Examples of Course-Embedded Assessment Instruments

Economics, Writing/Critical Thinking, Psychology/Critical Thinking, Biology/Modeling

Example 1: Economics

Student Learning Outcome:

III.6. Detect patterns underlying phenomena and draw reasonable inferences from information

Question:

Filene’s Basement, a local Boston discount department store, sells a wide selection of household goods and clothing. The manager of household linens is facing an oversupply of queen size sheets and must decide whether or not to put them on sale during the month of November. While reading the Boston Globe over coffee this past Sunday, she saw that Mattress Discounters, a local mattress shop located down the street from Filenes, is having a gigantic sale on its queen size mattresses starting this weekend and continuing throughout the month. Explain in words what effect, if any, this should have on her decision about a sale on sheets.

Answer:

Because queen size mattresses and queen size sheets are complement goods and the mattress seller is having a sale (which will result in an increased quantity of mattresses purchased), the household linens manager should expect to sell more sheets holding her price constant. Therefore, she may be able to reduce her stock of sheets without reducing the price.

Example 2: Writing and Critical Thinking

Student Learning Outcome:

I.2. State an idea/argument and develop it in a logical, organized form using conventional grammar, punctuation and formatting

I.3. Formulate and support ideas with sufficient reasoning, evidence and persuasive appeals, and proper attribution

IV.6. Identify diverse moral and ethical perspectives, principles, and systems of evaluation

Students read a text that contains an ethical issue that originates in cultural differences, such as The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures by Anne Fadiman. They write a 5-6 page essay in response to this prompt prior to any discussion of the book in class:

Why did this conflict develop? Why were the two principal parties to the issue unable to avert the collision of cultures?

Student responses are assessed using the following rubric:

Writing Assessment Rubric

	Critical Questions	1. Naïve	2. Weak	3 Competent	4. Proficient	5. Sophisticated
Rhetorical Qualities	Is the writing cast appropriately to its purposes? Does it make a transaction with its intended audience? Does the writer present her/himself appropriately and effectively?	The purposes are unclear, trite, or inappropriate. The writing is inappropriate for its audience. The writer’s persona is inappropriate and/or ineffective.	The purposes are weak or inconsistent. Rhetorical strategies are inappropriate or inadequate to purposes (e.g., anecdotes instead of analysis). Some audience needs & attitudes are addressed, others ignored. The writer’s persona is marginally acceptable.	Scores Proficient on at least three of the five criteria.	The purposes are consistent, appropriate, & interesting. The writing anticipates & meets most audience needs & attitudes and is appropriate to the context and situation. The writer’s persona is appropriate.	The purposes are compelling & carried out in intriguing ways. The writing is sensitive to the context and situation and to the needs & attitudes of the audience, guiding their understanding very well. The writer’s persona is effective.
Argument	Is there a strong focus? A clear train of thought for consistent thesis development or a purposeful narrative?	The thesis is not stated or difficult to find. The train of thought is difficult to follow. Transitions are missing.	The thesis is weak. The train of thought is mechanical or fails to emphasize important ideas. Transitions are weak or mechanical.		The thesis is clear. The train of thought is easily followed. Most transitions are smooth.	The thesis is clear & strong, commanding reader attention. The train of thought is intriguing. Transitions are insightful.
Development of Content & Reasoning	Are relevant contexts considered and explored? (Contexts may be historical, theoretical/conceptual, philosophical, situational, etc.) Are claims supported with adequate evidence and reasoning? Has adequate research been done to support the purpose?	No contexts for the purpose and subject are established. Very little support is given for claims. Reasoning is missing, weak, or confused. There is little interesting or relevant detail or imagery. Relevant sources are not used.	Very little context is established or explored. Weak support supplied for claims. Reasoning is undeveloped. The descriptive texture is thin: few details or images. Sources are not well introduced or integrated.		Significant contexts are established for both subject & purposes. Solid support is given for claims. Clear reasoning. Detail & imagery are adequate. Sources are used to give meaningful support..	The writer establishes a rich set of contexts. Supporting evidence is well chosen and abundant. Reasoning is compelling. Detail and imagery are rich and engaging. The writer has excellent command of relevant sources and integrates them effectively.
Prose Style	Prose refers to the techniques and patterns the writer uses to cast her ideas and purposes into language. Effective prose is concise, clear, coherent, emphatic, and—above all—interesting to read.	Sentence structure is awkward, wordy, or painful to read. Vocabulary is poorly chosen. Coherence gaps are frequent. The style is inappropriate.	Sentence structures are bland; clichés abound. Vocabulary is awkward in places. Coherence gaps occur. The style is inconsistent.		Sentence structure is clear and concise. Vocabulary is precise. The writing is coherent. The style is appropriate to the genre & purpose.	Sentence structure and vocabulary are lively and interesting. The style is completely suited to the genre & purpose.
Conventions & Format	This category refers both to the correctness of the grammar, spelling, and punctuation and to the quality of the format: its consistency and appropriateness to the genre and the rhetorical situation.	Errors in conventions &/or format make reading difficult. Punctuation is often missing or incorrect. Spelling errors are frequent. Citations &/or documentation are incorrect, incomplete, or missing.	Control over conventions & format is inconsistent and/or distracting. Spelling problems are recurring. Some punctuation is wrong or awkward. Errors occur in citation &/or documentation.		Appropriate genre conventions & format are used. Spelling & typographical errors are quite minimal. Punctuation is clear & conventional. Citations & documentation are mostly conventional & complete.	Conventions and format are used for interesting effects. Punctuation is clear & effective. All elements of format and mechanics are handled well. Citations & documentation are conventional & complete.

from the Gen Ed Assessment Team: 8/31/04 Terry Beck with Linda Dickmeyer, Mike Durnin, and Brad Seebach – Adapted by Deb Hoskins DRAFT

Example 3: Psychology/Critical Thinking

Student Learning Outcome:

II.3. Formulate and support ideas with sufficient reasoning, evidence and persuasive appeals, and proper attribution

CRITICAL THINKING WORKSHEET #6:

SYNTHESIS TASK—“The nature/nurture issue”

SCORE______ NAME_________________________________________________

ID#____________________________________________________

One of the enduring issues in psychology is the question over the contributions of "nature" vs. "nurture" in determining human functioning (e.g., behavior or mental states). For your essay:

Explain what is meant by the nature/nurture issue (your text can help)
Currently, most psychologists say that the question "Is it nature OR nurture?" is not a useful way to frame the discussion about human functioning. How should we frame the discussion --and WHY?
Use not more than 2 additional sheets of paper (one side only) and provide at least 3 (THREE) different examples, each from a different chapter in the Myers text, which are evidence of the complexity of the nature/nurture relationship. Provide examples (be sure to cite the chapter, page numbers and names) that argue that BOTH types of factors should be considered, and their relationship. Be sure to identify the behavior or psychological condition chosen for each example.

DO NOT USE THE EXAMPLE GIVEN IN GROUP-but it should provide clues of what to look for.

Typed or computer-printed responses of ½ page for each example should be plenty. If hand-written, please write legibly.

Example 4: Biology/Models

Student Learning Outcome

I.6. Construct and use models to analyze, explain or predict phenomena

Multiple choice and problem solving.

Five million years ago an ancestral elephant species, Primeelephas, roamed much of Africa. Over time they evolved into the modern African Elephant. Some of these Primeelephas, also migrated to Asia where they evolved into ancestors of modern Asian Elephants (Southeast Asia) and Wooly Mammoths (Siberia). Eventually the Wooly Mammoths crossed the Bering Straits and entered North America. Modern Asian and African elephants are the only species of elephants still alive today.

Diagram an evolutionary tree that includes all four species of elephant mentioned in the passage above. (See rubric below for grading of this part of the assignment)

Present

11,000 years ago

5 million years ago

1. You would find the most sequence similarity between Wooly Mammoth DNA and the DNA from…

a. Primeelephas

b. Asian Elephants

c. African Elephants

2. If we took a modern Asian elephant and tried to breed it with a Wooly mammoth they could not produce viable offspring. Wooly mammoths and modern Asian elephants

a. Do not have a common ancestor

b. Are different species

c. Would look the same

d. Would be adapted to similar environments

e. Are both extinct

3. If Asian and African Elephants are the only surviving species mentioned in the text, what happened to the Wooly Mammoths and Primeelephas?

a. They became modern elephants

b. They became other species

c. They moved to other parts of the world

d. They became extinct

e. They wouldn’t fit on Noah’s Ark

4. Elephants and penguins both have hind legs, while leeches do not. This can be explained because

a. Elephants evolved from penguins

b. Elephants and penguins are adapted to the same environment

c. Elephants and penguins have a more recent common ancestor

d. Elephants and penguins can’t swim

5. A branch point in an evolutionary tree represents

a. A modern species that gave rise to a new species

b. An extinct common ancestor to species found on the branches

c. An extinct ancestor to just one of the species found on the branches

d. A specific mating between two different species

e. A time when natural selection did not occur

Demonstration Of SLO	None	Limited	Proficient	Advanced	Exemplary
Score	1	2	3	4	5
Timing		No distinction made between extinct and modern species.	2 or more species not present during the times indicated in the question.	1 species not present during the times indicated in the question.	All species present during the times indicated in the question.
Ancestry	No branch points, and modern species shown giving rise to other modern species	No branch points, or modern species appear where ancestral species should appear.	No common ancestors correctly indicated at branch points.	Some common ancestors correctly indicated at branch points.	All common ancestors correctly indicated at branch points.