How Long Is the Essay Supposed to Be, Professor? A Literature Review of Feasible Writing Expectations for University Students and In-Class Exams
Disciplines
Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research | Educational Methods | Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
Abstract (300 words maximum)
What is a reasonable amount of writing, in terms of number of paragraphs, that a professor can expect from university students during an hour-long, in-class essay exam? This study is a literature review that attempts to answer this question of how much or how fast a student can be expected to write during an in-class, timed exam. The goal is to summarize previous scholarship on this question using education databases available through Kennesaw State University's library system—particularly, ERIC (Educational Resources Information Center). Search terms include: “written exams,” “essay writing,” “writing speed,” “teacher expectations,” “test expectations,” and “student performance” among others. This study recapitulates existing literature on writing speed and exam expectations to determine a reasonable standard for how much students can be expected to write during an in-class exam. This information could help both students and instructors manage their expectations of writing quantity during timed, in-class exams.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
RCHSS - Sociology & Criminal Justice
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Kenneth White
How Long Is the Essay Supposed to Be, Professor? A Literature Review of Feasible Writing Expectations for University Students and In-Class Exams
What is a reasonable amount of writing, in terms of number of paragraphs, that a professor can expect from university students during an hour-long, in-class essay exam? This study is a literature review that attempts to answer this question of how much or how fast a student can be expected to write during an in-class, timed exam. The goal is to summarize previous scholarship on this question using education databases available through Kennesaw State University's library system—particularly, ERIC (Educational Resources Information Center). Search terms include: “written exams,” “essay writing,” “writing speed,” “teacher expectations,” “test expectations,” and “student performance” among others. This study recapitulates existing literature on writing speed and exam expectations to determine a reasonable standard for how much students can be expected to write during an in-class exam. This information could help both students and instructors manage their expectations of writing quantity during timed, in-class exams.