DRAFTTeaching and Learning Project: Assessment ReportEnglish 90 – Fall 2006College Wide SLO’s addressed/background information:Developmental Education: English 90English 90 Outcome: Write expository essays which integrate and synthesize course readings and are clearly focused, fully developed, and logically organized.Research Question: How effectively are we teaching students to write argumentative/persuasive essays that are clearly focused, fully developed and logically organized?Study design- Method: All 90 instructors will assign a four to five page, typewritten, persuasive essay that draws upon at least three, and no more than five, short non-fiction articles that have been provided by the instructor or found within the course reader. (Students should not be researching and finding articles/essays on their own for this assignment). These argumentative/persuasive essays much include a concession/refutation. Although English 90’s focus is not the teaching of formal argumentation, students should be aware of basic logical fallacies: oversimplification, hasty generalizations, either/or thinking, faith-based reasoning. This papermay be the last or second to last essay assigned. - Sample: During spring flex, Jan. ’07, we read and holistically scored 133 argumentative/persuasive essays from ten Fall 2005 English 90 sections. These 133 essays were drawn from the 198 total essays received by a random sampling formula created by Myra Snell of the Math Department. (sample formula included below)- Essays were received from ten sections of English 90, and there were fourteen participants scoring the essays.Scoring Technique: We used a holistic rubric for scoring essays. Description of Proficiency: Using an agreed upon rubric, we assessed students’ workto be high, medium or low with proficient including all high and medium; not proficient included all low. Expectations: Establish baseline data.Results: from fall 2006133 Essays (taken via random sample from 198 essays received)Results:H 17 (13%)M 76 (57%)L 40 (30%) We assessed 70% of the papers to be proficient. Of these, 17 papers (13%) were rated as High, and 76 (57%) were rated as Medium. Meaning or Analysis The results show an obvious improvement in scores since the holistic scoring session done in January ’06. However, that improvement could possibly be attributed to a decision we made during the collection of student work: Instructors were asked to only submit the papers of students who they believed would receive a passing grade for the class. This eliminated the papers of students who faculty perceived to be failing the class. Whether or not that difference in student work is a significant determinant in the increase in scores will remain to be seen. Since this will be the policy from now on, we should be able to notice any presence or absence of sharp gains or decreases in scores over time. Although most of our English 90 instructors are more or less on the same page, in terms of essay focus and organization, there were once again questions about the assignments interms of whether or not they elicited argument. Participants agreed that some assignments (judging from the student work) seemed to ask students to summarize positions about a topic, rather then pose an argument of their own. In addition, there seems to be confusion about stipulations about sources in the argument assignment. Some assignments clearly allowed students to research their own sources, while other assignments seemed to limit sources to those chosen by the instructor. The departmental requirement is that instructors supply the sources, so this point clearly needsto be emphasized in future semesters. Participants suggested that English 90 instructors work on the following points: 1. Sources: We need to direct students toward the use of scholarly/authoritative sources, rather than allow the ample use of sources such as wikipedia.com. This recommendation goes hand in hand with the suggestion that we concentrate on teaching students to evaluate sources critically. 2. Using Sources in Paragraphs:Participations agreed on the following as areas needing improvement:- Using signal phrases to introduce evidence- Using “authoritative” sources in service of students’ own arguments (rather than using “authoritative” sources to speak FOR them)- Appropriate placement of direct quotes in paragraphs (not using quotes to start a paragraph) 3. Other Issues in Essay Development- Although students are attempting to create a “hook” in their introductory paragraphs, participants noted an over reliance on emotional appeals to attract audience interest. - Participants also commented on weak concluding paragraphs, and suggested that instructors present strategies that will help students to create conclusions that are as strong as their introductions. - Students need instruction in avoiding the logical fallacies included in the English 90 course outline (oversimplification, hasty generalizations, either/or thinking, and faith-based reasoning).3. Grammar Concerns:Participants noted the following as commonly-repeated errors:- Errors in word choice- Run on sentences- Homonym errors. This information should be helpful as we design curriculum for our students and staff development for our faculty.Use of results: Action Plan: Continue to monitor instructor argumentative assignment to adhere to parameters of course outline and provide constructive feedback to instructors who need assistance early on in the semester. Continue to post course outline argumentative essay requirements and model assignments on Blackboard for faculty to follow. Emphasize assignment requirements noted by the participating faculty.Work on the introduction and incorporation of sources. Present suggestions for working with logical fallacies in student reasoning. Provide strategies that elicit strong introductory and concluding paragraphs. Timeline for Implementation: Spring 07Responsible Parties: Joellen HiltbrandNOTE: sampling formulan NE2(N  1)