Assessing and improving student writing in college
Subtitle: a guide for institutions, general education, departments, and classrooms
By: Barbara E. Walvoord
Edition: First edition.
Series: The Jossey-Bass higher and adult education series; Jossey-Bass higher and adult education series
Published: 2014
Language: eng
ISBN-13: 9781118559185; 9781118559123; 9781306958110; 9781118557365
Subjects: Academic writing; Rhetoric; Study and teaching (Higher); English language; Rating of; Interdisciplinary approach in education; EDUCATION; Evaluation; English teachers; Higher
Description: "Step-by-step guidance for shaping better writers while keeping faculty workloads manageableEffective communication is a critical skill for many academic disciplines and careers, and so colleges and universities and their faculty members are rightfully committed to improving student writing across the curriculum. Guiding and assessing student writing in classrooms, general education, and departments takes knowledge, planning, and persistence, but it can be done effectively and efficiently. Written in the concise, accessible style Barbara Walvoord is known for, Assessing and Improving Student Writing in College: A Guide for Institutions, General Education, Departments, and Classrooms offers administrators, program chairs, general education leaders, and classroom instructors the guidance they need. The book provides concrete suggestions for how to: Articulate goals for student writing Measure student writing Improve student writing Document that improvement The book begins by addressing four basic concepts: what we mean by writing, what we mean by "good" writing, how students learn to write, and the purposes of assessment. Next, Walvoord explains the various approaches and methods for assessing writing, urging a combination of them adapted to the institution's purposes and political context. After this introduction, successive chapters offer realistic, practical advice to institution-wide and general education leaders, department members, and classroom instructors. Walvoord addresses issues such as how to engage faculty, how to use rubrics, how to aggregate assessment information at the department and institutional levels, and how to report assessment information to accreditors. The chapter for classroom instructors offers practical suggestions: how to add more writing to a course without substantially increasing the grading load; how to construct writing assignments, how to make grading and responding more effective and time-efficient, how to address grammar and punctuation, and how to support students whose native language is not English. The book also includes four helpful appendices: a taxonomy of Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) and Writing in the Disciplines (WID) programs; sample outlines for faculty development workshops; a student survey on teaching methods instructors can use to inform their choices in the classroom; and a student self-check cover sheet designed to help students take ownership of their own learning and responsibility for turning in complete, correct assignments. Practical, step-by-step guidance for each point in the assessment and improvement process creates a cohesive, institution-wide system that keeps students, faculty, and administrators on the same page"--
Notes: Machine generated contents note: Preface Acknowledgments About the Author 1. For Everyone 2. For Institution-Wide and General Education Leaders 3. For Departments and Programs 4. For Classroom Instructors Appendix A.A Taxonomy of WAC/WID Programs Appendix B. Outline for Faculty Workshops Appendix C. Student Survey on Teaching Methods Appendix D. Student Self-Check Cover Sheet References.

Includes bibliographical references and index.
Table of contents: title: Assessing and Improving Student Writing in College: A Guide for Institutions, General Education, Departments, and Classrooms; Copyright; Contents; Preface; Acknowledgments; About the Author; Chapter 1: For Everyone; What Do We Mean by "writing"?; WAC and WID; Why Work on Writing?; What Is "Good" Writing?; Grammar and Punctuation; How Do Students Learn to Write?; How Do Students Learn to Transfer Writing Skills?; What about Speakers of Other Languages?; How to Improve Student Writing; The Bottom Line; How to Assess Writing; Definition of "Assessment"; Purposes for Assessment.; title: Methods of Gathering Information about Student WritingApproaches to Assessment; Portfolios; Rubrics; Using Assessment Data to "Close the Loop"; Reporting to Accreditors; Chapter Summary; Chapter 2: For Institution-Wide and General-Education Leaders; Study Successful Programs; Create a Sense of Urgency; Use the Data Strategically; Consider "Value-Added" Assessment; Purposes of Value-Added Data; Understand Your Students and Programs; Assess Student Writing; Pathway 3: Using a Common Rubric for Institution-Wide Samples of Student Work; Pathway 1: Faculty Groups Discuss Their Own Student Work.; title: Pathway 2: Individual Faculty Report Rubric ScoresPortfolios; Pathway 4: Standardized Tests; Institute Structures for Assessment and Action; Faculty Development; Writing-Intensive Courses; Departmental Responsibility; Staff to Help in Discipline-Based Courses; Linked Courses; Required Demonstration of Writing Skills; High Quality in First-Year Composition Courses; Support for Students, Including a Writing Center, ESOL Program, and Tutoring; Provide Leadership; Assess your WAC Programs; Report Your Assessment and Actions; Chapter Summary; Chapter 3: For Departments and Programs.; title: Establish Learning Goals for WritingGoals for Grammar, Punctuation, and Sentence Clarity; Goals for Writing Processes; Goals for General Education Courses; Goals for Graduate Programs; Gather Information about Student Writing; Gather Information about your Program; Take Action; What If Some Faculty Resist?; Report Your Actions and Results; Pitfalls in Reporting Assessment Actions and Results; Chapter Summary; Chapter 4: For Classroom Instructors; Observe Your Class; Improve Student Writing on One of Your Assignments; Analyze the Problems with Students' Writing.; title: Guide the Learning and Writing ProcessAdd More Writing without More Paper Load; How to Find Time for Writing; The Hamlet Case; Make Grading and Responding Time-Efficient and Effective; Paper Grading Case; Address Grammar, Punctuation, and ESOL; Help Students Understand Basic Facts about Language; Plan a Course with Significant Writing; Chapter Summary; Appendix A: A Taxonomy of WAC/WID Programs; Appendix B: Outline for Faculty Workshops; Appendix C: Student Survey on Teaching Methods; Section A: Tools and Techniques; 1. Project Outline; 2. Initial Intensive Guidance.