Research Portfolio 

The research portfolio is an under-appreciated and very important part of a complete, MLA-formatted essay or research paper. A research portfolio is a more in-depth version of a work cited page which allows readers to not only have a direct link to the sources that the author used but the readers have an additional insight into the author’s thought process. The reader has access to the author’s overall thought process due to research portfolios being a reliable document that is a compilation of the author’s academic and approved non-academic sources, essay structure outlines, and ChatGPT material that reinforces their work and analysis. In addition to research portfolios granting readers an understanding of the writer's research process, a well-made research portfolio can improve the quality of any piece of literature in several ways. Research portfolios allow readers to understand the quality and depth of research done and the depth of understanding obtained by the writer. Thus, establishing the author’s knowledge of the subject. Research portfolios also serve as a resource for readers and other researchers interested in the subject. They allow anyone interested in an essay or research paper to see the author's thought process, what they drew inspiration from, and their full range of sources. While having a well-made MLA work cited page is important, the work cited page doesn't include sources used by the author for inspiration or general knowledge about a subject. For example, the use of ChatGPT in creating an outline or providing examples of specific points to write about in an essay is important to mention, but never included in MLA works cited pages. Having a research portfolio makes an essay much more credible by removing the possibility of not crediting an important source as well as accidental plagiarism.

In addition, the importance of research portfolios is that these portfolios will allow upcoming scholars to be professional in their academic papers, careers, or research papers. Due to the extensive amount of information in research portfolios, having the ability to create an accurate research portfolio allows students to properly achieve a dependable, professional, and well-organized document that creates credibility for the writer. In the same way, research portfolios can be used by skeptical readers to verify the information presented by an author, check that quotes are not taken out of context, and make sure the author is not stealing ideas. Lack of a research portfolio damages the integrity of a writing and leaves that writing vulnerable to skeptics. Moreover, the creation of a research portfolio helps students in their research process, by helping them understand the importance of having infallible information in their academic papers. In addition to students understanding the importance of having valid sources in their papers, research portfolios are imperative for upcoming scholars who aspire to obtain a trustworthy reputation with their academic papers and research papers. The inclusion of research portfolios in students' academic papers creates essential scholarly skills like having academic integrity and rigor, producing high-quality academic papers that formulate a thorough research process, and involving the integration of reliable sources in their work. In essence, research portfolios are an essential part of any writing project, as a strong portfolio establishes the credibility of the author, proves the author's work is their own, provides insight into the author's research and process, and increases the author’s professionalism with academic essays and research papers.