Program Assessment Plan
Department: English
BA English, Literature
Student Learning Goals:
1.
2.
3.
Knowledge of literary studies
• A basic understanding of principal types of literature.
• An understanding of important literary concepts and of the basic terminology used to discuss
poetry, prose, and drama.
• Knowledge of British and American literary periods.
Communication Skills
• Ability to write literary analyses using American conventions of style and documentation.
• Ability to analyze and evaluate literature with well articulated positions, illustrations, and support.
Critical Thinking/Literary Skills
• Ability to analyze literature with attention to style and form as well as content.
• The ability to identify similarities and differences in the way different works of literature express
ideas and values.
• Understanding of the methods of conducting literary research.
• Ability to use various critical strategies in responding to literature.
Assessment Plan:
Assessment Measure:
1.Preliminary test of knowledge,
skills, and understandings
administered in English 275
Goals Addressed:
(list by number)
1-3
2. Senior Seminar portfolio/final
project analysis (to be developed)
1-3
3. Formulate literature-related
questions to be added to the
regular survey of graduates
administered by Institutional
Assessment.
1-3
Updated: April 15, 2008
How is the information used?
The Literature Director will organize annual spring
assessment of papers from every fifth student from all
sections of ENGL-275 by the Thursday of Finals
Week. The assessment panel will include two teachers
of ENGL-275 and at least one tenured faculty member.
Two panelists read every paper. Panelists do not read
their own students’ work. When there is a two-point
difference in the overall assessment category, a paper
will go on to a third reader. This information will be
used to analyze where we are currently successful in
meeting our expected outcomes, and it will motivate
change in areas where we are less successful.
The Director of Literature will lead a subcommittee of
literature faculty which will evaluate ENGL-498 final
projects/portfolios each fall, recording achievements in
each learning goal. This information will be used to
gauge students’ mastery of literary studies. The
information will also help us revise our senior seminar
pedagogy.
The Director of Literature, with the Associate Chair,
will collaborate with Institutional Assessment to
maximize creation of relevant results from that office’s
ongoing surveys of BSU graduates. This information
will be included with data from other measures in the
annual assessment meeting of department’s key
literature offerings, and will lead to curriculum
improvement.