Examining teachers’ writing assessment knowledge, beliefs, and practices

We are surveying writing teachers at intensive English, community college, and

university levels about assessing writing. Your candid responses to these questions will
be extremely helpful to our research. Except where specified, please select only ONE
option that BEST answers the question for you. Also, feel free to add additional
comments in the supplied text boxes.

Except where specified, please select only ONE option that BEST answers the question
for you. Also, feel free to add additional comments in the supplied text boxes.

Should you have any questions or would like a copy of the findings, please contact
Deborah Crusan as Wright State University (deborah.crusan@wright.edu). Thank you for
your help.
PART I: About You

1. In what country do you currently teach? Please enter your answer in the comment box.

COMMENT

2. In what kind of program/institution do you currently teach writing?

Intensive English Program

Four-year university
Community College

3. Which of the target courses have you taught at the institution indicated in #1? Please
check all that apply.

Beginning Writing
Intermediate Writing
Advanced Writing
First-year composition
Basic/developmental writing (the course right before
first year composition)
ESL equivalents of first-year composition or basic writing
I do not teach any of these courses.

COMMENTS

4. How long have you been teaching writing? (Include graduate school TA experience, if
applicable.)
0-2 years
3-5 years
6-10 years
11-20 years
21+ years

5. What degree qualified you for your current teaching position(s)? Please check ALL
that apply.
Ph.D. (please list field in Comments box)
ABD (please list field in Comments box)
M.A. in English (literature and/or creative writing)
M.A. in TESOL (or English with TESOL emphasis)
M.A. in applied linguistics or linguistics
M.A. in Composition/Rhetoric or similar
M.A. in Education
TESOL/TEFL Certificate in addition to M.A.
Composition Certificate in addition to M.A.
 B.A. in related field (please list field in Comments box)
Other (please specify in Comments box)

COMMENTS

6. What kinds of training prepared you to teach writing? Check ALL that apply.
graduate course(s) in teaching college composition
graduate course(s) in teaching second language writers
undergraduate course(s) in teaching writing
undergraduate course(s) in teaching ESL writers
practicum or internship course(s) in tutoring/teaching writing
practicum or internship course(s) in tutoring/teaching ESL writing
in-service workshops or training on teaching writing
in-service workshops or training on teaching ESL writing
professional conference presentations or workshops on writing
professional conference presentations or workshops on ESL writing
none of the above
other (please specify in the Comments box)

COMMENTS

7. Have you ever received formal training in assessment in general? Please check ALL
that apply.
Yes, as part of a course (graduate, undergraduate, practicum, internship)
Yes, as part of pre-service or in-service training for a current or former
job
Yes, at a professional conference
No, I have never received any formal training about assessment

8. Have you ever received formal training in the assessment of writing? Please check
ALL that apply.
Yes, as part of a course (graduate, undergraduate, practicum, internship)
Yes, as part of pre-service or in-service training for a current or former
job
Yes, at a professional conference
No, I have never received any formal training about writing assessment

9. Check all of the activities that you consider to be writing assessment.

Quizzes
Timed in-class writing
Out of class essay assignments
Final exams
Revisions
Peer review

COMMENTS
10. Which statement BEST describes how you feel about assessing writing?
I find it interesting and challenging.
I accept it as a necessary part of being a writing teacher.
I feel frustrated and/or resentful at least sometimes.
I would rather do almost anything else.
COMMENTS
Part II: Your Assessment Strategies

11. In your course, do you utilize a multiple-draft approach in which students receive
feedback and revise one or more times before a paper is graded or placed in a final
portfolio?
Yes
Sometimes
Never

COMMENTS

12. When you give a writing assignment, do you provide students with a rubric or a list of
criteria for which they will be held accountable on the assignment?
Yes, I provide criteria/rubrics for every assignment.
Yes but not for every assignment.
I seldom provide rubrics/criteria.
I never provide criteria/rubrics.

13. Do you create your own rubrics for your writing assignments?
I create all the rubrics I use.
I create some of the rubrics I use.
I create none of the rubrics I use.
I don’t use rubrics.

COMMENTS

14. Do you use any strategies to ensure student comprehension of your assignment
criteria/rubrics?
Yes, regularly (please elaborate in Comments box)
Yes, occasionally
Not sure
No
Not applicable as I do not provide rubrics/criteria for my students

COMMENTS

15. For teachers in English language dominant countries, if you have ESL or second
language students in your classes, are you aware of assessing their writing any differently
than that of other students (native English speakers)?
Yes (please elaborate in Comments box)
Sometimes, depending on the student
No, my approach to assessment is the same with all students
I am not really sure
I teach only ESL classes

COMMENTS
16. If you use rubrics as a tool for writing assessment, do you provide any training to
students regarding the information on the rubric?
Yes, I have a specific approach. (Please elaborate in the Comments box.)
I provide an informal introduction to the rubric in use, but I wouldn’t call
it training.
I do not provide any training or introduction.
I do not use rubrics in my classes.

COMMENTS

17. What is your approach to assessing language issues in student writing? Please mark
all that apply.
Circle language errors and ask students to correct them
Write in correct forms for student language errors
Mark errors with some coding scheme to help identify errors
Put a check in the margin by a sentence containing error(s)
Ignore errors unless they cause major confusion
Write end comments focusing on patterns (e.g. You have a problem with
subject/verb agreement; see Chapter X in the text or see me to work on
this)

COMMENTS

18. Regardless of your overall approach to assessment, which statement BEST describes
the effects of using rubrics for grading writing assignments.
I feel that rubrics are important tools for accountability and help students
understand why they receive the grade they received.
I am not sure they pay adequate attention to them or are able to
use the information to improve their writing.
I don’t think rubrics help that much.
I don’t use rubrics.
Part III: Your beliefs about writing assessment
Please circle the answer that best describes your beliefs about writing assessment.
SA: Strongly Agree
A: Agree
NS: Not Sure
D: Disagree
SD: Strongly Disagree

19. Writing can be assessed indirectly through multiple-choice questions.

SA A NS D SD

20. Scoring of writing is always inaccurate.

SA A NS D SD

21. Scoring of writing is subjective.

SA A NS D SD

22..
SA A NS D SD

23. Essay exams are best when it comes to assessing writing skills.
SA A NS D SD

24. Writing is best assessed when integrated with other skills like reading and listening.
SA A NS D SD

25. Self-assessment can be a good technique for assessing writing.

SA A NS D SD

26. In general, writing exams provide a good estimate of writing ability.

SA A NS D SD

27.Writing assessment provides good feedback for writing instruction.

SA A NS D SD
28. Rater training is not helpful for writing teachers.
SA A NS D SD

29. A portfolio is a good tool for assessing writing.

SA A NS D SD

30. When scoring writing, I believe content should receive more weight than accuracy
(grammar).
SA A NS D SD

31. Self-assessment provides an accurate picture of student writing ability.

SA A NS D SD

32. Assessment plays an important role in writing classes.

SA A NS D SD

33. Assessment is an important capability that writing teachers should master.

SA A NS D SD

34. Writing assessment is time consuming.

SA A NS D SD

35. It is difficult to work with other colleagues during scoring of writing exams.
SA A NS D SD

36. Teacher-made writing tests are better than large-scale writing exams.
SA A NS D SD
Part IV: Your writing assessment practices
Please circle the answer that best describes your writing assessment practices.
SA: Strongly Agree
A: Agree
NS: Not Sure
D: Disagree
SD: Strongly Disagree

37. I use scoring rubrics when grading essays.

SA A NS D SD

38. I discuss with colleagues the results of my writing exams.

SA A NS D SD

39. We do rater training in our program.

SA A NS D SD

40. I use portfolios in my writing classes.

SA A NS D SD

41. I integrate writing with other skills when I design writing exams.
SA A NS D SD

42. I ask students to do self-assessment in writing classes.

SA A NS D SD

43. I use computer technology in writing assessment.

SA A NS D SD
Part V: Your writing assessment knowledge
Please circle the answer that best describes your writing assessment knowledge.
SA: Strongly Agree
A: Agree
NS: Not Sure
D: Disagree
SD: Strongly Disagree
44. I understand the concept of portfolio assessment.
SA A NS D SD

45. I know what is meant by integrated writing tasks.

SA A NS D SD

46. I comprehend the concept of scoring rubrics.

SA A NS D SD

47. I understand the concept of alternative assessment.

SA A NS D SD

48. I know how to design good writing tasks.

SA A NS D SD

49. I know how to design scoring rubrics.

SA A NS D SD
50. Is there anything else you would like to add?
Comments

As a follow-up to this survey, we would like to conduct interviews with interested

teachers to explore these topics in more depth. This interview would last 30-60
minutes and be arranged at a time and place convenient to you. If you would like to
volunteer to be an interview participant, please provide your name and contact
information below by DATE to express your interest. Your comments & opinions will be
kept anonymous in all analyses and reports on this research.

NAME:
EMAIL ADDRESS:
TELEPHONE NUMBERS:
BEST WAY TO CONTACT: (phone or email)