LA HARBOR COLLEGE
Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) Assessment Report
Course Assessment
Division: Communications
Discipline/Program:
English
Course Number and Name: ENG 127 Creative Writing
Program Contact Person: Kent Stoddart
Phone: (310) 233 -4217
Reviewed by: Elena Reigadas, SLO Assessment Coordinator
Institutional
Learning Outcomes
1
Course Intended Outcomes
Date: February 2014
Means of Assessment
and Criteria for Success
1. The student will demonstrate Through a close reading,
the ability to identify
the student will
fundamental elements, such as
determine the plot,
genre, audience, purpose, voice, character, setting, point
technique, style, and form, in
of view, theme, tone, and
works of poetry drama, short
symbols of a play.
story, and other literary forms.
Summary of Data
Collected
Students need to
incorporate close reading
strategies such as content
notes, context notes, and
response notes in order to
find implicit meaning
within the play. Spring
2014
1
2. The student will
demonstrate the ability to
understand the conventions and
process of writing in poetry,
short story, drama, and other
literary forms.
The student will write a
ten minute play which
employs the elements
and conventions of the
theatrical arts.
2
3. The student will create,
based on literary models,
imaginative and structurally
competent examples of poetry,
drama, short stories, and other
creative works.
The student will write a
55 word short story that
incorporates elementary
conventions of fiction
writing. Within a 55
word count, the student
needs to incorporate
Students realized that
playwriting is a
collaborative art. To
employ theatrical
conventions in their
writing, they must hear
their work read. Fall
2010
Students, through
revision, understood they
had to synthesize the
conventions. Their
writing became layered
with information when
incorporating implicit
Use of Results
For students to find implicit
meaning within a text of
fiction, the student must be
instructed in how to use
close reading strategies to
explicate meaning from the
text. This will help the
student analyze his or her
own writing.
For the student to fully
realize the importance of
incorporating theatrical
conventions, the student will
write, rehearse, and perform
a staged reading of his or her
ten minute play prior to
submission.
For this particular
assignment to be successful,
the creative writing student
must recognize the
conventions and demonstrate
the conventions of fiction
writing. Three key
3
4. The student will demonstrate
the ability to research material
relating to creative writing and
markets for writing.
setting, characters,
conflict, and resolution.
content to convey a
particular convention.
Fall 2011
The student will be
required to submit a
poem, short story,
personal essay, or play
for publication.
Students realized the
importance of strictly
following submission
guidelines when
submitting work to
professional literary
organizations. Fall 2012
educational steps must be
applied: lectures, models,
and, more importantly,
process.
laharborlights.com and the
Los Angeles Harbor
College
10 minute Play Festival will
develop submission
guidelines for short fiction,
poetry, memoir, and play
writing
Los Angeles Harbor College: English 127 SLO #1
Background
During the fall semester of 2013, the English 127 creative writing students were instructed to analyze and evaluate Susan Glaspell’s, Trifles.
The seventeen students who participated in this assignment were evaluated by course intended outcome number one for English 127, which is posted
on the college’s webpage. The student learning outcome number one states, “Through a close reading, the student will determine the plot,
character, setting, point of view, theme, tone, and symbols of a play.” The assembled committee that created and determined the means consisted
of five full time English instructors: Carmen Carrillo, John Corbally, Kent Stoddart, Ann Warren, and Susan McMurray. The committee wanted the
class to produce a staged reading of the play, analyze and discuss the play amongst their peers, and then fill out a questionnaire which specifically
asks the student to identify the literary conventions listed in the student learning outcome. Within the context of the play, the student was to identify
the dramatic conventions and support their specific findings with an excerpt from the primary text as evidence.
Process
Students casted Susan Glaspell’s play, Trifles, within the class. The five respective characters in the play were determined by a majority vote
of the class; these students selected were also active members in Los Angeles Harbor College’s drama department. There was no audition process
used in order to determine who would read. Five chairs were placed in front of the class and the students read aloud the play. The stage directions and
character business were read by the instructor. Glaspell’s play is a short one act that is ten pages in length; however, the play is rich with the dramatic
conventions that are listed within the student learning outcome, number one, for English 127. A murder takes place on a small Midwestern farm
during the turn of the last century. While the county attorney and sheriff bumble about, trying to discover a motive for the murder, two farm women
solve the case right under their noses. Discovering a secret that binds them, the two women must realize painful truths in their own lives and become
aware that they have something in common with the murder. After the reading, students participated in a group discussion. Collectively, they tried to
identify the dramatic conventions of the piece. Also, a debate arose within the discussion concerning the question, “When is murder justified?” After
this debate and analysis the students were handed a questionnaire to fill out. The students were given thirty minutes to complete the questionnaire.
The following is the handout used for this student learning outcome.
Analyzing Trifles
After reading and analyzing Susan Glaspell’s play, Trifles, identify the following dramatic conventions in the play. Please support
your findings with evidence from the text. The assignment is open book and you will have thirty minutes to complete the assignment. Once
you complete the assignment, hand it in to the instructor.
Plot:
Protagonist and Antagonist:
Conflict:
Theme:
Symbols:
Evaluation and Rubric
For this particular student learning outcome, a gradation of incorporating the conventions was not integrated. In other words, either the
student identified plot, conflict, character, theme, or symbols or the student did not. The committee agreed that these conventions are either inherent
in the analysis of the student handout or they are not displayed. Therefore, the rubric that was designed for this student learning outcome lists the
conventions and whether the student did or did not understand and identify the particular convention. Table 1 illustrates the rubric of evaluation for
this student learning outcome for English 127, course intended outcome number one.
Table 1
Criteria for
Demonstrates
Fails to
Points Awarded
Score
Student
Competence
Demonstrate
Evaluation
Competence
Plot
20
Character
20
Conflict
20
Theme
20
Symbols
20
Grading Scale
 A student who received a score of 80 or above, 100 is a perfect score, demonstrated competence within the criteria of the
rubric.
 A student who received a score of 60 or below failed to demonstrate competence within the criteria of the rubric.
The Results of the Student Evaluation
The following table (Table 2) illustrates the quantitative placement of students evaluated by the rubric and the percentage of students passing
each category.
Table 2
Criteria for
Demonstrates
Fails to
Points Awarded
Score
Student
Competence
Demonstrate
Evaluation
Competence
Plot
13
4
20
76%
Character
10
7
20
59%
Conflict
12
5
20
71%
Theme
9
8
20
53%
Symbols
7
10
20
41%
Trends and Conclusions
Through a close examination of the rubric, represented by Table 2 of the report, students did not have trouble determining the plot and
conflict of the play. Student s did have difficulty determining the character, theme, and symbols of the play. The two women in the play Mrs. Hale
and Mrs. Peters are the two leads of the play; however, it is Mrs. Hale who drives the action. 41% of the students decided that they were both the
protagonist. 47% of the students had difficulty determining the theme of Glaspell’s play. The students in this percentile felt the play was based on the
concept of revenge or an eye for an eye. The theme is actually based on gender and gender roles and the discrimination of women. 59% of the
students missed key symbols that are important to understanding both the theme and characters in the text. Though the students understood that the
broken cage and dead canary that Mrs. Hale finds represents Minnie Wright and her home life, they missed the cold setting of the play. This suggests
that many students focus on the explicit rather than the implicit when comes to recognizing key symbols in a play.
Recommendations
After discussing the results of the student learning outcome report, the committee suggested that students will need to review fact, inference,
and judgment as well as close reading techniques that incorporate annotating the text. Many of the students did not highlight important passages or
have questions in the margins of their copies of Glaspell’s play. The committee suggested giving the students a list of actions to take in order to help
them map the play. Below is a suggested list that can be given to students to help them annotate and gather facts to establish a better analysis of the
play.
 List the play’s three or four main characters. Jot down what each character wants most at the play’s beginning.
 Which of these characters drives the action of the play? Could this character be the protagonist?
 What stands in the way of the protagonist achieving his or her goal?
 How is this conflict resolved?
 Write down how the other characters fit into the play.
 List the plays main events. How do these events relate to the protagonist’s struggle?
 Where is the turning point in the play or climax? Where in the play does the protagonist achieve or does not achieve his or her want,
desire or goal?
 How is this climax resolved?
The students will use these structural questions as an annotation exercise that will eventually lead to deeper and more implicit meaning in the text.
Hopefully, it will lead to identifying symbols, theme, and characters of a play, so it will reflect in their own creative writing.
English 127 SLO Committee
Carmen Carrillo
John Corbally
Kent Stoddart
Ann Warren
Date: Submitted Summer 2013
Institutional
Learning Outcomes
1
1
Course Intended Outcomes
Means of Assessment
and Criteria for Success
1. The student will demonstrate Through a close reading,
the ability to identify
the student will
fundamental elements, such as
determine the plot,
genre, audience, purpose, voice, character, setting, point
technique, style, and form, in
of view, theme, tone, and
works of poetry drama, short
symbols of a short story.
story, and other literary forms.
2. The student will
The student will write a
demonstrate the ability to
ten minute play which
understand the conventions and employs the elements
process of writing in poetry,
and conventions of the
short story, drama, and other
theatrical arts.
literary forms.
2
3. The student will create,
based on literary models,
imaginative and structurally
competent examples of poetry,
drama, short stories, and other
creative works.
The student will write a
55 word short story that
incorporates elementary
conventions of fiction
writing. Within a 55
word count, the student
needs to incorporate
setting, characters,
conflict, and resolution.
3
4. The student will demonstrate
the ability to research material
relating to creative writing and
markets for writing.
The student will be
required to submit a
poem, short story,
personal essay, or play
for publication.
Summary of Data
Collected
Use of Results
Students realized that
playwriting is a
collaborative art. To
employ theatrical
conventions in their
writing, they must hear
their work read. Fall
2010
Students, through
revision, understood they
had to synthesize the
conventions. Their
writing became layered
with information when
incorporating implicit
content to convey a
particular convention.
Fall 2011
For the student to fully
realize the importance of
incorporating theatrical
conventions, the student will
write, rehearse, and perform
a staged reading of his or her
ten minute play prior to
submission.
For this particular
assignment to be successful,
the creative writing student
must recognize the
conventions and demonstrate
the conventions of fiction
writing. Three key
educational steps must be
applied: lectures, models,
and, more importantly,
process.
laharborlights.com and the
Los Angeles Harbor
College
10 minute Play Festival will
develop submission
guidelines for short fiction,
poetry, memoir, and play
writing
Students realized the
importance of strictly
following submission
guidelines when
submitting work to
professional literary
organizations. Fall 2012
Los Angeles Harbor College: English 127 SLO #4
Background
During the fall semester of 2012, English 127 students were asked to submit their work to
laharborlights.com, an online literary journal created by Harbor College creative writing students, and/or the
Los Angeles Harbor College 10 Minute Play Festival. The SLO and CIO for this particular assessment states,
“The student will demonstrate the ability to research material relating to creative writing and markets
for writing.” The means of assessment for this particular SLO states, “The student will be required to submit
a poem, short story, personal essay or play for publication.” The assembled committee that determined and
created the means of assessment consisted of five full time English instructors: Carmen Carrillo, John Corbally,
Ann Warren, Kent Stoddart, and Susan McMurray. The committee felt that it was important that creative
writing students understood the business aspects of a free lance writer. Twenty- four students from the fall 2012
creative writing class, English 127, were required to submit work to the online publication and/or play festival.
The online literary journal, laharborlights.com, was created by second term creative writing students and can
be accessed through the homepage of the Los Angeles Harbor College website. Also, students were given the
option to professionally submit their ten minute play, a course requirement, to Professor Juan Baez’s production
theater course, “Theater 232,” for possible selection for the Theater Department’s original “10 Minute Play
Festival.” Creative writing students had to closely follow the criteria of professional manuscript formatting for
publication selection. Students were required to research professional practices for specific literary categories:
personal essay, short fiction story, plays festivals, and poetry publications or contests.
Process
Listed below is a bullet list for manuscript format that the student needed to research and follow. A
majority of the students found this information through online sources such as WritiersMarket.com or
WritersDigest.com.
 One inch margins, Times New Roman, font size 12, double spaced
 Heading consists of name. address, contact telephone number, and E-mail address
 Half inch from the top on the right hand side is the exact word count of the manuscript, subsequent
pages have the author’s name a dash and page number
 Title of the work is in capital letters and centered, double space and centered is the author’s “by line”
 Paragraphs are indented five spaces, character names are centered and written in capital letters for a play
manuscript
This list was not available to the student. Students were given resources to research for proper manuscript
submission; however, it was up to the students to find the information on their own. Students were required
to submit their manuscript to the editors of laharborlights.com via a submission E-mail address and the 10
minute play was submitted to Professor Juan Baez in a manila envelope through the Los Angeles Harbor
College on-campus mail service.
Evaluation and Rubric
For this particular student learning outcome, the professional manuscript formatting conventions were
not classified into gradations of understanding. In other words, either the student followed the aforementioned
formatting requirements or he/she did not. Therefore, the rubric for evaluation was designed to illustrate
whether or not the student applied the formatting requirements correctly. Table 1 illustrates the rubric for
evaluation for this student learning outcome.
Table 1
Criteria for
Demonstrates
Fails to
Student
Competence
Demonstrate
Evaluation
Margins,
Points Awarded
Score
Competence
20
Spacing and
Font
Heading
20
Information
Word Count and
20
Numbering
Title and Byline
20
Paragraph
20
Appearance and
Capitalization of
Character
names for Play
format
Grading Scale
 A student who received a score of 80 or above demonstrated competence within the overall criteria of
the rubric.
 A student who received a score of 60 or below failed to demonstrate competence within the criteria of
the rubric.
The Results of the Student Evaluation
The following table (Table 2) illustrates the quantitative placement of students evaluated by the rubric
and the percentage of students passing each category. The students who followed the conventions of formatting
and submitted quality work can be viewed at laharborlights.com. The categories of work include the 55 word
story, poetry, short fiction, memoir, and the ten minute play. The plays were video recorded for
laharborlights.com; therefore, the plays can be watched but not read.
Table 2
Criteria for
Demonstrates
Fails to
Student
Competence
Demonstrate
Evaluation
Margins,
Points Awarded
Score
Competence
22
2
20
90%
18
6
20
75%
17
7
20
70%
Title and Byline
23
1
20
99%
Paragraph
16
8
20
65%
Spacing and
Font
Heading
Information
Word Count and
Numbering
Appearance and
Capitalization of
Character
names for Play
format
Trends and Conclusions
The twenty- four students who participated in the student learning outcome number four for English 127
followed the prescribed formatting for professional submission and publication well. Out of the five categories
of evaluation, there were three categories where students were 75% or better in Demonstrate Competence
classification. There were two categories where students fell below this percentage. These categories are word
count and numbering and paragraph appearance and the capitalization of character names in play
format. Seven students neglected to list their word count for submission. During class lectures, the listing of a
word count was made a priority in the submission of professional work. It was stressed to students that
publications have a very exact number due to space or budget constraints. Three students admitted that their
submission exceeded the maximum word count, and they feared their work would not be read based on too
many words. With the paragraph appearance and capitalization of character names, the eight students who had
difficulty with this category understood the formatting requirement; however, they were not consistent with the
format. Most students began by having distinct paragraphs that carefully and seamlessly lead the reader and
then, as the story progressed, the student would fall into long blocks of writing, which made the story difficult
to follow. All of the students who submitted their plays centered character names. Although, some students did
not realize that the character’s name is printed in all capital letters.
Recommendations
The student learning outcome committee for English 127 believes the research aspect of this particular student
learning outcome needs to be re-evaluated. The twenty four students who participated in this assessment found
that different publications have varying guidelines for submission. Students complained that there were no
specific guidelines for submission with laharborlights.com or the 10 Minute Play Festival. At the time of this
report, both the online literary journal and the play festival are developing submission guidelines and are
evaluating suggestions from the students who participated in this assessment. The students who participated in
this student learning outcome realized the importance of following submission guidelines. They realized that
their manuscript or play will not be read if it does not follow the proper guidelines for submission.
English 127 SLO Committee
Carmen Carrillo
John Corbally
Kent Stoddart
Ann Warren
Date: November 2010
Institutional
Learning Outcomes
1
1
Course Intended Outcomes
Means of Assessment
and Criteria for Success
1. The student will demonstrate Through a close reading,
the ability to identify
the student will
fundamental elements, such as
determine the plot,
genre, audience, purpose, voice, character, setting, point
technique, style, and form, in
of view, theme, tone, and
works of poetry drama, short
symbols of a short story.
story, and other literary forms.
2. The student will
The student will write a
demonstrate the ability to
ten minute play which
understand the conventions and employs the elements
process of writing in poetry,
and conventions of the
short story, drama, and other
theatrical arts.
literary forms.
2
3. The student will create,
based on literary models,
imaginative and structurally
competent examples of poetry,
drama, short stories, and other
creative works.
The student will write a
55 word short story that
incorporates elementary
conventions of fiction
writing. Within a 55
word count, the student
needs to incorporate
setting, characters,
conflict, and resolution.
3
4. The student will demonstrate
the ability to research material
relating to creative writing and
markets for writing.
The student will be
required to submit a
poem, short story,
personal essay, or play
for publication.
Summary of Data
Collected
Use of Results
Students realized that
playwriting is a
collaborative art. To
employ theatrical
conventions in their
writing, they must hear
their work read.
See report on subsequent
pages for details.
Students, through
revision, understood they
had to synthesize the
conventions. Their
writing became layered
with information when
incorporating implicit
content to convey a
particular convention.
See report on subsequent
pages for details.
For the student to fully
realize the importance of
incorporating theatrical
conventions, the student will
write, rehearse, and perform
a staged reading of his or her
ten minute play prior to
submission.
For this particular
assignment to be successful,
the creative writing student
must recognize the
conventions and demonstrate
the conventions of fiction
writing. Three key
educational steps must be
applied: lectures, models,
and, more importantly,
process.
Los Angeles Harbor College: English 127 SLO #2
Background
During the fall semester, the English 127 creative writing students were instructed to
write a ten minute play. The seventeen students who participated in this assignment were
evaluated by the Course Intended Outcome for English 127, which is posted on the college’s
webpage. The student learning outcome number two states, “The student will demonstrate the
ability to understand the conventions and process of writing poetry, short story, drama,
and other literary forms.” The means for this single assessment was determined by committee
and the committee affirms, “The student will write a ten minute play which employs the
elements and conventions of the theatrical arts.” The assembled committee that created and
determined the means consisted of five full time English instructors: Carmen Carrillo, John
Corbally, Kent Stoddart, Ann Warren, and Pamela Watkins. The committee wanted the writer of
the ten minute play to cast the play, within the class, and rehearse a staged reading of his or her
play. After the staged reading, there would be peer review from fellow creative writing students.
The presentation aspect is not specifically stated in the means; therefore, the SLO’s evaluation
was solely determined on the written word. However, the student’s course grade was determined
by the performance aspect of his or her play. The SLO committee determined that six theatrical
conventions must be displayed in the student’s work. The play must have conflict; a central
struggle between two or more forces at play. The play must have a unique arrangement of events
or plot. The play must present a dramatic question or problem to solve. The student play must
build towards a climax and present a resolution. Finally, the student must adhere to the
theatrical convention of unity with time, place, and action.
Process
As previously mentioned, seventeen students participated in the writing of a ten minute
play. The students were asked to explore ten minute play festivals via the World Wide Web, and
they were asked to explore other avenues of finding models of a ten minute play through Blogs
or publications that featured a ten minute play format. Once the student researched these
avenues, they were asked to bring in a play he or she discovered that met the conventions of
conflict, plot, dramatic question, climax, resolution and the unity of time, place, and action. In
five groups of three to four students, the individual groups read the selected plays and
determined through analysis whether the selected play met the predetermined conventions. After
discussion, debate, and analysis, the student was asked to begin the process of writing his or her
own ten minute play within the established conventions. Also, the student was asked to follow
the format of submission for the publications and festivals that sponsor and support the genre of
the ten minute play that he or she, previously, researched. The student was given three weeks to
write the play. The student was asked to turn in the play as well as the organization the play was
submitted; this was to make sure the student met the format requirements of the festival or
publication. However, professional submission of student work was not part of this particular
SLO.
Evaluation and Rubric
For this particular student learning outcome, a gradation of incorporating the conventions
was not integrated. In other words, either the student incorporated plot, conflict, climax,
resolution, dramatic question, with unity, or the student did not. The committee agreed that these
conventions are either inherent in the text of the student or they are not implicitly or explicitly
displayed. Therefore, the rubric that was designed for this student learning outcome lists the
conventions and whether the student did or did not understand and demonstrate the particular
13
convention. Table 1 illustrates the rubric of evaluation for this student learning outcome for
English 127, course intended outcome number two.
Table 1
Criteria for
Demonstrates
Fails to
Points Awarded
Score
Student
Competence
Demonstrate
Evaluation
Competence
Plot
20
Dramatic
20
Question
Conflict
20
Climax
20
Resolution
20
Unity of Time,
20
Place, and
Action
Grading Scale
 A student who received a score of 100 or above, 120 is a perfect score,
demonstrated competence within the criteria of the rubric.
 A student who received a score of 80 or below failed to demonstrate
competence within the criteria of the rubric.
The following examples of student work incorporate the rubric for evaluation that signifies a
point based grade. The following student plays are an evaluated summary of the ten minute play.
The summaries of student work illustrate two passing scores and two non-passing scores.
“Twisted Rib”
The plot of “Twisted Rib” concerns a young man seeking acknowledgment and a
confession from his father for the murder of the young man’s mother. The dramatic question is
whether or not the young man should revenge his mother’s death by killing his father or turn his
father in to the authorities. The conflict concerns the father concealing information and the son
manipulating his father in to a confession. The mother character is a specter who speaks only to
the son, similar to the Ghost in “Hamlet.” The climax of the play is when the father makes his
confession and the son must decide whether he is going to shoot his father with a handgun. The
resolution is when the son decides to let his father live with his crime. The entire action of the
play took place in a single apartment.
“Twisted Rib” incorporated all of the theatrical conventions of the rubric and received 120
points, which is a perfect score.
“Once More”
The plot of “Once More” concerns three men in an all white waiting room trying to figure
out why they are there and how to open the one door to the room. The conflict of the play
concerns the three men facing and revealing the demons that haunt their personal lives. The play
lacked the dramatic question. The climax of the play is when each character confesses their
personal demons as a means to opening the door. The resolution is the door opens with each
confession. The entire action takes place in a white waiting room.
“Once More” incorporated all but one of the theatrical conventions of the rubric and received
100 points, which is a passing score.
14
“Thoughtful Suffering”
The plot of “Thoughtful Suffering” concerns the debate between a young man and a
Catholic priest during a confessional. The conflict concerns the debate of God’s existence. The
dramatic question is whether the young man will be convinced by the priest of God’s existence,
so the parents of his fiancé will accept him into the family. The play never reached a climax or
resolution. The play switched back and forth between the confessional and the car of the young
man. Casting was interesting due to the fact that the girl friend, fiancé, also played the Catholic
priest.
“Thoughtful Suffering” incorporated three of the theatrical conventions of the rubric and
received 60 points, which is not a passing score.
“Conversations in a Car”
The plot of “Conversations in a Car” concerns three college age friends driving around
town on a Friday night drinking alcohol and smoking Marijuana. There is no conflict between
the characters; there is only adolescent banter and one up man ship. There is no climax or
resolution. The play did not incorporate the dramatic question. The play took place in an
automobile.
“Conversations in a Car” incorporated two of the theatrical conventions of the rubric and
received 40 points, which is not a passing score.
The Results of the Student Evaluation
The following table (Table 2) illustrates the quantitative placement of students evaluated
by the rubric and the percentage of students passing each category.
Table 2
Criteria for
Student
Evaluation
Plot
Dramatic
Question
Conflict
Climax
Resolution
Unity of Time,
Place, and
Action
Demonstrates
Competence
Points Awarded
Score
13
10
Fails to
Demonstrate
Competence
4
7
20
20
76%
59%
12
9
7
11
5
8
10
6
20
20
20
20
71%
53%
41%
65%
Conclusions
Through close examination of the rubric, students had difficulty incorporating a climax,
resolution, and dramatic question. The students who had difficulty with incorporating these
conventions usually had two characters debating a topic in a vague location without strong
character objectives to accentuate the debate or conflict. There was no cost or consequence to the
characters achieving or not achieving their objectives. Students had difficulty incorporating a
dramatic build, which directly affects the climax and resolution. With these particular plays,
actions would often end in the ten minute time span. When students were questioned about a
build towards a climax and inevitable resolution, they felt it was more important to have realistic
15
or clever dialogue than mindfully incorporating the conventions. What students learned from the
performance of their ten minute play was how important it is to incorporate the theatrical
conventions. Through the performance of the written word, students who lacked conventions in
their manuscripts immediately wanted to revise. It was interesting to see creative writing students
cast in another creative writing student’s play offering structural advice that would incorporate a
theatrical convention. Students immediately realized they needed to start with the conventions
and then build with dialogue that is in pursuit of a major objective.
Recommendations
It was made quite clear through the rubric and the aftermath of the staged readings that
part of the writing process should incorporate the casting and a reading of the ten minute play as
a secondary step for content revision. Students need to hear their work read by other students to
fully understand the process and learn how important it is to employ the theatrical conventions.
Through classroom discussion, students felt that if they had an interesting premise and clever
dialogue the conventions of drama would happen automatically. Also, they witnessed, through
staged readings, how the conventions could be implemented in their ten minute plays. The most
important lesson for the student was the realization that writing and staging a play is a composite
art; writers and actors often exchange hats during the staging and rehearsing of an original play.
For the fall term of 2011, there will be a threefold process of writing, casting, and staging of the
original ten minute play prior to submission.
English 127 SLO Committee
Carmen Carrillo
John Corbally
Kent Stoddart
Ann Warren
Pamela Watkins
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Los Angeles Harbor College: English 127 SLO #3 Report
Background
A committee of English professors, John Corbally, Ann Warren, Carmen Carrillo, and
Kent Stoddart, began developing and revising four student learning outcomes for English 127.
English 127, “Creative Writing,” has not been offered as an elective for more than ten years at
Los Angeles Harbor College. The committee believed that it was essential that students
understood the conventions, methodology, and preparation of literature in four distinct genres of
creative writing: The short fiction story, poetry, playwriting, and the personal essay. In addition,
the committee felt that it was important that students were instructed and encouraged to perform
and submit their work to professional organizations and publications representing the
aforementioned creative writing categories. For the first English 127 SLO, the committee
determined that the student learning outcome to assess first had to do with understanding certain
literary conventions and demonstrating those conventions in a creative writing assignment. The
third revised SLO from a category of four states, “The student will create, based on literary
models, imaginative and structurally competent examples of poetry, short stories, and
other creative works.”The committee agreed on an assessment tool that is based on the New
Times “55 Fiction Contest.” The committee had difficulty agreeing on a single definition for
what constitutes a good fiction story; however, they did agree that character, visual imagery,
tension, movement, and clarity of language must be present to make a work of short fiction
compelling. The student was asked to write a fifty-five word story that incorporated four, as
determined by the committee, necessary conventions for quality short fiction writing.
Process
As previously mentioned, the student was asked to write a fifty-five word story that did
not go above or below a fifty-five word count. This was an excellent introduction to key literary
conventions prior to the student starting his or her first 1,500 word short story. The rubric that
was decided upon was an evaluation that was based on a four component guideline that student
writers were to incorporate when writing the fifty-five word story. The following is the criteria
and an explanation of the expected outcome. First, the student needs to demonstrate that he or
she can ground the reader in a place, so a setting must be established by the student writer. In
addition, characters must be believable within the context of the situation. Also, conflict is
imperative to the story; something must happen to create tension and to make readers curious
about how the story will play. Finally, a resolution must be incorporated by the student writer.
The reader must experience some kind of revelation that brings with it a sense of satisfaction and
an understanding about the characters and their particular situation. The writing assignment was
given to the students over a two day period. Only one section of English 127 was taught during
the 2010 fall semester, so there were only twenty students who participated with this specific
learning outcome. Prior to the assignment, class lectures were given on the conventions of the
short story. Included with the lectures, students were given three fifty-word story models to
analyze and evaluate. As discussed and developed in the “conclusions” segment of this report,
the creative writing students felt this would not be a difficult assignment. However, after two
days, they found it deceptively difficult with a fifty-five word count to incorporate the four
components of setting, character, conflict, and resolution. The following are three published
models of a fifty-five word story that were presented by “New Time” as winners. As previously
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mentioned, these stories were analyzed and discussed by students prior to their own attempt at
writing a fifty-five word story.
“Getting to Know You”
“I’m going to help block the clinic tomorrow,” Judy told Tammy excitedly. Her best
friend looked surprised. “I’m going to the clinic tomorrow, too.” “Great! I’ll pick you up!” “No,”
said Tammy. “No…I don’t – I really don’t think that’s such a good idea.” Her eyes filling with
tears, she turned away from her friend.
“Perspective”
“I think it’s easy to see, my students, that by careful examination of these former
inhabitants, of their behavior patterns, their simple, pointless lifestyles, the things they held
import, and of the complete and utter corruption of their selves and their environment, that Earth
deserved no better than Galactic extermination. Thus, us. Any questions?”
“Fate”
This was the only way, such a blur of rage and bliss and hurled toasters as our time
together had become. Appeal to fate: heads, we’d marry, tails, we’d separate forever. The coin
flipped, thudded skipped and lay still, an eagle showing. We stared as it sank in. Then, together,
“Best two out of three?”
Evaluation
On the following pages, the report contains the rubric for evaluating student competence,
[Table 1], and two examples of student stories that demonstrate competence with two student
stories which fail to demonstrate competence. These aforementioned grades were evaluated and
designated points through the rubric illustrated on the next page of this report.
The Rubric and Criteria for Evaluating Student Competence
Table 1
Criteria for
Student
Evaluation
Setting
Characters
Conflict
Resolution
Demonstrates
Competence
Fails to
Demonstrate
Competence
Points Awarded
Score
25
25
25
25
Grading Scale
 A student who received a score of 75 or above demonstrated competence within the
criteria of the rubric.
 A student who received a score of 50 or below failed to demonstrate competence
within the criteria of the rubric.
The following examples of student work incorporate the rubric for evaluation that
signifies a point based grade. The following student papers are copied verbatim and
begin with two passing scores and end with two non-passing scores.
Student one received a score of 100 points; this demonstrates competence.
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A Return Item
I can’t believe he’s doing this again. This is the second tantrum he’s thrown since we left
the produce section. I’m so embarrassed! Every time he does this people just stare at me as if
I could control him. What do they expect me to do with him anyway? I can’t believe I
married him!
Student two received a score of 75 points; this demonstrates competence.
A Brother’s Love?
With my grip slipping in his, the jagged rocks covered with urchins would
inevitably be the only cushion for my 200 foot drop. As tears and childish memories welled
up in his eyes, I confessed. “I was the one who cut the arms off your Stretch Arm Strong.”
Suddenly, his faced receded into the sky.
Student three received a score of 50 points; this fails to demonstrate competence.
Prisoner of Evil
It’s cold and dark. I can’t scream. My mouth, hands, and feet are bound tightly with duct
tape. I cry knowing I might not make it out alive. I feel his breath on my neck, and I
whimper. He inhales my scent, and I shiver. Is this the end or the beginning?
Student four received a score of 25 points; this fails to demonstrate competence.
Us
Used and unique it feels one of a kind, the stigma is stuck on a fence and looks
different depending on which side you are looking at it from. The rips and the tears are
cosmetic, with us not so much. The things that tear often fall beneath the skin, leaving scars
no one can see.
The Results of the Student Evaluation
The following table (Table 2) illustrates the quantitative placement of students evaluated
by the rubric and the percentage of students passing each category.
Criteria for Student
Evaluation
Setting
Characters
Conflict
Resolution
Demonstrates
Competence
16
13
11
11
Fails to Demonstrate
Competence
4
7
9
9
Points Awarded
25
25
25
25
Percentage of
Students Displaying
Competence
80%
65%
55%
55%
Conclusions
A majority of the students in English127 believed the 55 word story would be an easy
assignment; however, once the students began the assignment, they realized that
incorporating the four established conventions and a 55 word count would be an exercise in
sentence and content revision. Through revision, students complained they would often lose
the thread of character, conflict, setting, or resolution. The most significant lesson for the
creative writing student came with understanding and demonstrating the importance of
embedding information within each convention. For example, students, through revision,
understood they had to introduce setting, conflict, and character into two streamlined and
seamless sentences. They began to understand that they needed to synthesize explicit
information with implicit content. The question became how can one immediately imply the
where, who, and why? Through revision, they came to the epiphany that they could combine
the where and why. The setting can determine the conflict the characters must transcend for a
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resolution. The student writer became aware of the fact that the conventions are the tools
used to create fiction and not the obstacle. Writers of fiction, through character, plot, setting,
theme, point of view, symbolism, irony, and imagery, imply meaning.
Recommendations
The 55 word story assignment is deceptively difficult. Students need not only, models,
illustrations, and definitions of short fiction writing, but the student also needs a step by step
illustration of the creative writing process. Instead of a two day writing assignment, the process
should last about two weeks, or one four hour long session. The students who succeeded with
this particular assignment, those who could not only recognize the conventions of short fiction
writing but could also demonstrate those conventions with their own writing, understood the
process of content and sentence revision. Through the revision process, the student becomes
aware that the established conventions of fiction are tools for the creative writer and not
obstacles. Fiction is not randomly oblique; meaning is implied through the writer’s skilled use of
conventions that determine a particular literary genre. Through a re-examination of their own
work through word count and established conventions, a student’s revision becomes as intricate a
move as a game of chess. Therefore, the process of writing and the process of revising are
important for the student to fully understand and demonstrate the aforementioned concepts.
English 127 SLO Committee
Carmen Carrillo
John Corbally
Kent Stoddart
Ann Warren
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