English 102 Outcomes and Assessment Tools
Learning Outcomes: the course objectives include comprehensive and basic skills and represent what students should learn in the course. The ability to achieve these outcomes will be the major factor in determining grades for the course.
Understand the relationship between writing, critical reading, and critical thinking.
Learn to write well-reasoned essays using a number of rhetorical modes.
Challenge, analyze, and understand personal values/biases and explore the values held by various cultural groups through reading and writing.
Strive to communicate clearly and actively in classroom discussions.
Integrate comprehensive and skills-based objectives.
II. Throughout the quarter, each student will improve these basic skills:
Participate in the act of writing as a process
Establish the habit of prewriting, outlining, revising, and editing compositions.
Develop peer-editing skills (cooperation, consensus building, confidence, constructive and amiable verbal/written criticism).
Determine audience and purpose for each piece of writing to plan and control organization and tone Develop, organize, and support original ideas for all pieces of writing
Select, limit, and research a topic for a lengthy argument paper.
Develop a claim, or thesis (an idea stated as an assertion) related to topic clearly and succinctly.
Avoid errors in unity when composing paragraphs.
Write effective introductions and conclusions using a variety of techniques.
Use knowledge and evidence gained through reading and research as evidence for arguments.
Apply standards of evidence (sufficiency, plausibility, validity, and reliability) to support claims. Incorporate valid claims from the opposing viewpoints.
Read drafts to identify need for revision at both sentence and paragraph level.
Write essays, which employ a variety of sentence types and patterns.
Employ practices of accepted spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
Use language appropriate for the academic reader.
Practice critical reading
Find and critically evaluate research materials and supplemental readings.
Use vocabulary-decoding skills.
Analyze, summarize, and react to assigned readings.
Identify significant issues that relate to a given thesis.
Recognize patterns of organization at the paragraph, essay, and text level.
Respect and consider opposing viewpoints.
Practice critical thinking.
Create an arguable proposition (hypothesis) and clarify relevant claims.
Provide sound, cogent evidence for or against relevant supporting claims.
Consider the strengths and weaknesses of the various positions that may be held on a given issue.
Look at both (all significant) sides of the question, issue, or problem.
Recognize what assumptions have been made, given a particular audience, and what information should be made explicit.
Define terms adequately.
Recognize the difference between empirical, rational, and emotional/irrational persuasive techniques.
Recognize the aesthetic elements best use of rhetorical modes.
Avoid logical fallacies.
Use modal qualifiers when sufficient evidence cannot be found.
Recognize valid syllogisms that present questionable conclusions.
Develop research-writing skills.
Understand and correctly use documentation.
Learn to incorporate sources accurately.
Learn the difference between academic and general sources.
Create research strategies.
Use a variety of online research databases and search tools
Summarize sources correctly, avoiding plagiarism
These course outcomes were adapted from the Washington Association for Online Learning objectives for Composition.
The `A` paper:
A paper of outstanding quality in content, arrangement, style, format, and mechanics. Shows originality of thought in stating and developing a central idea. The central idea is supported by the most well judged reasons available to the author and those reasons are organized in the most concise, clear, and logical fashion. The paper will also contain carefully constructed paragraphs and sentences, and it will be properly edited, and it will be mechanically and grammatically flawless. The paper, then, will not only demonstrate competence, but it will excel in the creative and argumentative aspects of writing. The A paper will achieve proficiency because it contains a focused and insightful or original thesis or statement of purpose, plus:
Demonstrates an understanding of intended audience.
Includes appropriate details and sufficient examples to develop and elaborate upon the thesis or statement of purpose.
Shows a mastery of language and style appropriate to course level.
Contains original thinking, insight, and ideas relevant to the thesis or statement of purpose in addition to information from other sources and experiences proceeds smoothly and logically.
Shows evidence of thoughtful revision and careful editing, and follows the rules of correct grammar and spelling.
Shows an excellent grasp of the assignment.
Uses in-text documentation correctly, and provides an error free bibliography.
Provides evidence from credible, academic sources from a variety of databases and research materials.
The `B` paper:
Similar to the `A` paper, this paper will contain a recognizable central idea, which is supported by reasons, which are organized in a logical and concise fashion. This paper differs in that the central idea might be more `standardized,` the grammar and mechanics might falter, and the organization might be slightly less than proficient.
The `C` paper:
A `C` indicates the author has done enough to demonstrate competency--that is all. This means the paper will also have a central idea and will provide reasons to support this idea. The central idea will most likely be a `stock` cultural idea, in which the author is simply reiterating what numerous other writers have already said about a particular topic. This paper will convey its purpose to the reader by using reasons. The reasons used, however, will not be the best judged. The organization of the `C` paper will not be as effective as the `B` or `A` paper. If the author has a number of ways in which the argument might be constructed, he/she chooses the most obvious and remedial format. The paper will have achieved competency if it:
Contains a thesis or statement of purpose.
Demonstrates some awareness of audience.
Includes some details and examples but they are not supportive or insufficient to develop the thesis or statement of purpose.
Shows basic use of language.
Contains some ideas that are relevant to the thesis or statement of purpose.
Shows some organization.
Shows some logic and unity in paragraphs and ideas.
Shows evidence of revision, but editing and proofreading are careless.
Contains several grammar and spelling errors.
Adheres to the criteria for the assignment.
Uses in-text documentation and provides a bibliography.
Provides evidence from credible, academic sources from a variety of databases and research materials.
Contains an incomplete or inaccurate bibliography.