Assessment Details
Academic Year: 2021-2022 Level: Undergraduate
Campus Department: Morrissey College of Arts & Sciences [UG and Grad]
Program Type: Core [UG]
Program Name: English Literature Core (Link)
Description of Data Collection:
The director assessed two dimensions of the program this year.
1) Number of pages of formal writing. This assessment sought to determine how many pages of formal writing (papers, essays) students were required to produce over the course of the semester. This process of assessment involved collecting all the syllabi for Fall ’21 and Spring ’22 semesters and tallying up the total number of pages assigned in formal writing assignments. Informal write assignments such as Canvas posts were not included.
2) Diversity of authors. In keeping with the increased attention to issues of diversity, difference, and justice within MCAS, it was decided to assess the program in terms the race/ethnicity/sexual orientation of the authors of assigned texts. The process of assessment involved collecting all the syllabi for the Spring ‘22 semester and tallying how many assigned texts were produced by queer authors and authors of color.
Review Process:
Christina Klein (director), Alex Puente and Andy Crow (steering committee), and Min Song (English department chair).
Resulting Program Changes:
The data results of the assessments are attached.
Number of pages of formal writing: The assessment revealed that the majority of instructors in the fall semester assigned somewhat fewer pages of formal writing than did those in the spring. This may be due to the fact that the fall semester was the first to be fully in-person after the disruptions of the pandemic. In the fall, a majority of instructors (79%) assigned 5-10 pages of writing. In the spring, a majority of instructors (57%) assigned 11-15 pages of writing. Most instructors in both semesters also assigned informal writing exercises (e.g., close readings, Canvas posts), and many also included some kind of creative assignment (e.g., podcast, creative writing, reflective essay). This is in addition to quizzes and exams. One of the strengths of the Lit Core program is that instructors have the flexibility to design their courses to meet their own and students’ interests. This assessment indicates that instructors are assigning an appropriate amount of formal writing and they are also assigning a variety of other assignments so that students can have a range of learning opportunities.
Diversity assessment: The Literature Core program enrolls about 2,000 students each year, most of whom are freshmen and sophomores. Since many of these students will not take another literature course at BC, this is the best place in the curriculum to introduce students to creative writers from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences. The diversity of a syllabus, however, can be challenging to assess. Which categories should count as markers of diversity (e.g., we didn’t assess for class identity)? How should we treat authors who belong to a certain community but whose work does not engage specifically with that community (e.g., Kazuo Ishiguro)? Should distinctions be made among authors who are American and non-American?
This assessment indicates that students are being exposed to range of non-white and queer authors, with authors of Black and Asian backgrounds appearing most frequently (in 77% and 54% of courses, respectively). The number of such authors in any given course ranges widely, from zero to more than six, with most courses including between three and six. This range can be explained in part by the course topic and the instructor’s area of specialization. There is no “correct” number of queer authors or authors of color that should be included on any given syllabus, and I will not recommend any specific changes to the program based on this assessment. Instead, I see this data as a starting point for a conversation within the department and the university about the degree of exposure students are gaining to authors who can introduce them to a wide range of human experiences.
Date of Most Recent Program Review:
The data results of the assessments are attached.
Number of pages of formal writing: The assessment revealed that the majority of instructors in the fall semester assigned somewhat fewer pages of formal writing than did those in the spring. This may be due to the fact that the fall semester was the first to be fully in-person after the disruptions of the pandemic. In the fall, a majority of instructors (79%) assigned 5-10 pages of writing. In the spring, a majority of instructors (57%) assigned 11-15 pages of writing. Most instructors in both semesters also assigned informal writing exercises (e.g., close readings, Canvas posts), and many also included some kind of creative assignment (e.g., podcast, creative writing, reflective essay). This is in addition to quizzes and exams. One of the strengths of the Lit Core program is that instructors have the flexibility to design their courses to meet their own and students’ interests. This assessment indicates that instructors are assigning an appropriate amount of formal writing and they are also assigning a variety of other assignments so that students can have a range of learning opportunities.
Diversity assessment: The Literature Core program enrolls about 2,000 students each year, most of whom are freshmen and sophomores. Since many of these students will not take another literature course at BC, this is the best place in the curriculum to introduce students to creative writers from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences. The diversity of a syllabus, however, can be challenging to assess. Which categories should count as markers of diversity (e.g., we didn’t assess for class identity)? How should we treat authors who belong to a certain community but whose work does not engage specifically with that community (e.g., Kazuo Ishiguro)? Should distinctions be made among authors who are American and non-American?
This assessment indicates that students are being exposed to range of non-white and queer authors, with authors of Black and Asian backgrounds appearing most frequently (in 77% and 54% of courses, respectively). The number of such authors in any given course ranges widely, from zero to more than six, with most courses including between three and six. This range can be explained in part by the course topic and the instructor’s area of specialization. There is no “correct” number of queer authors or authors of color that should be included on any given syllabus, and I will not recommend any specific changes to the program based on this assessment. Instead, I see this data as a starting point for a conversation within the department and the university about the degree of exposure students are gaining to authors who can introduce them to a wide range of human experiences.
Attachments (if available)