The latest trend in college writing is the need for pre-college or remedial writing courses. These classes use measurable objectives to ensure that the students have the necessary skills in grammar and composition to be successful in college-level courses. The pre-college writing course may include short quizzes and tests of the students' ability to identify parts of sentences, complete sentences and correct subject and verb constructions. Professors measure composition skills by having students recognize and identify the topic sentence of a paragraph, the sub-points and supporting details. Other emphasis is on audience, purpose and rhetorical modes such as compare/contrast, classification and narratives. The curriculum can move to essay writing. Measurable objectives encompass a student's ability to identify and generate a thesis statement, supporting paragraphs with related topic sentences, specific supporting examples and sentence structure.
Often termed "bone-head English" or "101" the initial college writing course goes by many names and numbers. Yet, the purpose is the same: Provide students with college-level composition, grammar and research skills. Some schools offer placement tests before the class or during the first days of the class to identify students whose skills need additional work or whose advanced skills place them out of English 101. For students who stay, measurable objectives can include writing, mechanics, homework, participation and attendance. Professors will look for paragraphs and essays with clear topic sentences. The writing must be free of excessive grammar and spelling errors. The research paper is a benchmark, often giving the professor time to work with struggling students while the passing students work independently in the library, in writing labs or at home.
The second-level college writing course focuses on research and advanced composition. While 101 introduced the research paper process, 201 develops students' research skills. The professor assigns a specific number of papers, accompanied by informative readings. Instructors place specific attention on correct citation of sources, usually with formats devised by the Modern Language Association (MLA) or American Psychological Association (APA). Additional focus on avoiding plagiarism or unskilled paraphrasing provide challenges for writers. Students' attendance and participation in peer editing or group-work measurements factor into the grade. Additional credit may come from students attending literary events such as author readings or visits at local bookstores or libraries.
College-level literature courses include a spectrum of measurable objectives. Survey courses trace the development of literature, often beginning with Greek tragedies and ending with current trends in literature. Thematic and genre-based courses group literature according to the author's intents or modes of delivery. These approaches look at classic themes such as "appearance v. reality" or genres such as poetry, plays, short stories and novels. Measurable objectives in traditional tests can include matching dates, authors and titles of literary works. Professors may provide a few lines or paragraphs from a literary work and ask students to identify the author and literary era. For alternative assessments, students might write Shakespearean sonnets or enact sections from a play. Essays can measure student understanding of literary techniques such as metaphor, simile and irony.