This study was conducted at the University of Missouri, to examine the use of portfolio assessment in the classroom. Surveys were administered to composition teachers in the Department of English who regularly use portfolios for student grading. Generally, portfolio assessment means that students work on a set of papers during the semester and turn in revised papers representing their best work in a portfolio at the end of the term. This paper records staff responses to the following survey questions: (1) Who determines what papers go into the portfolio? When the portfolio is graded at the end of the semester, is each paper given a grade, or is one grade given for the portfolio? (2) How are students assessed throughout the term? Are students told if they are doing below average work? (3) What sorts of things are looked for when going over student papers? Are student conferences combined with written comments? How often are conferences scheduled during the semester? (4) What differences in teaching or student responses have been noticed in using portfolios as opposed to grading/returning/averaging student papers? (5) Have there been problems with portfolios? Are portfolios more useful in some classes than in others? and (6) What are the advantages and disadvantages of portfolio grading? (LL)