Metacognitive Essay Assignment—EIPT 5033 Overview: The metacognitive essay builds on the skills of monitoring and revising research and evaluation design process and products. It is an essay that articulates how you have learned and applied research and evaluation principles, including incorporating feedback to improve it. The metacognitive essay includes illuminating your reasoned decision-making process regarding potentially contrasting feedback, and supplying robust rationales for strategic research design choices. The metacognitive essay is a clearly written, well-organized scholarly essay that follows all rules and practices of academic writing. Reflect on your development of knowledge and skill in research and evaluation. Structure the essay around a set of thematic ideas and then support with evidence from your work this semester. Include reference to what you understand to be the quality standards for research design and utilization, and your development toward those standards. Follow all general assignment guidelines and APA format throughout. In terms of content, include any and all elements of your research-related knowledge and skill development, from whatever sources and experiences. As to coursework (called “major assignments” below), focus on the Literature Review components, Study Designs and Article Critiques. First, begin the essay with a coherent introductory paragraph that frames your work and sets the reader up to understand clearly what will follow. This paragraph may include something about your research-related education and experience prior to this class, and what you needed and expected to gain from it. However, remember that the focus of the metacognitive essay is less on your course experience per se (ie. What you did in the class) and more on your research and evaluation experiences and development while in the course (what you learned and gained from it). Second, for the whole semester’s work, address the following: 1) overarching principles you learned and practiced; 2) what you know about research and can do with it that you didn’t know or couldn’t do before you took this class; and 3) how you anticipate using that knowledge and those skills in your current job or future career. Third, for each major assignment you did this semester, discuss the following: 1) the purpose of the assignment and the task involved in it; 2) your general approach along with rationales for that approach; 3) an evaluation of your success (based on your own self-assessment, grade, and all feedback); 4) what you learned and practiced in this assignment and how those skills are exemplified in it. Conclude the metacognitive essay with an evaluation of what research-related skills you still need to develop and refine, and a future-oriented plan of how you will seek out the information, and what resources and expertise you will need to support that development. Cite and supply references for any sourced material you refer to in the metacognitive essay. These are minimum requirements rather than limiters. You may certainly add any components that enhance understanding of your learning and skill development. EIPT 5033 Intro. To Research & Evaluation in Education, (OU), Hardré 2017, rev. 1/6/17