A descriptive study in student self-assessment practices

Due to the character of the original source materials and the nature of batch digitization, quality control issues may be present in this document. Please report any quality issues you encounter to digital@library.tamu.edu, referencing the URI of the item.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 66-69).Issued also on microfiche from Lange Micrographics.Self-assessment as it usually occurs in writing portfolios provides the context for this study, which examines data from two diverse college settings. While much research has been conducted in conjunction with student portfolios, little has been done in regards to the self-assessment/reflection process. The purpose of this study was to isolate and examine instances of accurate student self-assessment in order to explore its potential as a diagnostic tool for educators and students alike. A student's self-assessment does not have to be accurate in a reductive, or black and white, manner in order to be meaningful, but thinking about accuracy, or the lack of it, seems to be helpful in understanding, and, therefore, in assisting/teaching the student writer. Through self-assessment, students reveal not only their attitudes about writing but also their levels of metacognitive awareness about writing. This study suggests that the more metacognitively aware students are, the more accurate they are when given the opportunity to self-assess, or self-diagnose. Students who are consciously aware of and able to articulate their own critical thinking processes seem to realize and correct their individual writing problems as a result of the reflection process, thus becoming better writers/editors, and possibly growing as critical thinkers as well