ERIC Number: EJ1433492
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2024
Pages: N/A
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1522-7502
EISSN: N/A
Terminology Matters: Taking Back "Outcomes" and "Objectives" in Composition Studies
Alyssa Devey
Composition Forum, v53 2024
Even though learning outcomes have become an expected part of writing programs, how they are defined and subsequently used is often unclear. This study did a textual analysis of the terms used for "outcomes" on 42 universities' first-year writing webpages. The study found that university writing programs use different terms for "outcomes" and define those terms differently across programs. The lack of clear definitions for "outcomes" across programs makes these documents difficult for writing programs, faculty, and students to use. Consequently, the author argues that composition studies needs to study definitions of "outcomes" terminology and then clearly define those terms in the materials programs, teachers, and students use. The author then presents suggestions for how programs and teachers might do this definitional work to make outcomes more useable for effective course design.
Descriptors: Universities, College Freshmen, Writing (Composition), Writing Instruction, Definitions, Outcomes of Education, Student Educational Objectives, Ambiguity (Semantics), Course Descriptions, Usability, Accuracy
Association of Teachers of Advanced Composition. e-mail: cf@compositionforum.com; Web site: http://compositionforum.com
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A