SCM: Portfolios

Over the course of each semester, you will build a portfolio of reading responses, presentation reflections, and other discussions and activities around course topics.  Most portfolio entries will be completed in-person, during class sessions.

Reading responses

Each week, you will complete two reading responses based on the assigned readings, one in the Tuesday class and one in the Thursday class.  These responses will be handed out and completed at the start of every class session.

These reading responses are NOT intended to "test" your knowledge of each paper.  Rather, the responses are designed to help you engage more creatively and deeply with each reading, and with related topics in cognitive science.

Each reading response will provide a prompt that asks you to (for example) think about weaknesses in the experimental design of the paper, brainstorm how you might commercialize this model, analyze ethical implications of the research, consider how the findings might differ across cultures, etc.

Presentation reflections

Many class sessions will include paper presentations by your peers.  The audience will be asked to complete presentation reflection activities while you watch each presentation.  These activities are designed to help everyone stay engaged, and also to provide peer feedback to the presenters.

Group discussions

Many class sessions will also include small-group discussion activities, with groups of 2-4 students.  Groups will be asked to think about a particular topic via a series of discussion prompts.  Your group will then write up a brief summary of your discussion and informally present your conclusions to the rest of the class.

Requirements and marking

Specific requirements for each portfolio (e.g., use of outside sources, collaboration, etc.) will be stated as part of each individual activity prompt.

Portfolio entries will be marked according to:

• To what extent does the entry demonstrate basic attention to the relevant reading/presentation/topic?
• To what extent does the entry demonstrate thoughtful and creative engagement with the activity?

Portfolio entries are NOT marked on grammar, spelling, etc.  They should, however, be generally legible and understandable.

Missed portfolios

Each semester will include 20 sets of portfolio entries.  We will drop the 5 lowest portfolio marks, including missing portfolios.

This means that each semester, 5 of the 20 portfolios can be missed with no detriment to marks---no questions asked, and no need to specially request this, it will apply to everyone.  Otherwise, there are no extensions or makeups for portfolios.

* Occasionally, students may have a course conflict with part of SCM.  We will consider these on a case-by-case basis.  If warranted (e.g., the other course is also required/essential), we can arrange for missed portfolio segments to be completed outside of class, but only by prior arrangement with the instructor.