One issue that often arises at Linguistic Institutes is what is the best way of assessing students, given that the Institute is short and intensive while the class and event schedule is relentless and extensive. On this page we have compiled some advice from past Institute instructors and students which we hope will be helpful to those of you who have not previously taught at Institutes. We hope that this information will also serve as an informal set of guidelines as you plan how to structure your courses. We would be happy to receive further feedback to pass on to future Institutes.
Grading
Enrolled participants (i.e., students) will have the option to take regular session courses Pass/Fail or for a letter grade (A, B, C, D, F(ail)); we will strongly encourage students to opt for the Pass/Fail option as we believe it is most in keeping with the goals of the Institute: to expand participants' knowledge of linguistics and provide them with a basis for future research. [This assumes that the student's university will accept Pass/Fail transfer credits. If transfer credit is important, the student should first make this determination before registering as Pass/Fail. - LSA2011]
Students will not be able to receive a grade of Incomplete for Institute courses; that is, students must receive either a passing grade (Pass or A, B, C, D) or failing grade (F).
Grades must be submitted within a few days of the end of the Institute; we will announce this date in the late spring.
Course Requirements
Remember that enrolled participants will be registered for four classes; that is, they'll be spending 4 hours a day in the classroom on average, and more if they audit additional classes, as most participants do. Furthermore, there are Institute lectures two evenings a week (Tuesdays and Sundays) and special events on weekends and Wednesdays, and participants need some time to socialize with each other. Thus, they will not have a great deal of time left to do readings and assignments during the Institute, and weekends are unlikely to be available for major "catch up". We ask you to plan course requirements accordingly, providing assignments and/or projects that are most central to your class content.
Much of the value of the Institute is in attending classes. We think that it is fully reasonable to take attendance at every class meeting and to make regular attendance (say, attendance at 5 or 6 out of the 8 class meetings) an important component of a passing grade. We will make attendance sheets available to help facilitate this.
In designing assignments, projects, or tests, please keep in mind that enrolled participants must submit all work before the end of the Institute as we will not allow students to receive the grade of Incomplete; furthermore, you will be expected to turn in grades shortly after the Institute is over.
Assignments
Design assignments, projects, and/or tests that have substance, but that acknowledge the constraints on student time:
Do give short, well-defined questions that allow students to show that they have grasped key concepts. The questions could involve extending an analysis to a new set of data (perhaps the analogous data in another language that a student is familiar with), constructing a set of data that would help verify a hypothesis, or summarizing/critiquing a core reading. A question can be well-delineated and still require students to show imagination and creativity in their answers.
In introductory and hands-on courses, regular, short assignments may be the best option as they ensure that the students learn the material.
In other courses, it is reasonable to ask for one assignment due at the end of the course or for two shorter assignments, one due in the middle of the Institute and one at the end. If you go this route, make choices that will help students not feel overwhelmed during the last week of the Institute.
In the past, some hands-on or lab courses have used group work, where students are encouraged to work on a manageable project throughout the Institute. For instance, groups of 3-4 students can be given a data set at the beginning of the Institute that they analyze using the various tools they learn as the Institute proceeds, cumulatively writing a brief report on what they found. This model allows students to accomplish something substantive, while working with peers from other schools and making lasting connections.
Think carefully before asking students to write a final original research paper, even a short one, as students won't have the time to choose topics, do the background research, and write the paper. A feasible alternative might be a short (say, 500-1000 word) squib that shows a student's ability to define a problem for future research in the context of class material.
Some instructors have found it useful to ask students to submit a thoughtful question on the assigned reading before each class; these questions allows an instructor to get a sense of how deeply each student is reading and to make sure the class covers the issues that most concern the students. These questions have then formed a major component of student assessment.
Readings
Most students will postpone all but the most essential course reading until after the Institute, so please choose your essential reading assignments carefully and announce these clearly. Assigning about one substantive journal article or book chapter per class would be reasonable.
Office Hours
Do schedule a couple of hours of office hours each week; many students want a chance to talk to you about their work. Remind students not to wait til the last week to come talk to you as your schedule may get overly full then, and you might have to disappoint them. We also encourage you (and your TAs, if applicable) to take questions by e-mail during the course; please make your policy on this clear.
© Copyright 2006 Stanford University Linguistics Department