The Writing Across the Curriculum movement sensitized institutions to the need for institutionwide commitment to improving student writing. At the University of South Florida, a widely used rubric has offered a powerful method for moving from spoken commitment to real change.

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The development of the Cognitive Level and Quality of Writing Assessment online system is described in this chapter. Beginning with needs identified in a learning community program, the system evolved from a classroom analytic writing and thinking assessment rubric to an online system for classroom assessment and instructional purposes. Reflecting the assessment cycle, the system is equally appropriate for program or institutional assessment of student learning. Over a period of twelve years, assessment, survey, and research data guided changes and additions to the rubric and system. Preliminary data suggest using the system for peer review improves students’ writing and thinking.

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