1. Orientation to Gordon Rule Writing Assignments
CTD300 Reference

2. Gordon Rule Orientation
This online workshop is an orientation to the new
Gordon Rule Writing State requirements for all
faculty teaching a Gordon Rule Course.
Each participant needs to complete a sample writing
assignment that meets the Gordon Rule criteria.

3. Objectives As a result of completing this workshop,
participants will be able to:
Describe the new State-mandated Gordon Rule Writing Requirements at Miami Dade College.
Explain how standard criteria for college level writing assignments will lead to consistency in assuring that students complete writing assignments at the college level.
Embed the descriptors for the Gordon Rule Rubric into a variety of college level writing assignments.
Delineate writing assignments that would normally not fulfill the Gordon Rule and explain why they don’t.

4. Gordon Rule Criteria The following descriptors will be used as the
MDC criteria for “college-level writing”.
The writing will:
have a clearly defined central idea or thesis;
provide adequate support for that idea;
be organized clearly and logically;
utilize the conventions of standard edited American English;
be presented in a format appropriate to the assignment.

5. Rubric 1 2 3 4 Demonstrates Effective Development: Thesis Statement,
Demonstrates Emerging College-Level Writing 1
Demonstrates Satisfactory
College-Level Writing 2
Demonstrates Proficient 3
Demonstrates Exemplary College-Level Writing 4
Demonstrates
Effective
Development:
Thesis
Statement,
Main
points,
Supporting
information
Thesis evident
but support very general and/or inconsistent.
Several factual errors
Thesis evident but supported by a mixture of generalizations and specific detail.
Some factual errors
Thesis, stated or implied, presents a plan of development that is carried out.
Effective supporting details.
Consistent development.
No factual errors.
Stated or implied thesis developed logically, coherently and extensively with convincing, specific supporting details.
Strong evidence of critical thinking.

6. Rubric 1 2 3 4 Demonstrates Exemplary College-Level Writing
Demonstrates Emerging College-Level Writing 1
Demonstrates Satisfactory
College-Level Writing 2
Demonstrates Proficient 3
Demonstrates Exemplary College-Level Writing 4
Demonstrates Effective
Organization of Content
Loose focus on central idea, contains some repetition and digression.
Paragraph
structure weak.
Central idea evident.
Paragraph structure sometimes supports content.
Consistency, logic and transitions show some weaknesses.
Central idea clear.
Paragraph structure uniformly supports content.
Consistency, logic and transitions well managed
Paragraph structure consistently and effectively supports content.
Clear logic and effective transitions

7. Rubric 1 2 3 4 Employs Effective Language
Demonstrates Emerging College-Level Writing 1
Demonstrates Satisfactory
College-Level Writing 2
Demonstrates Proficient 3
Demonstrates Exemplary College-Level Writing 4
Employs
Effective
Language
Frequent errors in word choice.
Sentence structure and mechanics seriously affect clarity.
Word choice correct but simple/ without variety.
Errors in mechanics and/ or usage do not obscure content of assignment.
Word choice accurate, varied.
Occasional errors in sentence structure, usage and mechanics do not hinder writer’s ability to communicate purpose.
Choice of language consistently precise, purposeful.
Nearly flawless sentence structure, usage, mechanics contribute to writer’s ability to communicate purpose.

8. Rubric 1 2 3 4 Addresses Purpose and Audience
Demonstrates Emerging College-Level Writing 1
Demonstrates Satisfactory College-Level Writing 2
Demonstrates Proficient
College-Level Writing 3
Demonstrates Exemplary 4
Addresses
Purpose and Audience 
Wavers in purpose, incompletely addresses assigned topic or directions, shows need for more study of issues.
Style uneven.
Adheres to purpose, fulfills assignment, shows adequate understanding of key issues.
Style generally appropriate to intended audience.
Communicates purpose clearly.
Shows full understanding of issues.
Style consistently effective for intended audience.
Communicates purpose with sophistication.
Beyond understanding of issues, shows insight.
Style engages audience, establishes writer’s credibility.

9. Creating Effective Assignments
A detailed a writing assignment will help students write more effective papers.
Directions should be explicit for students because they will treat assignments as though they were step-by-step instructions.
The following explicit directions should appear on the syllabus or an "assignment sheet":
type of writing expected
scope of acceptable subject matter
length requirements
formatting requirements
documentation format
amount or type of research expected (if any)

10. Creating Effective Assignments
Defining the writing task should include:
Guidance about the paper's main focus
Purpose of the assignment (e.g., inform, analyze, explain, persuade).
Required format/ structure (e.g., essay, report, business plan)
Mode for the assignment (e.g., description, analysis, persuasion)

11. Creating Effective Assignments
Defining the evaluative criteria should include the quality
of: 
organization
focus
critical /original thinking
logic/ reasoning
structure and format
research and sources
grammar and mechanics
style/ tone
correct use of course concepts and terms
depth of coverage

12. Gordon Rule and the Course Syllabus
The MDC criteria for “college-level writing” ideally
should appear in the course syllabus, either embedded as
guidelines/directions for each “college-level writing assignment”
(criterion #1 of the MDC Gordon Rule requirements) or as
general requirements for passing the course.
Let’s look at how one MDC professor has done this.
Syllabus

13. Gordon Rule and the Assignment Sheets
Additionally, the MDC criteria for “college-level
writing” should appear on assignment sheets that
provide directions and guidelines.
Let’s look at some examples of assignments that
provide evidence of college-level writing .

14. Writing assignments that normally provide evidence of college-level writing
Essays
Interviews
Process Papers
Reviews
Reports
Journals
Project plans
Case studies
Lab reports
Feasibility Studies
Business plans
Manuals
Written examinations
Evaluated drafts
Research papers
Discussion question responses
Portfolios
Pdf files of each sample writings will be avail via web. Test to see if we can link these items as hyperlinks

15. Writing assignments that do not provide evidence of college-level writing
The following types of writing assignments do not fulfill the Gordon Rule requirement because they do not meet the five criteria (central thesis; adequate support; organization; grammar/punctuation; format/style).
Resumes
Freewriting s
Brainstorming
Creative Writing
Annotations
PowerPoint Presentation
One-Minute Paper
Pdf files of each sample writings will be avail via web. Test to see if we can link these items as hyperlinks

16. Review of Learning Objectives
A task force was appointed to define criteria for multiple college level writing assignments, and to draft a rubric and guidelines.
Students must successfully complete a minimum of three college level writing assignments
The five criteria for college level writing used in the Gordon Rule rubric have been identified: thesis, development, organization, language, format
Samples of a variety of writing assignments show how the criteria in the Gordon Rule Rubric can be embedded in detailed assignment sheets and course syllabi.
Samples of some writing assignments show what types of assignments normally do not fulfill the Gordon Rule requirements.
Overall, the use of the rubric and detailed assignment descriptions lead to consistency and uniformity in the standards of students’ college level writing assignments.

17. Assignment
To successfully complete the Gordon Rule Orientation workshop each
participant will need to post a writing assignment to SharePoint that
meet the Gordon Rule criteria for writing assignments.
Design or construct a writing assignment for your Gordon Rule class
that fulfills the MDC Gordon Rule Requirement using detailed
guidelines and instructions like those in the sample assignments
provided.

18. References Essay Assignment
Gil, Teri and Laura Ciancanelli. “Unit #2 - Description and Analysis of a Remembered
Person or Place.” Compu/Com: Southern Illinois
University, Carbondale. 5 Dec
Process Paper Assignment
Trella, Katherine. “English 12 – Academic Process Analysis Essay.” Tippecanoe School
Corporation.
Report Assignment
Ernie Enchelmayer. “Creating a Report.” Compu/Com: Southern Illinois University,
Carbondale. 5 Dec
Project Plan Assignment
“CIS375 Assignment.” College of Engineering and Computer Science, University of
Michigan Dearborn. 6 Dec
Business Plan Assignment
Jenquin, Kathy. “Writing 109EC: Business Plan Assignment.” Writing Program, University
of California Santa Barbara. 5 Dec

19. References Written Examinations Assignment
Beckett, Katherine. “Sociology 372: Crime, Politics & Justice Final Essay Exam
Questions.” Sociology, University of Washington. 5 Dec.
Research Paper Assignment
Buranen, Lise. “The Research Paper Assignment.” University Writing Center. CAL State,
L.A. 5 Dec
Portfolio Assignment
McNeil, Kenneth. “Writing Portfolio Assignment.” Eastern Connecticut State University. 5
Dec
Interviewing Assignment
Sullivan, Amy. “Informational Interview Assignment.” Queens University of Charlotte. 5
Dec
Review Assignment
Dorsey, Bruce. “Book Review Assignment. History 41: The American Colonies
Swarthmore College. 5 Dec

20. References Journal Assignment
Soule, Molly and Andresse St. Rose. “Journal Writing :
Bungee Jumping for the Brain.” Hamilton College. 5 Dec
Case Study Assignment
Richardson, Tim. “Case Study Assignment.” University of Toronto at Scarborough. 5 Dec.
Feasibility Study Assignment
Clemens, Linda. “Rhetoric 3562 Assignment #5: Collaborative Feasibility Study— Report
and Oral Presentation.” Department of Rhetoric, University of Minnesota. 5 Dec
ens/Clemensreport.pdf
Manual Assignment
Goeller, Michael. “The User Manual.” Business and Technical Writing: Rutgers University. 5 Dec
Discussion Question Responses Assignment
Stone, Maureen and Polle Zellweger. “Reading Responses and Discussion Questions.” Information
Visualization and Aesthetics, University of Washington. 5 Dec
Resume Assignment
Overgaard, Nicky. “Resume Assignment.”University of Minnesota, Crookston.

21. References Email Assignment
Warnick, Quinn. “ Assignment Constructing an Effective Message.” ISUComm: Iowa State
University. 5 Dec
Creative Writing Assignments
MacAuley, William. “Suggestions for Creative Writing Assignments.” Faculty Resources. The College of
Wooster. 5 Dec
PowerPoint Presentation Assignment
Bourgeois, Christina. “Assignment Sheet: PowerPoint Presentation ECE 2301: Digital Design Lab.”
Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Tech. 5 Dec
Freewriting Assignment
Ulrich, Melanie R. “Freewriting.” University of Texas.
Brainstorming Assignment
Wallace, David. “Brainstorming.” Product Engineering Processes, MIT. 5 Dec
Annotation/commentary Assignment
Cooper, Elizabeth J. “Writing Assignment for the Annotation/commentary on a Major Article in the Field.”
Virginia Commonwealth University.
One Minute paper Assignment
Pimple, Kenneth. “Using Short Writing Assignments in Teaching Research Ethics1.” Poynter Center for
the Study of Ethics and American Institutions, Indiana University Bloomington. 5 Dec

22. Web Resources
College Term Papers, Homework Help,
Dictionary.com,
Gordon Rule,
Gordon Rule Guidelines,
Internet Public Library, Styles and Writing Guides,
Teaching and Learning Links,
The Owl Family of Sites, Purdue University,
Writing Colorado State University,