Mini Guide to Writing Assessment Questions

Background

  • Assessment Questions represent what you want to learn about a practice’s effectiveness, this year, by the end of its implementation (not ask “what will be accomplished?”).
  • Assessment Questions may ask about activities, operations, services, learning opportunities, and/or learning outcomes.
  • Assessment Questions may ask about completion, quality, efficiency, trends, and/or impact. The strongest questions focus on a range of quality, rather than simply asking yes/no questions about completion.
  • Assessment Questions ask:
  • To what extent . . . ?
  • To what degree . . ?
  • How well . . . ?
  • How strong . . . ?
  • How cost effective . . . ?
  • How satisfied . . . ?
  • How efficient . . . ?
  • How representative . . .?

Examples

  • Learning Outcomes Question: To what extent do students meet or exceed the writing assignment expectations?
  • Learning Outcomes Question: To what degree do students apply effective time management techniques?
  • Participation Question: How strong is participation in the activity/workshop/event?
  • Participation Question: How representative of the student body are users of tutoring services?
  • Quality Question: How satisfied are participants with each workshop?
  • Quality Question: How well does the helpdesk support faculty and staff members’ technology needs?
  • Operations Question: How cost effective is the activity/workshop/event?
  • Operations Question: How efficient is the process?
  • Trend Question: To what extent have results changed over the past three years?