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Assessment: Multi-year plan

The Linguistics program’s assessment of student learning objectives (SLO) is currently a combination of direct and indirect measures. 

Direct assessment is currently done via committee evaluation of all honors thesis projects.  We have recently completed the development of a newly devised scoring rubric for direct assessment of goal-related outcomes.  We will begin application of the rubric to the honors thesis and capstone course research projects as described below during the first year of the upcoming five-year assessment cycle, beginning Spring 2008.

In addition to course grades as indirect measures, we utilize college and university-wide self-report instruments such as the standardized Student course evaluation system (SCE) and the COHFE senior exit survey (CES).  The SCE data allow for comparison of the program to like programs at the college level.  The CES data allow for the comparison of our departmental data with like departments of our peer institutions.  We also track outcomes such as graduation with distinction rates and successful post-graduate matriculation of majors. 

Data gathered via the SCE on each of these courses is made available via summary reports from the Office of Assessment, Trinity College.  Students are asked to judge perceived gains on a set of college-level learning objectives based on their experience in the course.  Items on the SCE form of specific interest to Goals 1- 4 are:

1. gaining factual knowledge – goals 1, 2
2. understanding fundamental concepts and principles – goals 1, 4
3. learning to analyze ideas, arguments, and points of view – goals 3, 4
4. learning to synthesize and integrate knowledge – goals 3, 4
5. learning to evaluate the merits of ideas and competing claims – goals 3, 4
6. developing writing skills –goals 1, 2, 3

We also pay particular attention to the overall rating of the departmental courses and instruction, as well as perceived levels of intellectual stimulation as compared to overall Trinity College levels.  These data are reviewed by the Chair and Director of Undergraduate Studies during the annual review process of the program.  The Duke Linguistics Program does not have dedicated faculty lines, but the program officers nonetheless provide feedback to all faculty who teach courses for the Linguistics major.

Items from the CES of specific interest are detailed in the findings section.

Assessment in capstone course, LIN 215, is multifaceted.  Direct assessment of the acquisition of the intellectual foundations of the discipline is part of the capstone course, LIN 215, and the honors thesis process and the resulting product.  It involves the use of goal specific test questions, essays, research projects and portfolios.  Beginning in year one of the upcoming assessment cycle, students in LIN 215 will re-engage with SLO-related questions embedded throughout their core coursework to ensure achievement of these SLO goals, 1-4, as stated. 

All majors, beginning with those matriculating in Fall 2008, will be required to compile a portfolio of prescribed work.  Student portfolios will include at least one work that exemplifies their completion of each goal, 1-4, as stated above; these works will be selected by the students and evaluated by their faculty major advisor or thesis director either as part of their coursework or as a separate contribution leading to the completion of the honors thesis project.  The portfolio will also be evaluated as part of each senior’s completive review directed by the department chair and director of undergraduate studies (see Item 3 in Assessment Findings and Feedback process.

In the 2007-08 academic year, 75% of graduating first majors are writing an honors thesis in Linguistics. [From 2005 to the present, the number of first majors writing an honors thesis as increased from 25% to 75%.  This increase is not linear, but shows some fluctuation from year to year.]  Honors theses are assessed by a team of 3 faculty members, including the thesis director and two other invited members.  This team of faculty evaluators has always been a part of the honors thesis process and will continue in the future.  We have developed a standard rubric and will apply the SLO-based scoring rubric for the honors thesis project beginning in Spring 2008.  The points of interest to the departmental SLO that are covered in the rubric are:

1. All projects must use primary sources in more than one language (goal 2)
2. Each honors thesis project must demonstrate:

1. original contribution to ongoing research (goal 3)
2. unique synthesis of theoretical perspectives (goal 1)
3. appropriate application of empirical methods (goal 4)

In relation to Goal 5 above, the Linguistic program will continue to monitor post-graduate matriculation of majors and their completion of post-graduate degree programs via alumni surveys and faculty recommendations. 

(PDF Version: Mission Statement, Goals & Learning Objectives)