A successful process for developing performance-based outcomes for engineering student writing assessment

Summary form only given. Faculty, student, and industry representatives met in a series of four workshops in autumn 1999 to develop performance based writing outcomes for the College of Engineering at the University of Washington. During the workshops, participants used the contents of portfolios of student writing collected over a two-year period to help them gain a better understanding of student writing experiences while in the college. Discussions brought to light a number of important issues related to engineering writing and the teaching of writing in an engineering context. The workshops culminated in a two-part set of writing outcomes for students graduating from the college. Faculty representatives are now working with other members of their respective departments to determine which courses and which writing within these courses will be used to assess student competency in these outcomes