Recommendations for Writing a
Well-Developed Assessment Plan:

• Gather input from all the program's faculty.
• Focus is program-level, not course-level.
• The number of program goals is small and manageable.
• Long-range plan that guides and propels the program into the future.
• Multiple assessment instruments.
• Faculty use assessment results for program changes.
• Communicate results throughout the chain of command.
• Communicate to students their role in program assessment. If they comprehend the important of their capstone course, comprehensive exam, portfolio, etc. they will be more likely to help your program reach its goals.

Suggested Outline

There are many ways to write an Assessment Plan but the following is a recommended format since it has been used by other programs (see samples below) that have already received positive feedback from the Higher Learning Commission.

I. Introduction
Briefly explains the "big picture" of the program, its goals, and assessment instruments being implemented to measure its success.

II. Description of the Plan
This section provides a detailed explanation of the major components of the Assessment Plan, especially the following:

III. Characteristics of the Assessment Plan
This section is designed using the "Characteristics of a Program to Assess Student Academic Achievement" set forth by the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education (1991). It consists of the following:

• Flows from the institution's mission.
• Has a conceptual framework.
• Has faculty ownership/responsibility.
• Has institution-wide support.
• Uses multiple measures.
• Provides feedback to students, faculty, and the larger institution.
• Is cost effective.
• Does not restrict or inhibit goals of access, equity, and diversity established by the institution.
• Leads to improvement.
• Includes a process for evaluating the assessment program.

IV. Program Goals and Objectives
List and explain the program goals. This should typically consist of a carefully crafted list of 5-10. Too many goals creates the potential problem of becoming unobtainable in a timely manner.

V. Assessment Instruments
List and explain the different methods the program will be analyzing its success in educating its majors. Some examples of Assessment Instruments are the following:

Sample Assessment Plans

• BA History Assessment Plan 2006 (Draft)
• MEd Assessment Plan Original April 2001
• MEd Assessment Plan 2005
• MPA Assessment Plan 2001

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