Standards for Assessing English 1A Research Skills 

 

Student Learning Outcome (from English 1A Course Outline of Record): “A student should be able to . . . write a 7-10-page research paper incorporating and accurately documenting a variety of appropriate source materials.” We will assess the following four outcomes: 

  1. Sources are appropriate to the essay.
  2. Essay uses sources effectively, using paraphrase, summary, and quotation as appropriate.
  3. Essay uses MLA format correctly for both in-text parenthetical citations and  Works Cited page.

To be considered satisfactory, the following four criteria must be met by at 70% or above.

(For the SLO to be considered satisfactorily met, 75% of students must meet this goal.)

1.  Sources are appropriate to the essay.

  • number of sources meets or exceeds the assignment,
  • sources are reliable,
  • sources are relevant,
  • sources are appropriately current.

2. Essay uses sources effectively, using paraphrase, summary, and quotation as appropriate.

  • essay uses a variety of paraphrase, summary, and quotation,
  • student’s own argument, not sources, dominates the paper,
  • sources are integrated with argument (e.g., introduced with a signal phrase, not dropped in),
  • some background/introductory information on source is included,
  • punctuation for quotations is correct.

3. Essay uses MLA format correctly for both in-text parenthetical citations and  Works Cited page.

parenthetical citation:

  •          source  is given,
  •          source information is correct,
  •          citations agree with Works Cited entries,

    Works Cited page:

  •      format (alphabetical order, punctuation, line-spacing, etc) is accurate. 

Individual Assessment for English Research Skills

Instructor fills out one for each essay, one check per row. Instructor keeps these sheets on file to compare for improvement over time.

Student Name: ____________________________

Semester:  ________________________________

Criterion

Satisfactory

(70% or above)

 Unsatisfactory

1.  Sources are appropriate to the essay.

  • number of sources meets or exceeds the assignment,
  • sources are reliable,
  • sources are relevant,
  • sources are appropriately current.
   

2. Essay uses sources effectively, using paraphrase, summary, and quotation as appropriate.

  • essay uses a variety of paraphrase, summary, and quotation,
  • student’s own argument, not sources, dominates the paper,
  • sources are integrated with argument (e.g., introduced with a signal phrase, not dropped in),
  • some background/introductory information on source is included,
  • punctuation for quotations is correct.
   

3. Essay uses MLA format correctly for both in-text parenthetical citations and  Works Cited page.

parenthetical citation:

  • ·         source  is given,
  • ·         source information is correct,
  • ·         citations agree with Works Cited entries,
  • ·        

 Works Cited page:

  • format (alphabetical order, punctuation, line- spacing, etc) is accurate.
   

Class Summary Assessment for English Research Skills 

Instructor fills out one for the entire class with the total number of checks for each column. This sheet goes to the Division Office.

Course Name: English  1A               1B                   1C (circle one)

Semester: _____________________

CRN: ________________________

Criterion

Satisfactory

Unsatisfactory

Total

1. Sources are appropriate to essay.

     

2. Essay uses sources effectively, using paraphrase, summary, and quotation as appropriate.

     

3. Essay uses MLA format correctly for both in-text parenthetical citations and  Works Cited page.

     

Class Summary Assessment for English Research Skills 

Instructor fills out one for the entire class with the total number of checks for each column. This sheet goes to the Division Office.

Course Name: English  1A               1B                   1C (circle one)

Semester: _____________________

CRN: ________________________

Criterion

Satisfactory

Unsatisfactory

Total

1. Sources are appropriate to essay.

     

2. Essay uses sources effectively, using paraphrase, summary, and quotation as appropriate.

     

3. Essay uses MLA format correctly for both in-text parenthetical citations and  Works Cited page.