12.1 Summative Writing Assessment

When and Where Did I Find It:   I was doing some re-reading over the Thanksgiving Break in preparation for the Spring term and I came across the terms summative writing assessment and formative writing assessment (which I selected as my term to post for entry 12:2).  I found this term multiple times when reading Chapter 6 of the text, The Digital Writing Workshop, for my LTED 618 class, (HIcks, 2009,  pp. 104-109). The first time it appears is when the author was arguing the point that when assessing students' digital writing, the focus of the assessment still needs to be on the writing "rather than the tools themselves."  He says, "we need to begin thinking about what it means to assess the process and products of digital writing, using means that are both formative and summative" (Hicks, p. 104).    

Full citation 
Hicks, T. (2009).  The digital writing workshop.  Portsmouth, NH:  Heinemann.


What it means: The term summative writing assessment is a term Hicks uses to identify the judgements that are made on a piece of writing while the piece is being created (ie. during the process of writing).   At the same time he uses this description as a way to distinguish these judgements from those made on the final piece (or the product).   

"Formative writing assessments include 'commenting on drafts, soliciting peer response, and holding writing conferences' whereas summative writing assessments are 'a letter grade on a final essay or portfolio, or a standardized test score' (NCTE 2008)" 

                           (as cited in Hicks, 2009, pp. 105-106)

Level of Familiarity: Although I know this term well, it is only in the last three years that I have begun to carefully analyze how particular aspects of summative (and formative assessment) would change in a digital writing workshop.

Do I Want to Know This Word Well and Why?   As a teacher of writing, I do believe I need to consider what Hicks offers here as a way to understand summative (and formative) writing assessment.   However, I was glad to see that Hicks notes that "it may be artificial to divide the two types of assessments in this manner...[and] one could argue that a final portfolio is just as much a formative assessment of the writer as it is a summative assessment of the writing itself" (p. 106) as I would also agree that this analogy does have it's limitations.

Do I Think Others Should Know This Word Well...if so WHO and WHY?   
In our educational culture of high stakes assessments I certainly believe that all teachers need to have an understanding of how judgements are made on their students knowledge and abilities.   Having a clear understanding of summative writing assessments (and formative assessments) would help them to better interpret the results of the State Test data.   I also think this term (and formative writing assessment) are important for my LTED 625 students to know because they provide a richer description and rationale for assigning what Daniels, et.al. call "Public Writing."