Applying the Rubric Outside Carleton

Four Upcoming Feasibility Studies

QuIRK is currently engaged in four feasibility studies to learn how our assessment rubric and process can be adapted to meet the needs of a wide variety of institutions. Between now and 2010, we will partner with Wellesley College, Morehouse College, Iowa State University, and Seattle Central Community College.


The feasibility studies will mirror the assessment process at Carleton. A representative from the partner institution will visit Carleton to experience the process here. Over the course of the following year, we will work with that representative to prepare for a similar assessment on their own campus. In addition to discussing how the rubric content may be adapted to better reflect that institution's needs, we will develop a strategy for collecting a sample of student work.

At Iowa State, this latter problem is relatively trivial as they already collect student portfolios to assess student communication. We will work with the other three institutions to create a sample in a manner that fits their needs. This may be done by targeting assignments from a sampled of courses; paying randomly selected students to submit papers showing analysis, interpretation, or observation; or it may take some other form.

Once a sample of student writing is collected, Nathan Grawe will join the institutional representative in running an assessment session at which teams of faculty readers will evaluate student QR. As at Carleton, this reading will span three days. As at Carleton, the reading will conclude with a discussion of what faculty readers saw in the papers and how the institution might respond to foster professional development and student growth.

Having applied the Carleton rubric to student work and discussed possible curricular implications, faculty readers will then discuss the feasibility of regularly repeating the process as a means of assessing QR effectiveness on their campus. (Note: assessment need not take place annually.) This discussion will include:

  • Are there items that should be added to the scoring rubric?
  • Are there rubric items that should be deleted?
  • What are the alternative ways to generate a sample of student work at this campus?
  • Who should be involved in the reading/scoring of papers?

Reports from these studies will be made available on this site as they are prepared.