A writing portfolio is a collection of documents assembled to characterize the abilities and achievements of the writer. When used for reflection in self-discovery, writing portfolios, sometimes called invention portfolios, capture key moments of writing and problem-solving processes, and arrange them into a story of writerly development and growth. In this video, we'll describe four key practices for curating a reflective writing portfolio, collecting, selecting, connecting, and reflecting. Writing portfolio should be intentionally curated for their intended purpose and audience. Curating means gathering and arranging artifacts into a cohesive whole, together representing some broader aspect of the topic at hand. As you compose your writing portfolio, think like a museum curator. Collectors are more than showrooms for artifacts. They are knowledge-making institutions whose mission is to use their collections to educate. Collectors use standard procedures for recovering and labeling artifacts, recording where and when each artifact was found, in what condition, and anything else needed to understand the context of discovery. This attention to detail expands our possibilities for learning. We can apply this process of intentional curation to the process of creating a writing portfolio. Think of your portfolio as a museum of your writing process and journey. You'll begin by collecting artifacts throughout the writing process. Museums collect a lot more than they display. All of these artifacts are worth preserving for behind-the-scenes research, but may not fit the goals of an exhibit. Similarly, when working on a project, save everything you can, not just the final product. Save writing prompts, sources, notes, and most importantly, process work, including brainstorming, outlines, multiple stages of drafting and revision, feedback from others and reflective writing. These artifacts help document your process and growth over time. Moreover, keep track of your artifacts in a systematic way, meaning that you follow a standard method for naming and organizing your files. By developing habits of systematic organization, you'll make everything easier to find later on. More importantly, you'll gather a substantial collection of evidence about how your writing abilities and practices have developed over time. The second step is to select which artifacts to display. Curators choose what they believe will be most suitable for their target audience. For instance, children's museums display artifacts that inspire curiosity and wonder. While museums for general audiences select artifacts based on their significance to our understanding of the era or topic. Similarly, select artifacts based on the goals and audience of your writing portfolio. If your portfolio is meant to impress potential employers or other public viewers, choose only your best and most relevant products. However, if your portfolio is meant to document your learning for the sake of reflection and self-discovery, then choose artifacts that represent your processes and experiences and that generate discussion of your takeaways. The third step is to make meaningful connections between related artifacts. Portfolios are often divided into smaller collections or sections. When curating your portfolio, think strategically about how to best group and arrange your work to represent your story. You could arrange artifacts chronologically by course and assignment, by genre, mode, or type, by steps in your writing process, by lessons learned, by successes and struggles, or countless other ways of tying them together. The connections you make between pieces and sections will help guide your readers through your journey. For instance, some museums have a more linear structure and outline when displaying objects where order is important and events build on each other, like history exhibits. This approach could work for portfolios and tend to showcase growth and learning throughout the writing process or course. Other museums allow more self-direction driven by interests and whims, but are still intentional about providing maps and signposts for navigation and connections between topics. This approach could work for portfolios and tend to showcase best work to employers or a culmination of skill development because it allows employers or reviewers to jump to specific projects or demonstrations of specific skills. Whether your portfolio is presented in a specific order or in a more open format, guide your readers through the experience either through explicit directions, implicit signposting, purposeful layouts, or all of the above. Finally, reflect on your artifacts by providing commentary about their meaning and significance. In a museum, curators present artifacts and context. Signs within an exhibit might provide information about the ecosystem, artistic genre, or era of history being represented by the artifacts. Similarly, a reflective cover letter included in your portfolio helps readers navigate your work, while also allowing you to reflect on how you wrote the artifacts, why you grouped them in a certain way, what you've learned in the process of writing, and where you can improve. Writing is a reflective practice. Every writing project provides an opportunity to learn more about yourself, to gain insights into how your mind works, and use them to improve your processes and outcomes. In this video, we've outlined some key steps in curating a writing portfolio. Collecting artifacts, selecting artifacts to include, connecting these artifacts in a way that guides your audience, and reflecting on your process. While a portfolio is often the final piece of work in a class, it can also be the starting point for continued reflection, self-discovery, and self-presentation.