Each fall the author assigns undergraduate teacher education students to design rubrics that they can use to evaluate auditions for reality television shows like "American Idol." The point is to draw students into a critical reflection on assessment literature and practices they have been studying. Through these reflections, the author has identified six lessons 'American Idol' teaches us about writing assessment: (1) The importance of multiple performances; (2) There is no proxy for expert knowledge; (3) Clearly define the construct being measured; (4) Consistency is best achieved through dialogue; (5) Real audiences matter; and (6) Attend to consequences.
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