CTE - Teaching Writing
- Writing in the Classroom
- Writing as Assessment
- Writing a Prompt
- Rubrics
- Guiding the Process
- Commenting on Writing
Quick Access Printables
- Using Writing Assessments This guide provides assistance on how, when, and why faculty should (and should not) use writing assessments to evaluate student learning.
- Writing Assessments by Level This guide provides some suggestions on the writing assessments that can be used at each course level.
- Rubrics Guide Sheet This guide provides and overview and best practices for creating rubrics.
- Commenting on Writing This guide provides best practices for commenting on student writing, including marginalia and final comment.
- Model Prompt This prompt is used in one of our writing courses and exhibits the best practices outlined in this guide.
- Basic Research Writing Rubric This rubric can be used to assess a student's completion of a research-based writing assignment. It can be adapted to fit the specific parameters of the assignment and learning outcomes.
- Basic Writing Rubric This rubric can be used to assess a student's completion of a basic writing assignment. It can be adapted to fit the specific parameters of the assignment and learning outcomes.
The following guide is meant to help faculty create summative and formative writing assessments for each course-level for non-writing intensive courses. This document defines expectations for each level and provides guidance as to the suggested types of assignments that would correspond to those expectations.
100-Level Assessments
At this level, students should be able to recall, comprehend, and report on information learned previously in the course. Action verbs may include identify, define, describe, explain, restate, demonstrate, practice.
Assignments may include:
Informative summary: a brief account (500-750 words) of an article's main argument, evidence, and conclusion
Précis: a two-paragraph response where the first paragraph is summary and the second is an analysis of the argument
Essay: a short response (500-750 words) where a specific problem is analyzed with observational evidence
Reflective journal: an opinion-based response (500-750 words) to a specific topic, issue, question, or assigned source
Short answer exam question: paragraph explanation of a specific concept, theory, event, person, or term
200-Level Assessments
At this level, student should be able to recall, comprehend, and apply information learned in previous courses and previously in the course in a new and different way. Action verbs may include apply, interpret, calculate, compare/contrast, criticize, and question.
Assignments may include:
Report: a response (4-7 pages) that summarizes and synthesizes credible sources (3-6 sources)
Essay: a response (4-7 pages) where a specific problem is researched and analyzed with secondary evidence
Persuasive writing: a response (4-7 pages) that requires students to take a specific stance on an issue
Discipline-specific genre: a basic piece of writing students would encounter in their fields
Short essay exam question: a paragraph (1-2 paragraphs) explanation of a specific concept, theory, event, person, or term
300-Level Assessments
At this level, students should be able to recall, comprehend, apply, and judge information learned in previous courses and previously in the course using standards and criteria. Action verbs may include evaluate, editorialize, differentiate, distinguish, formulate, and measure.
Assignments may include:
Literature Review: a summary of scholarly sources (8-12) meant to provide an overview of research field, major question, or academic debate
Essay: response (7-10 pages) where a specific problem is researched and analyzed with primary and secondary evidence
Analytical writing: an essay (7-10 pages) that requires students to analyze a topic in scholarly sources (5-10)
Discipline-specific genre: a piece of writing students would encounter in their field that may require primary or secondary research
Essay exam question: a multiple paragraph response (3-5 paragraphs) that describes and analyzes a particular concept, theory, event, person, or term
400-Level Assessment
At this level, students should be able to recall, comprehend, apply, judge, and synthesize information learned in previous courses and previously in the course to create new information. Action verbs may include assess, create, design, invent, justify, and propose.
Assignments may include:
Analytical Research Paper: a response (8-15 pages) that uses a literature review to argue a discipline- specific position
Essay: a response (8-15 pages) where a specific problem is researched, analyzed, and responded to with primary and secondary evidence
Annotated bibliography: a summary of scholarly sources (10-15 sources) organized around a specific issue
Discipline-specific genre: a piece of writing students would encounter in their field that may require primary or secondary research
Comprehensive essay exam: a multiple paragraph response (5 or more paragraphs) that describes, analyzes, and critiques a concept, theory, event, person, or term
- Last Updated: Oct 19, 2022 9:49 AM
- URL: https://guides.centralpenn.edu/teachingwriting
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