The incentivized improvement method (IIM): A scalable, effort-driven structure to writing assignments in students

Single-graded submissions are the norm for undergraduate level writing assignments. These do not allow for students to take feedback into consideration to refine their literacy skills, leading to modest progress during post-secondary education. Feedback may be seen as judgmental, with no way to improve their writing. Last, this style of writing does not reflect the real-world editorial process like peer-review. ESL students or those from marginalized demographics may be at a further disadvantage when graded on their writing. To address this, we developed and implemented a standardized writing assignment structure that modelled scientific peer review, dubbed the incentivized improvement method (IIM). Student submitted an initial draft that was evaluated based on the effort of submission, irrespective of errors. The rubric was open-ended and students received very little guidance on their initial submission, but were rather told to explore what they believed was appropriate to include in their work, which fostered creative and student-driven learning. Initial submissions received extensive comments from graders and students revised their work for an additional set of marks. After piloting this system in smaller courses, the IIM was implemented in two large undergraduate statistics courses (total N = 361). An anonymous survey recorded feedback from students (N = 143) across both classes. Overwhelmingly, students agreed that the IIM assisted in improving their writing, critical thinking, and developing additional literacy skills relative to single-submission assignments. Graders also noted that the quality of revised submissions exceeded expected academic performance. Notably, ESL students found the IIM quite effective in developing their English language skills. Importantly, many students’ qualitative feedback indicated that they would prefer the IIM in other STEM-related courses. In conclusion, the IIM, a standardized revision-based writing assignment, is an effective method to improve literacy skills in a diverse undergraduate student population.