evaluative writing for quality assurance in higher education

Evaluative Writing for Quality Assurance

Dr Peter Kahn

University of Liverpool

Aims

• To develop our understanding of evaluative writing, within the context of quality assurance and enhancement

• To provide a practical opportunity for you to explore examples of evaluative writing

Outline

• Characteristics of effective evaluative writing, with short exercises in small groups

• Longer exercise in pairs, with plenary discussion

Purpose of the writing

• To set the agenda for an evaluation of standards and learning opportunities

• Context: A Self-Evaluation Document is often required in advance of an inspection, audit or quality assurance process

Evaluation

• Describes briefly, analyses in depth and comments on effectiveness– What do we do? (Describe strategy)– Why do we do it this way? (Analyse

practice)– How effective is the practice? (Evaluate

effectiveness) – (What action needs to follow?)

Convincing a reviewer

• Positive, balanced and realistic • Claims are illustrated and ‘evidenced’• Claims refer to appropriates measures

and benchmarks• Variety of evidence: qualitative,

quantitative, drawn from stakeholders• Leads the reviewer to ask certain

questions

Sources of evidence

• Annual Reviews, Five Year Reviews, Institutional Review

• Accreditation reports

• Course unit reviews/evaluations

• External Examiner reports

• Committee minutes, working groups

Clarity of writing

• Takes account of guidance

• Structured and ‘sign-posted’

• Accessible language and format

• Appropriate use of diagrams

• Repeated editing

Process

• Get a team together

• Look at evidence

• SWOT

• Highlight key issues to address

• Evaluate robustly

• Draft and re-draft getting wide input

Exercise

• Pick out one area of your practice (perhaps an issue of concern or where you have a strength) – Describe what you do briefly, analyse in

depth why you do it this way, comment on its effectiveness ...

– in a way that is clear and likely to convince a reviewer.

Discussion

• In pairs, analyse the extent to which the your colleague’s writing is evaluative, convincing and clear.

• Suggest specific ways to improve the writing (e.g. further evidence,

Acknowledgments

This workshop was originally developed while working at the University of Manchester.

Dr Peter Kahn

kahn@liv.ac.uk

April 2013

Further reading

• See also Chapter 5 – ‘Writing for Development’ by Angela Brew, in Baume D and Kahn P E (Eds) (2004) Enhancing Staff and Educational Development, Routledge.