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SJSU Home : Undergraduate Studies : Assessment : Program Assessment : College of Humanities & Arts : TV, Radio, Film & Theatre : B. A. Theatre Arts Assessment Plan

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B.A. in Theatre Arts Assessment Model

*Denotes semester classes are to be assessed 

Theatre Arts Assessment Activities Used to Measure How Well students Have Met Learning Objective:

Exams/quizzes: Exams will assess for factual information and concepts from all learning objective categories. Tests may use multiple choice and are convergent—typically they have a single, best answer. Fill-in-the-blank, short answer and essay questions will use selected-response,  short-answer formats, and long development questions in order to  cover the lexicon of course content.

Projects: (performances, designs, audition portfolios, directing books, script analysis papers, rehearsals and productions, etc..) Students may also make formal, oral reports during a semester.

Writing: To enhance written communication skills, papers may be assigned any time throughout the semester in order for students to receive feedback on their writing along the way. Writing assessment forms may be submitted as a coversheet for paper submissions.  In addition, writing will be required during in-class activities and on exams (essay questions), and quizzes.

GENERAL RESEARCH PAPER GRADING POLICY OVERVIEW (obviously not the same for scripts or specific production writing):  In grading your essays on both papers and exams, instructors will be looking for the following qualities:

TYPICAL FORMAT: All papers must be double spaced with a bibliography of sources consulted. Some instructors may ask you to use a version of a course writing assessment form as a coversheet. Your instructor will tell you whether to use either MLA format or traditional footnotes for your citations, but whichever form you select must be used properly and consistently. 

BASIC RESEARCH PAPER ORGANIZATION:Your essay must begin with an introductory paragraph that gives the reader an overview of your essay as a whole and presents a clear thesis statement (a statement of the argument or main point of your paper). The body of your paper must be organized well and sensibly into paragraphs, each discussing a different topic. Overly long paragraphs generally indicate that your topics are too broad. Each paragraph should have a clear topic sentence, and the topics should progress in such a way as to formulate a clear and compelling argument. Your essay must end with a conclusion that not only summarizes your main points but also draws the significance of your argument. 

EVIDENCE: All generalizations must be supported by concrete historical evidence. It is your responsibility to show through explanation how that evidence proves (or does not prove) the argument you are making. Please avoid unsupported generalizations. If your paper is based on a specific set of readings or a book, you should analyze the author's argument. For an essay based on assigned readings, most of the evidence in your paper should come from those readings (a book, articles, or whatever was assigned for the paper). 

CITATIONS: You are expected to use your own words when writing a paper, unless there is some compelling reason to quote directly from a book or article. Be sure to provide a proper footnote or page reference for nay idea or phrase taken from a source other than yourself. A good rule of thumb: You do not need to cite general knowledge, but all factual information, opinions, or direct quotes must be supported by a citation. REMEMBER: Plagiarism will not be tolerated (see the plagiarism/cheating statements below).

GRAMMAR, SPELLING, PROOFREADING:Good papers are edited and re-written several times by their authors. Poor grammar and spelling generally indicate hasty, ill-prepared work and will lead to a lower grade. You may work with a tutor from the Academic Resource Center to improve your writing. Remember: Clear writing generally reflects clear thinking! 

MISCELLANEOUS: History analyzes what happened in the past. Therefore, you should not use the present tense in your papers. As an exception to this rule, every time you read a book or article, you read it in the present. Therefore, the general rule is: The author tells us (present tense) what happened (past tense). 

AUDIENCE: Your audience is a well-educated lay person who does not know very much about the specific topic you are writing about. The audience for your paper is not your professor. Be sure to give enough background to situate your topic in its broader context. 

CONTENT:  Does the essay answer the question thoroughly? Have you considered all aspects of the problem? Have you demonstrated a thorough understanding of readings and lectures? Did you support your main points with specific historical examples? Have you thoroughly and carefully researched your topic? A papers are well organized, thoughtful, clear, and concise. Their arguments are well supported by specific examples. In addition, we look for creative analyses and new ideas when evaluating essays.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: You are welcome to review SJSU's Policy on Academic Integrity (downloadable PDF file). Or you can go to San Jose State's Office of Student Conduct and Ethical Development for more information.  Academic integrity is essential to the mission of San José State University.  As such, students are expected to perform their own work (except when collaboration is expressly permitted by the course instructor) without the use of any outside resources.  Students are not permitted to use old tests, quizzes when preparing for exams, nor may they consult with students who have already taken the exam. When practiced, academic integrity ensures that all students are fairly graded. Violations to the Academic Integrity Policy undermine the educational process and will not be tolerated.  It also demonstrates a lack of respect for oneself, fellow students and the course instructor and can ruin the university's reputation and the value of the degrees it offers. We all share the obligation to maintain an environment which practices academic integrity.  Violators of the Academic Integrity Policy will be subject to failing this course and being reported to the Office of Judicial Affairs for disciplinary action which could result in suspension or expulsion from San José State University.

Cheating: At SJSU, cheating is the act of obtaining or attempting to obtain credit for academic work through the use of any dishonest, deceptive, or fraudulent means. Cheating at SJSU includes but is not limited to:  Copying in part or in whole, from another's test or other evaluation instrument; Submitting work previously graded in another course unless this has been approved by the course instructor or by departmental policy. Submitting work simultaneously presented in two courses, unless this has been approved by both course instructors or by departmental policy.  Altering or interfering with grading or grading instructions; Sitting for an examination by a surrogate, or as a surrogate; any other act committed by a student in the course of his or her academic work which defrauds or misrepresents, including aiding or abetting in any of the actions defined above. 

Plagiarism: At SJSU plagiarism is the act of representing the work of another as one's own (without giving appropriate credit) regardless of how that work was obtained, and submitting it to fulfill academic requirements. Plagiarism at SJSU includes but is not limited to: The act of incorporating the ideas, words, sentences, paragraphs, or parts thereof, or the specific substances of another's work, without giving appropriate credit, and representing the product as one's own work; and representing another's artistic/scholarly works such as musical compositions, computer programs, photographs, painting, drawing, sculptures, or similar works as one's own.  Double-dipping: If you would like to include in your papers any material you have submitted (or plan to submit) to another class, please note that SJSU's Integrity Policy requires approve by both instructors.

FOR STUDENTS WHO NEED ADDITIONAL ACADEMIC HELP: San Jose State University encourages qualified persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing any type of assistance in this course, please tell the instructor as soon as possible so that we can make the necessary accommodations. Presidential Directive 97-03 describes the University's policies and guidelines for securing accommodations for students with disabilities, as well as the procedures for resolving disputes. It is the purpose of this directive to assure that SJSU continues to comply with federal and state legislation and California State University policies regarding the provision of services to students with disabilities.

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