Mini Guide to Writing Target Outcomes

SAGE Mini Guides

Background

  • Target Outcomes represent the ideal answer to your area’s assessment questions. Multiple targets may be associated with a single assessment question.
  • Target Outcomes indicate what level your area strives to achieve by end of the practice.
  • Target Outcomes are set before a practice is implemented.
  • Target Outcomes are set high enough to reflect quality work.
  • Targets Outcomes may be quantitative indicators: numbers, percentages, increases/decreases, mean scores.
  • Target Outcomes may be qualitative indicators: most positive themes from survey comments, most typical complaints from a focus group.
  • Target Outcomes may compare disaggregated results: first year/continuing students, gender, ethnicity, faculty/staff, expenses by budget code.
  • Target Outcomes may compare results over time: # of monthly requests, increase from prior year, 5-year trends.

Examples

  • Learning Outcome Target: 85% of students will meet or exceed rubric criteria.
  • Participation Target: 100 first-year students will attend the workshop.
  • Participation Target: Participants will be 55% female and 45% male (representative of the student body).
  • Quality Target: 85% of participants will be satisfied or very satisfied with services.
  • Quality Target: Satisfaction mean score will be 4.50 on a 5.00 scale.
  • Quality Target: Identify the three most positive aspects of working at Guttman from survey comments.
  • Operations Target: Expenses will be under $1,000. Expenses will average $10 per person.
  • Operations Target: Average request response time will be less than 3 days.
  • Trend Target: Participation from last year to this year will increase by 5 percentage points.