Developing Effective Writing Assignments

1. Developing Effective Writing Assignments Effective Teaching and Learning Department Instructionaltech@baker.edu

2. 3/19/2012 2 Course Outcomes Describe writing as a learning element Discuss formal vs. informal writing Classify writing styles Develop effective assignments Assess/evaluate writing Identify writing resources at Baker

3. 3/19/2012 3 Discussion How do you see yourself as a writer? What writing assignments do you use in your class? Why are these assignments important? How many do you give your students per quarter? Want to ensure that the following are identified: Student’s writing skills are often use it or lose it Writing improves with practice Improves critical thinking skills Prepares them for the workplace Engages and actively involves student in subject matter Want to ensure that the following are identified: Student’s writing skills are often use it or lose it Writing improves with practice Improves critical thinking skills Prepares them for the workplace Engages and actively involves student in subject matter

4. 3/19/2012 4 Activity What are the five most important elements in good student writing? What are the top three problems with student writing you see in your class? Break students into groups of 3 or 4 and give 5 minutes per question. Have students brainstorm answers and then rank their top 5 and top 3 in order. Go around and discuss each group’s list and assemble a comprehensive list of elements of good writing and problems with student writing. Be sure to distribute list to entire class before the end of the course.Break students into groups of 3 or 4 and give 5 minutes per question. Have students brainstorm answers and then rank their top 5 and top 3 in order. Go around and discuss each group’s list and assemble a comprehensive list of elements of good writing and problems with student writing. Be sure to distribute list to entire class before the end of the course.

5. 3/19/2012 5 Bloom’s Taxonomy Look at previously compiled list to determine if some of the elements of good writing are mentioned here.Look at previously compiled list to determine if some of the elements of good writing are mentioned here.

6. 3/19/2012 6 Discussion Where do your current assignments fall within Bloom’s Taxonomy? Which levels are an appropriate target for your class?

7. 3/19/2012 7 Types of Writing In class vs. out of class writing Formal vs. informal Graded vs. not graded

8. 3/19/2012 8 Activity suggestions In class Essay exams Lecture reaction papers Muddiest point papers Free writing Observation log Journal Out of class Take home essay exams Term papers Article, book, movie review or summary Learning log Double-entry journal Lecture reaction papers are also called learning reflection papers Muddies point papers are a quick paper where students articulate what point from the lecture, demonstration, last class, etc. that the student doesn’t understand. You can make this into a group activity where the papers are passed around as part of a large or small group until each student finds a question he/she can answer. Then pass the papers back to the original student and check for understanding. Double entry journals are where the student copies quotes, facts or concepts from lecture, readings, etch on one column and write responses, questions, or insights on the next column or page.Lecture reaction papers are also called learning reflection papers Muddies point papers are a quick paper where students articulate what point from the lecture, demonstration, last class, etc. that the student doesn’t understand. You can make this into a group activity where the papers are passed around as part of a large or small group until each student finds a question he/she can answer. Then pass the papers back to the original student and check for understanding. Double entry journals are where the student copies quotes, facts or concepts from lecture, readings, etch on one column and write responses, questions, or insights on the next column or page.

9. 3/19/2012 9 Formal Writing Typically, formal writing encompasses these elements: Require citations/bibliographies Graded Oriented to a specific audience Performed both in and out of class

10. 3/19/2012 10 Ideas for Formal Writing Case plans or logs Annotated bibliography Laboratory reports Research paper Reaction papers

11. 3/19/2012 11 Informal Writing Typically, informal writing encompasses these elements: Graded credit/no credit or not graded Can be a starting point for formal writing Helps develop student understanding of concepts

12. 3/19/2012 12 Ideas for Informal Writing Class minutes Peer reviews Brainstorming Post-lecture counterarguments Admit ticket Exit box Free writing Journaling Admit ticket: where students drop off a brief writing (summary of a reading, two questions from last class) before they enter class for the day Exit box – comments from class, lecture, demo students must submit before they leave Counterarguments – allows students to reconcile new information with previous beliefs and info, helps brings new questions to the forefrontAdmit ticket: where students drop off a brief writing (summary of a reading, two questions from last class) before they enter class for the day Exit box – comments from class, lecture, demo students must submit before they leave Counterarguments – allows students to reconcile new information with previous beliefs and info, helps brings new questions to the forefront

13. 3/19/2012 13 Graded vs. Not Graded Contain components of both formal and informal writing Can be performed in or out of class Determined by instructor and/or class

14. 3/19/2012 14 Styles of writing Expressive Exploratory Informative Scientific Persuasive Literary Once you determine the type of writing you want your students to perform, you must then determine what style you want the writing to be. Each of these topics will be explained further in the lecture.Once you determine the type of writing you want your students to perform, you must then determine what style you want the writing to be. Each of these topics will be explained further in the lecture.

15. 3/19/2012 15 Expressive Writing Focuses on the writer’s experience and motives Examples: Autobiography Reaction/express personal views to lecture Journals/logs Bloom’s Taxonomy: Comprehension, Application, Analysis, and Evaluation

16. 3/19/2012 16 Exploratory Writing Asks questions Examples: Marketing study Opinion papers Feasibility studies Bloom’s Taxonomy: Comprehension, Application, and Evaluation

17. 3/19/2012 17 Informative Writing Answers questions Examples: Article and book reviews Job proposal Web site scripts Essay exams Bloom’s Taxonomy: Knowledge, Comprehension, and Application

18. 3/19/2012 18 Scientific Writing Provides proof for its assertions Acknowledges other side of issue Examples: Lab reports Grant proposal Case logs/notes Experiment notes Bloom’s Taxonomy: Analysis, Synthesis, and Evaluation Formal arguments from principle Applying or implementing a theory Arguments generalizing from particulars Testing a hypothesisFormal arguments from principle Applying or implementing a theory Arguments generalizing from particulars Testing a hypothesis

19. 3/19/2012 19 Persuasive Writing Attempts to change views or behavior of reader Examples: Advertising campaigns Video review Position papers/speeches Editorials, letters to the Editor Bloom’s Taxonomy: Synthesis, Analysis, and Evaluation

20. 3/19/2012 20 Literary Writing Invites attention to the message itself Includes: Book reviews Plays, TV, or film scripts Based on course-related issues Bloom’s Taxonomy: Knowledge, Comprehension, and Analysis

21. 3/19/2012 21 Writing the Writing Assignment Identify the purpose State the topic and audience clearly Describe the evaluation criteria Explain format requirements Length, due date, number of citations Check student knowledge and skills Are they appropriate to complete the assignment? Verify that the topic is relevant Have students complete paper prospectus Be sure to provide all of this information to the students in writingBe sure to provide all of this information to the students in writing

22. 3/19/2012 22 Discussion What could happen in your class if you allowed the following? Collaboration Revisions Time extensions Flexibility on requirements Try to determine how we can take the good outcomes of this discussion and apply them to other scenarios.Try to determine how we can take the good outcomes of this discussion and apply them to other scenarios.

23. 3/19/2012 23 Assignment Strategies Break long assignments into stages or sequence small assignments so the end product is one cohesive unit Provide reality-based, problem-solving activities Highlight connections within and between disciplines Present examples of good writing for student review Provide all assignments in writing

24. 3/19/2012 24 Individual Activity Using the information you have learned so far, create a writing assignment for your class

25. 3/19/2012 25 Assessments Set the goal of continuous improvement Allow the student to reflect on his/her past performance and areas of concern Can be performed by any one of the following: Instructor and student - collaboratively Student and peers Student self-assessment Assessment’s goal is to continuous improvement. Evaluation’s goal is to measure a paper against a specific set of criteria and provide a grade. Assessment’s goal is to continuous improvement. Evaluation’s goal is to measure a paper against a specific set of criteria and provide a grade.

26. 3/19/2012 26 Methods to Help Students Perform Self-Assessment Provide students with a self-assessment worksheet, based on your grading criteria Require students to peer review other student’s work Consider making a self-assessment or reflection journal part of the assignment

27. 3/19/2012 27 Peer Assessment Ideas Use both large and small groups Incorporate a peer review after a self-assessment and rewrite Distribute one essay to entire group and have the group offer suggestions for improvement Have author read essay to group When the author reads the essay to the group, they can often pick up on some of the problems with th paper themselvesWhen the author reads the essay to the group, they can often pick up on some of the problems with th paper themselves

28. 3/19/2012 28 Group Activity Gather in a group of 3 and trade assignments Review the assignments, providing the following information to the writer: Two strengths of the assignment Two areas for improvement An insight about the assignment

29. 3/19/2012 29 Discussion When could you use peer assessment in your current class assignments? How could you incorporate regular self-assessment into your writing assignments? Do you assess your assignments on a quarterly (or yearly) basis to validate their worth?

30. 3/19/2012 30 Assessment vs. Evaluation Assessment’s goal is continuous improvement Evaluation’s goal is to measure performance against a standard set of criteria Grades are based on evaluations, but are often improved by assessments

31. 3/19/2012 31 Dealing with Plagiarism Define the concept of plagiarism, in writing, early in the quarter Provide passage examples so students can practice determining common knowledge from a work that should be cited Provide citation examples Include web citations on list Discuss Internet plagiarism

32. 3/19/2012 32 Questions?