Facilitating Students’ Self-Assessment of Writing

• Holistic Self-Assessment of Attitudinal Stage in Writing

  “I like using an article by Rebecca L. Lipstein and K. Ann Renniger called ‘Interest for Writing: How Teachers Can Make a Difference’ (published in English Journal, 96:4, March 2007: pp. 79-85). The article is by and for middle school teachers, but I have my 110 students read it anyway – it’s a quick and easy read. In the article the authors categorize 4 attitudinal stages in writing and then discuss what kinds of feedback are most welcome by each attitudinal stage. I have my students assess themselves according to the paradigm laid out in the piece – or discuss why it is not a good model for capturing their stage of writing. I use the piece as a tool to help students think critically about their own writing, what kinds of revision advice they take and ignore, and how to become more effective writers.” (Megan Isaac)

• Self-Assessment with Evaluation Rubric

  “Before students participate in peer review, I have them self-assess their draft using the same rubric I will use to evaluate their final text (and that I frequently also use to guide peer review). This activity prompts them to consider how their draft matches the expectations for the assignment, and it gives them an opportunity to revise at least once before they solicit peer feedback. After peer review, I ask students to write a revision plan that considers how they will use their own assessment and their peer feedback to inform revisions; if their own assessment differs significantly from their peers’, I encourage them to reflect on the differences and to critically evaluate all the feedback they’ve received.” (Jessie Moore)

• Reflective Self-Assessment Informing Next Writing Project

  Several faculty ask students to reflect on each writing project when they submit it and to consider how their work on the assignment connects to the course objectives. This reflection could be extended to ask students to set goals for their next project, based on their pre-grade self-assessment of their writing.

• Self-Identified Goals for Future Writing, Reflecting on Graded Work

  Some faculty ask students to respond to the feedback they receive on graded assignments. This type of formal response encourages students to read faculty comments thoroughly and to establish self-identified goals for future writing based on that feedback.

Tags: self-assessment, writing process