2. What is Outcomes Assessment?
•
It is a method for the college to
ensure that students are ready for
the next level of English class.
•
Each student’s writing is used to
determine if the student is ready to
move on to the next class.
3. How does Outcomes Assessment
affect my grade?
•
The Outcomes Assessment essay will
count in the Outcomes Assessment
process and toward your course grade.
•
In order to receive a letter grade for the
course, you must pass the Outcomes
Assessment process.
•
If you pass Outcomes Assessment, you
receive the grade you earned in the course.
• If you fail Outcomes Assessment, you receive an “NC,” or No Credit,
which does not affect your GPA. However, receiving an “NC,” means
you will need to retake the course and could have financial aid
implications.
4. When does outcomes assessment
happen?
Date Activity
At least by week 13 OA essay assigned by
instructor
Week 13 through OA essays collected
midnight on (instructor will give you the
Tuesday of week 14 due date)
At least by first Portfolio collected (instructor
class meeting week will give you the due date)
15
Weeks 15 & 16 Portfolio review
5. Do all English students participate
in Outcomes Assessment?
•
All students in English 015, 090, and 101 at both CWI and CSI
have to pass the Outcomes Assessment process in order to
move on to the next English class.
6. Is everyone eligible to participate
in Outcomes Assessment?
•
All students are eligible to
participate in outcomes
assessment, though not all will
participate with the same
recommendation. There will be a
description of instructor
recommendations later in this
presentation.
7. How does Outcomes Assessment
work?
•
You will be assigned an Outcomes Assessment Essay. It will
most likely be the 4th essay of the semester. If the essay passes,
you receive the grade you earned for the course.
8. What kind of essay will I be
required to write?
•
The topic of the essay changes each semester, but students are
usually asked to write a persuasive or thesis driven informative
essay.
•
No research can be used in 015 and 090 essays. Examples in
those essays are to come from the students’ personal knowledge
experiences. 101 essays require the use of outside material from
• The length of the essay
an established list of sources. Course Essay Page
depends on what class you Length Required
are taking. English 015 2 pages
English 090 3 pages
English 101 4 pages
9. How do they decide if I pass?
•
Faculty readers evaluate your OA essay based on the outcomes
posted on your syllabus. If the writing meets the outcomes, it
receives a “Pass.” If it does not meet the outcomes, it receives
a “No Pass.”
Instructor Faculty Reader Faculty Reader Outcome
Recommendation 1 2
Your instructor
will make a
recommendation
P P P Pass
of P or NP based
on the writing you
P P NP Pass
have done during
the semester. P NP P Pass
P NP NP Review
NP NP NP Fail
NP NP P Fail
NP P NP Fail
NP P P Review
10. Who reads the OA essays?
•
Your current instructor will not read and evaluate your OA
essay. Other instructors teaching the same course will read
your OA essay.
•
Instructors do blind reading, so they do not know whose
writing they are reading. This helps the process be as fair as
possible.
11. What are common reasons people
fail the outcomes essay?
• Too short If the essay doesn’t meet the
length requirement, it will not
pass
• Off topic If the essay does not address
the prompt, it will not pass
•Lack of If the thesis is missing or the
organization paragraphs lack coherence,
your ideas will be unclear and
the essay will not pass.
12. What if I fail the Outcomes
Assessment Essay?
•
In certain cases when the OA essay does not pass, the portfolio of
essays you wrote during the semester will be evaluated to
determine if you should pass the Outcomes Assessment Process.
13. What is portfolio review?
•
If a student does not pass the outcomes assessment essay, that student’s
work from the class is evaluated by a faculty committee. If the portfolio
meets the outcomes, that student will then pass outcomes assessment.
Instructor Reader Reader Outcome Reader Reader Reader Final
Recommendation 1 2 1 2 3 decision
P P P Pass ----- ----- ----- Pass
P P NP Pass ----- ----- ----- Pass
P NP P Pass ----- ----- ----- Pass
P NP NP Review P P ----- Pass
P NP NP Review P NP P Pass
P NP NP Review NP NP ----- Fail
NP NP NP Fail ----- ----- ----- Fail
NP NP P Fail ----- ----- ----- Fail
NP P NP Fail ----- ----- ----- Fail
NP P P Review NP NP ----- Fail
14. What goes in the portfolio?
•
Passing portfolios have to contain all four major essays and
the draft work.
•
If one or more of the essays did not receive a passing grade, it
is unlikely that the portfolio would pass portfolio review.
•
Portfolios go in a two pocket folder.
15. How do I prepare for Outcomes
Assessment?
•
The course work your teacher assigns will help prepare you.
•
Practice revision and revision strategies.
16. What if I have more questions?
•
Your instructor will be happy to answer questions about
Outcomes Assessment throughout the semester.
