2011-2012 INTD 105 Assessment Report
Submitted by Maria Lima and Rachel Hall, co-chairs CRWC
Method
All INTD 105 instructors were asked to use the rubric to evaluate one set of papers. Individual student scores were not requested. Instead, instructors provided data on the following categories:
- The total number of essays evaluated
2. The number of essays that achieved at the "Exceed" level for "Coherence and Form."
3. The number of essays that achieved at the "Meet" level for "Coherence and Form."
4. The number of essays that achieved at the "Approach" level for "Coherence and Form."
5. The number of essays that achieved at the "Not meet" level for "Coherence and Form."
6. The same information as 2-5 above for "Critical Reading" and "Critical Writing."
Results
Number of INTD 105 essays evaluated: 252
(1)Number exceeding—Coherence and Form – 54 (21%)
(2) Critical Reading – 61 (24%)
(3) Critical Writing – 49 (19%)
Number meeting--
(1) 137 (54%)
(2) 141 (56%)
(3) 145 (58%)
Number approaching--
(1) 49 (19%)
(2) 42 (17%)
(3) 48 (19%)
Number not meeting—
(1) 12 (5%)
(2) 8 (3%)
(3) 10 (4%)
Reflection
The scoring of the essays shows that 76% of the students demonstrate the ability to produce coherent texts that exhibit a focused thesis, clear organization, and ample use of transitions. This includes the 21% that exceed this standard. Another 19% are approaching this standard. Only 5% of student papers fell into the lowest range, suggesting that most students in INTD 105 understand that college writing requires facts, a thesis or controlling idea, sufficient development, clarity in sentence structure, and focus in paragraphing.
In terms of Critical Reading, 80% of students demonstrate the ability to read critically and to incorporate this material successfully into their essays. Included in that percentage is the 24% that exceed the standard. Of the 20% not yet meeting this standard, 17% are approaching the standard. Only 3% of the student papers were in the lowest range.
In Critical Writing, 77% meet the standard, including the 19% that exceed. While 23% do not yet meet the standard, of that group 19% are approaching the standard. The majority of students show proficiency in writing critically at the college level including sound mechanics, organization and appropriate tone and diction.
We are pleased to note that these numbers are higher than in previous years, though there are still too many students who leave the class uncertain about organizing their thoughts into a cohesive and logical paper. Instructors will be encouraged to use Gerald Graf and Cathy Birkenstein’s text They Say, I Say to help students learn the basic moves of a college level essay. We were fortunate to have Graf and Birkenstein on campus last spring and a number of INTD 105 instructors attended their workshop and joined in the discussion.
We are finalizing a proposal for the return of INTD 105 summer training seminars, a practice that instructors—both new and experienced—commented on positively in a survey completed in May 2007. This workshop will feature, among other topics, a presentation on portfolio grading, a method that encourages and rewards revision by allowing students to revise continually throughout the semester, as well as a presentation on the use of templates, a practice identified in They Say, I Say as useful for writers new to academic discourse.
The support for the training workshop suggests there is an understanding of the challenges of teaching this course. Additional support in the way of smaller class sizes would encourage more full-time faculty to teach INTD 105.