Central Washington University
Assessment of Student Learning
Department and Program Report
Please enter the appropriate information concerning your student learning assessment activities
for this year.
Academic Year of Report: _2010-11_____________ College: __COTS_______
Department _Geological Sciences______ Program: __Master of Science in Geology
1. What student learning outcomes were assessed this year, and why?
In answering this question, please identify the specific student learning outcomes you assessed this year, reasons for
assessing these outcomes, with the outcomes written in clear, measurable terms, and note how the outcomes are
linked to department, college and university mission and goals.
Student Learning Outcome Assessed:
1) Critically synthesize and interpret published scientific literature; differentiate data from interpretation (GEOL
502)
2) CWU Writing rubric (GEOL 534; GEOL 523; GEOL 578)
3) Quantitative Analysis (GEOL 584)
4) Knowledge of core concepts in Geology (GEOL 523)
5) Manipulate and graph data (GEOL 523)
Why assessed? These outcomes are important for graduate students to develop as they research and write their
Masters theses.
Link to Department Goals: These learning outcomes relate to Geological Sciences Department Goal (1):” Offer a
multitude of dynamic learning opportunities: (a) for majors, students will demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and
disposition to be successful in their chosen field of geological sciences or related field.”
Graduate students must be able to understand and critically interpret the published scientific literature in
their discipline in order to a) gain the knowledge to be successful in their specialization and b) learn the best way to
effectively communicate the results of their own scientific research. They must also be able to effectively employ
quantitative analysis of their scientific data.
Link to College of the Science Mission: “As practitioners of scientific inquiry, students and faculty create and
apply knowledge to solving human, social and environmental problems.”
Understanding how to interpret scientific writing is a critical step toward achieving the COTS mission of
creating and applying knowledge to solve problems. Student must then be able to communicate effectively in
writing and quantitative analyses to apply that knowledge in a way that can be interpreted and utilized by others.
Link to University Mission: … “The university community values teaching as the vehicle to inspire intellectual
depth and breadth…of its students.”
Critical synthesis and interpretation of the primary scientific literature, writing effectively, and employing
quantitative analyses instill intellectual breadth in our Masters students.
2. How were they assessed?
In answering these questions, please concisely describe the specific methods used in assessing student learning.
Please also specify the population assessed, when the assessment took place, and the standard of mastery (criterion)
against which you will compare your assessment results. If appropriate, please list survey or questionnaire response
rate from total population.
A) What methods were used?
1) Critically assess literature: The students wrote an essay on the regional geology of Washington State, which
integrated their own observations from a week-long field course in the region along with results from previously
published research on the geology of the region.
2) CWU Writing Rubric: Students wrote library research papers (GEOL 534, 523 and 578).
3) Quantitative Analysis: Students completed a course assignment that involved quantitative analysis in GEOL 584.
The first QA table shows the results from a basic analysis problem; the second QA table is the same students’ results
on a more complex quantitative analysis problem.
4) Understand Core Concepts of Geology: Final exam question in GEOL 523
5) ) Manipulate and interpret graphed data: Final exam question in GEOL 523
B) Who was assessed?
1) Critically assess literature: Incoming new graduate students in the GEOL 502 Regional Field Geology of the
Pacific Northwest
2) CWU Writing Rubric: Graduate students in the GEOL 534 Petroleum Geology, 523 Cryosphere, and 578
Volcanology courses
3) Quantitative Analysis: Graduate students in the GEOL 584 Geochronology course
4) Understand Core Concepts: Graduate students in GEOL 523 Cryosphere course
5) ) Manipulate and interpret graphed data: Graduate students in GEOL 523 Cryosphere course
C) When was it assessed?
1) Critically assess literature): Fall, 2011
2) CWU Writing Rubric: GEOL 534 in Spring, 2011; GEOL 423 in Spring, 2011; GEOL 578 in Spring, 2011
3) Quantitative Analysis: GEOL 584 Winter, 2011 (a. Basic analysis; b. More complex analysis)
4) Core Concepts: GEOL 523 Spring, 2011
4) Manipulate and interpret graphed data: GEOL 523 Spring, 2011
3. What was learned?
In answering this question, please report results in specific qualitative or quantitative terms, with the results linked to
the outcomes you assessed, and compared to the standard of mastery (criterion) you noted above. Please also include
a concise interpretation or analysis of the results.
GEOL 502, Fall 2011
Assessment of Learning Outcome:
1) Critically synthesize and interpret published scientific literature; differentiate data from interpretation
Student
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Average
Outline
Geol,
Synthesize
Lit
5
4
5
5
4
2
3
4
4.0
Organization,
Format
4
5
5
5
5
5
5
4
4.75
Figures
&
Tables
5
4
5
5
4
2
5
5
4.4
Spelling
&
Grammar
3
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
4.8
Succinct
& Clear
Writing
4
5
5
5
5
5
4
5
4.8
Integrates
Obs &
Examples
5
5
5
5
5
2
5
5
4.6
Complete
References
4
4
4
5
3
2
4
4
3.8
Average
4.3
4.6
4.9
5.0
4.4
3.3
4.4
4.6
4.4
GEOL 534 Petroleum Geology Spring 2011: CWU Writing Assessment
Rubric Element
Content
Reasoning
Organization
Rhetoric of the Discipline (optional
for Gen Ed)
Conventions & Presentation
Pass*
Non-Pass*
5/100%
5/100%
5/100%
5/100%
0/0%
0/0%
0/0%
0/0%
5/100%
0/0%
Pass*
Non-Pass*
3/100%
3/100%
3/100%
3/100%
0/0%
0/0%
0/0%
0/0%
3/100%
0/0%
Course: GEOL 523
Rubric Element
Content
Reasoning
Organization
Rhetoric of the Discipline (optional
for Gen Ed)
Conventions & Presentation
GEOL 578 Volcanology: CWU Writing Assessment
Pass
Number
Total Number of Students
Evaluated
4
4
Pass
Percent
No Pass
number
No Pass
Percent
100
0
0
Content
4
100
0
0
Reasoning
4
100
0
0
Organization
4
100
0
0
Rhetoric of Discipline
4
100
0
0
Conventions and Presentation
4
100
0
0
GEOL 584 Geochronology: Quantitative Analysis Skills—
Basic Level
Problem
Student
set-up
Computation Answer
Average
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Average
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4.0
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4.0
4
4
4
4
4
3
3
3.7
4.0
4.0
4.0
4.0
4.0
3.7
3.7
3.9
GEOL 584 Geochronology: Quantitative Analysis Skills—
More Complex, Advanced Level Calculations and Reasoning
Problem
Student
set-up
Computation Answer
Average
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Average
4
4
4
4
4
4
2
3.7
4
4
3
4
3
4
2
3.4
3
2
3
3
4
4
3
3.1
3.7
3.3
3.3
3.7
3.7
4.0
2.3
3.4
GEOL 523: Demonstrates core
knowledge
Student
1
2
3
Avg.
Defines
key
term
3
3
1
2.3
Demonstrates
knowledge of
key concept
4
4
4
4.0
GEOL 523: Manipulate and
interpret graphed data
Interprets
Plots
graphed
Student data
data
1
4
3
2
4
3
3
4
3
Avg.
4.0
3.0
4. What will the department or program do as a result of that information?
In answering this question, please note specific changes to your program as they affect student learning, and as they
are related to results from the assessment process. If no changes are planned, please describe why no changes are
needed. In addition, how will the department report the results and changes to internal and external constituents
(e.g., advisory groups, newsletters, forums, etc.).
These results indicate that the incoming Masters degree students are weakest in the areas of a) providing complete
and properly-cited references and b) synthesizing the information from previously published literature into their
writing. In particular, the students need to improve on properly acknowledging the sources of their information in
their writing. We will use this information to target improvement in those particular writing skills in our other core
courses in the Geology MS program that emphasize writing and critical synthesis of literature, e.g. GEOL 502
Current Topics and GEOL 503 Research Methods.
Graduate students’ writing abilities have improved after they have completed some portion of their CWU graduate
program in Geology, as shown by the higher scores on the CWU writing rubric, given in the spring.
Graduate students are competent in setting up and computing basic quantitative problems, but could take more care
to ensure that they have arrived at a correct answer/conclusion. They are not as skilled at solving more complex
problems, but are still competent. Graduate students demonstrate the ability to graphically manipulate data, but are
not as competent at interpreting graphical data. We will continue to assign and assess quantitative problems and
emphasize this skill in our graduate courses.
5. What did the department or program do in response to last year’s assessment
information?
In answering this question, please describe any changes that have been made to improve student learning based on
previous assessment results. Please also discuss any changes you have made to your assessment plan or assessment
methods.
We have not made any changes in our assessment plan or methods in the last year.