Article #2: A guide to standardized Writing Assessment

I am a supporter of the use of a writing assessment in all subject areas and as part of a standardized exam. In CT this was a state requirement across all disciplines and across all schools. To digress for a few lines, as I began to apply this requirement to physics I could see the need to improve my students writing skills, particularly in science writing. My students had mastered how to write lab reports, but could not write a formal paper. Several years ago I introduced an authentic assessment project entitled " The Scientist of the Month". This writing assignment requires the student to do research on the life and work of a scientist that has played a major role in the material we are covering in class e.g. Newton and Galileo, etc. The paper is 2000 words and must cite 5 references in APA format and consists of two parts.

For example for October's paper on Isaac Newton the students were asked to do the following:



Part 1: Your essay should provide a brief background on Isaac Newton, the man and the scientist. The paper begins with his family history from his early days in England to his student days at Cambridge. Your paper should provide a brief biographical overview of Isaac Newton, from his birth in England in 1642 to his groundbreaking scientific theories and discoveries. The paper should cover Newton's scientific achievements, starting with the fact that he established a unified theory of approach to modern science. It should discuss his discoveries relating to the white light, the telescope and to the field of optics in general. The paper should also covers Newton's mathematical achievements in the form of calculus and his most famous discovery of all - gravity.


Part 2:
The main focus of this section of the paper is Newton's three laws of motion.
1) Law of Inertia;
2) Law of Acceleration; and
3) Law of Interaction.

Your paper should explain what each law is, how it applies to the behavior of motion and what its significance is to the world of physics. Comment on how through these three laws, Newton was able to prove the nature of objects in the universe, and how they interact with each other.



This monthly assignment helps me monitor my students improvement in their writing skills over time.



Returning to the article Baldwin(1) points out that" strong writing skills have become an increasingly important commodity in the 21st century". As students move through college into their fields of choice - communication through wirting is key; whether it is through a blog or a formal or informal report, it is used as one of the "must meet" objectives for performance reviews.


(1) Baldwin, D. (2004). A Guide to Standarized Writing Assessment. Educational Leadership, 72-75.