A portfolio is a compilation of material, sometimes an assembly of artworks or other creative material, or a collection of documents and other work products. The materials in the latter type of portfolio are usually linked together by pieces of reflective writing and will often illustrate the development of knowledge, skills and abilities over a period of time. There may be an introductory synthesis paper that pulls together all of the evidence into a coherent whole.

Portfolios are a popular form of assessment, especially in professional, postexperience and art-based courses. The UK's Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals’ (CILIP) Framework of Qualifications is portfoliobased and many teaching in higher or further education courses use a portfolio as the principal means of assessment. You may therefore have had to create one yourself but not thought to use this as an approach when designing your own teaching and learning activities.

Portfolios will only be appropriate for a long-term relationship with learners, as a portfolio cannot be created easily over only a couple of weeks. However, if you do run a longer module or course on information literacy, portfolios could be an excellent way of showing the development of learning and reflection.

You may want to encourage evidence of searches or an understanding of information as a component in a portfolio covering wider issues – for example, the now common Personal Development Plan (PDP) in UK higher education.

When designing assessments that use portfolios, think about: