Reflect is a tool for MSU History Majors.

Use it to review your work, evaluate your mastery of historical skills, and prepare the required reflection statements for your graduation portfolio.

this guide will get you started...

Fill in a cover sheet

Select history papers

Write reflections for goals

Rate yourself on goals

Preview & Email PDF to your advisor

Upload PDF to your BlackBoard page

Graduate!

The portfolio reveals your growth over the course of the major. It highlights strengths and mastery of the goals expected of a history graduate.

It preserves a compilation of your best work to showcase for graduate, law school, or job interviews. It lets the history faculty see areas of strength in the program and identify trends to address in future years.

Timely submission of your portfolio is also a graduation requirement for all history majors. Trust us, the registrar will check before issuing your diploma!

Please fill in your academic and contact information.

Be sure to select your advisor.

We ask you to share current and long-term contact info so we can share department news, job opportunities, and occasionally seek your advice.

History program goals are skills all students should master by the time they graduate.

So, part of the portfolio asks you to use a selection of your papers to reflect on different program goals, such as understanding content from different periods and places, or using evidence to make a historical argument.

The idea is to assess each goal two ways: in a paragraph that shows how your work shows mastery, and by rating your accomplishment using a 4-point rubric.

Select your SIX best history papers:

401 Historiography major paper & abstract

401 Origins of a contemporary/controversial issue paper

A seminar paper

Three other papers from 200, 300 or 400-level courses (but not World Civilizations or History 280)

These should be longer papers. Multimedia projects are also fine.

All majors get a free "portfolio" folder in BlackBoard. See your advisor if you need a folder created. Upload your papers there, either as you write them, or, if you are just now getting to it, all at once.

Invest in multiple backup methods: use several usb-drives; email papers to your MSU email account; keep printed (!) copies of final drafts.

Before graduation, load your BlackBoard folder with your final portfolio papers and your reflections and ratings.

"I'm a transfer student, what about work from somewhere else...?"

Because outside work doesn't help us assess the MSU program, just use work done at MSU. If you have fewer papers, that's ok.

When is this due? November 1 for fall graduates, April 1 for spring graduates.