Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Writing
Meaningful
Results
Statement
s
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Poorly written results statements. We do not write meaningful results statements that are
measurable and rigorous.
Lack of measures and assessment instruments. We have a tendency to write statements that
do not require students to do anything to demonstrate what they know and/or are able to do.
We almost always fail to write statements that can be measured in meaningful ways.
Lack of detail on session activities. Another counselor reviewing the activity does not have
enough information to successfully conduct the activity.
Without well-written and measurable results statements and clearly defined action steps, it is
impossible to produce quality documentation. The amount of feedback you will need to provide
is proportionate to the quality of the results statements, measures and level of detail.
The Solution
Documentation of essential counseling curriculum activities is an important step in building
counselor capacity for change. It enables counselors to reflect on their best practices, reconsider
what concrete results they want students to achieve, and how they are going to assess student
progress towards the results. It provides a documented curriculum that clearly demonstrates the
breadth and depth of the counseling program. The Writing Meaningful Results Statement
exercise is designed to help you develop results statements that are measurable.
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Specific measures and indicators of successful completion are provided for each results
statement.
For each result we expect students to achieve, we must provide them with opportunities to
demonstrate what they know and can do as a result of their participation in this activity.
Please review the table on the next two pages that provides examples of how to construct a
meaningful results statement. Following the table, other action verbs/results statements to
consider are listed, along with verbs not to use and pitfalls to avoid.
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is something
students do
Analyze
or
evaluate
Draw conclusions
Make recommendations
Steps in
conducting
analysis/
evaluation
Products
[Students
produce]
Oral or
written report
Sample
Academic
Results
Statement
Sample
Career
Results
Statement
Sample
Personal/
Social Results
Statement
[Students will:]
[Students will:]
[Students will:]
Analyze/
evaluate
requirements
for selected
college and/or
careers.
Analyze/
evaluate job
market
information to
determine
earning potential
for selected
careers.
Analyze/
evaluate the
causes of, and
remedies for,
bullying and
how it impacts
their life and
learning.
Analyze/
evaluate their
current and
projected
capacity for
meeting the
requirements.
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is something
students do
Identify and
describe
Develop a
plan
Articulate a vision
Apply continuous
improvement principles
Report on results of
evaluation
Steps in
identifying and
describing
Steps in
developing,
implementing
and evaluating
a plan
Products
[Students
produce]
how process is
used in a
variety of
situations.
Individual
Learning Plans
Sample
Academic
Results
Statement
Sample
Career
Results
Statement
Sample
Personal/
Social Results
Statement
[Students will:]
[Students will:]
[Students will:]
Identify and
describe
requirements
for graduation
Identify and
Identify and
describe
describe
knowledge/skill
requirements for
requirements for a personal safety
selected careers. plan.
Develop a
Develop a
Develop a
plan for their
plan for career
plan for their
graduation and
exploration and
personal/social
academic
selection of
future
future
post-secondary
opportunities
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is something
students do
Employ
or
Utilize
Describe the
conditions/situation to be
addressed
Steps in
identifying
appropriate
responses and
employing/
utilizing those
responses
Products
[Students
produce]
Oral or
written report
based on
students selfreflections on
how they
responded to
specific
conditions/
situations
Sample
Academic
Results
Statement
Sample
Career
Results
Statement
Sample
Personal/
Social Results
Statement
[Students will:]
[Students will:]
[Students will:]
Employ
relaxation/
stress
reduction
skills prior to
state test.
Utilize the
Utilize
results of a
conflict
career inventory resolution skills
to explore
to de-escalate
potential
potentially
careers.
explosive
situations.
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Acquire
Classify
Compare
Define
Demonstrate
Determine
Recommend
Reflect
Report
Summarize
Tabulate
Career
Personal/Social
Verbs to Avoid
The following verbs are not bad verbs, but instead are difficult to measure with any accuracy and certainty the results we can expect students to achieve.
Appreciate
Be aware of
Believe
Enjoy
Grasp the significance of
Learn
Know
Understand
You get knowledge into a students head but do not specify how you expect the student to demonstrate how they applied what they learned. For
everything you put into a students head, you must specify what students can do to apply the knowledge and skills, and provide them an opportunity to
do it.
The activity does not specify how student progress will be assessed (e.g., what instrument will be used).
You do not make results statements specific to the activity and measurable in terms of impact. Do not make pie in the sky claims (e.g., claiming that
student achievement is going to rise as a result of this one activity is like saying student test scores are going to improve as a result of one class
period). Dont specify results that you cannot measure in terms of how it makes a difference in students lives.
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Acquire
Understand
Complete
Employ
Make
Academic A
Acquire the attitudes, knowledge, and skills that contribute to effective learning in school and across the life span.
Academic B
Complete school with the academic preparation essential to choose from a wide range of substantial postsecondary options, including
college.
Academic C
Understand the relationship of academics to the world of work, and to life at home and in the community.
Career A
Acquire the skills to investigate the world of work in relation to knowledge of self and to make informed career decisions.
Career B
Career C
Understand the relationship between personal qualities, education and training, and the world of work.
Personal/Social A
Acquire the attitudes, knowledge, and interpersonal skills to help them understand and respect self and others.
Personal/Social B
Make decisions, set goals, and take necessary action to achieve goals.
Personal/Social C
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Competencies
Academic B
Academic C
Investigate and describe ways in which what they are learning applies to the world of
work, their home, and community. [A-C1]
Career A
Career B
Develop goals and plans for their future, including participation in decision-making
processes regarding their academic preparation. [A-B2]
Demonstrate awareness of what is required to prepare for, and succeed in, a variety of
careers. [C-A2]
Develop, implement and evaluate a plan for acquiring career information using multiple
methods (e.g., Internet, library, letter writing, phone call). [C-B2]
Career C
Describe their personal role and responsibilities in school and the world of work. [CC1]
Personal/Social A
Discuss and give examples of the attitudes, knowledge and interpersonal skills
required for respect of self and others. [PS-A1]
Personal/Social B
Personal/Social C
Discuss and give examples of how they prepare for and use safety and survival skills
in their lives. [PS-C1]
[Source: Framework for School Counseling (2003), Department of Counseling & Social Services, Providence Public Schools, Providence, RI]
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