@wcupa.edu

Final Assessments For B.S.Ed. and B.A. English
(What You Need to Know About the Exit Survey
and English Program Portfolio)

Presented by the Majors' Committee
Dr. Eleanor Shevlin, eshevlin@wcupa.edu


As part of its ongoing commitment to an undergraduate English major of high quality, the WCU English Department has developed two means of obtaining feedback about the program and how it helps students: 1) an exit survey and 2) a student portfolio. This section of the handbook provides information on these methods.

The exit survey is to be completed by all B.A. and B.S. Ed. English majors; however, the portfolio described below is to be filed only by B.A. students. B.S. Ed. students have a separate portfolio requirement for their teacher education program (see pages 29-31 of the English Majors' handbook).

The B.A. in English and B.S.E.d English Exit Survey

All graduating English majors are requested to fill out an exit survey in their senior year. The survey asks you about the quality of your education here and your satisfaction with the program. The survey is an opportunity to let us know how satisfied you are with the program and how we might improve it. The survey is available online at the English Majors' Forum Blackboard site (you may also request hard copy).

The B.A. in English Portfolio

Undergraduate English majors pursuing the B.A. in English are required to compile and submit a portfolio of writing done for their classes (this includes transfer students). The portfolio will be submitted to the chair of the Majors' Committee, Dr. Eleanor Shevlin (eshevlin@wcupa.edu) , 551 Main or her mailbox in English Department mailroom. A new assessment plan for the B.A. in English (whether literatures or writings track) is being re-designed; it may require a paper from one of the core courses (ENG 194, 295, 296, or LIT 206) as well as an ENG 400 paper. Be sure to review the papers required for the existing B.A. English portfolio now to ensure that you will have them when it comes time for you to assemble and submit your portfolio. You should retain clean, ungraded copies of the needed essays.

B.A. PORTFOLIOS: FAQ

How will the portfolio scores be used?

The portfolio is one of the two assessment tools the English Department will be using to gauge how effective our B.A. in English program is-the other tool is an exit survey. Though you will submit the portfolio under your name, scores will be recorded without it, and those scores will be examined ONLY by assessment personnel in aggregate with the scores of other portfolios and ONLY for this single purpose of program assessment. You can be confident that the information garnered from the portfolio will otherwise be kept confidential.

Will my grades be affected by the portfolio score?

No. The score on the portfolio will not affect any grades.

Can a less than passing score on the portfolio keep me from graduating?

No. Unlike the portfolio required by the B.S. Ed. program, the B.A. in English portfolio will not function as a test of your abilities that you must pass in order to complete the program. Although submission is required, the portfolio is for assessment purposes only.

Does everyone have to do this? My sister graduated recently and she was not asked to submit a portfolio.

The portfolio requirement has been in place since 2004 as a part of the department's ongoing outcomes assessment effort. Consequently, the class of 2004 was the first incoming freshman class asked to collect papers and submit a portfolio before graduation. Since the only original works required for the portfolio are a table of contents and an introduction, we hope that this task will be an opportunity rather than a burden. Ideally, compiling the portfolio should give you an occasion to reflect on your growth as a reader, thinker, and writer while at WCU.

To whom do I submit my portfolio?

The portfolio should be submitted to the chair of the Majors' Committee, Dr. Eleanor Shevlin (eshevlin@wcupa.edu), 551 Main or her mailbox in English Department mailroom.

B.A. ENGLISH PORTFOLIO REQUIREMENTS

During their second to last semester of enrollment at WCU, candidates for a B.A. degree in English must submit a portfolio of four essays/writing projects that they consider to be the best examples of work completed in undergraduate English courses. Selected items must include the following:

B.A. English (pre-Fall 2007 major):

  • one from work assigned in ENG/LIT 295, ENG/LIT 296 or LIT206
  • one from an American Literature course
  • one from an English Literature course
  • one from a ENG/LIT 400 seminar

Students should select papers/writing projects that successfully demonstrate the following criteria:
  • knowledge of American Literature
  • knowledge of English Literature
  • the ability to situate a text in relation to literary tradition, historical period, and cultural identities (class, race, gender, ethnicity, sexuality etc.)
  • the ability to write analytically, critically, and knowledgeably about literature

B.A. English

  • one from work assigned in ENG 194, ENG 295, ENG 296 or LIT206
  • one from a ENG/LIT 400 seminar
  • one reflecting competency in an area to be determined

Students should select papers/writing projects that successfully demonstrate criteria, the specifics of which are to be determined, but that will include the ability to write analytically, critically, and knowledgeably about a given topic.

Items selected must be submitted as clean copies without any instructor's comments or grades. Students may revise the writing chosen as deemed necessary prior to submission of the final portfolio.

Finally, each portfolio will include a Checklist that identifies each item presented (print the page from the link on Blackboard or the Department's homepage, and fill it out) as well as an Introduction (essay or letter). The Introduction (3-4 pages typed, double-spaced) will address each item in the portfolio and must explain the context (assignment's expectations) for each piece as well as the student's understanding of how the items included (individually and collectively) demonstrate the four criteria specified above. Students are encouraged to reflect more generally on the quality of their educational experience within the B.A. in English Program.

RUBRIC FOR EVALUATING THE B.A. IN ENGLISH PORTFOLIO

Elements of a Satisfactory Portfolio


  • Knowledge of English and American Literature
  • shows familiarity with a period, author, trend, movement, or paradigm from English literature
  • Ability to Situate Texts within Literary and Cultural Contexts
  • recognizes generic traditions and innovations
  • recognizes authorial influences across time
  • demonstrates understanding of the ways in which literary texts can reflect or shape the representation of historical events
  • analyzes the ways in which literary texts both reflect and help to construct such social categories as race, class, gender, and sexuality
  • Ability to Write Analytically, Critically, and Knowledgeably about literature
  • develops a thesis
  • organizes writing
  • supports analysis with textual evidence
  • follows conventions of logical argumentation
  • demonstrates control of language use and mechanics
  • demonstrates under-standing of the conventions of literary criticism (including MLA style)


Rubric for Assessing B.A. Literature Portfolio


  • Score:
  • Knowledge of English and American Literature
  • Ability to Situate Texts within Literary and Cultural Contexts
  • Ability to Write Analytically, Critically, and Knowledgeably about Literature
  • 4 (a rare score)
  • demonstrates sophisticated knowledge of at least one period, author, or movement, etc. from English and American literature
  • provides substantial and specific analysis of how literary texts are related to both literary and cultural contexts
  • demonstrates superior achievement in all six of the qualities of critical writing listed above
  • 3
  • demonstrates a competent understanding of at least one period, author, or movement, etc., from English and American literature
  • provides some specific analysis of how literary texts are related to both literary and cultural contexts
  • demonstrates clear competence in most of the elements of critical writing listed above
  • 2
  • demonstrates sufficient knowledge of at least one period, author, or movement, etc., from English or American literature and vague knowledge of the other literature
  • provides vague analysis of how literary texts are related to both literary and cultural contexts or specific analysis of relations to either literary or cultural contexts
  • demonstrates adequate skill with the elements of critical writing listed above, though one or two of these areas may be weak
  • 1
  • demonstrates only vague or insufficient knowledge of even one period, author, or movement, etc., from English or American literature
  • provides little or no analysis of how literary texts are related to either literary and cultural contexts
  • demonstrates pervasive weaknesses in the majority of the qualities of critical writing listed above

Total Score Possible = 12 Passing Score = 8 (with at least a 2 in each area)

**Remember, these scores are not intended as judgments on you, but indications of in what ways our programs need to improve to achieve their learning goals.

B.A. English Portfolio Checklist (PDF)