Assessment of Writing at New College of Florida, 2006

Transcription

1 Assessment of Writing at New College of Florida, 2006 I. OBJECTIVES Using a stratified random sample of admission essays and corresponding thesis excerpts, this summative assessment 1 project employed the CLAQWA (Cognitive Level and Quality of Writing Assessment) 2 to measure changes in the quality of student writing from admission to graduation. Drawing on the data from the CLAQWA study, this report also reviews current writing instruction and assessment programs at New College of Florida and proposes recommendations for expanded writing programs and assessments. II. METHODOLOGY In this sixth annual writing assessment project, we maintained the methodology of the past five years, using the same assessment tool and criteria. The CLAQWA instrument was designed to assess writing across the curriculum, taking into account the differing disciplinary expectations for writing in the academy. The CLAQWA s analytical scoring method provides a detailed picture of student writing by separately assessing students application of a variety of writing skills ranging from editing for mechanics, to employing effective transitions, to addressing appropriate audiences. This analytical scoring method contrasts with holistic scoring, which can give only a general impression of the quality of student writing. 3 The CLAQWA s use of numerical ratings allows for the compilation of comparative statistics about the writing samples. The subjects were randomly selected from the New College 2006 graduating class: the 65 students in the sample constituted 1/2 of the total 130 graduates. Two writing samples were gathered: an essay submitted in the application to New College and an excerpt from the senior thesis. This year, we implemented a stratified random sample, selecting approximately half of the graduates from each of five divisional classifications: Natural Sciences, Humanities, Social Sciences, Interdisciplinary, and Interdivisional. The use of the stratified random sample allowed us to evaluate the writing skills of the graduates in each division, as well as the graduating class as a whole. 1 Summative assessment seeks to measure the writing abilities of groups of students. In contrast, formative assessment seeks to improve the writing of individual students by providing them with helpful feedback on their writing. In our study, we used the CLAQWA only for the purposes of summative assessment, although it can also be used for formative assessment. See Edward M. White, Teaching and Assessing Writing: Recent Advances in Understanding, Evaluating, and Improving Student Performance (San Francisco: Josey-Bass Publishers, 1994). 2 For more information regarding the CLAQWA, see Teresa Flateby and Elizabeth A. Metzger. Cognitive Level and Quality of Writing Assessment: Building Better Thought Through Better Writing (Corvalis: Pacific Crest, 2000). 3 For a balanced discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of both the holistic and analytical scoring methods, see Sue M. Legg and Willa Wolcott, An Overview of Writing Assessment: Theory, Research, and Practice (Urbana: National Council of Teachers of English, 1998).

2 For the application essay, all 65 students responded to the prompt: Identify, in one or two sentences, an issue of importance to you. Then advocate a policy or position in connection with this issue. Write as if you were advocating your position to someone in authority who might be able to carry out your recommendation. The senior thesis project is a capstone event for New College students, epitomizing a synthesis of the students research, analysis, understanding, and ability to write intelligently within the conventions of their discipline. The thesis excerpt selected for this project was the first substantive section of 9 to 15 pages (excluding, for example, those introductory chapters which referred only to the structure of the project). In response to a recommendation from the 2003 report, the readers provided a context for the thesis excerpt by photocopying the title page and noting the student s area of concentration. Anonymity was maintained by blocking out the student s name on the copied title page, substituting a letter code on the document corresponding to the student s ID number, then entering the student s ID number in the database. In selecting 15 of the 23 characteristics on the CLAQWA to assess, the readers sought to identify only those writing characteristics that were common to both the thesis excerpts and the application essays. For example, correct use of documentation format was not assessed as application essays usually do not include scholarly documentation. In the subsequent projects, the same 15 CLAQWA characteristics were used to maintain data consistency. (For a description of the 15 CLAQWA characteristics, see Appendix A: Writing Assessment Scoring Guidelines and Explanation of CLAQWA Characteristics.) Each CLAQWA characteristic was quantified on a 1-5 scale. (For the established scoring guidelines, see Appendix A.) For example, assessing the prompt about details, a score of 1 means that, regardless of the value of the main idea, the idea is unsubstantiated; a score of 2 means that the details are too few and/or too vague to support the thesis; a score of 3 indicates that there are some good details, but not enough; a score of 4 means that there are almost enough good details; and, a score of 5 means that the thesis is sufficiently supported. In keeping with the scoring methodology of the CLAQWA, each of the 15 writing characteristics measured by the amended CLAQWA (including the scores for the four central characteristics: Assignment Objective, Organization and Development, Language, and Grammar and Mechanics) was evaluated separately; scores for different writing characteristics were not totaled or averaged. Both readers independently read and scored the 65 application essays and the 65 thesis excerpts on the 1-5 scale. A composite score, ranging from 2-10, for each of the characteristics on the 130 writing samples was determined by adding the two readers scores. All reported scores are these composite scores. Inter-reader reliability was supported through this process: a difference of more than a point in the scores assigned to a question was resolved through re-reading and discussion. 4 4 For more information about discussion and other score resolution methods, see Robert Johnson, James Penny, and Belita Gordon. Score Resolution and the Interrater Reliability of Holistic Scores in Rating Essays, Written Communication (2000):

3 The readers classified each student into one of five divisions: Humanities, Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, Interdisciplinary, and Interdivisional. A Humanities classification includes students whose division and area of concentration are listed as Humanities and students whose area of concentration fits into the Humanities division, e.g., visual arts. Classification in Social Sciences and Natural Sciences follows the same pattern. An Interdisciplinary classification refers to several established areas of concentration, which are defined as interdisciplinary by the college (e.g., environmental studies). An Interdivisional classification refers to areas of concentration encompassing two or more divisions (e.g., British & American literature/history) or those which are interdisciplinary and include a divisional major (e.g. Gender Studies/Literature). Using student ID numbers as primary keys, the readers inputted all information regarding students divisional specializations and CLAQWA scores into a Microsoft Access database. The database was then queried to find the over-all and divisional averages for each of the 15 CLAQWA scores for both the application essays and the thesis excerpts. III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION For all fifteen writing characteristics measured by the CLAQWA, the average scores for the theses were higher than the average scores for the application essays. This finding suggests that a New College of Florida education has a positive impact on student writing. Table 1 shows the average scores for the application essays and the theses and the point difference between these scores. The overall higher scores indicate an improvement in students ability to organize their arguments, to use details to support their claims, and to connect ideas logically. 3

4 Table 1: Application Essays and Theses: Average Scores CLAQWA Characteristics Application Essay Thesis Point Difference Assignment Objective: Main idea, audience, purpose The paper presents and maintains a main idea The writer consistently addresses appropriate audiences The writer s purpose is clear and specific Organization and Development: Adequate details, well-organized, consistent focus Opening supports the focus of the paper Transitional words, phrases, sentences, and paragraphs are present and appropriate Ideas are logically connected, e.g., ideas are tightly stitched together Details are sufficient in quality to develop the main idea Language: Appropriate for context and audience Word choice is accurate and appropriate for the intended audience Sentence construction is appropriate for the assignment Grammar and Mechanics: Observation of standard edited English Sentences are grammatically correct Sentences are mechanically correct (punctuation, spelling, capitalization) The highest scores for the application essays are depicted in Table 2 which compares the highest application scores with the corresponding thesis scores and notes the point difference. Table 2 shows that the scores for the lower-order tasks of grammar and mechanics increased. Additionally, scores for sentence construction increased. 4

5 Table 2: Application Essays: Highest Average Scores of CLAQWA Characteristics CLAQWA Characteristics Average Score on Application Corresponding Thesis Score Sentences are grammatically correct Grammar and Mechanics: Observation of standard edited English Sentences are mechanically correct (punctuation, spelling, capitalization) Sentence construction is appropriate for the assignment Point Difference Table 3 illustrates the lowest average scores for the application essays, including the corresponding thesis score and the point difference. Table 3 articulates two points: the higher-order issues of appropriate audience and assignment objective are among the lowest scoring skills in the application essays, but the improvement rate is among the highest. Also, the scores for addressing appropriate audiences increased significantly, from 5.35 to Table 3: Application Essays: Lowest Average Scores for CLAQWA Characteristics CLAQWA Characteristics The writer consistently addresses appropriate audiences Assignment Objective: Main idea, audience, purpose The writer s purpose is clear and specific Details are sufficient in quality to develop the main idea Average Score on Application Corresponding Thesis Score Point Difference Table 4 shows that three of the CLAQWA characteristics ( The writer consistently addresses appropriate audiences, 5.35 to 9.28, Assignment Objective, 5.75 to 8.72, and The writer s purpose is clear and specific, 6.03 to 8.65) were the three lowest scores of the application essays; the corresponding thesis scores increased significantly. The lowest application essay score, The writer consistently addresses appropriate audiences, increased from 5.35 to 9.28, the highest thesis score. 5

6 Table 4: Theses: Highest Average Scores for CLAQWA Characteristics CLAQWA Characteristics The writer consistently addresses appropriate audiences The paper presents and maintains a main idea Assignment Objective: Main idea, audience, purpose The writer s purpose is clear and specific Average Score on Thesis Corresponding Application Score Point Difference Table 5 demonstrates that, although student writers language skills, grammatical skills, and mechanical skills improved, these scores remain among the lowest for both the application essays and the theses. Table 5: Theses: Lowest Average Scores for CLAQWA Characteristics CLAQWA Characteristics Word choice is accurate and appropriate for the intended audience Sentences are mechanically correct (punctuation, spelling, capitalization) Language: Appropriate for context and audience Sentence construction is appropriate for the assignment Grammar and Mechanics: Observation of standard edited English Average Score on Thesis Corresponding Application Score Point Difference 6

7 Table 6 pinpoints the three characteristics with the highest level of increase. The increase in overall assignment objective and the increase in consistently addressing the appropriate audience may reflect the writers understanding of the complex topics and thorough development necessary for a successful senior thesis project. Table 6: CLAQWA Characteristics with the Highest Level of Increase in Average Score CLAQWA Characteristics The writer consistently addresses appropriate audiences Degree of Increase in Average Score from Application to Thesis Assignment Objective: Main idea, audience, purpose The writer s purpose is clear and specific The smaller increases, noted in Table 7, in mechanics and grammar are consistent with the results of this assessment project. Table 7: CLAQWA Characteristics with the Lowest Level of Change in Average Score CLAQWA Characteristics Degree of Change in Average Score from Application to Thesis Sentences are grammatically correct +.25 Sentences are mechanically correct +.27 (punctuation, spelling, capitalization) Grammar and Mechanics: +.47 Observation of standard edited English Table 8 illustrates the number of students in the sample, by division. Table 8: Number of Students in Sample and Number of Students in 2006 Graduating Class by Division Division Number of students in random sample Number of students in 2006 graduating class Humanities Social Sciences Natural Sciences 9 16 Interdisciplinary 7 11 Interdivisional TOTAL

8 Table 9 provides the information that the scores of the Humanities, Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, and Interdisciplinary students for each of the four central writing characteristics increased. There was no increase in the grammar category for Interdivisional students. Out of a possible total score of 10 points, in the application essays, the range of the average scores for the four central characteristics for Humanities was points; for Social Sciences, points; for Natural Sciences, points; for Interdisciplinary, points; and, for Interdivisional, points. The range of the average scores for the four central characteristics for the thesis excerpts for Humanities was points; for Social Sciences, points; for Natural Sciences, points; for Interdisciplinary, points; and, for Interdivisional, points. Table 9: Application Essays and Theses: Average Scores for All Areas of Concentration 8

9 Humanities Application Humanities Thesis Social Science Application Social Science Thesis Natural Science Application Natural Science Thesis Interdisciplinary Application Interdisciplinary Thesis Interdivisional Application Interdivisional Thesis Assignment Objective: Main Idea, Audience, Purpose Organization and Development: Adequate Details, Well- Organized, Consistent Focus Language: Appropriate for Context and Audience Grammar and Mechanics: Observation of Standard Edited English Table 10 shows that the average scores for three of the primary CLAQWA characteristics (Assignment Objective, Organization and Development, and Language) increased. For the years 2003 and 2004 there was no increase in the grammar category. 9

10 Table 10: Change in Average Score on the Four Central Characteristics from the Application Essays to the Theses, Assignment Objective Organization and Development Language Grammar and Mechanics IV. CONCLUSION: In the application essays, the scores ranged from out of 150, a 62-point range. For the thesis excerpts, the scores ranged from points, a 77-point range. 1 application student and 1 thesis student scored in the 60s. 10 application students scored in the 70s. 11 application students and 3 thesis students scored in the 80s. 15 application students scored in the 90s. Next, 8 application students and 8 thesis students scored in the 100s; 10 application students and 10 thesis students scored in the 110s; 7 application students and 14 thesis students scored in the 120s. Then, for the remaining thesis students, 23 students scored in the 130s and 3 students scored in the 140s. Of the 65 students in the sample, 6 student scores decreased from the application essay to the thesis excerpt: (45 points), (31 points), (16 points) (14 points), (11 points) and (1 point). In contrast, 59 students posted increased scores: the largest increases were (75 points), (71 points), (68 points), (64 points), (62 points), and (58 points). Out of a possible total score of 150 points, the average application essay score was 95.8, and the average thesis excerpt score was 122, an increase of 26.2 points. V. RECOMMENDATIONS 10

11 While it is possible to use the CLAQWA to point out strengths and weaknesses in student writing, there is potential for improvement in all areas. The adapted CLAQWA score of 10 is meant to signify perfection in a writing skill and to set a high standard for that skill which all students are capable of reaching. Reviewing the data, we can see that there is room for improvement in all areas, in addition to those areas such as sentence construction, grammar, and mechanics which we have singled out for special consideration. In the recommendations, we suggest expansions/revisions of writing assessment and writing programming, which address all of the writing characteristics measured by the CLAQWA. (Also see Appendix B: Project Timeline.) Assessment Study: Recommendations In the process of completing this writing assessment project, we have considered numerous ways in which writing assessment at New College of Florida could be revised and extended: Increase the number, type, and length of writing samples: Assess representative samples for all students writing portfolios (application essays, course essays, ISPs, and theses) Recruit readers from each discipline. Pursue additional research into writing instruction and assessment practices within disciplinary courses, tutorials, IRPs, and ISPs: Future writing assessment teams should collaborate with the administrators of the SAPA, Baccalaureate Student Audit, and Baccalaureate Student Satisfaction Surveys to generate a report which responds to central writing issues: 1) How much writing do New College students do in their academic activities? 2) What types of writing do students complete? 3) What types of instruction are students given about writing in their academic activities? 4) What types of assessment and feedback do students receive about their writing? 5) What writing services are available to students outside of credit-bearing academic activities? 6) How satisfied are students and faculty with writing instruction and services at New College? Conduct research into any potential relationship between writing difficulties and student attrition: The writing assessment project ( ) has only considered samples of writing from students who graduated. In the future, assessment teams may also wish to evaluate the application essays of all students admitted in one year, then compare the scores of those who graduated and those who did not. Furthermore, the assessment team could review exit interviews to ascertain the extent to which student-identified writing difficulties were a factor in students leaving New College. 11

12 Current Writing Instruction/Programs: Review Writing Tutorials Students may enroll in individual writing tutorials in which students refine their ability to conceptualize, organize, draft, and edit well-reasoned essays. The essays are continually assessed and revised so that the student may develop an analytical approach to research and a critical understanding of the value of revision. Writing Groups With faculty guidance, students have also participated in student-led writing groups for tutorial or ISP credit. These groups implicitly or explicitly addressed compositional details, writing processes, peer critique, and audience awareness. 5 Writing-Intensive Courses in Disciplines In disciplines across the curriculum, New College courses frequently involve intensive writing. Furthermore, some disciplines such as sociology and psychology offer thesis seminars, which explicitly teach the conventions of research writing in the disciplines. Writing Resource Center The Writing Resource Center (WRC) offers students individualized writing conferences with specially trained student writing assistants. Available on a drop-in or appointment basis, these writing conferences address all aspects of the writing process from brainstorming to editing. In addition, the Writing Resource Center provides a workshop series on such diverse topics as developing and organizing a thesis topic, refining grammar skills, communicating in the age of I.M. and , and creative non-fiction. The WRC also compiles and distributes relevant writing resources and handouts in both print and on-line formats to students and faculty. Upon faculty request, student writing assistants have given in-class presentations on pertinent writing issues and have supported the individual writing goals of particular classes by using assignment guidelines and sample essays provided by the faculty. Thesis and baccalaureate exam All New College students are required to write theses and defend these theses in a baccalaureate exam. In addition to teaching valuable research and writing skills, the thesis defense also serves as a capstone assessment of students writing skills and content knowledge. For more assessment data regarding the senior thesis and baccalaureate exam, see the results of the Student Academic Program Assessment (SAPA) and the Baccalaureate Student Survey. Writing Instruction/Programs: Recommendations 5 For a case study of one of these groups, see Sara Daum and Jason Palmeri. Fending for Themselves: A Student-Directed Model of Peer Response Writing Groups, Public Works: Student Writing as Public Texts, Eds. Emily J. Isaacs and Phoebe Jackson (Portsmouth: Boynton\Cook Publishers Heinemann, ). 12

13 Drawing on both the CLAQWA data and our review of current writing practices at New College, we propose recommendations for new and/or revised writing programming: Create a writing portfolio: an electronic file of each student s work throughout her/his NCF studies to which the student and approved faculty and staff may refer. Offer a first-year composition course to introduce students to the expectations of academic writing at New College and prepare them for future writing, including the thesis. Offer thesis seminars in all divisions. BIBLIOGRAPHY Daum, Sara and Jason Palmeri. Fending for Themselves: A Student-Directed Model of Peer Writing Groups. Public Works: Student Writing as Public Text. Eds. Emily J. Isaacs and Phoebe Jackson. Portsmouth: Boynton/Cook Publishers Heinemann, Flateby, Teresa and Elizabeth A. Metzger. Cognitive Level and Quality of Writing Assessment: Building Better Thought Through Better Writing. Corvallis: Pacific Crest, Johnson, Robert, James Penny, and Belita Gordon. Score Resolution and the Interrater Reliability of Holistic Scores in Rating Essays. Written Communication (2000): Legg, Sue M. and Willa Wolcott. An Overview of Writing Assessment: Theory, Research, and Practice. Urbana: National Council of Teachers of English, White, Edward. Teaching and Assessing Writing: Recent Advances in Understanding, Evaluating, and Improving Student Performance. San Francisco: Josey-Bass Publishers, Project Files for Writing Assessment Projects (Located in the Writing Resource Center): Cognitive Level and Quality of Writing Assessment: Building Better Thought Through Better Writing, Teresa L. Flateby and Elizabeth A. Metzger Application essays Thesis excerpts Application essay score sheets Thesis score sheets MS Access database designed for this project APPENDIX A: 13

14 WRITING ASSESSMENT SCORING GUIDELINES AND EXPLANATION OF CLAQWA CHARACTERISTICS The purpose of these guidelines is to ensure evaluative consistency among readers from year to year. There are four central characteristics evaluated by the CLAQWA Assessment Tool: Assignment Objective, Organization and Development, Language, and Grammar and Mechanics. To decide upon an overall score for each of the four central characteristics, a reader should take into account the descriptive characteristics beneath each heading. Each descriptive characteristic is also independently scored. Below we provide descriptions of the characteristics and questions to assist readers in the evaluation process. Consistency of scoring requires readers understanding of the scoring scale. A score of 5 (or a composite score of 10) denotes writing proficiency and correctness. Scoring Scale: What do the numbers mean? 5 totally correct: no mistakes 4 almost all correct 3 more often than not correct 2 occasionally correct 1 not at all correct 1. Assignment Objective Application: Does the writer follow the directions? Does the essay make a point? Thesis: The thesis objective is generally to provide a context for the writer s analysis, a review of pertinent literature, and a clear development of the writer s own ideas. However, the thesis objective may vary depending on the discipline or area of concentration. Main Idea: The paper presents and maintains a main idea. Is the main point identifiable? Does the application essay or thesis excerpt develop a main idea? Audience: The writer consistently addresses the appropriate audience(s). Application: Readers should first identify whether the assignment specifies the intended audience for the essay. For example, some essay prompts ask applicants to write as if they were advocating a position to an authority figure. If the prompt does not specify an audience, then the Admissions officers are the assumed audience. Is the topic of the essay suitable? Does the essay use language appropriate for the intended audience? Thesis: The intended audience for the thesis includes professors and scholars in the writer s field. 14

15 Purpose: The writer s purpose is clear and specific. Is the writer s purpose clearly stated? Does the writer digress from the stated purpose? 2. Organization and Development: Adequate Details, Well-Organized, Consistent Focus The score for this overall characteristic should reflect the scores given to the following characteristics. Opening: Opening supports the focus of the paper. Does the application essay or thesis excerpt opening establish an argument for the paper? Does the rest of the paper reflect the opening? Transitions: Transitional words, phrases, sentences, and paragraphs are present and appropriate. Are there appropriate paragraph breaks? Do transitional words or ideas guide the paper s development? Logical Connection: Ideas are logically connected; i.e., ideas are tightly stitched together. Does the paper jump from one point to another without clear explanation? Does the paper explicitly connect ideas rather than assuming the reader s understanding? Details: Details are sufficient in quality to develop the main idea. Does the paper present general ideas that are not sustained through the use of explanatory detail? Does the paper provide details in support of the writer s claims? Furthermore, are these details convincing and substantial? 3. Language: Appropriate for the Context and Audience Unlike the three other central characteristics, Language is both an overall indicator and a characteristic with its own criteria. These criteria take into account aspects of language use that are not included in the characteristics of Word Choice or Sentence Construction, including clarity of expression and stylistic issues, such as the use of the 1 st person singular, the passive voice, wordiness, and contractions. Does the paper use vague, pompous, or convoluted language? Or, is the writer s expression clear, succinct, and persuasive? Is the language inappropriate for the audience; for instance, does the writer use unacceptable slang? Word Choice: Word choice is accurate and appropriate for the intended audience. Is the writer s diction correct? Does the thesis writer use discipline-specific vocabulary? Is sexist language present? Sentence Construction: Sentence construction is appropriate for the assignment. Are the paper s sentences repetitive, or do they vary in length and structure? Also, are sentences awkward, or are the ideas clearly stated? 15

16 4. Grammar and Mechanics: Observation of Standard Edited English The score for this overall characteristic should reflect the scores given to the following characteristics. Grammar: Sentences are grammatically correct. Writing that is grammatically correct should have subject-predicate agreement, correct use of pronouns (i.e., agreement in pronoun case and number), correct use of prepositions, modifiers, and articles, and no split infinitives or unnecessary shifts in verb tense. Mechanics: Sentences are mechanically correct (punctuation, spelling, capitalization). Are there typos or spelling errors? Is punctuation missing or inappropriate? APPENDIX B: PROJECT TIMELINE Spring: Prepare the budget. Write a project proposal detailing the necessary supplies, staff, anticipated tasks, hours of work involved and wages. Submit to the Provost, Dr. Samuel Savin, COH 204, Hire staff. The summer writing assessment requires at least two readers and, if they do not have previous experience with the project, someone to train them in the objectives and methods. Review the study reports (located in the Writing Resource Center). Late May: List of Graduates. Contact the Registrar s office: Dr. Adrian Cornelius, List of Student Identification Numbers: Contact the Registrar s office. Identify the area(s) of concentration and division of each of the graduates. Record their specific area(s) of concentration from the commencement program list. Then classify them according to these six categories: Natural Science, Humanities, Social Science, Interdisciplinary, and Interdivisional. Identify desired sample size, depending on size of graduating class and project objectives. Randomly select names of graduates from the list and create list of student names to be included in the project. Obtain permission from Registrar s office (Adrian Cornelius, ) to access and photocopy the selected students application essays. First, locate needed files, then photocopy them and replace them. 16

17 Obtain permission from the reference librarian (Caroline Reed, ) to access the selected students unbound, original theses. Select an excerpt from each thesis according to established guidelines. Photocopy and carefully replace originals. Also photocopy the title page. Code application essays and thesis excerpts to ensure student authors anonymity. Identify the samples by student identification number, division, and area(s) of concentration. Create a database for the project, or make a copy of an existing writing assessment database and erase old data. Then enter each graduate s student identification number, division, and area(s) of concentration. To prepare readers, review the purpose of the project, discuss and define CLAQWA characteristics and score values, and practice reading and scoring essays. Discuss practice readings and ensure readers familiarity with project procedures. Early through mid-june: Read and evaluate the application essays, then enter scores in the database. Read and evaluate the thesis excerpts, then enter scores in the database. Readers should discuss any discrepancies in scoring over one point (e.g., a score of 2 and a score of 4 for the same characteristic) and use reference texts or request the advice of a third reader if necessary to reach a resolution. Create and/or update database queries to analyze data. Write a report including the project s objective, methodology, results and discussion, and recommendations. Use query results to create relevant tables that illustrate findings. Submit report to the Provost (Dr. Savin, ), the Director of Institutional Research (Hui-Min Wen, ), and the Special Assistant to the President (Suzanne Janney, ). Submitted June 2006 Chantal Johnson and Ron Silver 17