ILO: Communication

Suggested Sample Performance Indicators
Program leads are encouraged to establish performance indicators appropriate to the program or discipline. Program leads and faculty are encouraged to use and adapt VALUE rubrics provided by the Association of American Colleges and Universities.

Communication

• Demonstrate interest by making eye contact.
• Use attentive body language, actions, and vocalization to indicate interest (avoid slouching, sighing, looking at a clock or electronic devices).
• Select thoughtful questions, as needed, to clarify understanding.
• Paraphrase or summarize as needed to ensure understanding.
• Explain how avoiding interruptions and side conversations may help the listening process.

• Organizational pattern is clearly and consistently observable within the presentation.
• Language choices are thoughtful and generally support the effectiveness of the presentation; language in presentation is appropriate to audience.
• Delivery techniques (posture, gesture, eye contact, and vocal expressiveness) make the presentation interesting, and the speaker appears comfortable.
• Supporting materials (explanations, examples, illustrations, statistics, analogies, quotations) make appropriate reference to information or analysis that supports the presentation.
• Central message is clear and consistent.

• Identify appropriate vocabulary to paraphrase or summarize the information in a text.
• Use a text to draw inferences about the author’s message and attitude.
• Evaluate a text through interpretation or questioning.
• Explain relations among parts of text, such as effective or ineffective arguments or literary features, in considering how these contribute to a basic understanding of the text as a whole.
• Analyze a text, which might include evaluation of genre, language, tone, stated purpose, logic (including flaws of reasoning), and historical context.

• Demonstrate consideration of context, audience, and purpose and a clear focus on the assigned task.
• Use appropriate and relevant content to develop and explore ideas.
• Follow expectations appropriate to a specific discipline and/or writing task for basic organization, content, and presentation.
• Demonstrate consistent use of credible, relevant sources to support ideas.
• Use standard writing conventions and straightforward language that effectively communicates meaning to readers.

These performance indicators were adapted in part with permission from Assessing Outcomes and Improving Achievement: Tips and tools for Using Rubrics, edited by Terrel L. Rhodes. Copyright 2010 by the Association of American Colleges and Universities.