DESIGNING AND EVALUATING WRITTEN PRODUCTS Justin J. Bain, Director The Writing Center at CU Denver
AGENDA Goals & Purpose Structure & Design Commenting & Grading Small-Plate Genres & Assignments
Course and Assignment Goals GOALS AND PURPOSE
GOALS AND PURPOSE What are your course goals? Knowledge: student learning Practice: student skills Curricular: future courses Pragmatic: for business/career How does your assignment fulfill course goals?
Creating the Effective Assignment STRUCTURE AND DESIGN
ASSIGNMENT SHEET AS MODEL Appropriate font, style, size Use headers, sections, and white-space effectively Enable students to locate and use information Be concise Stay within 1-2 single-sided pages
ASSIGNMENT SHEET AS TRANSACTION Clearly state what the assignment is Clearly state what students should produce Speak directly to the student Compose a report that You will be evaluated on
ASSIGNMENT SHEET: TOP OF PAGE Provide course-specific information Assignment title Course name, number, and section Instructor name Date or Unit (as appropriate) Why do this? Provides clarity and orients student to your specific course
ASSIGNMENT SHEET: BACKGROUND Relate assignment to the course to date Relate to learning and discussions to date Identify relevant readings or lectures Place assignment in sequence of assignments Describe context (as imagined) for this assignment Why do this? Activate student s prior knowledge
ASSIGNMENT SHEET: ASSIGNMENT Clear and concise Use headings, subheadings, and bullets to organize information Avoid unnecessary information Avoid exhaustive details Avoid bold, exclamations, underline, etc.
ASSIGNMENT SHEET: ASSIGNMENT Choose a single noun Repeat only that term in the assignment Use active verbs i.e. Analysis, Literature Review, Critique Carefully choose verbs that match your goals Limit your total number of verbs (1-3) Why do this? Students will attempt to do what you ask them (to the best of their understanding)
Bloom s Taxonomy of Educational Goals STRUCTURE AND DESIGN Knowledge Comprehension Application Analysis Synthesis Evaluation List Summarize Solve Analyze Design Evaluate Name Explain Illustrate Organize Hypothesize Choose Identify Interpret Calculate Deduce Support Estimate Show Describe Use Contrast Schematize Judge Define Compare Interpret Compare Write Defend Recognize Paraphrase Relate Distinguish Report Criticize Recall Differentiate Manipulate Discuss Justify State Demonstrate Apply Plan Visualize Classify Modify Devise
ASSIGNMENT SHEET: REQUIREMENTS Due date(s): first, second, final drafts Revision must be required Feedback is essential Page format (or reference syllabus) Typed, double-spaced, sans-serif 11 pt., etc. Word or page count Citation style and edition Required sources (number and type) Why do this? Students need to easily and quickly locate the specific deadlines and expectations
Background: During this course we have been studying the ways in which popular culture (songs, movies, etc.) both affect and are affected by current social issues. Assignment: Compose an analytical research paper focusing on the interpretation of a single song discussed in class. Background (2-3 pages) o Include relevant information about the artist and song Analysis/Argument (5-6 pages) o Present and defend your interpretation Relevance (1-2 pages) o Connect the song to a current social issue Requirements: 7-10 pages (typed double-spaced in Calibri 11pt) 5 sources minimum (include 1 website and 1 journal) Annotated bibliography for all sources cited 1 st draft due April 15 th Final draft due May 11 th Additional Information: You should quote song lyrics as needed APA format (6 th ed.) is required for all sources Assignment: During this course we have been studying the ways in which popular culture (songs, movies, etc.) both effect and are effected by current social issues. Keeping this concept in mind, compose an analytical research paper focusing on the interpretation of a single song discussed in class. Since this is a r7-10 page research paper, you will likely want to make use of headings. Consider having a background section of approximately 2-3 pages that includes relevant information about the artist, song, history, etc. You may also wish to have an analysis/argument section, say 5-6 pages, that clearly presents and defends your interpretation of the song. Finally, you will need a section that deals with the song s relevance. This section, which will be approximately 1-2 pages, will be used to connect the song to a current social issue. Please make sure that your paper meets the minimum page requirements (7-10 pages), and remember that you have 1 draft due prior to the final version. You must use 5 sources minimum (include 1 website and 1 journal). An annotated bibliography is required for all sources cited (and does not count towards page total). As we discussed in class, you should quote song lyrics as needed, but avoid cutting and pasting large chunks of lyrics. Your paper should be typed double-spaced in Calibri 11 point or similar font. You may use the citation style of your choice. WHICH ASSIGNMENT DO YOU WANT TO READ?
CREATE TIME FOR RESPONSE Force students to read and respond to assignment Devise in-class activities for group response Require written questions for the next class Allow adequate time for completion Complex assignments can be given in stages For multi-stage projects, give a sense of the overall project Remind students of where this piece fits Link goals and skills across multiple assignments
PROVIDE A SAMPLE FOR DISCUSSION Select samples with strong and weak characteristics Use a student sample (and get permission) Use a professional sample Talk through the sample Provide tools for rhetorical analysis
Making Your Time and Effort Count COMMENTING AND GRADING
COMMENT STRATEGIES Comments for evaluation Descriptive and Focused Justifiable Comments for revision Facilitative and Focused Achievable Value-Added
HOW STUDENTS READ COMMENTS Unless revision is required, students generally don t read comments Students generally do not read end-comments Accept to find the grade Perhaps to argue the grade Students read marginal comments Typically out of context Students perceive comments as random No clear reason why the instructor commented on specific issues or passages No sense of how individualized or universalized comments are
READ AND COMMENT IN TWO PASSES Pass 1: Higher Order Concerns (HOC) Argument/Thesis Evidence/Analysis/Synthesis Organization/Development Pass 2: Lower Order Concerns (LOC) Focus on 3 issues maximum Focus on patterns of error Focus on issues that interfere with meaning
EFFECTIVELY USING COMMENTS Comment electronically Use MS Word Review (comments or track changes) or PDF Comments Use Canvas Focus comment on a small, highlighted section Teach students how to read your comments Integrate and require an activity for reading comments Letter, plan, outline, direct response, etc. Comments are effective in-context Avoid large documents with all-class commentary Comments are effectively supported by rubrics
EFFECTIVELY USING COMMENTS Identify the issue Indicate patterns Get student to read the paper (again) Must see the paper in a new way Provide steps to resolve the issue With sample revisions With reference to additional sources
EFFECTIVELY USING COMMENTS Indicate the value of a revision In reference to effective writing Within your discipline Diminishing density of comments On repeated issues Reference previous comments
USING RUBRICS Articulate grading criteria Mirror and build on assignment verbs Delineate what matters Rubrics as evaluation tools Quick Individualized Educational Enable revision
Options for Brief Writing Assignments SMALL-PLATE GENRES & ASSIGNMENTS
SMALL-PLATE GENRES Instead of a 25 page seminar paper: Small task Isolated skills Specific goals Same rigor, less pages
SMALL-PLATE GENRES Summary: The foundation of most other academic writing Students comprehend, select, and organize (and quote or paraphrase) Discussion as Text: During discussion, ask students to summarize an opposing point of view (from a classmate) Students focus on a fair and accurate summary
SMALL-PLATE GENRES Lecture Review: Allow time at the end of class for students to write a summary of the day Students share and compare as a means of review Paraphrase: Valued in most writing, but especially in APA citation Students identifying, rank, and internalize information
SMALL-PLATE GENRES Minutes: Focuses on selecting and prioritizing valuable information Student recorder takes notes on group discussions and reports to class As an oral summary, in notes to instructor, on Canvas, etc. Report: Brief summaries extending definitions and concepts Builds on summary to provide use or explanatory value Students imitate professional writing in the discipline
SMALL-PLATE GENRES Response Statement: Provide a specific question at the next level (Bloom) is the key stage in the process explain why and are central to film analysis explain which is more important for critics to use Students synthesize readings and present an opinion Journal: Tracks learning, stimulates discussion, clarifies issues, etc. Consider journals on key concepts with definitions, limits, and explanatory samples
SMALL-PLATE GENRES Dialectical Journal: Two-column journal focused on a specific learning topic One column for reading notes (text, page, paragraph, etc) One column for student response (must be defined) Abstract Model the writing of abstracts in the discipline Students demonstrate comprehension and mastery of course readings or concepts
SMALL-PLATE GENRES Annotation or Critique Builds on the basic abstract Students critique source concepts, validity, and relevance Students connect source their own research or course goals Synthesis or Selective Literature Review Blends knowledge with analysis to identify limits, gaps, etc, in current research Students identify and interpret larger themes
SMALL-PLATE GENRES Argument Definition: develop a refined sense of argument Syllogisms MEAL Premise, proposition, inductive, deductive Main Idea, Evidence, Analysis, Link Scientific Format Abstract, Introduction, Materials, Methods, Results, Discussion, Appendices
SMALL-PLATE GENRES Argument Definition: develop a refined sense of argument Confrontational/Academic: Stephen Toulmin Claim, Support, Warrant, Qualifier, Backing, Rebuttal, Conclusion Consensual: Carl Rogers Empathetic Claim, Bipartisan Support, Dispassionate Warrants, Cooperative Conclusion
SMALL-PLATE GENRES Current Bibliography: Compile a selected number of sources (limit by date, genre, etc.) Draft micro-abstracts for each entry Collate and distribute to entire class Problem Statement: Identify and elaborate on a single problem Problem must be placed in context and shown to be an actual issue explain the problem, why it matters, and offer solutions
SMALL-PLATE GENRES Proposals: Define clear object of study and a specific method Students identify and summarize sources Use annotations or literature reviews Students develop a timeline Use a Gantt Chart Students provide a tentative conclusion for the project
SMALL-PLATE GENRES Case Study Analysis: Provide a case study on a relevant issue Students identify the problem, evaluate it, and offer possible outcomes Data Analysis: Provide various sets of data on a relevant issue Students identify specific means of analysis and interpret data Discuss benefits/limits of the given analysis
SMALL-PLATE GENRES Expert Revision or Rhetorical Analysis: Provide a moderate or excellent example of a given assignment Students analyze what worked well and why Students analyze what could still be improved
THE WRITING CENTER AT CU DENVER Maymester Hours (tentative) Denver Campus (NORTH 4014) Mon Thurs 10 AM 4 PM Live Online Thurs Sun 6 PM 10 PM Online Drop Box Grad students only http://writingcenter.ucdenver.edu