A NATIONAL SURVEY OF ASSESSMENT TRENDS IN COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENTS

Results of the survey presented in this article, concerned with how departments of communication were responding to assessment mandates, indicated that most colleges and universities consider the development of oral communication abilities a goal of their general education programs, and that this goal is most frequently operationalized as a required course for students. Course evaluations were the most common source of information on the effectiveness of requirements and programs of study. Faculty seemed more involved in the assessment process at the departmental level than at the school-wide level. The article concludes with recommendations for better assessment of student outcomes.