EIU Electronic Writing Portfolio:
Student FAQ
WHERE TO SUBMIT PAPERS.
WHEN TO SUBMIT PAPERS.
What is the purpose of the Electronic Writing Portfolio?
Effective writing is a goal of Eastern’s undergraduate program, and the EWP allows the University to ensure that its students are effective writers. The EWP gathers authentic artifacts of students’ writing to ascertain that Eastern’s students are meeting the goal. Completing the EWP is a graduation requirement of all undergraduate students.
What are the paper requirements?
- at least 750 words in length, approximately 3 pages (NOTE: title pages and citation pages are not included in the minimum word count)
- written by you, exclusively; no group project papers
- written in English
- written in a manner consistent with the demands of the discipline for which it was written
- written as a coherent argument that connects ideas within and between paragraphs; NO lists, outlines, lesson plans and other such documents
- NO creative pieces, such as poems, short stories, or plays
What does effective writing demonstrate?
- awareness of specific audiences, purposes, genres, disciplines, and professions
- cogent and defensible applications, analyses, evaluations, and arguments about problems, ideas, and issues
- clear, well-organized, focused, and cohesive arguments
- appropriate vocabulary, mechanics, grammar, diction, and sentence structure
- analysis and synthesis of complex textual, numeric, and graphical sources
- evaluation of evidence, issues, ideas, and problems from multiple perspectives
- ethical and documented use of source materials and clear understanding of their strengths and limitations
- works cited page (does not count towards the 750-word minimum)
What constitutes eligible paper submissions?
- Two submissions are required for the portfolio.
- Papers may come from any writing-centered or writing-intensive course, OR from any other undergraduate course for which you have completed an appropriate writing assignment.
- Only one submission is allowed from any one course.
- If you submit from ENG 1001G/1091G, you may not submit from ENG 1002G/1092G.
- Before you submit from any course, it is a good idea to discuss your plan to submit with your instructor. Instructors have the right to indicate a particular course or assignment is not appropriate for submission.
When do I need to submit?
- Papers must be submitted during the semester a student is enrolled in a course. See deadlines HERE.
- Students may not submit papers after the semester ends. If you fail to submit a paper from a course from which you planned to submit, you will need to choose a new course for your EWP submission.
- You should make your first submission by the time you have earned 60 credit hours.
- The last submission should be submitted by 105 hours.
Do transfer & online students need to submit?
- All undergraduate students must submit two documents to the EWP as part of their graduation requirements.
- Students who transfer into Eastern should consult with their advisors concerning their submission plans.
- It is recommended that you submit one paper in your first semester at Eastern.
- If you are only taking courses in an online program, discuss submissions with your advisor.
How do I submit to the EWP?
Submit your papers HERE.
- Log in using your EIU netID and password.
- Click on “submit a writing sample."
- Select the correct course from which you want to submit from the drop-down menu.
- Click on “upload writing sample" and upload your file. Make sure you are choosing the right paper for the course you have chosen.
- You may upload files with these extensions: .doc, .docs, .docx, .txt, .rtf, or .pdf.
- Click the “open” button. The file location will appear in the “file to upload” box.
- Type in a description of the assignment to which your paper responded.
- Click the “validate file” button.
- Click the “upload file and complete submission” button.
- You will receive a message that you have successfully submitted to the EWP and will be taken back to the main menu.
How will I know the ratings my papers received?
- After submitting your document, a notice will be sent to your professor/instructor to rate your paper.
- To check your ratings, log in to the submission page instructions and click "View Ratings."
How will my ratings be used?
- Ratings are used to determine the effectiveness of your writing. This helps our university assess the undergraduate learning goal of writing.
- Students whose submissions are primarily “superior” will be given a “writes with distinction” designation on their transcript. This requires an overall average score of 3.75.
- Ratings are used to show the University how well students are writing and whether writing goals are being met at the undergraduate level.
Good Practice: Keep all coursework electronically until you graduate!
