MSC
The Multi-State Collaborative to Advance Learning Outcomes Assessment
PILOT STUDY
ASSIGNMENT COVER SHEET
FOR ASSIGNMENTS ADDRESSING WRITTEN COMMUNICATION,
CRITICAL THINKING, AND/OR QUANTITATIVE LITERACY
Department:
Faculty Name:
Course Number and Section:
Course Name:
The above information is collected for tracking purposes only. All identifying information will be removed prior to the
student work being forwarded to trained faculty scorers for assessment at the state and multi-state levels using the
corresponding VALUE rubric. Assessed work will not be traceable to a student, course, or faculty member. Again, be
assured the assessment results from this pilot project will not be reported out publically.
Please indicate which student learning outcome(s) the submitted course assignment and corresponding student work
addresses and is appropriate for assessment:
Written Communication
Critical Thinking
Quantitative Reasoning
For each student learning outcome checked off, please complete the corresponding rubric below (based upon the
attached VALUE rubrics).
A. Written Communication (explanation and rubric criteria were drawn from the LEAP VALUE rubrics).
Written communication is the development and expression of ideas in writing. Written communication involves learning to work in
many genres and styles. It can involve working with many different writing technologies, and mixing texts, data, and images. Written
communication abilities develop through iterative experiences across the curriculum.
Column One:
 Please circle YES if the assignment instructions include assignment prompts that ask students to demonstrate that criterion.

If the assignment instructions do not call for students to demonstrate that criterion, please circle NO.
Column Two:
 Please circle YES if the submitted student work should be assessed against this criterion independent of whether the
instructions included an assignment prompt. If the assignment instructions prompt students to demonstrate this criterion,
clearly YES should be circled. This column is designed to tease out assignments and student work where the instructions do
not ask students to demonstrate this criterion, but the instructor expects the student (based upon course level and course
instruction) to demonstrate this learning outcome dimension in their submitted work. Upper level course assignment
instructions (capstone courses for example) may not prompt students to, for example, exhibit sound control of syntax and
mechanics but would clearly expect the student demonstrate this dimension.

If the student work should not be assessed against this criterion please circle NO.
Criteria of rubric
Context and Purpose of Writing
Includes considerations of audience,
purpose, and the circumstances
surrounding the writing task(s).
The assignment instructions
call for a student to
demonstrate this criterion.
The submitted student work should be assessed against
this criterion either because the assignment instructions
call for students to address this criterion or the expectation
is students should demonstrate this criterion even without
an assignment prompt.
YES
NO
YES
NO
YES
NO
YES
NO
YES
NO
YES
NO
Sources and Evidence
YES
NO
YES
NO
Control of Syntax and Mechanics
YES
NO
YES
NO
Content Development
Genre and Disciplinary
Conventions
Formal and informal rules inherent
in the expectations for writing in
particular forms and/or academic
fields
B. Quantitative Literacy:
Quantitative literacy - also known as Numeracy or Quantitative Reasoning – is a “habit of mind,” competency, and comfort in
working with numerical data. Individuals with strong QL skills possess the ability to reason and solve quantitative problems from a
wide array of authentic contexts and everyday life situations. They understand and can create sophisticated arguments supported
by quantitative evidence and they can clearly communicate those arguments in a variety of formats (using words, tables, graphs,
mathematical equations, etc., as appropriate).
Column One:
 Please circle YES if the assignment instructions include assignment prompts that ask students to demonstrate that criterion.

If the assignment instructions do not call for students to demonstrate that criterion, please circle NO.
Column Two:
 Please circle YES if the submitted student work should be assessed against this criterion independent of whether the
instructions included an assignment prompt. If the assignment instructions prompt students to demonstrate this criterion,
clearly YES should be circled. This column is designed to tease out assignments and student work where the instructions do
not ask students to demonstrate this criterion, but the instructor expects the student (based upon course level and course
instruction) to demonstrate this learning outcome dimension in their submitted work. Upper level course assignment
instructions (capstone courses for example) may not prompt students to, for example, to evaluate assumptions in the
model, but would clearly expect the student demonstrate this dimension.

If the student work should not be assessed against this criterion please circle NO.
Criteria of rubric
Interpretation
Ability to explain information presented
in mathematical forms (e.g., equations,
graphs, diagrams, tables, words)
Calculation
Application / Analysis
Ability to make judgments and draw
appropriate conclusions based on the
quantitative analysis of data, while
recognizing the limits of this analysis
Assumptions
Ability to make and evaluate important
assumptions in estimation, modeling,
and data analysis
Communication
Expressing quantitative evidence in
support of the argument or purpose of
the work (in terms of what evidence is
used and how it is formatted, presented,
and contextualized)
The assignment instructions
call for a student to
demonstrate this criterion;
The submitted student work should be assessed
against this criterion either because the assignment
instructions call for students to address this criterion
or the expectation is students should demonstrate this
criterion even without an assignment prompt.
YES
NO
YES
NO
YES
NO
YES
NO
YES
NO
YES
NO
YES
NO
YES
NO
YES
NO
YES
NO
C.Critical Thinking:
Critical thinking is a habit of mind characterized by the comprehensive exploration of issues, ideas, artifacts, and events before
accepting or formulating an opinion or conclusion.
Column One:
 Please circle YES if the assignment instructions include assignment prompts that ask students to demonstrate that criterion.

If the assignment instructions do not call for students to demonstrate that criterion, please circle NO.
Column Two:
 Please circle YES if the submitted student work should be assessed against this criterion independent of whether the
instructions included an assignment prompt. If the assignment instructions prompt students to demonstrate this criterion,
clearly YES should be circled. This column is designed to tease out assignments and student work where the instructions do
not ask students to demonstrate this criterion, but the instructor expects the student (based upon course level and course
instruction) to demonstrate this learning outcome dimension in their submitted work. Upper level course assignment
instructions (capstone courses for example) may not prompt students to, for example, to evaluate assumptions in the
model, but would clearly expect the student demonstrate this dimension.

If the student work should not be assessed against this criterion please circle NO.
Criteria of rubric
Explanation of issues
Evidence
Selecting and using information
to investigate a point of view or
conclusion
The assignment instructions
call for a student to
demonstrate this criterion;
The submitted student work should be assessed against
this criterion
YES
NO
YES
NO
YES
NO
YES
NO
YES
NO
YES
NO
YES
NO
YES
NO
YES
NO
YES
NO
Influence of context and
assumptions
Student’s position (perspective,
thesis/hypothesis)
Conclusions and related
outcomes
(implications and consequences)