Purpose of this Toolkit - Griffith University

WRITTEN COMMUNICATION SKILLS
Assessing written communication
Provide clear criteria
General guidelines
Distinguish which features of the writing you need to assess
Are students expected to consider a topic? Generate ideas? Demonstrate understanding?
Construct an argument? Ensure students know which elements are important in grading.
Make assignments and deadlines work for you
Structure and schedule writing tasks that won’t bury you. Assess students’ work in stages
through drafts, peer review, group evaluation and self-assessment. Refuse to be the first
human being to read their paper.
Expect excellence
Set high standards in advance. Ensure students are aware of grading criteria and can selfevaluate
against those criteria. Set process deadlines for the assignment so students
approach it as an on-going reflective experience and stay on task.
Assessing Writing. University Writing Centre, University of Central Florida
http://www.uwc.ucf.edu/Faculty_Resources/fac_assessing_writing.ht
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Let students know criteria
Make sure students know the criteria you use to mark their written work. Ask students to
hand in the criteria sheet with their assignment with their own grading of their work
indicated on the sheet.
Let them see how their expectations and your expectations align.
Why not:
Use a ‘dummy’ assignment from the High Distinction and Fail ranges to illustrate strengths
and weaknesses of student writing.
Assessing written communication
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