Lesson 3
Best Practices
Formatting and writing tips that'll make your portfolio look professional.
This lesson goes over the best practices for putting your Engineering Portfolio together. These are the things that separate a decent portfolio from one that judges actually want to read.
Formatting Guidelines
Keep your formatting consistent across the whole portfolio:
- Font: Stick to one or two readable fonts (e.g., Inter, Poppins, Montserrat)
- Headings: Use a clear hierarchy: H1 for sections, H2 for sub-sections.
- Font Size: 10pt minimum for body text, up to 18pt for headings
- Line Spacing: Use 1.15 to 1.5 for readability
- Margins: Keep them uniform; 0.5" to 1" is standard
- Images: Always include captions and labels
Example: Page Layouts
❌ Bad
✅ Good
Remember: Judges spend limited time on each portfolio.
Make every page counts by being concise and well-organized.
Visual Communication
A good image can say more than a paragraph, but only if it's done right:
✅ Do
- Use high-resolution images
- Include descriptive captions
- Add labels and arrows
- Show before/after comparisons
- Keep diagrams clean and simple
❌ Don't
- Use blurry or pixelated photos
- Leave images without context
- Overcrowd with too many visuals
- Use inconsistent styling
Common Mistakes
| Mistake | Why It Hurts | How to Fix |
|---|---|---|
| No page numbers | Judges can't reference sections | Add page numbers in footer/header |
| Wall of text | Hard to scan quickly | Break up with headings and visuals |
| Missing dates | Can't verify timeline | Date every entry or section |
| Tiny fonts | Strains readers' eyes | Use 10pt minimum for body text |
| Inconsistent formatting | Looks unprofessional | Use a style guide and stick to it |
| Unlabeled images | Judges don't understand context | Always include captions and labels |
| No margins | Looks rushed and sloppy | Use consistent margins (0.5" to 1") |
Writing Style
Keep your writing professional but easy to follow:
- Active Voice: "We designed a mechanism" not "A mechanism was designed"
- Concise: Judges have limited time; get to the point
- Define Terms: Explain technical terms the first time you use them
- Use Bullet Points: Have lists instead of long paragraphs