A COMPENDIUM OF SCALES for use in the SCHOLARSHIP OF TEACHING AND LEARNING

joins a new team to teach them about their area of expertise). See Angelo and Cross (1993) for
a detailed description of 50 CATs.
Comparisons of classes that repeatedly used CATs with those that did not use CATs yield
inconsistent findings regarding their effect on grades. Repeated use of 5-question, multiplechoice,
nongraded, formative quizzes was found to increase exam scores in a psychology course
(Short & Martin, 2012). However, Cottell and Harwood’s (1998) examination of the effect of
using multiple CATs (Background Knowledge Probe, Minute Paper, Feedback Form, Directed
Paraphrasing, Pro and Con Grid, What did I learn from the exam?, Classroom Assessment
Quality Circle Group Instructional Feedback Technique, and Group-Work Evaluation Form) in an
accounting class revealed no significant differences between classes in grades for the course or
on exams, group projects, or quizzes. Similarly, in a criminal justice class, Simpson-Beck (2011)
found no significant differences in grades for the course, on chapter tests, or on a cumulative
final exam when using the Muddiest Point, where students were asked to identify the most
confusing point from the day’s class. Given the variability in using formative assessment (e.g.,
choice of CAT, course, frequency of administration, quality of implementation), additional
studies are needed to determine the best practices of CAT application.
One of the most commonly used CATs is the Minute Paper (also known as the One-Minute
Paper or the Half-Sheet Response), a two-question measure that has been described by
multiple authors (e.g., Angelo & Cross, 1993; Lom, 2012; Stead, 2005). The first question on the
Minute Paper (“What was the most important thing you learned during this class?”) requires
students to practice identifying the most important points from the lecture. The second
question (“What important question remains unanswered?”) encourages students to reflect on
the overall material to determine what they understood during the class period and what they
did not comprehend as completely. This assessment tool is brief and easy to use, and the
questions can be adapted to address more focused, course-specific material that can inform an
instructor’s individual learning objectives. The instructor can quickly read and group the
responses and provide feedback either at the beginning of the next class or via email to the
entire class or to individual students.
Angelo and Cross (1993) provided an example of the usefulness of this CAT. At the end of each
class session, a statistics instructor used a slightly modified version of the Minute Paper by
asking students to select the five most important points of the day’s class and ask one or two
questions. Initially, the instructor found that the class collectively listed approximately 20 main
points, some of which were less important details or included partially or completely incorrect
information. This discovery prompted the instructor to modify his teaching; at the beginning of
each class, he listed many of the points the students had submitted and discussed their relative
importance. Additionally, he listed the points he considered most important, compared the
lists, and addressed common questions. This approach reduced the students’ list of main
points from 20 to less than 10 within a month. These results show how the use of a simple CAT
can provide information about students’ level of understanding and can lead to immediate
changes in teaching.
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