EVALUATING YOUR STUDENTS
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Examinations
• When constructing exam questions, think about what you are trying to assess. Instructors are
provided a test bank from which to pull questions for assessment purposes, but you may
construct your own questions as well. You also can mix test-bank questions and your own.
Review the course objectives in your syllabus to remind yourself of what you should be
assessing.
• Some classes will likely have a 50-minute format, and others will have 75-minute format. When
designing exams, keep your timeframe in mind. You want to provide students enough time to
take their exams.
• Will you have an online format for your exams, will they be fill-in-the-bubble paper sheets, or
will they be paper? Even if they are in an online format, be prepared with a hard copy along with
bubble sheets in case technology fails. Speaking from experience, it is always important to have a
back-up plan.
• If you do choose to have an online exam, you will likely want to have it be password protected.
Ask if your institution has software that students should download that keeps them from pulling
up other windows during the exam to prevent academic dishonesty.
• Will you provide a study guide prior to exams? When students are expected to know a large
amount of material, they appreciate a study guide.
• Will you allow students to use notes or the textbook during exams and quizzes? These are the
sort of questions that your students will ask you about.
Creating Quizzes
• Quizzes are much shorter than examinations. They are usually worth fewer points and prove
that the student has at least skimmed a chapter of the book.
• Will you give students a quiz at the beginning of class, prior to the lecture, or after the lecture? I
typically choose to give quizzes prior to lectures to ensure that students have read the
information. This allows for less focus on the vocabulary and more focus on an engaging activity
applying course concepts.
Midterms and Final Examinations
• Midterms and final examinations are significantly longer than quizzes. Will these longer
examinations be comprehensive, or will they cover a select number of chapters? Will you include
questions involving the illustrations in the text? Students want to know exactly what to expect
when it comes to studying for an exam. They do not appreciate surprises.
• Whether you proctor an online exam or a paper exam, you will need to develop different copies
Written Assignments
Journals and Discussion Boards
Journals and discussion boards are useful for both face-to-face classes and online classes. You can
provide writing prompts to your students for a reflection exercise in the form of a journal entry.
These prompts can be based on illustrations in the textbook or case studies related to course
content. They allows students to synthesize information and apply it to their lives. I provide a word
count for students in the basic communication course, who prefer specific guidelines and generally
work well within formal parameters. Journal entries are usually a minimum of 300 words long.
Providing few writing tips generally helps:
• Write college-level sentences and separate thoughts. Do not make sentences longer than 15
words. (Students sometimes have run-on sentences that seem to go on forever.)
• Do not repeat the same idea using different words to make word count increase. For example,
saying “The sky is blue” is the same as “There is a blue hue in the sky.” State one idea, and move
Group Papers
Some students like group work, and others do not. Again, students like to be responsible for their
own grades, so when dividing up responsibilities, students have to determine strengths and
weaknesses and work through them. Small group communication is an integral component of the
basic communication course and the professional world. You can’t always choose with whom you
work, but you can choose how you respond to group members and work through obstacles. I try to
reiterate this concept during the dreaded “group paper” or “group speech.”
I try to keep groups to between four and five people. Between school schedules, work schedules,
student activities schedules, student athlete schedules, and life in general, students find it difficult to
get together when progressing through a project. To address this issue, I build in some class time for
students to work together. I also advise that with the use of technologies such as Google Hangout,
Google Docs, and the GroupMe, students can communicate even if a team member misses a
meeting.
Speech Assignments
Introduction Speech
You could go a couple routes with this introductory speech. You could give students prompts as
they give a short bio of themselves in front of the class. Or you could have students bring in a few
items that represent who they are and tie those items to a story to share in front of the class. This
introductory speech eases students into the public speaking component of the course.
“Five Finger Intro”
• Time: Two to three minutes
• Objective: To allow students to know one another a little better and to ease them into talking in
front of their peers. By using instructor-provided prompts, they are able to organize their
thoughts easily.
• Directions: Use your five fingers as prompts to present a short bio. Use your thumb (as if you are
hitchhiking) to give a glimpse into your favorite place you’ve ever been. Use your pointer (as if
you are pointing in the future), to tell the class where you see yourself in five years. For obvious
“What’s in Your Bag?”
• Time: Two to three minutes
• Objective: To allow students to learn more about one another and learn how to organize thoughts
while incorporating a visual aid. Students also learn more about their identity by critically
analyzing why they choose to own certain things.
• Directions: From the clothes that we wear to the stickers on our laptops, what we choose to own
represents who we are. Students are asked to select two or three items from their book bags that
Impromptu Speeches
You may choose to incorporate some impromptu speeches throughout the term. Sometimes I let
students draw topics out of a hat, and other times I provide them a topic. They gather in groups of
four or five people and present information in an organized manner.
“Think on Your Feet”
• Time: One to two minutes
• Objective: To allow students to become more comfortable with classmates by practicing
presenting in small groups. They also use some creativity by thinking on their feet. They practice
timing one another so that they know what a minute of speaking feels like. Organizational skills
Pitching Speech
This presentation goes with the interview component of the basic communication course, which is
not always used. However, it could prove to be beneficial to your class. My classes seem to
appreciate it. Because I include a job portfolio component in my course, I ask students to pitch
themselves to the class by answering the first question that job seekers tend to be asked in an
interview: “Can you tell the search committee a little about yourself?.” Undoubtedly the most
difficult question to answer, it sets the tone for the rest of the interview.
“Pitching Yourself”
• Time: Two to three minutes
• Objective: To prepare students for interviewing and to be memorable. This exercise should
enhance the perception and self-concept component of the course. Although students won’t be
able to use a notecard in an interview, they are asked to use a notecard for this exercise to help
them hit on all required talking points. The key is to be organized and memorable in the first few
minutes of talking to a committee without rambling. They should also learn how to sound
confident without coming across as arrogant.
• Directions: Students will be asked to dress in a business casual manner for this assignment. They
will be asked to present responses to three questions without rambling to get an idea of how to
answer what will likely be the first question in most interview settings.
More Speeches That Require Research
You will likely have three more formal speeches in your class that involve a research component,
including the informative speech, the persuasive speech, and the group speech. In these speeches,
students generally are asked to dress in a business professional manner, present their thoughts in a
given timeframe, orally cite a number of sources, and include a visual aid. The guidelines for each
project will specify the exact requirements, but below are some quick tips to consider for the formal
speaking assignments:
• Make sure the topic is “researchable” using quality, academic materials. Students should avoid
using Wikipedia or About.com because these are not primary sources of information. These sites
retrieve their information from other sources.
• Teachers vary on their time requirements for speeches, but I tend to have students present their
informative speech in four to six minutes, the persuasive speech in five to seven minutes, and
the group speeches in 10 to 12 minutes. Here are some things you need to consider for the time
requirement:
Class size: How many students have to present, and how many days can you allow for
presentations and still meet all course objectives outlined on your syllabus? In a 50-
minute class, you can easily get through five presentations (four to six minutes in length).
In a 75-minute class, you can easily get through eight or nine presentations (four to six
minutes in length).
Transition time between speakers: I typically have my students load their PowerPoint or Prezi
• Will you record your speeches, and is your classroom set up with the technology to do this?
Some institutions require the recording of speeches, and others do not. I prefer to record
speeches so that students can watch and critique themselves. They also are asked to critique a
peer using a constructive approach. Although I do not have the classroom technology to record
speeches, I designate a student to use an electronic device (usually my iPad) to record, and then I
upload the videos to YouTube using a private link. I upload the links to the class site so that
students are the only ones that have access to this information. It takes extra time to go this
route, but I think it is beneficial to their learning.
Informative Speech
You could take the informative speech in multiple directions. You could choose a broad topic for
the students and have them select an aspect of the topic (such as “A Country You’d Like to Visit” or
“A Community Service Project”). Or you could allow them to choose their own topic. The topics
are at the discretion of the teacher, but whatever you or the student decides, make sure the topic is
“researchable.”
• Time: Four to six minutes
• Objective: To educate other class members (not persuade them) about a topic that would be
interesting to them (audience analysis) and properly cite five credible sources. Students will also
deliver ideas in an extemporaneous manner.
• Directions: Students will choose a topic on which to educate their audience. They will present
their research in an organized manner and cite accordingly.
Persuasive Speech
The persuasive speech is longer than the informative speech and typically is assigned after it. The
requirements for both are similar as far as organization and oral citations. Some instructors
emphasize the delivery aspect (as shown in respective grading rubrics) because students should begin
feeling more comfortable in front of their peers at this point in the course.
Again, you may allow students to choose their own topics, but make sure they are “researchable.” I
usually provide a list of current events that are controversial or that clearly represent two sides, but
these are used only as a reference, and students are not required to choose from a provided list. The
chosen topic is at the discretion of the instructor, but I tend to avoid the overused topics.
• Time: Five to seven minutes
• Objective: To use the persuasion methods of ethos, logos, and pathos to reinforce audience beliefs
or convince audience members to change their current beliefs on a particular topic. Students will
orally cite five sources and deliver their information in an extemporaneous manner.
• Directions: Students will conduct research on a current event or problem and construct a
Group Presentation
You can go a few different ways with this speech, too. You cannot make everyone happy with the
assignment topic and guidelines, so the levels of commitment will vary. Students need to learn how
to implement effective communication strategies to progress through obstacles. For example, they
can work as a team to complete a community service project and present information on a particular
nonprofit organization, they might develop an infomercial using Monroe’s motivated sequence
pattern, or they might apply interpersonal concepts from the textbook to a movie of their choice.
• Time: 10 to 12 minutes
• Objective: To use effective group communication strategies to deliver an engaging presentation
related to topic determined by instructor.
• Directions: Groups will be made up of four or five individuals selected by instructor. Students will
each speak for an equal amount of time, and appropriate transitions will be used to link ideas
and speaking parts together to flow in a cohesive manner.
• Requirements: Students should contribute to the project equally via the oral and written
Tips for Online Speeches
Students might take an online public speaking course because their anxiety about speaking is high or
because they are solely distance learners. Whatever the reason, we still need to ensure that students
meet the course objectives. Here are some tips for creating guidelines for the online speech
assignments:
• Some institutions provide software that students can access to upload their speaking
assignments. At other times, you have them record their speeches using their chosen electronic
device, have them upload to YouTube as a closed link, and provide the instructor with the link.
• Within the first few days of class, have students upload an “introduction speech” to make sure
that any technological issues can be addressed. Give them a few prompts to answer, and assign
participation points for doing so.