Writing the Rationale Statement

This tutorial is designed to help you better understand how to write a rationale statement.

What is a rationale?
1. Fundamental reasons; the basis. (Dictionary.com)
2. An explanation of controlling principles of opinion, belief, practice, or phenomena. (Merriam-Webster Online)

For each artifact/illustration you include in your portfolio you must write a brief rationale statement about why you believe it is a good example of the general education competency (See below).

A rational is not a description nor is it a summary of the document, rather it addresses the how and why questions. Your rationale statement should be a brief justification about why you believe the selected artifact (your work - paper, movie, presentation, animation, etc.) demonstrates proficiency in the corresponding General Education Competency. In other words, your rationale statement should show your reader that you understand the competency, how you have chosen to illustrate that understanding, what you are capable of doing in regard to the competency.

When you write your rationale statement answer the following questions:

1. Why did you choose to use this as an illustration?
   
2. How does this illustration demonstrate the General Education Competency?

The following are two examples of rationale statements for the AH1 one is excellent and the other not very good

AH 1: Develop an understanding of the history and cultural contexts of the arts and humanities

Good Example of a Rationale Statement:

The objective of Humanities 309 was to gain an understanding of the historical and cultural concepts contributing to the arts and humanities. I chose this particular artifact because it was a paper I in which I discuss the religious perspectives of humanities and how they relate to world view.

Poor Rationale Statement :

This is a paper I wrote for my Humanties class.