Competencies

Family and Consumer Sciences

Karen C. Williams
April 10, 2002

Types of assignments not currently being utilized by our faculty:

• Concept maps

Types of assignments used infrequently (in 3 or fewer courses):

• Abstracts
• Anecdotal records
• Newspaper article
• Newsletter article
• Outlines
• Persuasive writing (advertisements, etc.)
• Policy analysis
• Critical theory analysis
• Letters and memos

Types of assignments used extensively (in more than 8 courses):

• Reflective self-assessment
• Reaction papers
• Literature reviews
• Annotated bibliography/webliography
• Case study analysis
• Group writing vs. individual writing
• Evaluative/analytic (essay, reviews, evaluations)
• Essay, position papers (logic/argumentation)

1000 level courses don't use:

Abstracts                                  Anecdotal records                    Brochures                                 Case study development

Case study analysis                   Creative writing                        Laboratory reports

Newspaper Articles                  Newsletter articles                    Outlines                                    Essay, position papers

Persuasive writing                     Proposals                                 Reaction papers                        Concept maps

Group writing                           Scientific/technical writing          Historical/interpretive

Policy analysis                          Ethical analysis                          Critical theory analysis

Letters and memos                   Literature reviews

2000 level courses don't use:

Persuasive writing                     Proposals/grants                       Concept maps                          Lit. reviews

Ethical analysis                          Critical theory analysis              Letters and memos

Abstracts                                  Brochures                                 Newspaper articles                   Newsletters

Outlines           

2000 level courses rarely use:  Anecdotal records, Creative writing, Lab reports, case study analysis, group writing, scientific/technical

 

3000 level courses don't use:

Persuasive writing                     Proposals/grants                                               Concept maps              Ethical analysis 

Scientific/technical                     Critical theory analysis  Letters and memos

Abstracts                                  Annotated bibliography/webliography                Lab reports

Newsletter articles                    Outlines                                                            Anecdotal records

Case study development           Creative writing                                                Newsletter articles        Outlines

Policy analysis                         

3000 level courses rarely use:  Brochures, case study analysis, newspaper articles,   essay/position papers, literature reviews, group writing, historical/interpretive research papers.

4000 level courses don't use:

Concept maps             

4000 level courses rarely use:

Anecdotal records                                            Creative writing                        Newsletter articles        Outlines

Historical/interpretive research papers               Critical theory analysis

Policy analysis

General Findings and Implications:

1. We are not using our courses to build to writing experiences and expectations in the 4000 level courses.
2. We are not using some important types of writing that tie into what we say students will need to do on the job:  letters and memos, writing for lay audiences, etc.
3. We may be overusing certain types of writing: reaction papers, reflective self-assessment, group writing (at the 4000 level), evaluative/analytic (especially in 1000 and 2000 level courses), essay/position papers.
4. We are not using key types of writing that will enhance learning and develop critical and higher order thinking skills:  concept maps, critical theory analysis, policy analysis, persuasive writing, ethical analysis, creative writing.
5. Students have some valid complaints about our courses, particularly 4010.  There may be more redundancy than we have been willing to admit.

Terms for Writing Assignments

                        NEW                                                                                       FORMER

Abstract                                                                                   Persuasive Writing

Anecdotal records                                                                    Reports of Observations

Annotated bibliography                                                             Essays

Brochures                                                                                 Critiques

Case study (writing their own)                                                   Written Analyses

Case study analysis (part of critical analysis?)                            Short Papers

Creative writing (poem, short story, other fiction)                       Term Papers

Critical analysis (essay, reviews, evaluations)                             Projects

Laboratory report                                                                     Abstracts

Newspaper article                                                                    Other:  position papers, case

Newsletter article                                                                                  studies, proposals,

Outlines                                                                                                newsletters, journals,

Persuasive essay, position papers                                                          parent conference

Other persuasive writing (advertisement, etc.)                                        reports, creative

Proposals (grants, research, client, etc.)                                                 writing,

Reflective assessment

Research paper