{"id":3891,"date":"2012-08-18T00:49:51","date_gmt":"2012-08-18T05:49:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kabt.org\/?p=3891"},"modified":"2012-09-07T12:38:26","modified_gmt":"2012-09-07T17:38:26","slug":"6-tips-to-help-students-write-better-answers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kabt.org\/?p=3891","title":{"rendered":"6 Tips to Help Students Write Better Answers"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cWhat are you Talking About?\u201d<\/span><\/h2>\n

Note: You can also download this article<\/a> as a PDF.<\/strong>

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Background:<\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\n
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\"What?\"<\/a>Instruction is a two-way street. When teachers ask questions, we usually expect something in return.\u00a0 An answer.\u00a0 There seems to be a belief that if a student knows content, then he or she will be able to correctly answer questions about that content.\u00a0 There\u2019s a problem, however.\u00a0 Knowing what you know and knowing how to communicate what you know are two different things.<\/p>\n

One thing I\u2019ve noticed about teachers is that we ask our students lots of questions.\u00a0 We bombard our students with questions.\u00a0 It\u2019s an important part of the instructional cycle.\u00a0 We need their feedback.<\/p>\n

Questions can be placed along a spectrum.\u00a0 At the far left exists the dichotomous true\/ false, yes\/no questions.\u00a0 Move a little to the right and you find the multiple choice or fill in the blank type questions. \u00a0We call these questions \u201cclose-ended\u201d because they require no elaboration.\u00a0 At the other end of the spectrum is the open-ended question that must be answered with an extended explanation.<\/p>\n

The outcome of an open-ended question has a multifactor determination. \u00a0Conceptual knowledge, clarity of the question, and communication skills all influence a student response.\u00a0 In this article I describe 6 tips for improving student responses to open-ended questions.<\/p>\n

In my career as a biology teacher, I\u2019ve graded thousands of open-ended questions. \u00a0I\u2019ve discovered that weak responses are often the result of vague or subjective language.\u00a0 I assumed these responses were written by students who didn\u2019t care or know enough to write more.\u00a0 While this was probably the case for some, another theory occurred to me: Poor descriptive writing skill could manifest itself as lack of content comprehension.<\/strong><\/p>\n

As I approached students about their responses, something familiar began to emerge in their feedback. \u00a0The students figured I\u2019d be able to interpret what they meant.\u00a0 After all, they were trying to describe something I taught them.\u00a0 Why wouldn\u2019t I understand their unclear pronouns or subjective descriptors?\u00a0 We both witnessed the same experiment or viewed the same diagram referenced in the question.\u00a0 I guess my students had a point.\u00a0 But, their answers were still wrong.<\/p>\n

I have to confess, I\u2019ve often given my students the benefit of the doubt.\u00a0 If they were in the ballpark, I\u2019d give them the point. \u00a0But this practice is detrimental for two reasons.\u00a0 If I assume they know something and they do, then I\u2019ve promoted mediocrity.\u00a0 If I assume they know something and they don\u2019t, then I\u2019ve promoted ignorance.<\/p>\n

For illustration purposes, consider a question based on the graph below.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Beak<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0Question:<\/strong> Describe the difference between Finch A<\/strong> and Finch C.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0Student A Response:<\/strong> Finch A has a bill width of 9.9mm and Finch C has a bill width of 9.2mm.\u00a0 Finch A has a wider beak than Finch C.<\/p>\n

Student B Response:<\/strong> It\u2019s bigger than C.<\/p>\n

The response of Student A<\/em> is correct and is supported by a clear and logical interpretation of the data.\u00a0 What about the response of Student B<\/em>?\u00a0 If the teacher assumes that \u201cit\u201d refers to the beak width of Finch A and that \u201cC\u201d refers to the bill width of Finch C, Student B<\/em> is correct.\u00a0 This begs the question, where do we draw the line?\u00a0 Do we prop up weak responses with assumptions or do we value communication skills at the same level we value content comprehension?\u00a0 I vote for the latter.<\/p>\n

So how do we incorporate writing instruction into the science classroom?\u00a0 Simple, we teach our students how to be more descriptive and then give them opportunities to practice.\u00a0 It\u2019s never too late to make your students better writers.<\/p>\n

The idea of teaching writing strategies in a class like biology is nothing new.\u00a0 The concept is called writing across the curriculum (WAC) and has been around since the 1980s.\u00a0 The internet is ripe with websites offering WAC strategies.\u00a0 Many of these sites are maintained by university English departments; one example is the Purdue Online Writing Lab<\/a>.<\/p>\n

If you want to see quick improvements in your students\u2019 written responses to science questions, follow my 6 Tips to Help Students Write Better Answers.<\/em>\u00a0You can find a printable version at the end of the article.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\u00a06 Tips to Help Students Write Better Answers<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
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  1. Avoid vague pronouns.<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0 Words like \u201cit,\u201d \u201cthat,\u201d and \u201cthey\u201d should only be used when it is obvious to which nouns they refer.\u00a0 Consider the following statement, \u201cThe cell was hard to see through the microscope because it was dark.\u201d\u00a0 What does \u201cit\u201d refer to?\u00a0 Was the room too dark?\u00a0 Was the cell too dark? Was the microscope too dark? Were you working at night and it was dark outside?\u00a0 A better statement is, \u201cThe microscope did not produce enough light to see the cell clearly.\u201d<\/li>\n
  2. Avoid subjective statements.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/strong>Subjective statements are influenced by opinion.\u00a0 The following statement is subjective. \u201cThe water temperature dropped quickly.\u201d\u00a0 Quickly compared to what? A snail?\u00a0 A rocket ship?\u00a0 \u00a0DO NOT assume others share your opinion as to the meaning of subjective words (e.g., fast, slow, loud, quiet, big, and small).\u00a0 A better statement is, \u201cThe temperature decreased at a rate of 50<\/sup>C per minute.<\/li>\n
  3. \u00a0Use quantitative statements whenever possible.<\/span><\/strong> Quantitative<\/em> statements deal with measurable values and provide much greater detail.\u00a0 This is opposed to qualitative<\/em> statements that deal with non-measurable qualities (e.g. blue, green, hard, soft).\u00a0 An example of a qualitative statement is:\u00a0 \u201cWe used a rectangular piece of filter paper.\u201d\u00a0 An example of a quantitative statement is: \u201cWe used a 10cm x 5cm piece of filter paper.\u201d The second statement is more specific.<\/li>\n
  4. \u00a0<\/strong>Don\u2019t use science jargon that you don\u2019t understand.<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0 Using science vocabulary correctly can really showcase your understanding of a concept.\u00a0 However, resist the temptation to toss fancy science terms around if you don\u2019t really know what they mean.\u00a0 A misused science term can dramatically change the entire meaning of your response. Your best answers will state what you know using words that you know.<\/li>\n
  5. \u00a0<\/strong>Answer the question.<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0 Leaving a question blank is bad.\u00a0 Writing something like \u201cIDK\u201d or \u201cI can\u2019t remember\u201d is even worse!\u00a0 If you leave the question blank, the teacher might (for a brief moment) think you didn\u2019t see the question.\u00a0 However, acknowledging the question and then indicating your unwillingness to respond is shameful.\u00a0 If you don\u2019t even try, your failure is instantaneous.\u00a0 Keep it in the ballpark and give your best guess.\u00a0 Do this and you retain two things, a chance of being right, and your teacher\u2019s respect.<\/li>\n
  6. Avoid the \u201call filler, no thriller\u201d trap.<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0 Sometimes, when faced with a blank line and blank mind, students will rewrite the question in hopes that this alone will earn a few points.\u00a0 Don\u2019t do it.\u00a0 Teachers can spot that trick from a mile away.\u00a0 In addition, when in doubt, don\u2019t blabber about with transitional statements (e.g., however, nevertheless, moreover). These practices may take up extra space but they won\u2019t give you extra points. \u00a0Consider the following example as an illustration.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Question<\/strong>: Compare and contrast the structural organization of the nucleic acids DNA and RNA.<\/em><\/p>\n

    Answer:<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Comparing and contrasting the structural organization of the nucleic acids DNA and RNA is a noble pursuit.\u00a0 Without a doubt, DNA is a nucleic acid; however, surprisingly, RNA is also a nucleic acid.\u00a0 Obviously, they are alike; nevertheless, they are not the same.\u00a0 Furthermore, another equally important fact is that DNA is a three letter word.\u00a0 Meanwhile, RNA is also a three letter word.\u00a0 Although this may be true, DNA begins with the letter \u201cD\u201d and RNA begins with the letter \u201cR.\u201d\u00a0 Evidently, these are not the same letters.\u00a0 In conclusion, DNA and RNA are nucleic acids and, as I have shown, one may find many ways to compare and contrast them.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    The example above is, of course, an exaggeration, which highlights something else to avoid, hyperbole.\u00a0 Students always<\/span> use hyperbole!<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Article References:
    \n<\/em>    The Everyday Writer
    \n<\/a>    Purdue Online Writing Lab
    \n<\/a>    Lynchburg College Writing Center<\/a><\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    \u00a0An exercise to promote descriptive writing in science<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

    Procedure:<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n