Assessing Writing
Wilson, J. (2019). Assessing writing. In S. Graham, C. A. MacArthur, & M. A. Hebert (Eds.), Best practices in writing instruction (3rd ed.). Guilford Press.
This chapter frames writing assessment through an assessment-for-learning lens, asking what students need to learn, where they are now, and how instruction can move them forward. It emphasizes that strong writing assessment depends on drawing accurate inferences from student work and using those inferences to guide teaching.
Key takeaways
- The chapter contrasts assessment of learning with assessment for learning and argues for using assessment data to adjust instruction rather than only evaluate outcomes.
- It identifies five interconnected formative-assessment practices: clarifying success criteria, eliciting student performance, giving feedback that moves writers forward, engaging peer support, and helping students take ownership of learning.
- The chapter explains why writing assessment is especially challenging, since teachers must infer complex, partially hidden writing knowledge and processes from observable performance.
Why it matters
This chapter anchors Dr. Wilson's scholarship in classroom-facing writing assessment practice, translating foundational assessment theory into actionable principles that help teachers use evidence to improve writing instruction.
Coauthors
Joshua Wilson
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