A Theoretical Introduction Cont.

While scholars have acknowledged the importance of these new compositions, debate still exists about how to approach their assessment. The question remains: Must we assess multimodal compositions differently than we might a traditional academic essay that solely relies on alphabetic text?

According to Madeleine Sorapure (2006) in "Between Modes: Assessing Student New Media Compositions, "it is a mistake to assess multimodal compositions using a broad rhetorical approach." In her article, she argues for assessing mutimodal compositions by examining the integration of the modes being used. Specifically, she suggests using metaphor and metonymy to discuss multimodal compositions. As Sorapure (2006) puts it:

The weakness of a broad rhetorical approach is that it doesn’t in itself offer any specific guidance or criteria for handling the multimodal aspects of the composition. Moreover, assessment is very much about context and needs to take into account the particular circumstances of the course, the students, and the teacher, as well as the possibilities afforded by the assignment, the modes, and the medium. Even if it were possible, then, it would be unwise to apply a set of assessment criteria to all types of assignments at all places (p.3).

Although we agree with Sorapure (2006) that assessment must take the context of a particular course into consideration, we argue that a rhetorical approach does encompass the context and the affordances of multimodal projects. Here, we align ourselves with the work done by Cynthia L. Selfe and Pamela Takayoshi (2007) in Multimodal Composition: Resources for Teachers, a book that explores how literacy is changing because of new media and technology and how instructors can develop effective pedagogical methods to meet this change. The book illustrates strategies that allow instructors to integrate multimodal theory and practice within the classroom, specifically through audio and video assignments. In Chapter One, "Thinking about Multimodality," Pamela Takayoshi and Selfe (2007) argue that “Conventional rhetorical principles such as audience awareness, exigence, organization, correctness, arrangement, and rhetorical appeals are necessary considerations for authors of successful audio and visual compositions” (p.5). Not only are the rhetorical principles Selfe (2007) lists effective in assessing multimodal compositions, but instructors may even need to give them more weight than they have previously done in their current assessment practices:

In some ways, many classical rhetorical principles of communication—in which the study of composition is grounded—may be more difficult to ignore in audio and visual compositions. These rhetorical principles of communication--which composition teachers have applied primarily to literate communication--also apply, just as appropriately to multimodal compositions. Teachers less willing to make such a leap might be encouraged to remember that the rhetorical principles currently used to teach written composition are, themselves, principles translated from the study of oral communication. To include additional oral and visual elements in composition might be seen as a return to rhetoric's historical concerns (p.5).

Traditional writing program rubrics, like the one we are required to use at Ball State University, are based upon the rhetorical principles that Selfe mentions above. Therefore, we feel that a traditional writing program rubric can be applied to multimodal compositions to assess them effectively. It is important to note that the rubric we must use does not use categories like the traditional ethos, pathos, and logos; however, each category the rubric has is based on rhetorical principles.  Similarly, the principles we focus on for assessment of multimodal compositions are grounded, as previously illustrated with Selfe, in traditional rhetorical principles.

The theories we present here allow us an entryway into understanding the importance that assessment plays in multimodal compositions. Clearly, these scholars all agree that students are living in a digital age filled with messages composed with elements such as text, image, audio, and video. As composition instructors, we must not only teach our students how to analyze the rhetorical nature of these multimodal texts, but also create their own multimodal texts in the process. In assigning these student tasks, we take on the responsibility of carefully looking at the methods we use to assess both alphabetic and multimodal texts. Without relying on a consistent method in assessing these texts, we do our students a major disservice when we evaluate and comment on their work. By learning how to translate grading categories from a traditional writing rubric to multimodal texts, we can use the same rubric during the grading process regardless of if students are being asked to complete a single-mode or multiple-mode assignment.

As our next section demonstrates, many composition instructors are still concerned about the best ways in which to assess their students’ multimodal texts. Our hope is that this project gives these instructors some insight into one assessment method using a writing rubric that can be easily interpreted for both alphabetic and multimodal assignments. Additionally, we hope this serves as a tool for instructors who are crafting both assignments and assessment criteria for multimodal compositions.

Preface   Intro I   Survey Results   WP Rubric  
Student Examples  Conclusion   Works Cited   About Us