Explore the tabs below to learn more about our assessment resources.
Here are some websites and online documents that are particularly useful for understanding and conducting academic assessment.
Assessment Workbook (Ball State University)
Assessment Associations
American Association of Colleges & Universities (AAC&U) – Assessment
Association for Assessment of Learning in Higher Education (AALHE)
National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment (NILOA)
LinkedIn Groups
Higher Education Teaching and Learning (HETL)
HETL Assessment of Teaching and Learning
Higher Education: Assessment of Student Learning and Quality Assurance
- Mary Allen, Assessing Academic Programs in Higher Education (2004)
- Trudy Banta, Assessing Student Learning: A Common Sense Guide, 2nd (2009)
- Barbara Walvoord, Assessment Clear and Simple: A Practical Guide, 2nd ed. (2010)
Even non-grade direct measures of student learning can be evaluated in a number of ways, but a particularly useful tool is the rubric. Rubrics are especially useful for grading complex, subjective assignments that don’t have just one “right” answer, such as papers, reports, and performances.
Elements of a Rubric
A rubric is an explicit hierarchy of achievement expectations organized along specific dimensions.
- Vertical axis: Dimensions of student learning on the assignment
- Horizontal axis: Scale of student performance/achievement
For each dimension, there is a description of the highest level of achievement. This represents what the student should be aiming for. In addition, there are descriptions of the lower levels of achievement for each dimension. The number of levels can vary, though three, four, or five are most common.
Advantages of Rubrics
- Differentiate among SLOs on an assignment
- Facilitate consistency in evaluation by clearly defining achievement levels
- Clarify faculty expectations to students
- Simplify grading, possibly saving time
- Provide detailed feedback to students
Useful Websites on Rubrics
RubiStar (a free tool for creating rubrics)
American Association of College and Universities VALUE Rubrics
Rubric Directory (Cal State Fullerton): contains lots of examples of rubrics
2005-2015 Reports
View Reports from 2005 to 2015
2016-2019 Reports
For reports from 2016-2019, contact Dr. Carla Morelon at [email protected].