Thesis Assessment Protocol for Biology…and beyond

Julie Reynolds, Department of Biology

Duke University, Durham, NC

Presentation at ASM Biology Scholars’ SoTL instituteJuly 17, 2009

Context and problem

What can we do to improve the quality of undergraduate theses?

How can we increase participation rates in URE without decreasing quality?

BioTAP:Biology Thesis Assessment Protocol

Thesis Assessment Protocol

Teaching Assessment

Writing process Rubric•Curricular

reform•Reaccredidation

Faculty development

Previous work Is BioTAP a reliable, valid assessment tool? What is Does BioTAP improve student writing? What works

Does BioTAP also change attitudes, perceptions about ability to do science? What’s possible

Current research questionCan BioTAP be adapted across disciplines (Chemistry, Economics, History) and beyond one institutional context? Use TAP rubric to assess student writing in two groups

students who wrote theses without using TAP as a teaching/learning tool

students who wrote theses using TAP as a teaching/learning tool

compare within disciplines (not across disciplines) to assess learning gains

See if using TAP generated learning gains across disciplines