Diagnostic and Value-Added Assessment of Business Writing (Assessing Student Writing Skills‪)‬

To assess students' business writing abilities upon entry into the business program and exit from the capstone course, a multitiered assessment package was developed that measures students' achievement of specific learning outcomes and provides "value-added" scores. The online segment of the test measures five competencies across three process levels; the in-class writing segment measures the same five competencies across higher process levels. The data can then be cross-referenced for multitiered measurements. The learning outcomes are derived from the grading rubric used in the business communication classes, thus bringing classroom grading practices into assessment at the program level. The core competencies, rubric, writing prompt, and sample questions are provided. The process of designing the assessment, engaging faculty participation, and measuring outcomes are detailed. Keywords: assessment; online testing; business writing; higher education; capstone; program assessment