Assessment analysis - Essay Example

When analyzing the match of content items between the three chapters written on violence in high school and the new expectations for the specifications for the chapters, similarities and differences exist. The basic content of the current three chapters need no deletions. Rather, content items may need to be added or organized differently in order for them to match the new specifications for the chapters. In the first chapter, the majority of content items in the current chapter match those in the new expectations.

Both of these documents consist of the following items: Introduction, Background, Statement of the problem, Purpose, Research questions, Definition of terms, and Summary. In the new expectations though, the items titled "Background" and "Statement of the problem" become one content item and the items titled "Purpose" and "Research questions" also become one content item. Also, the current first chapter has an additional content item titled "School Fighting using Deadly Weapons", whose content should exist as part of the first chapter's introduction described in the new expectations, and another item titled "Significance of the study", whose content should exist as part of the content item "Purpose and research questions" (2007, p. 3, 6). At the same time, the current first chapter lacks the item titled "Content of the action research study/project" which should come between the items "Purpose and research questions" and "Definitions of terms" (2007, p. 7-8). Regarding the order of content items in the first chapter, a difference can be seen.

In the currently written chapter, the order is as follows: Assumptions, Delimitation, Definitions (of terms), and Summary, while in the new expectations, the order is as follows: Content of the action research study/project, Definitions of terms, and Summary. Due to this difference, the content under the item "Assumptions" needs to be moved under the item "Purpose and research questions", while the content under the item "Delimitation" needs to be moved to chapter two under the section "Analyze and Describe the Conceptual Holes, Problems and Needs" (2007, p. 7-8).For the second chapter, both the current chapter and the new expectations consist of the following content items, though some may be titled differently: Introduction, Theoretical Framework, Big Idea(s), Sub Idea(s) for Big Idea(s), and Summary.

The difference between items in the second chapter begins after the item "Big Idea(s)". Before to the chapter summary, the following content items must be included as noted in the new expectations: Analyze and Describe Conceptual Holes, Problems and Needs, Implications for Practice, Implications for Inquiry, and Rationale for Action Research Question and Study Design (2007, p. 11). The third chapter and the new expectations both contain the following content items: Introduction, Action Research Plan ("Research Design" as entitled in the current chapter), Site or Setting ("Site Setting"), Participants ("Population and Sample Size"), Data Gathering Methods and Procedures (divided into two sections entitled "Method of Measurements" and "Procedure"), Ethical Considerations, Data Analysis, and Summary.

Therefore, no changes are needed in the third chapter unless content items are wanted to be titled exactly as labeled in the new expectations of specifications. In regards to the content items located in the appendix, the two items lacking in the current appendix are a cover letter and an example of a consent form for survey participants involved in the project. As noted under the content item "Ethical Considerations" in the new expectations, these should be added (2007, p. 8-10). In order to align the current three chapters with the new expectations, all necessary revisions noted above must be made and the creation of the following content items needs to occur during the rewriting process: Content of the action research study/project (Chapter 1), Analyze and Describe Conceptual Holes, Problems and Needs (Chapter 2), Implications for Practice (Chapter 2), Implications for Inquiry (Chapter 2), Rationale for Action Research Question and Study Design (Chapter 2), Cover Letter (Appendix), and Survey Forms for Participants (Appendix).

It is advised that these changes take place in the total time of three weeks. The organization and sequence of content items should be revised two days max. There are seven major additional content items that must be added to the current chapters. These additions should be written in approximately two and a half weeks, each content item given at least two days to be worked on and added to the current chapters. Therefore, a total of three weeks is recommended for these changes to take place.