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At the start of the semester in Fall 2006, Michaela Koenig, Myles McCallum, Melissa Rothfus, Aaron Santesso, and Bernie Schopen met with the Associate Dean to discuss in detail a process for undertaking assessment in CH 201. The results of this strategy session are presented here to serve as an example of how instructors in Core Humanities might workably proceed with assessment in large as well as small classes.

This group agreed to focus on only four of the CH 201 Course Outcomes and furthermore to devise as simple a rubric as possible for evaluating the specified assignments. Based on this agreement, Aaron Santesso drafted a scale of four performance indicators for each outcome that took account of two main goals stated in each outcome. (Note that a more elaborate rubric might consider each goal--for instance, thesis and evidence--on a separate scale alongside other goals embedded in the outcome.) This makes evaluation relatively easy and quick, facilitating possible norming sessions where more than one person rates each student paper. Recording the number of students who achieve each score facilitates an average score for the assignment. More important, recording for each score the percentage of the total number of students being rated allows comparing across different-sized classes and using different numbers of rated assignments.

 

Sample Assessment Rubric for CH 201

Outcome	Work Assessed	Indicators & Evaluation Scale
1. Frame a thesis about single text and argue in writing, using relevant supporting evidence.	Paper #2 (or any number of paper assignments)	No thesis, no evidence (score: 1)	Weak thesis, little evidence (score: 2)	Good thesis, some evidence (score: 3)	Strong thesis, good evidence (score: 4)
		[Number of students]	[Number of students]	[Number of students]	[Number of students]
		[Percentage of total students]	[Percentage of total students]	[Percentage of total students]	[Percentage of total students]
2. Recognize and identify characteristics of a culture, and differentiate once culture from another.	Paper #4 (or any number of paper assignments)	No recognition or differentiation (1)	Recognition, no differentiation (2)	Recognition, some differentiation (3)	Good recognition and differentiation (4)
4. Engage in oral discussion, making well-supported claims.	Oral presentation	Litttle knowledge, no support (1)	Knowledgeable, little support (2)	Knowledgeable, some support (3)	Knowledgeable, well-supported (4)
6. Recognize & analyze historical precedents for contemporary ideas.	Final exam paper or essay	No recognition or analysis (1)	Recognition, no analysis (2)	Recognition, some analysis (3)	Good recognition and analysis (4)

This is just an example that can be easily modified or elaborated to fit the questions you may have about the performance of your own students and the success of your own class.