Appendix D: Evaluation Example

Sample 5: Techinical and Professional Communications 12

Topic: Technical Reports and Articles

Reading, Viewing, and Listening (Comprehension)

It is expected that students will:

• read and summarize written technical and professional materials

It is expected that students will:

• evaluate the effectiveness of their own and other technical and professional presentations using criteria that include the following:
  • plain language (degree to which language is simple, concise, accessible, and free of ambiguity)
  • coherence and organization
  • consistency in the application of usage conventions
  • relevance to argument of supporting evidence and examples
  • appropriateness to intended purpose and audience
  • attention to detail

It is expected that students will:

• create effective technical and professional communications products including:
  • reports (proposals, original research reports, secondary research reports, problem-solving reports, investigative reports, laboratory reports, progress reports)
  • correspondence (applications, memos, letters, résumés)
  • instructions
  • summaries
  • descriptions

It is expected that students will:

• speak effectively, adjusting for audience, purpose, and situation, to:
  • inform
  • persuade
  • interact in formal and informal technical and professional situations

It is expected that students will:

• use electronic technologies to revise, edit, and format communications
• consistently apply the common conventions of standard written English and monitor for correct:
  • spelling
  • punctuation
  • capitalization
  • diction (choice of vocabulary)
  • formal grammar
  • usage
• correctly use the structural elements associated with particular standard formats for written technical and professional communications

The students completed a short unit that focussed on technical reports and articles. Evaluation was based on:

• an outline of a report or article
• an executive summary of a report or article
• recommendations for improving a report or article in terms of language, audience, and layout
• a consensus checklist for evaluating technical and professional communications

Students had previously completed several activities related to writing for specific audiences.

• The teacher selected three articles or reports from professional or trade journals and made a copy for each student. The students read the material and wrote a short one-line description of the topic of each article or report.
• The teacher explained that students would be completing a series of activities using one of the articles or reports provided, or a similar article (at least five pages long) of their own choice. Each student who chose an article from another source had it approved by the teacher and provided copies for all members of the class.
• The teacher presented a short lesson on writing outlines. Using the article they had chosen, students created an outline that met the following requirements:
  • no longer than one page and must outline the entire article
  • shows three levels of indent (headings and two other levels of indent)
  These were handed in for evaluation and feedback.
  
• The teacher reviewed the format and criteria for executive summaries, and demonstrated how to use the outlines students had created as the basis for an executive summary. Students wrote executive summaries of the articles they had selected and worked in pairs to edit them. In most cases, each partner worked on a different article or report. Students submitted both the edited version and final version of their executive summaries for evaluation.
• Each student prepared a report that outlined recommendations for improving the article or report in terms of language (including style and usage), audience consideration, and layout. Each student made a two- to four-minute oral presentation of their recommendations and submitted the written report for evaluation. Students as a class discussed and provided feedback on each other¹s reports.
• After discussion and analysis of the oral reports, the class determined the format and content for a technical writing checklist that could apply to most of the technical and professional communications students had examined. As an entire class, students discussed those elements of the checklist they could use to assess their own and their peers' communications. Students then created a draft checklist and tested it on sample communications provided by the teacher to ensure that the elements were specific, relevant, and appropriate, and that the checklist was easy to use.
• Each student produced a computer-generated copy of the checklist using the same elements chosen and tested by the class. Students submitted their checklists for evaluation, along with their own assessments. They also added a copy of their checklists to their work portfolios for use in future assignments.

In addition to specific criteria for each assignment, the teacher evaluated all assignments using standard criteria that the class had established for written and oral work:

• follows usage conventions for standard written and spoken English
• language is simple, concise, accessible, and free from ambiguity
• message is focussed and logically organized
• presentation is attractive and easy to follow
• material, language, and presentation are appropriate for audience and purpose

• completed to meet task requirements

• meets general criteria for written work
• includes all key aspects of the report or article
• concise (typically, between one fifth and two fifths of the length of the article)
• final version shows incorporation of editing suggestions
• professionally presented and free of error

• meet general criteria for written and oral work
• written report: professionally presented in appropriate format
• oral report: student speaks clearly and confidently
• recommendations are:
  • complete and detailed; recommendations or comments are included for language (usage and style), audience, and layout
  • clear, concise, and concrete
  • sincere and appropriate according to standard format of reports
  • supported by reasons and examples

• complete and accurate (includes same items decided on by group)
• free from error and professionally presented
• self-assessment is logical and defensible

The teacher used criteria lists and rating scales to evaluate student performance.

Checklist

Evaluation of the checklist had two components: teacher assessment and peer assessment. The teacher rated the individual formatted checklists as satisfactory/complete (all criteria are present) or not demonstrated/ incomplete (one or more criteria not evident). Students were required to revise their work until all criteria were satisfied and they achieved a rating of satisfactory/complete.

Since it was a group project, each student was asked to evaluate it using a self-assessment checklist.

Rating	Criteria
5	all criteria fully demonstrated at an outstanding level
4	all criteria demonstrated at a good level
3	majority of criteria demonstrated at a good level/all criteria demonstrated at a satisfactory level
2	minimal evidence of criteria
1	not evident or not completed

Rating	Criteria
Outstanding	Demonstrate all general criteria for written and oral work at an outstanding level. Written report is professionally presented in an appropriate and attractive format that is efficient and easy to read. Oral report is clear, confident, and holds audience attention. Recommendations and comments are complete, clear, concise, concrete, and detailed; address language (usage and style), audience, and layout; and focus on issues related to standard format of reports. The student offers convincing supporting reasons and examples. Following the recommendations would result in substantial improvement to the report or article.
Proficient	Demonstrate general criteria for written and oral work at a proficient level. Written report is professionally presented in a format that is efficient and easy to read. Oral report is clear and easy to follow. Recommendations and comments are complete, clear, concrete, and detailed; address language (usage and style), audience, and layout; and focus on issues related to standard format of reports. The student offers supporting reasons and examples. Following the recommendations would make some improvement to the report or article.
Developing	Typically inconsistent. May demonstrate proficiency in some aspects; not in others. For example, written report may be effective; oral report may be unclear or hesitant. Shows attention to most of the general criteria for written and oral work at a proficient level. Most recommendations and comments are generally clear, appropriate, and logical, but may not be complete or detailed. Some reasons or examples are included, but these may not be persuasive. Following the recommendations would make some improvement to the report or article.
Minimal	Demonstrate some attention to most of the criteria, but include elements of decided weakness. Written report and oral report may be flawed. Some recommendations may be illogical and comments inappropriately laudatory or critical. Overall, does not provide direction for improving the article.
Not Evident	Required criteria have not been demonstrated.

Criteria	Yes	No
checklist is specific to this task but can be applied generally
checklist is relevant to class discussions
checklist incorporates suggestions from class
class participated fully in creation of checklist
this checklist could be used as a writing tool
this checklist could be used to evaluate and improve the following technical and professional documents: memos résumés and covering letters proposals executive summaries annual reports
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