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Ultimately, the Concentration in Writing and Rhetoric aims to play a part in
"developing the total person: intellectually, emotionally, spiritually,
culturally, socially and physically" as articulated in the Villanova Mission
statement. In applying these broad goals to the specific area of writing and
rhetoric, the directives outlined in the recent "Statement of Villanova's
Educational Goals and Objectives" offer a useful framework. Accordingly, steps
will be taken to assess the Writing and Rhetoric Concentration in terms of
imparting values, knowledge and skills in two fundamental areas. First, a
measurement of student acquisition of skills, knowledge and values related to
the Concentration will be carried out. Second, a means of evaluating overall
programmatic effectiveness will be put into place. The results of these
assessments will provide information which will guide curricular and
programmatic improvements in the quality and effect of the Concentration.
To determine student acquisition of skills, an entrance essay exam will be
administered and scored in terms of purpose, content, style and organization. A
base score must be attained for entrance into the Concentration. When students
in the Concentration reach the last semester of their senior year, they will be
asked to critique and rewrite their entrance essay as a way of demonstrating the
acquisition of more sophisticated composing techniques and rhetorical skill.
This critique and rewrite will become part of their capstone portfolio.
The following grid will illustrate the desired outcomes in the areas of
student and over all programmatic assessment as well as the means used to
determine their acquisition.
Student Assessment: Students must have a 3.0 average or better to enroll in
the Concentration. To successfully complete the Concentration, students must
achieve a 3.0 average in their Concentration courses.
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Desired Objectives |
Method of Assessment |
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Write/speak from examined values and moral conviction |
Ethical evaluation component on exams and assignments in appropriate
Concentration courses |
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Critique other's writing/speaking from an ethical standpoint |
Ethical evaluation component in peer critiquing sessions |
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Understand the relationship between language, knowledge and power |
Successful completion of exams and assignments in courses with rhetoric
and ideology component |
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Ethical commitment to work for social justice through writing/speaking |
Opportunity to take service learning courses with substantial writing
component; write for community organizations; grant writing |
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Ethical commitment in future professional writing |
Opportunity to make Graduation Pledge of Social and Environmental
Responsibility |
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Desired Objectives |
Method of Assessment |
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Knowledge of a variety of forms and styles of writing and speaking |
Successfully demonstrated in capstone portfolio |
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Knowledge of when to use styles and forms appropriately |
Successfully demonstrated in capstone portfolio |
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Awareness of personal composing process, strengths and weaknesses;
self-confidence in writing/speaking abilities |
Writing/speaking attitude survey to be administered before and after
Concentration courses (Kiersey online Personality Test taken for writing
diagnostic) |
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Knowledge of conventions of standard grammar and punctuation |
Grade of 90% or above on self-administered WebCT grammar test |
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Awareness of linguistic (but not rhetorical) equality among dialects, both
spoken and written |
Appropriate response on relevant questions in WebCT test of grammar
conventions |
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Knowledge of rhetorical theory for writing and speaking success |
Successfully demonstrated in "capstone portfolio" collection |
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An understanding of rhetorical dimension of literary texts |
Successfully demonstrated in "capstone portfolio" collection |
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Desired Objectives |
Method of Assessment |
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Achievement of excellence in writing/speaking in rhetorical terms
(appropriate purpose, audience, context) |
Use PowerPoint software to craft an effective in-class presentation |
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Ability to write or speak with flair, absence of error, and
stylistic finesse |
Rewrite and self-critique of entrance essay |
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Ability to critique student's own and others' works |
Rewrite and self-critique of entrance essay |
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Ability to create a collection of successful and varied pieces of
writing illustrating a range of rhetorical genres |
Design and compile a "capstone portfolio" with a selection of
writing samples |
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Confident use of internet for display and production of student
work |
Create and design web pages demonstrating student work and serving as
professional springboard |
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Desired Objectives |
Method of Assessment |
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Student satisfaction with various aspects and goals of the Concentration |
CATS and other surveys to determine student opinion |
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Instructor competency |
CATS and other departmental evaluation measures such as teaching
portfolios, interviews, etc. |
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Instructor evaluation of program, courses offered, goals, etc. |
Instructor meetings, surveys |
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Continued improvements in Concentration courses, faculty,
internships |
Feedback from above measures used to guide further programmatic and
faculty development, improvement, opportunities; |
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Long term programmatic growth and improvement |
Records kept of above measures for semester and yearly comparisons
to track development and progress; point to problems and solutions |
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