ONE-SENTENCE SUMMARY

In this assessment technique, students are asked to answer the questions "Who (or what) does what to whom (or what), when, where, how, and why?" about a given topic, and then to synthesize their answers into a single, summary sentence.

Example:

Who? Faculty research mentors

Does What? assess

To What or Whom? their research students' learning

When? regularly throughout the research process

Where? in their own labs and research team meetings

How? using a variety of assessment techniques and other

appropriate tools

Why? so that they can understand and improve their own research

mentoring effectiveness and the quality of student learning

In Sentence Form: Faculty research mentors assess their research students' learning

regularly throughout the research process in their labs, in the field,

and in research team meetings, using a variety of assessment tools

so that they can understand and improve their own research

mentoring effectiveness and the quality of student learning

Classroom Application:

Ex. Immunology Course

After a reading assignment and a lecture about AIDS, students are given 10 minutes to write a one-sentence summary explaining how HIV infects and affects the immune system.

Research Application:

Ex. IG-g Assay Application

Before initiating a procedure for measuring IG-g production in plasma using ELIZA, student research team members are given 10 minutes to write a one-sentence summary explaining how the ELIZA process works.

(Adapted from Lynch, 1993)

REFLECTIVE JUDGEMENT ESSAYS

In a reflective judgement essay, students are asked to respond to a relevant reading, question, or observation, and to explain certain aspects of their response (such as justification for the response, degree of certainty about correctness, why there are different possible interpretations or solutions, etc.). This assessment tool is designed to help students become better reflective thinkers. It can also help faculty to know how students are thinking about their experiences.

Classroom Application:

Ex. Psychology Course

(From Phil Wood, University of Missouri--Columbia)

The Scenario

A researcher is interested in the relationship between problem-solving ability and