Writing the Annual
Assessment Report
Some Tips and Guidelines
The purpose of this handout is to answer some questions that faculty might
have about creating the annual report of assessment activity for their program.
While this PowerPoint uses the vertical format template for illustration, the
same guidelines and suggestions apply for the horizontal reporting format as
well. Suggestions for using the discussion format for reporting are included
with that template.
For links to annual report formats, go to
http://www.uni.edu/assessment/ClosingtheLoop.shtml
For additional assistance with the annual report, please contact Donna Vinton,
Director of Academic Assessment, by e-mailing donna.vinton@uni.edu or calling
her office at 319-273-3343. Appointments and consultations are welcome!
Reasons for Writing
Annual Assessment Reports
A well-written annual report can:
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Guide faculty discussions about courses and curricula;
Introduce your program to external reviewers;
Support requests for funding or faculty lines;
Suggest needed future areas for faculty expertise;
Help attract strong candidates to apply for faculty positions;
Provide evidence of program strength for recruiting students;
Create an archive of program achievements;
Offer a history of program decision points and changes.
ANNUAL ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES REPORT TEMPLATE
For Assessment Conducted During 2012-2013 [Year being assessed]
Name of College:
Name of Department/Unit:
Program:
Department/Unit Mission:
Program Learning Goals:
Person submitting this report (name and
e-mail):
Date submitted:
The statement here can be a formal or informal statement of the
program’s mission. This information provides a context for viewing
the program and its intended outcomes.
This space is for a complete list of program goals, since a program
may not assess every goal every year. It might also be helpful here
to reference date for the SOA Plan from which the goals were
taken.
This would generally be the name of the person(s) from the
assessment committee that created the report. It could also
include the name of the program chair. The basic purpose for this
section is to provide a contact person for questions about the
report and for providing feedback on the report.
November 1, 2013
Note that the report is submitted in the fall following the academic
year for which reporting is being done.
Follow-Up Report on Changes Recommended in the Previous Year
Focus for Follow-Up
Description
Actions Taken
Recommended Program
Changes
Revisions to Student Learning
Outcomes
SOA Plan Revisions
Examples:
Program changes—e.g., add, change or delete a course; change a course from
required to elective or elective to required; revise the sequence of courses; revise
requirements for admission to the program, etc.
Revisions to Student Learning Outcomes—e.g., add, reword or delete specific
outcomes; revise learning outcomes for the program as a whole.
SOA Plan Revisions—Add, delete or revision a particular assessment instrument or
strategy; change the timing or focus of particular assessments; revise levels of
expectations for performance; add, revise or delete a rubric; change the course
where a specific assessment is administered, etc.
Assessment Measurements Conducted During the Current Year
Student Learning
Outcomes Assessed
Assessment
Procedures
(Include methods used,
when and where
implemented, number
assessed, person
responsible, etc.)
Summary of Findings
(Tables, graphs, and
more detailed reports
are kept at the
department level.)
Methods Used for
Sharing Assessment
Information
(Outcome)
(Outcome)
(Outcome)
(Outcome)
Guidelines for content:
• Identify all program outcomes. If not all program outcomes were assessed during
the year being reported, indicate the cycle for assessing them—e.g., “This
outcome is assessed every other year; it will be assessed during 2013-2014.”
• Provide enough information to understand the data collection process – e.g.
methodology, administered to whom (including description of process for sample
selection, as appropriate), by whom, when, how.
• Describe assessment at the program level, rather than describing how work of
individual student is assessed.
Assessment Measurements Conducted During the Current Year
Student Learning
Outcomes Assessed
Assessment
Procedures
(Include methods used,
when and where
implemented, number
assessed, person
responsible, etc.)
Summary of Findings
(Tables, graphs, and
more detailed reports
are kept at the
department level.)
Methods Used for
Sharing Assessment
Information
(Outcome)
(Outcome)
(Outcome)
(Outcome)
Guidelines for content:
• Identify measures for all learning outcomes assessed for the reporting year
• Provide sufficient and specific summaries of results for each assessment for each
outcome measured during the reporting period.
• Present results in such a way that they can be understood by persons outside of
the content area or persons reviewing the report a year of more after the report
was written—e.g., an external reviewer, a new faculty member or new member
of the program assessment committee, a new department head.
Assessment Measurements Conducted During the Current Year
Student Learning
Outcomes Assessed
Assessment
Procedures
(Include methods used,
when and where
implemented, number
assessed, person
responsible, etc.)
Summary of Findings
(Tables, graphs, and
more detailed reports
are kept at the
department level.)
Methods Used for
Sharing Assessment
Information
(Outcome)
(Outcome)
(Outcome)
(Outcome)
Guidelines for content:
Provide succinct and specific descriptions of when, how and with whom assessment
findings were shared (or will be shared)—e.g.,
• Shared with all faculty during a 3-hour program planning retreat held in may 2013;
• Selected information shared through program web page;
• Selected information shared with prospective students through a program brochure
available during summer 2013;
• Presented and discussed findings for specific outcomes over three separate
department meetings—April, May, and September 2013
• Etc.
Next Steps:
Indicate changes to be made, e.g., to program, curriculum, assessment strategies, learning outcomes, etc.,
along with timelines for action. If no changes are needed, use this space to indicate that. To see a list of
potential action steps, see http://www.uni.edu/assessment/documents/closingtheloop.pdf, “On Using
Assessment Information and Closing the Loop.”
Some Examples of Potential Changes:
• Modifications to program requirements (e.g., prerequisite courses, course sequence,
specified levels of attainment, etc.)
• Revisions to program goals and outcomes
• Modifications, additions, deletions to courses in the curriculum
• Revisions to course outcomes
• Changes to program assessment methods, strategies, timing
• Non-curricular changes (i.e., laboratory facilities, departmental policies/procedures)
• Addition, deletion, modification of services/support for students
• Changes to course delivery/pedagogy
• Changes textbooks/learning resources used in courses
• Changes, additions, deletions to course assignments, activities, or experiences
Wrapping Up the Annual Report
• Share the report with all faculty involved in the program.
• Know and/or create the distribution plan for the report
(department/program head, dean, Office of Academic Assessment,
secretary, chair of assessment committee, other).
• Have a designated site for program-level electronic storage of the
report.
• Use information from the report for curriculum review, strategic
planning, student recruitment, faculty hiring, Academic Program
Review, disciplinary accreditation processes, etc.
Questions about the annual report?
Be in touch!
Contact Donna Vinton for
additional information or consultation.
donna.vinton@uni.edu
319-273-3343
ITTC 117A