Designing Writing Assessments:

While the number one talking point between teachers, students, and parents usually involves grading, it is premature to discuss how to grade a writing assignment without understanding the importance of writing prompts in the assessment process. Without clear writing parameters, how can a student execute the composition of the assignment effectively, and how can the teacher evaluate how the student performed? This is not to say that vague or general prompts have no place in education. When writing is used as a learning tool (rather than an assessment tool), broad or deliberately vague parameters may be a good thing. Creative assignments that encourage students to use their imaginations can actually be hindered by overly specific writing prompts.

The focus of this section is to provide guidance in designing writing assessments. For this reason, the discussion of a "weak" prompt is relative. These weaker samples might be fine for informal assessment, anticipatory sets in a lesson, or reflective journaling questions. This section of the writing manual will focus on building writing assignments that measure student learning. 

Why quality writing prompts are so important: The starting point for evaluating student writing is simple: How well did the student answer or respond to the writing prompt? Not all problems in student writing stem from poor writing skills. In many cases when students perform poorly on writing assignments, it is because they stray from the focus of the assignment and do not execute the most important objective: Communicating an answer or response to the prompt. Further complicating the matter: for good writers, often a reader can be impressed with the skill of the writer so much that they, too, can forget to assess how effective the student communicated in their writing. The following section examines how to create effective writing assessments that reliably measure knowledge of a skill or content learning target.

1. The first step in designing a quality assessment is to determine which learning target (unit objective) you hope to measure. 

Examples:

     Learning Target: Students will demonstrate an understanding of the causes of the Civil War.

     Unit Essential Question: What were the conditions in America that led to the outbreak of the Civil War?

Knowing your objectives will help you construct a prompt that will successfully communicate what you want your students to, in turn, communicate to you.

2. Determine the scope of the assignment.

Asking the same question as the Unit Essential Question posed as the assignment would likely result in students performing poorly because the prompt is too broad and lacks any expectations built into the prompt. While it is impossible to lay out all expectations for some writing assignments in the prompt alone, teachers should try to lay out the basic scope of the assignment in a writing prompt.

Using the unit essential question (or any prompt this broad) as a writing prompt would likely result in listing, bullet point types of answers rather than analytical examination of cause and effect, which requires more critical thinking. Instead, consider the unit essential question as a sort of raw form of what you are trying to pull out of your students. The prompt, would be the refined, precise framework that students need to execute to effectively demonstrate what they have learned.

Expository

Examples:

Weak Expository Prompt:

In a well-developed essay, explain the factors that led to the American Civil War. 

Explanation: The prompt doesn't specify expectations. To the highly-motivated, conscientious student, you might receive several pages that detail all the causes of the Civil War, or on the other end of the spectrum, you might receive a paragraph or two that is basically an adapted list of broad reasons.

Good Expository Prompt:

Many factors led to the outbreak of the Civil War. In a well-developed, multi-paragraph essay, thoroughly explain one or two significant causes of the American Civil War, using specific examples and elaboration to show how these factors led our nation to internal military conflict.

Explanation: This prompt is quite good. The use of "multi-paragraph essay" combined with "one or two significant causes...using specific examples and elaboration to show..." gives the writer a very manageable topic. The only thing missing is some direction on where the information ought to come from. Textbooks, class discussions, or multiple documented sources (research paper) are all possibilities that would likely be laid out in class, but the more expectations that are written down, the less interference the teacher will create in the assignment.

Excellent Expository Prompt:

 Many factors led to the outbreak of the Civil War. In a well-developed, multi-paragraph essay based on information covered in your text book and in-class discussions, thoroughly explain one or two significant causes of the American Civil War, using specific examples and elaboration to show how these factors led our nation to internal military conflict.

Explanation: This prompt provides the student clear direction and helps to further define what type of assessment this is. We would probably see this type of essay question on a test, or as a shorter writing assignment. All that is missing are some of the additional expectations that would need to be laid out in the introduction of the assignment. Length parameters, MLA formatting--additional communication of writing expectations that help decrease confusion on the part of students, and create consistency in assessment across departments--are all that remains in designing sound assessment practices.

The Same Guideline is True of Persuasive and Narrative Prompts:

Persuasive

The following prompts could be used in a science class with a learning objective pertaining to genetic engineering, a social studies class with objectives pertaining to "hot-button" social issues, or an English class with objectives pertaining to persuasion/rhetoric, or a number of different disciplines relevant to agriculture or policymaking.

Weak Persuasive Prompt:

What is your opinion of using genetic engineering to produce stronger crops? Support your answer with specific reasons.

Explanation: Not only is this prompt too vague, but note that by creating a broad prompt, the opportunity for bias comes into play. The use of the word "strong" could skew the opinion of the student. Neutral prompts are very important to persuasive writing.

Excellent Persuasive Prompt: 

As technology changes the agricultural industry, many complex issues have come to light. One is the use of genetic engineering to enhance crop production. Many argue that genetically engineering crops holds the solution to feeding the world--an increasingly challenging task. Others feel that it tampers with nature, creating potential safety hazards, as their is not enough long-term research to determine potential problems that genetic engineering could cause. Using a minimum of three documented sources, write a logical essay that takes a position on the issue of the use of genetic engineering used in farming. Be sure to be clear in your position and to support it logically with a variety of reliable sources.

Explanation: While the prompt does not lay out all the details, such as how long the essay should be or the formatting requirements, these are things that can accompany the prompt on the handout students would receive. What makes this an excellent persuasive writing prompt is that, first and foremost, there is a definite gray area regarding the issue. This necessitates argumentation. Often, when left to choose a persuasive topic, students struggle with finding an issue, and for good reason. It is difficult. As teachers, sometimes it is important to take the kids to the line or crux of an issue. It is easy to write prompts that are unbalanced, or that require no argument. For example, arguing that criminals should face consequences for their actions (this type of argument is also known as "The Water is Wet" argumentation) or that Pepsi Cola is better than Coke (overly subjective arguments) puts students in a bad position.

This prompt also provides background on the issue and points students in the right direction. When younger learners are learning both skills and content, the task at hand becomes overwhelming. In this case, students may not know much about genetic engineering. They may not know much about how to cite sources using MLA format. Furthermore, they may not know how to set up an argument logically. Giving them some direction decreases the variables for student learning.

Narrative

The following topic would work well in a composition class. Experts often recommend having students write about themselves before they do other types of writing because there are fewer variables. Students know the subject matter when writing about themselves, meaning that teachers do not have to discern whether students are struggling with content knowledge, formatting (for research papers), or reading skills (in literary analysis papers). Note the differences between the two prompts.

Weak Narrative Prompt: Write a 3-5 page essay that details an experience that changed your life.

Strong Narrative Prompt: Life is full of experiences big and small that impact us forever. Sometimes these experiences are powerful enough change the way we live; other experiences might simply give us a small appreciation for something for which we have never given much thought. Experiences that change us, whether bit or small, are part of what makes us uniquely human. Write an essay about an experience that has changed your life. From your essay the reader should be able to determine what the experience was, how it changed you, and most importantly, should show the reader how or in what way through vivid supporting details that show us the importance of this experience. 

Explanation: The first prompt would probably work fine for some students. However, the nature of the content students will be writing about will vary from student to student. Some may find this to be easy. Others may find it daunting. This prompt validates life-changing experiences, big and small. Some of the best stories take what is simple or seemingly minor and enlighten it. Additionally, the second prompt communicates the objective of the assignment clearly. Students will be evaluated based on how well they show the experience in a way that will make it clear why this was a life-changing experience.