Several researchers have recommended the inclusion of writing exercises in statistics courses. This<br>paper describes the initiation of a course designed to provide statistics students with experience in<br>writing about statistics ideas and results. The curriculum for the new course specifies the procedure for<br>the course, but leaves the statistics content open. Assessment of an "experience" course like this is<br>quite different from assessment of a "statistical techniques" course. A principal aim of the course is to<br>improve students' ability to explain statistical techniques verbally. The process of verbalization is<br>helpful in promoting a deeper understanding of techniques already introduced in earlier courses.<br>This paper describes the strategies used to adapt assessment to this new kind of statistics course. A<br>protocol for marking revised reports as well as checking for authorship is described, as are the<br>component weightings for student grades in the course.
The CAUSE Research Group is supported in part by a member initiative grant from the American Statistical Association’s Section on Statistics and Data Science Education