In this class, each student is required to create and maintain a course portfolio that contains material from throughout the semester. Although, it is your choice of how to classify and designate the sections (e.g., homework, projects, research, Webliography, journal, applications, etc.) your portfolio at the minimum should contain items 1 through 4 from the list below plus any additional work that you feel especially proud of. Problems that you believe illustrate your understanding of a concept or problems that you found to be particularly interesting or challenging would be good choices. Also, please, bear in mind that it is only YOU who keep a record of your work in the class, not the instructor. So you do need to submit them for final grade consideration.

Here are some information about portfolios:

1. Portfolios must be returned at most 24 hours after the final exam for overall grading. All graded work including the final exam and topics should be included in the portfolio. Students who opted for traditional test, should include the results from the first k topics (which is considered k% of their grade) plus the final exam section that I will add to the portfolio after it is graded.

2. Portfolio Self Assessment Sheet:
Each portfolio should have a one page Self Assessment table. In the table, include some information as follows:
- name, id, course, semester, instructor, etc.
topics (1 through ... and extra topics 1 through...) and the tests (for traditional group)
- for each topic, broken into practice, HW, and topic test, identify whether you had P, or DNP, if P in second try write P2, For the topic test whether P or DNP, if a percentage is written on your test, write that down too.
- for each topic that you did not pass, in a comment column mention why you did not pass the topic. Any explanation is fine as long as you feel that was the main reason for not passing that topic...here is the sample of previous comments students have written over the years:
* instructor did not like me
* topic was too difficult
* I made one little mistake and I got an unfair DNP
* I knew everything but I got excited during the test and made mistakes
* I came late to the test and instructor did not give me additional time
* instructor did not let us use our computer or programmable calculators
...
...
although I have not seen it so far, but a comment like "I did not know this topic well enough" also can be included.

3. Portfolio Self Justification Sheets:
Each portfolio should have at least a one page or more Self Justification Sheet.
In the Self Justification page(s) you need to discuss two subjects. First, assess your overall progress and knowledge gained in this class.
Sample from previous semesters:
* I didn't learn anything in this class
* I learned a lot in this class
* I feel very confident about what I have learned
* I feel like an expert
* I have no idea why I had to learn this stuff, but I did
* My religion/family/partner does not allow me to learn operations research
* Operations research reminded me of Corona virus and I decided to avoid it
....
....
Second, assess you expected grade based on the performance in the tests (A, B, C, or F) and justify your assessment (for example, I have passed 8 topic tests and I will get an A based on course syllabus).
If you are assessing your grade to be less than A, then explain whether that assessment is fair or not, whether it show your capabilities or not, and whether it reflect your true level of learning.
If you feel the expected grade is not justified and you should earn a higher grade, explain your reasoning. If you feel the grade is justified but you still want a higher grade explain your reason for such a request too.
Here are some examples from previous semesters.
* Based on my performance I expect to get a C, but I think I received DNP on topic 3 and 7 tests where I think I had done enough to pass the topic.
* based on my performance I expect to get a grade of F, but I really know the materials, so I think you should at least give me a C or a B.
* I expect to get a C, but I don't think I have learned enough, so please report an F for me and I will take the course again
* I expect to receive F, but I am graduating and I already have a job as soon as I graduate, so I should get a C.
* We moved from ORegon to baltimORe, and I live in cORvaliss Ave...my mother's name is dORothy, and my father's name is jORdan, even my dog's name is dORango...as you see, OR is in our blood and thus you must give me a passing grade.

4. Evidence of Effort Points, Community of Learning involvement, helping other students, etc.

5. Some of the additional work you have done to enhance your knowledge (whether assigned by the instructor or by your own initiative). Please remember that your portfolio is a final reflection on your experiences in the course, so you should take the initiative to make it meaningful. A description of why you chose each item and an explanation of the thinking process involved is very helpful.
Here are examples of additional content that can be added to the portfolio.

Class journal entries

For each class session, the entry should specify the date, a couple of sentences about what was to be covered, and what actually did.  Additionally, one or two paragraphs of your explanation of the content that was taught in the class. Any unclear issue with a decision to resolve it (check the textbook, talk to classmates, ask the instructor, etc.) with a specific deadline to clear the issue should be included. All unresolved issues from the previous journal entries should be mentioned. If you were late to the class, or missed the class altogether, mention that in the journal entries. Use separate pages for each class session.

It is very useful to indicate your critical thinking process in your journal even if it is in few words. Words that may indicate your thinking and reasoning process, the declarative or procedural knowledge that you learned and how it can be extended or used. The "what-if" type questions and thoughts about real world applications are also good entries.

Weekly Web research

Create a database of some useful URLs you find related to operations research and its applications (including YouTube videos). Use an Excel sheet and keep adding URLs every week. For each URL add some text explanation to indicate what the page is about.

Technical journal application reports

Short (2-3 page) papers on topic of your choice that illustrates real world applications of operations research. The purpose of these reports is for you to look into operations research journals and other resources and learn how operations research optimization techniques are used in industry, government, etc.

Any other efforts related to OR

Such as books you read; OR related societies you are members of; seminars, workshops, presentations you attended which were related to OR; interviewing faculty with OR knowledge (several at the school of engineering , math dept, school of business, management information systems department, etc.

A "How-to-Do" section

Containing tips on how to do specific tasks in operations research related software that we use in our class (LINDO and AMPL) and other general use software (EXCEL and MAPLE).