Resources and Support
Writing S.M.A.R.T. SLOs and SCOs
When writing Student Learning and Student-Centered Outcomes, make them S.M.A.R.T.
- Specific - state who the students are and what program or service they are involved in.
- Measurable - explain how success will be measured. Think about tools--rubrics? tests? surveys? pre-post assessments?
- Actionable - use measurable verbs that fit the Outcome. Will students explain? speak? advocate? calculate? compare? plan?The Citadel Center for Excellence and Innovation in Teaching, Learning, and Distance Education has a comprehensive list of Action Verbs for Outcomes, linked here. The UAC Measures Grab Bag, linked here, has suggestions for measurement tools.
- Relevant - connect to program, college, division, university goals.
- Timebound - when will assessment happen.
Kate Harmon, Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs, Well-being and Inclusion, delivered a presentation on Simplifying SLOs & SCOs: Clear Outcomes for Student Affairs at the GVSU Assessment Conference 2025. Her presentation serves as an excellent resource for developing S.M.A.R.T. outcomes.
Assessment Resources
- General Education at GVSU:
- GenEd Outcomes - Definitions & Rubrics
- Division of Student Services:
- FTLC:
- GVAdvance Guide
- GVAssess Quick Guide
- Create a rubric (Berkeley)
- Examples of rubrics (Syracuse)
- GVPlan Quick Guide
Have a great assessment resource we can post here?
Looking for a particular kind of resource? Email us at [email protected].
Page last modified March 19, 2026