Assessment of Learning Outcomes

American Association for Higher Education. 9 Principles of Good Practice for Assessing Student Learning.

Angelo, Thomas A. "Doing Assessment as if Learning Matters Most." AAHE Bulletin (May 1999).

Banta, Trudy W. Assessment in Practice: Putting Principles to Work on College Campuses. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1996.

Bauer, Karen W. "Getting Started: Determining Appropriate Assessment Goals, Tools, and Methods." Undergraduate Research and Scholarship and the Mission of the Research University Conference (November 15, 2002).

Dary, Erwin, T. The NPEC Sourcebook on Assessment: Volume 1 Definitions and Assessment Methods for Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Writing; Volume 2 Selected Institutions Utilizing Assessment Results. Washington, DC: National Postsecondary Education Cooperative Student Outcomes Pilot Working Group: Cognitive and Intellectual Development; U.S. Dept. of Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement, Educational Resources Information Center, 2000.

See rubrics for research skills (e.g., collecting and questioning evidence, detecting, analyzing and presenting arguments) and which standardized critical thinking tests and writing assessments measure them:

    • Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
      • Interpretation, Table 2 (13-15)
      • Analysis, Table 3 (15-16)
      • Evaluation, Table 4 (17-18)
      • Inference, Table 5 (19-22)
      • Presenting arguments, Table 6 (22-23)
      • Reflection, Table 7 (23)
      • Dispositions, Table 8 (23-25)
      • Problem-solving, Table 9 (26-29)
    • Writing
      • Dimensions of writing reflected in assessment methods, Table 10 (46-57)

Dugan, Robert E. & Peter Hernon." Outcomes Assessment: Not Synonymous with Inputs and Outputs." Journal of Academic Librarianship 28 no. 6 (November 2002) 376-380.

Erwin, T. Dary & Kimberly W. Sebrell. "Assessment of Critical Thinking: ETS's Tasks in Critical Thinking." Journal of General Education 52 no. 1 (2003) 50-70.

Ewell, Peter T. Accreditation and Student Learning Outcomes: A Proposed Point of Departure CHEA Occasional Paper (September 2001).

Frye, Richard. "Assessment, Accountability, and Student Learning Outcomes." Dialogue 2 (February 1999).

Outcomes Assessment in Higher Education: Views and Perspectives. Edited by Peter Hernon & Robert E. Dugan. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited, 2004.

Learner-centered Assessment on College Campuses: Shifting the Focus from Teaching to Learning. Edited by Mary E. Huba & Jann E. Freed. Boston: Allyn & Bacon, 2000.

Hunt, Stephen K., Cheri J. Simonds, & Lisa Janicke Hinchliffe. "Using Student Portfolios as Authentic Assessment of the Basic Communication Course." Journal on Excellence in College Teaching 11 no. 1 (2000) 57-77.

Iannuzzi, Patricia. "We Are Teaching, But Are They Learning: Accountability, Productivity, and Assessment." Journal of Academic Librarianship 25 no. 4 (July 1999) 304-305.

Jones, Elizabeth A. et al. National Assessment of College Student Learning: Identifying College Graduate's Essential Skills in Writing, Speech and Listening, and Critical Thinking: Final Report. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement, National Center for Education Statistics, 1995 (NCES 95-001).

See rubrics for research skills, analysis, critical interpretation and use of sources:

      • Writing Skills
        • Pre-Writing Activities, Tables 10a, 10b (39-45)
        • Advanced Writing Skills (74-75)
          • Basic Speech Communication Skills
            • Message Support, Tables 22b-23b (84-89)
          • Critical Thinking Skills
            • Interpretation Skills, Tables 34, 36a, 36b (124, 125, 129-130)
            • Analysis Skills, Tables 38a-39b (131-141)
            • Inference Skills, Tables 40-42a (142-148)
            • Reflection Skills, Tables 43a-44a (148-151)
            • Dispositions, Tables 44b-45b (151-155)
            • Factor Analysis, Tables 46b-46e (155-159)
            • Reliance, Table 47 (159-160)

Jones, Elizabeth A. & Steve RiCharde. The NPEC Sourcebook on Assessment: Definitions and Assessment Methods for Communication, Leadership, Information Literacy, Quantitative Reasoning and Quantitative Skills. Washington DC: U.S. Department of Education, 2005.

Maki, Peggy L. Assessing for Learning: Building a Sustainable Commitment across the Institution. Sterling, VA: Stylus, 2004.

Maki, Peggy."Developing an Assessment Plan to Learn about Student Learning." Journal of Academic Librarianship 28 no. 1 (January-March 2002) 8-13.

Maki, Peggy. "From Standardized Tests to Alternative Methods: Some Current Resources on Methods to Assess Learning in General Education." Change 28 no. 2 (March-April 2001) 28-31.

Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Characteristics of Excellence in Higher Education: Eligibility Requirements and Standards for Accreditation. 12th ed. Philadelphia: Middle States Commission on Higher Education, 2006. Standard 14 Assessment of Student Learning.

Montgomery, Kathleen. "Authentic Tasks and Rubrics: Going Beyond Traditional Assessments in College Teaching." College Teaching 50 no. 1 (Winter 2002) 34-39.

Moskal, Barbara M. & Jon A Leydens. "Scoring Rubric Development: Validity and Reliability." Practical Assessment, Research & Evaluation 7 no. 10 (2000).

Nichols, James O. A Practitioner's Handbook for Institutional Effectiveness and Student Outcomes Assessment Implementation. 3rd ed. New York: Agathon Press, 1995.

North Carolina State University, University Planning &338; Analysis. Internet Resources for Higher Education Outcomes Assessment.

Assessing Student Competence in Accredited Disciplines: Pioneering Approaches to Assessment in Higher Education. Edited by Catherine A. Palomba & Trudy W. Banta. Sterling, VA: Stylus, 2001.

Palomba, Catherine A. & Trudy W. Banta. Assessment Essentials: Planning, Implementing, and Improving Assessment in Higher Education. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1999.

Pausch, Lois M. & Mary Pagliero Popp. " Assessment of Information Literacy: Lessons from the Higher Education Assessment Movement" paper presented at ACRL's 8th National Conference, Nashville TN, April 1997.

Rockman, Ilene F., Rubrics for Assessing Information Competence in the California State University (October 2002)

Snavely, Loanne L. & Carol A. Wright. "Research Portfolio Use in Undergraduate Honors Education: Assessment Tool and Model for Future Work." Journal of Academic Librarianship 29 no. 5 (September 2003) 298-303.

Walvoord, Barbara E. Assessment Clear and Simple: A Practical Guide for Institutions, Departments, and General Education. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2004.

Last modified March 10, 2008
by Boris Teske, Prescott Memorial Library,
Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, LA 71272