Written Communication Toolkit

When assessing student writing

Look for:

• evidence of understanding of the material;
• links and transitions between ideas, sections and paragraphs;
• conclusions that emerge from the evidence presented;
• relevant and current references; and
• evidence of thorough research.

Has the student:

• used simple, short sentences;
• used only the words necessary to convey meaning;
• used acceptable grammar and syntax (sentence construction); and
• used inclusive language?

Why not:

Enlist the help of an employer or professional in your field to give feedback on one or two written assignments.

You could give them the criteria which students were given for the assignment, but also ask them to give feedback from their own professional perspective. What works? What doesn't? Why? Then present a summary of the employer's feedback in class and expand on it by addressing some of the more frequently made 'mistakes', or weaknesses in student writing in that particular assignment.