Select evidence for a particular audience
A portfolio is a collection of relevant evidence, not a storage folder of everything you have made. Choose two or three pieces that relate to the study or career direction you are exploring. A research summary, design, teaching resource or small analysis can all be useful. Select work you understand well enough to discuss, including its weaknesses, rather than only the most polished-looking output.
Write the story behind each project
Give each piece a short case study: the problem, your role, the approach, the result and what you would improve. Explain why you made an important decision and how feedback affected the work. In a group project, distinguish your contribution from the team's output. Do not add a fictional client or claim commercial impact when the work was a classroom exercise.
Share only what you have permission to share
Check ownership, permission and privacy before publishing coursework, research data, photographs or work from an organisation. Remove personal information and confidential material. If a project cannot be shared, describe your learning at a permitted general level or make a separate practice example using safe material. Clearly identify a practice project. A portfolio should demonstrate judgement as well as technical ability.
Make it easy to open and review
Use a simple page or a well-organised PDF with readable text, descriptive headings and working links. Check access without relying on your own logged-in account. Offer a brief introduction so a reader can understand the context before opening large files. Ask a peer to find your strongest example in a minute. Review the collection regularly and remove material that no longer represents your work.
Put this into practice
- Choose two projects and explain your own contribution.
- Remove confidential information and confirm sharing permission.
- Test the portfolio link without being signed in.
General educational guidance, without guarantees of employment, salary, admission, scholarships or visas. Check current conditions with the relevant provider.
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