SJSU Annual Program Assessment Form
Academic Year 2013-2014
Electronic copy of report is due June 1, 2014. Send to Undergraduate Studies
(academicassessment@sjsu.edu), with cc: to your college’s Associate Dean and college Assessment
Facilitator.
Department:
ENGLISH
Program:
B.A. English
College:
H&A
Website:
http://www.sjsu.edu/english/undergraduate/
_ Check here if your website addresses the University Learning Goals.
Program Accreditation (if any): None
Contact Person and Email: Revathi Krishnaswamy
(Revathi.krishnaswamy@sjsu.edu)
Date of Report: 30 May, 2014
Part A
The Department of English & Comparative Literature believes that a
rigorous study of literature effectively promotes the kind of skills global
citizens need today: advanced oral/written communication skills, cuttingedge critical/creative thinking skills as well as sophisticated global literacy
and complex cultural awareness. Students in the B.A. English program
may choose from four areas of concentration: Literature, Career Writing
(to be changed to Professional & Technical Writing), Creative Writing,
and Preparation for Teaching-Single Subject.
The undergraduate English major, with 48 units, a solid core of required
courses and a foreign language requirement, represents both in total units
and in specific requirements a demanding, in-depth study of the field. In
addition to providing sound and extensive knowledge of different areas of
literature, the program aims to develop communication and critical
thinking skills by requiring and evaluating written work in all of its
courses (3,000 words of required writing in lower-division courses, 5,000
in upper-division—which all instructors must assess for quality). All
course syllabi are checked to ascertain that writing requirements are being
respected.
The program also requires all instructors to include the PLOs on their
syllabi and to link the PLOs to specific assignments. Students are assessed
in their mastery of these goals in the Department’s advanced writing
course (English 100W), the lower-division survey courses (56 A & B, 58
A & B, and 123 A,B, & C), the Capstone course (English 193), and
selected electives, including courses in the concentrations.
All majors receive careful and continuous advising every semester from
faculty advisors
1. List of Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs)
The following table lists the Program Learning Outcomes for the B.A. English
program and the assessment schedule. It shows the alignment of PLOs to courses
in the major. It also indicates the content of each PLO, how it is achieved, and
what criteria are used for its assessment.
Table 1: B.A. ENGLISH PLO ASSESSMENT PLAN
PLO
How achieved
When assessed
PLO 1: Students
will demonstrate the
ability to read
closely in a variety
of forms, styles,
structures, and
modes, and
articulate the value
of close reading in
the study of
literature, creative
writing, or rhetoric.
In English 100W,
AY2010-2011
students are required
to read closely in a
variety of literary
genres/styles and to
write literary
analyses.
In English 193,
students are required
to produce a
portfolio that
involves reflection
on and revision of
essays written in
previous classes.
The contents of the
portfolio not only
illustrate “the value
of close reading in
the study of
literature, creative
writing, or rhetoric”
but also “articulate”
that value in the
form of selfreflections and
revisions.
How assessed
1. Through
performance on the
English 100W final
exam. The exam
requires students to
demonstrate their
ability to read closely
by writing an
explication of a
literary text that
clearly explains what
and how the text
communicates. A
common scoring
guide/rubric is used
to assess the exam.
2. Through
performance on the
English 193
portfolio. Students
demonstrate close
reading skills by
writing explications
of literary texts and
reflections on the
value of close
reading. A rubric
with PLO specific
criteria is used to
assess student
performance.
3. By comparing and
correlating student
performance in
100W (the entry
point into the major)
and 193 (exit point
from major), it
would be possible to
trace and measure
student progress with
greater accuracy and
efficacy.
PLO 2: Students
will demonstrate
familiarity with
major literary
works, genres,
periods, and critical
approaches to
British, American,
and World
Literature.
56A-B: survey of
British Literature
68A-B: survey of
American Literature
The 123 series:
surveys of “World
Literature”
PLO 3: Students
will demonstrate the
ability to write
clearly, effectively,
and creatively, and
adjust writing style
appropriately to the
content, context,
and nature of the
subject.
In English 100W,
AY2012-2013
students are required
to write clearly and
critically about
different genres of
literature for a wide
variety of readers.
AY2011-2012
Through
performance on
essays and embedded
exam questions.
Rubrics with PLo
specific criteria are
used to assess the
essays/exams.
All courses involve
extensive reading
and writing.
Assignments target
students’ knowledge
of major literary
texts, periods, and
critical approaches.
In English 193,
students are required
to produce a
portfolio containing
a representative
sample of literary
writings and
revisions.
1. Through
performance on the
English 100W final
exam. The exam
requires students to
explicate and analyze
a literary text to
discover evidence,
formulate a clear
argument based on
the evidence, and
effectively engage
the critical audience
using a shared
vocabulary for
literary analysis. A
common scoring
guide/rubric with
PLO specific criteria
is used to assess the
exam.
2. PLO specific
scores on the English
193 portfolio
assessment
rubric/guidelines.
By comparing and
correlating student
performance in
100W (the entry
point into the major)
and 193 (exit point
from major), it’s
possible to trace and
measure student
progress.
PLO 4: Students will
demonstrate the
ability to develop and
carry out research
projects, and locate,
evaluate, organize,
and incorporate
information
effectively.
English 100W
requires students to
write a research
paper that involves
locating, evaluating
and organizing
information, and
using the MLA style
guide for
formatting.
AY 2013-2014
Most upper division
courses in the major
require students to
write a research
paper.
PLO 5: Students
will demonstrate the
ability to articulate
the relations among
culture, history, and
texts.
56A-B: survey of
British Literature
68A-B: survey of
American Literature
The 123 series:
surveys of “World
Literature”
All courses involve
research, analysis
and synthesis of
ideas. Assignments
target students’
ability to connect
culture, history, and
literature.
AY 2014-2015
1. PLO specific
scores on the 100W
research paper.
2. PLO specific
scores on the
research paper in a
selected upper
division course.
3. By comparing and
correlating student
performance in
100W (the entry
point into the major)
and 193 (exit point
from major), it
would be possible to
trace and measure
student progress with
greater accuracy and
efficacy.
PLO specific scores
on Essays, Research
papers, and/or
embedded Exam
Questions.
2. Map of PLOs to University Learning Goals (ULGs)
The Department’s Curriculum & Assessment committee discusses and consults with
faculty to articulate alignment between PLOs and ULGs. The alignment is shown
below:
PLO 1: Students will demonstrate the ability to read closely in a variety of forms,
styles, structures, and modes, and articulate the value of close reading in the study
of literature, creative writing, or rhetoric (ULGs: Intellectual Skills; Applied
Knowledge)
PLO 2: Students will demonstrate familiarity with major literary works, genres,
periods, and critical approaches to British, American, and World Literature.
(ULGs: Intellectual Skills; Specialized knowledge)
PLO 3: Students will demonstrate the ability to write clearly, effectively, and
creatively, and adjust writing style appropriately to the content, context, and
nature of the subject. (ULGs: Applied Knowledge)
PLO 4: Students will demonstrate the ability to develop and carry out research
projects, and locate, evaluate, organize, and incorporate information effectively.
(ULGs: Intellectual Skills; Broad Integrative Knowledge)
PLO 5: Students will demonstrate the ability to articulate the relations among
culture, history, and texts. (ULGs: Intellectual Skills; Social and Global
Responsibilities)
3. Alignment – Matrix of PLOs to Courses
See Above: Table 1: B.A. ENGLISH PLO ASSESSMENT PLAN for alignment of
PLOs to Courses.
4. Planning – Assessment Schedule
See Above: Table 1: B.A. ENGLISH PLO ASSESSMENT PLAN for schedule.
5. Student Experience
The current PLOs were formulated during the last program planning cycle with input
from both faculty and students who were surveyed for the purpose.
The PLOs are clearly listed on the department website:
http://www.sjsu.edu/english/undergraduate/studentlearninggoals.html
They are also listed on every syllabus and explicitly linked to specific assignments so that
students can clearly the connection between what they do and what they learn. In
addition to being distributed in class, all syllabi are electronically available on the
department’s website.
Part B
6.
Graduation Rates for Total, Non URM and URM students (per program and
degree)
Graduation Rate for All (last year for which data is available-2011):
Total
44
50.0%
Graduation Rate for URM (last year for which data is available-2011):
Total
12
58.3%
Graduation Rate for Non-URM (last year for which data is available-2011):
Total
7.
24
Headcounts of program majors and new students (per program and degree)
Year
2011
2012
2013
8.
54.2%
Applied
285
301
328
Admitted
221
220
244
Enrolled
34
48
42
SFR and average section size
Student-Faculty Ratio:
Lower Division
Upper Division
Fall 2013
24.8
20.6
Spring 2014
24.9
24.0
Average headcount per section:
Fall 2013
Spring 2014
Lower Division
Lectures
Seminars
Overall
36.3
24.7
25.4
47.3
24.9
25.8
Upper Division
Lectures
Seminars
Overall
30.1
22.4
24.0
34.0
23.9
26.4
9.
Percentage of tenured/tenure-track instructional faculty (per department)
21 out of a total of 72 or 29.1% of instructional faculty are tenured/tenure track.
Part C
10.
Closing the Loop/Recommended Actions
The Department, led by the Recruitment Committee, has hired a Chair, a Writing
Program director, and a Writing Across the Curriculum coordinator. While these
badly needed faculty additions will undoubtedly help the department close the
loop in some respects, there are other areas that still need attention:
Advising: Assigned faculty members have done their best to juggle advising
duties alongside teaching responsibilities this year. But due to retirements and
reductions in release time, the department is finding it increasingly difficult to
provide the kind of advising necessary to ensure student success and enhance
retention and graduation rates.
Assessment: The Curriculum & Assessment Committee has worked hard to
simplify, streamline, and improve the assessment process this year. But further
improvements to data collection and data analysis are needed. For instance,
comparing and correlating student performance data collected in 100W (the entry
point into the major) and 193 (exit point from major), it would make it possible to
trace and measure individual student progress with far greater accuracy and
efficacy. But reduction in release time for faculty assigned to these duties and
lack of expert assistance in statistical data analysis make it extremely difficult for
the department to undertake such projects.
Curriculum: The English Department, led by the Curriculum & Assessment
Committee, applied for and received a Student Success Grant in 2013-14. The
Grant has allowed the department to develop several new lower division GE
courses and to reorganize existing courses in a more effective manner. Additional
courses are being developed to replace outdated ones and update the program’s
curriculum. These courses are more interdisciplinary, involving increased use of
technology and requiring collaborative teaching within the department as well as
across the college/university. As such, dedicated additional resources would be
required to launch these courses successfully.
11. Assessment Data
As per the Assessment Schedule, the following PLO was assessed this year:
PLO – 4: Students will demonstrate the ability to develop and carry out research
projects, locate, evaluate, organize, and incorporate information effectively.
Data was gathered from two sections of English 100W and one section of English
166 (American Literature since 1945). In both courses a research paper
assignment was used to assess the PLO. The research paper required students to
find an appropriate academic voice, conduct significant library research,
demonstrate facility with both primary and secondary sources, and organize the
information in a cogent and clear academic essay. Instructor developed
guidelines/rubrics containing PLO specific criteria were used to gather data.
See Appendix 1 for actual data and sample instruments.
12.
Analysis
The data shows that a majority of students at both entry and advanced levels in
the major demonstrate satisfactory (or higher) achievement of PLO#4. Only 7 out
of a total of 63 students in three classes failed to achieve the PLO.
13. Proposed changes and goals (if any):
Restructuring of curriculum and development of new courses will continue next
year. As per our Assessment Plan, PLO #5 (Students will demonstrate the ability
to articulate the relations among culture, history, and texts) will be assessed next
year.