Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences (IAS)
Writing and Presentation Assessment 2007-2008
2008 Assessment Committee: Constantin Behler, Bruce Burgett (ex officio), Leslie Bussert,
Steve Collins, Nives Dolsak, Jeanne Heuving, Warren Gold, Dan Jaffe, Bruce Kochis (ex
officio), Becky Rosenberg, David Stokes
The IAS Learning Objectives
Critical Thinking (2004-05):
The IAS program offers students multiple opportunities to acquire and hone the cognitive
processes and attitudinal qualities characteristic of advanced critical thinking. We help students
to develop the creative and self-reflexive habits of mind associated with inquiry- and researchbased critical thinking by focusing on diverse (written, performative, visual, and material)
practices of interpretation, analysis, argumentation, application, synthesis, and evaluation. We
foster attitudinal qualities that generate in students a willingness to consider and assess multiple
perspectives, draw informed conclusions, and value intellectual exploration and risk taking.
Collaboration and Shared Leadership (2005-06):
The IAS program offers students multiple opportunities to develop effective collaboration and
shared leadership skills. We help students hone the capacities needed to accomplish tasks in
diverse group contexts. This includes the ability to work with others to identify dimensions of a
project; to generate and refine ideas related to a project; to appreciate and draw on group
members' multiple histories, strengths, and potential contributions; to follow through on the
consequences of collective decisions; and to work on specific tasks without losing a sense of the
whole. We also foster competencies associated with shared leadership, including the ability to
listen emphatically; to mediate conflict and act for the common good of the group; to encourage
and participate in multiple forms of individual and group communication; to tolerate ambiguity
within emerging processes; to share roles flexibly; and to reflect critically and creatively on
collaboration processes.
Interdisciplinary Research (2006-07)
The IAS program offers students multiple opportunities to understand and practice research
across traditional areas of knowledge and modes of inquiry. We help students think critically
and creatively about how to generate and contextualize complex research questions, conduct
research by identifying and utilizing appropriate sources and methods, and present research in a
form that best suits the intended audience(s). We also foster critical and creative reflection on
ethical questions raised by problem- and inquiry-based interdisciplinary research that connects
diverse academic and/or non-academic sectors.
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Proposed
Writing and Presenting Learning Objective:
The IAS program offers students many and varied opportunities to engage in writing and other
modes of expression as processes for critical thinking, interdisciplinary research, and
collaboration and shared leadership. We help students develop significant purposes for their
work and awareness of audience and context. We help students learn to choose a form of
reasoning, level of analysis, and use of evidence appropriate to their purpose and audience. We
encourage creative explorations of questions, problems, and challenges as well as effective forms
and methods of delivery. We help students cultivate clear and coherent organization and
expression in a variety of genres. We provide opportunities for students to participate in the
making of academic, professional, informal, and innovative discourse, and to engage with the
ethical dimensions of this activity. We encourage self-reflection, instructor-student
collaboration, and peer response as processes that can enhance understanding and improve the
effectiveness of expression and communication.
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IAS Assessment Rubric for Writing and Presenting:
1) The student selects approaches appropriate to audience and context.
Scant
1
2
3
Little or no awareness of
context. Audience not evident
or inconsistent.
Substantially Developed
4
5
Demonstrates careful attention
to context. Audience clearly
identified and consistent
throughout work.
2) The student selects forms of reasoning, levels of analysis and use of evidence appropriate to the
purpose.
Scant
1
2
3
Purpose not clear. Sources and
evidence not credible or
appropriate. Evidence
provided without analysis.
Substantially Developed
4
5
Purpose is clear. Uses a wide
variety of credible and
appropriate sources and
evidence. Evidence carefully
analyzed.
3) The student’s work is creative in exploring questions, problems, and challenges.
Scant
1
2
3
Uses only unimaginative
formats inappropriate to
college-level work, without
experimentation or risk-taking
Substantially Developed
4
5
Imaginative response to
rhetorical situation, drawing on
alternative forms. Experiments
and takes risks with forms.
4) The student’s work demonstrates effective use of forms and modes of delivery in a variety of genres.
Scant
1
2
3
Form of presentation and mode
of delivery do not match and
are inconsistent with the genre
chosen.
5) The student evaluates, represents and cites sources ethically.
Substantially Developed
4
5
There is a close match between
effective use of form and
modes of delivery in the genre
chosen.
4
Scant
1
2
Distorts or omits evidence to
support a position. Uses
logical fallacies to promote a
position. Fails to cite sources.
3
Substantially Developed
4
5
Evidence is accurately and
fairly represented in arriving at
a position. Credits sources
with accurate citation.