Alternative Writing
Assignments: Developing A
Culture of Thinking & Writing
Faculty Development Day
FALL 2007
Oct. 6, 2007
FACULTY DEVELOPMENT DAY
Johanna Bishop, Behavioral Science
Johanna Bishop, Assistant Professor & Program
JimCoordinator
McFadden,
Graduate
Business
Behavioral
Science
James McFadden, Adjunct Professor, Graduate
Business Program
Today’s Session…
• Discuss alternative writing assignments
– Suggestions for types of assignments
• undergraduate and graduate writing
• Relate assignments to Bloom’s taxonomy
• Explore how, together, we can develop
a culture of reading and writing
Why Discuss Alternative Writing
Assignments?
Peter Elbow…
• On Term Papers…
– “I find term papers
involve maximum work
and minimum learning.
I call them "terminal
papers." Students often
pad them. Students
seldom learn from our
comments since the
course is over before they
pick up their papers--if
they pick them up. I find
it more productive to use
several shorter essays-even (perhaps especially)
for high stakes writing.”
A the undergrad level…
Several Short Writing Assignments
• Since many students have poor writing skills, several
short writing assignments may be preferable to one
long one
• Provide rubric and criteria for evaluating the
assignment
• Provide clear outline and
requirements of the
assignment
• In observation-type
assignments, may have
to teach how to take
field notes
Writing to Learn/ Writing to
Explain
• Most student writing
assignments ask them
to report back to
the instructor
• Shift in thinking:
– Writing assignments
that encourage
students to LEARN
Listing…Defining…
•
•
•
•
•
Theory
Idea
Event
Etc
Your suggestions?
Article Summaries
• Write 1-2 page
summaries of
scholarly articles
• Challenges students
to read and be able
to summarize in their
own words
• Good for orienting
students to
“scholarly”
literature
Reports: Observations, Family
History projects, Observing City
Council Meetings, etc
• Apply
theory to
“real life”
or vice
versa
Comparing/Contrasting…
•
•
•
•
Theories…
Theorists…
Situations…
Structured
Journal
writing
• Suggestions?
Field Observations… Research
Projects…
Defending A Position… Critiquing a
Theory…
• Letters to the editor
advancing a position
or defending a
position
• Position papers
• Short argumentation
papers
Minute Papers
• Used at start of class to
get students to focus on
the subject
• Used at end of class for
assessment
• Used during class to
provide a learning/
reflection moment
• Used to clear up
confusion- inform
instructor of gaps in
understanding
Suggestions
• Have student complete a small writing
assignment early in the course
– Alerts instructors to any writing problems
– Provides sample of “authentic” voice
• Articulate the requirements of a writing
assignment on paper
– Helps to clear up questions/ confusion
• “Standardize” writing assignments- cuts
down on your work as the instructor
• Develop a grading rubric- standardizes
evaluation
More Suggestions
• Have students share their writing with
the class
–
–
–
–
Group sharing
Peer editing
Poster presentations
Read their writing aloud
• Your suggestions?
Instructor Issue…Time & Grading
• Rubrics
• Define standards at the Beginning
• Develop your own shorthand for grading
papers:
Underline for something significant
Use wavy lines for errors, grammar, etc
Star areas you think particularly well done
And finally… (again from Peter
Elbow)
• Students understand and retain course material much
better when they write copiously about it.
–
We tend to think of learning as input and writing as output, but it
also works the other way around.
– Learning is increased by "putting out"; writing causes input.
• Students won't take writing seriously till all faculty demand
it.
• Writing needn't take any time away from course material.
• We can demand good writing without teaching it. The
demand itself teaches much.
• Students won't write enough unless we assign more writing
than we can comment on--or even read. There is no law
against not reading what we make them write.
• Writing can have a powerful communal or social dimension;
it doesn't have to feel solitary.
At the graduate level…
Just like the Label…The Writing
Product Must Be Self-
Explanatory
• When you give someone
something to read, you won’t
be there to explain it
• Your writing must be selfexplanatory
• “Instruction label” must say
it all
Critical Reading- Writing
• To be an analytical writer must first be
analytical reader:
– Read first ½ page
– Read final half page
– Begin to go through the great “meat” of the article
and see how each paragraph leads off (can label in
supermarket)
• Put yourself in a consumer position: Is this as
powerful and succinct if I were asked to read
this?
4 Dimensions of an Exec Summary
Thesis: The purpose for writing the article, as made clear by the
author(s), as well as other relevant information concerning its
publication
– This is the raison d’etre of the article, and also makes clear the
contribution to a particular body of knowledge, insights, or
individual/organizational improvement that the article intends
to yield
Methodology: Explains the way(s) in which the Article is developed,
or operationalized, and its insights deployed
Achievement of purpose – Whether, how, and to what extent, the
thesis is actually sustained; or, how fully the author(s) deliver the
goods, as advertised
Contribution to knowledge – What is now known that was not known
before reading the article, as well as an elucidation of its value.
This should include an assessment of how well the author(s)
conclude the article with clear statements of its major points, as
well as of its final importance, or meaning
Oral Final Exam with Written Exec
Summary
• Reinforces natural
relationship between
reading and writing
– (for course and
presentation)
• Reaches visual
learners or auditory
learners
• Practice reaching
both kinds of learners
throughout course
• Background
(what/why)
• Format (how)
• Take-away (synthesis
or final meaning)
– Micro-chip
– Baking bread
– Time element
• Instant feedback
Conclusion
• Consider yourself a stock on the NYSE…
– Are you a buy? Hold? Or a Sell?
• Writing/ expression: strategic weapon for
your career
• Constant opportunity to add value…
opportunity to demonstrate how brilliant
you are every day!