Coming to know criteria: The value of an evaluating writing course for undergraduates

In this article, the authors argue that evaluation courses grounded in assessment theory and situated within a cultural context of actual workplace practices enhances student learning. Giving students the tools that assessors, both formal and informal, use helps them learn to anticipate and generate those tools for writing situations they will encounter in the future. The authors detail the development, structure, activities, and outcomes of an evaluating writing course at the undergraduate level to illustrate their assertion. Theories and concepts that guide and support the course's ongoing development are also presented. Benefits of the course, demonstrated through various sources including surveys, course evaluations, and student achievement on assignments, are identified. Achieved outcomes support the claim that a course with an explicit focus on evaluating writing, one featuring a critical understanding of criteria for writing in diverse contexts, fosters students’ own development as writers.