University of Nebraska Kearney

General Studies Program Assessment Plan: Humanities: English

English Department General Studies Assessment Plan for
GS Literature Courses (Humanities Perspective)

1 May 2005; revised August 2007
Submitted by the following English Department Assessment Committee Members:
Elizabeth G. Peck, Chair (Fall 04- Spring 05)
John Damon
Robert Luscher

GS Courses

GS courses in this perspective include the following:

English 234: Reading and Writing about Literature
English 235HGS: American Studies
English 240HGS: Literary Classics of the Western World
English 250GS: Introduction to Literature, British Literature
English 251GS: Introduction to Literature, American Literature
English 252GS: Introduction to Literature, Western Civilization
English 253GS: Introduction to Literature, Non-Western Civilization
English 254GS: Introduction to Literature, Special Topics
English 280HGS: Special Topics

GS Objectives

The Humanities objectives covered in all of the courses listed above include:

1. ability to comprehend primary texts;
2. ability to form and support in writing, coherent positions on issues relevant to primary texts;
3. ability to use, in speaking and writing, the forms of reference and the manners of discourse appropriate to the particular discipline

Direct Measures

GS objectives listed above will be assessed as follows:

Method

1. Instructors of multiple sections, i.e. English 250 and 251, and/or instructors of individual sections (English 234, 235H, 240H, 252, 253, 254, and 280H) will meet with the English Department assessment committee prior to, or during, the first week of the semester to decide agree upon the assignment they will use to assess their sections. The assignment will be approved and filed by the assessment committee.
    
2. Instructors will distribute the assignment and have students complete it between the beginning of the 14^th and the end of the 15^th week of the semester.
    
3. Instructors in the multiple-section cohorts will exchange and assess papers submitted by students according to the Essay Rubric; single-section courses will be assessed by individual instructors of the respective courses according to the same rubric.
    
4. By the last day of the semester, instructors will submit assessment scores and papers to the assessment committee for analysis and review.

Assessment Schedule and Sampling

Courses

All courses will be assessed every semester beginning in Spring of 2007

Subjects

Because the assessment instrument constitutes one of the regular assignments for all courses listed under GS Courses, all students in the courses regularly scheduled for assessment will be included, according to the rotation and/or per course schedule above. 

Assessment Timeline

Fall semester

 

week before classes through end of first week:	200-level GS course instructors meet with English department assessment committee members to decide upon assignments for respective sections; assessment committee approves and files assignment for GS courses
2nd/3rd weeks:	English department assessment committee analyzes spring data, reviews papers, drafts preliminary report
4th/5th weeks:	Drafts of previous fall and spring reports refined; relevant data combined and compared
Monday of 6th week:	final polished copy of GS section of English department annual report completed
1 October:	Departmental assessment reports due, including GS section

Spring semester

 

one week before classes through end of first week:	200-level GS course instructors meet with English department assessment committee members to decide upon assignments for respective sections; assessment committee approves and files assignment for GS courses
2nd/3rd weeks:	English department assessment committee analyzes previous fall data, reviews papers, drafts preliminary report
14th/15th weeks:	Course instructors distribute, collect and score assignments according to rubric
last day of semester:	Course instructors submit assessment scores and papers to assessment committee for analysis and review
1 May:	Revision of GS Assessment Plans due

This time table will be followed until assessment plans are substantially changed and/or revised. (See Method B. and D. for schedule of due dates by week of each semester.)

2007

Previous Plan, Replaced Fall 2007