In-Class Assignments

Impromptu Writings: Without taking more than five minutes of class time, impromptu in-class writing can be used in a variety of ways: to ask students to summarize the key points covered, to stimulate flagging discussion, to provide an opportunity for reflection on complex issues, to check comprehension of reading material, and the like. These brief writings need not be graded, though you might use them as an indicator of class participation in determining a course grade.

Abstracts: Ask students to write brief summaries of their readings in their textbook or supplementary materials. A one-sentence précis can reveal much about how well a reader has grasped a writer's argument.

"Quiz Bowl" (a question-posing activity):  Each group is responsible for posing questions on a different portion of the day's reading.  The group must come up with five questions about the text that they will pose to the rest of the class.  After all the groups have their questions ready, all books and notes are put away.  One group begins by asking a question.  The first group to get a hand up gets a chance to answer the question.  If they get the answer correct, they get a point.  If they're wrong, another group can answer. If none of the groups can answer, the question is a "stumper" and the group asking it gets the point.  The instructor is the score keeper and referee. (Source: Anne Simon, English)

From Exam to Essay: If you use essay exams in your class, brief answers might become the basis of longer papers written outside of class. You might also consider asking students to write about other sorts of exams; for example, they might be asked to explain their reasoning for incorrect choices on multiple choice exams or explain how and why calculations went awry.

Critiques: Have students critique the material they are reading, perhaps asking them to identify the writer's claim and the evidence used to support that claim and then to assess its effectiveness. Such assignments should be helpful in getting students to think in terms of argument, something that they can be encouraged to carry over into their own papers.

One Page Position Papers: Ask students to write a one-page paper justifying a given position on a controversial issue. A series of two or three papers on the same topic might become the basis of a longer paper. You could also provide a thesis for students to support or refute.

Definition and Application: Ask students to define an important term or concept and then illustrate the definition by applying it to some situation outside the classroom. Alternatively, you might ask whether a definition applies in a given situation.

Focused Responses: Give students a question to consider as they read assigned material. A one-page answer might be the starting point for class discussion.

Partial Research Paper: Ask students to submit individual sections of a research paper in progress. For example, a brief statement of the nature and scope of the problem they are investigating might prove helpful, as might a survey of the literature on the subject.