Beyond Outcomes: Assessment and Instruction Within a University Writing Program

Writing assessment programs help place entering and mid-career students in composition courses at the appropriate level, monitor the progress of those students, and assist in placing them in writing courses throughout their undergraduate careers. These same universities also have writing instruction programs, which might include writing centers, writing-across-the-curriculum initiatives, and freshman and advanced composition programs. At many institutions, though, writing assessment is not necessarily considered fundamental to writing instruction, and there is little communication between the assessment program and the composition program. This book demonstrates that writing assessment and instruction programs may be successfully integrated. The contributors analyze the development of the writing assessment and instruction program at Washington State University, which is nationally recognized for its success. In doing so, they provide guidance to other institutions planning to develop similar integrated programs. The volume argues that writing assessment and instruction should inform and influence each other; that they should evolve together; and that they should be developed locally. By tracing the success of the WSU program, the authors directly challenge the use of national packaged assessment programs, such as standardized placement tests.

Table of Contents:
Introduction: Why WSU by William Condon Program History: Three Narratives The Continuing Program: A Retrospective View by Richard Law Authoring an Exam: Adventuring into Large-scale Writing Assessment by Richard H. Haswell and Susan Wyche An Assessment Office within a Writing Center: The Butterfly Effect by Lisa Johnson-Shull and Susan Wyche Towards Outcomes The Two-Tier Rating System: The Need for On-Going Change by Richard H. Haswell The Obvious Placement: The Addition of Theory by Richard H. Haswell Exploring the Difficult Cases: In the Cracks of Writing Assessment by William Condon and Galen Leonhardy The Circle of Assessment and Instruction Writes of Passage: Conceptualizing the Relationship of Writing Center and Writing essessment Practices by Lisa Johnson-Shull and Diane Kelly-Riley Taking the "Basic" out of "Basic Writing" by Susan Wyche Value-Added Studies: Defending the Circle Richard H. Haswell Beyond Outcomes Students as Stakeholders: Maintaining a Responsive Assessment by Jennie Nelson and Diane Kelly-Riley Faculty Opinion and Experence: The Writing Portfolio by Fiona Glade, Diane Kelly-Riley, Susan McLeod, and William Condon Working with Administrators: A Dialogue on Dialogue by Richard H. Haswell and Susan McLeod Program Future: Eight Questions Whither? Some Questions, Some Answers References Appendices Authors Notes

About the Author :
RICHARD H. HASWELL is Haas Professor of English at Texas A&M University, Corpus Christi. He was Director of Composition at Washington State University from 1972 to 1982, and from 1993 to 1996 he directed the Washington State University Office of Writing Assessment. His previous books include Gaining Ground in College Writing: Tales of Development and Interpretation (1991), The HBJ Reader (1987), and with Min-Zhan Lu, Comp Tales: An Introduction to College Composition through its Stories (2000).

Review :
.,."makes a compelling case for innovative practice, where the loop is closed between assessment and instruction. The story at WSU is one where a campus culture favorable to the development of writing ability grew in concert with the rational implementation of a program based on best practices in writing instruction. It is a story that deserves reading by the profession."-Issues in Writing ?...makes a compelling case for innovative practice, where the loop is closed between assessment and instruction. The story at WSU is one where a campus culture favorable to the development of writing ability grew in concert with the rational implementation of a program based on best practices in writing instruction. It is a story that deserves reading by the profession.?-Issues in Writing ..."makes a compelling case for innovative practice, where the loop is closed between assessment and instruction. The story at WSU is one where a campus culture favorable to the development of writing ability grew in concert with the rational implementation of a program based on best practices in writing instruction. It is a story that deserves reading by the profession."-Issues in Writing