1 minute essay on

Search Rochester.edu

• Teaching Guidance

The One-Minute Paper

A one-minute paper is simply that: students are given 60 seconds—either at the end of a section of work, or at the end of a lecture period—to jot down on paper some anonymous responses to an aspect of that day's class session. They drop these responses into a box at the front of the class, which you then take to your office. Then you read the responses to get a sense of what the students have learned, where there might be gaps in their knowledge, what aspects of your teaching practice they are responding to, and so on. The function of this exercise is solely to get a ‘dipstick’ measurement that you can respond to in a subsequent class session, by email, or on Blackboard.

Bearing in mind that the students only have one minute to write a response, you might provide prompts like the following:

• Write down the three key things you learned in today's lecture.
• In your own words, tell me what you understand about [ insert concept here ].
• What was the most confusing point in today's class?
• How useful was the group exercise that we did in class today? Please give details.

A yes or no answer does not help you much, so it is a good idea to word your question so that it elicits as much detail as possible. If you wish to explore the one-minute paper technique further, please feel free to get in touch with us .

College Educator Workshops & Conferences

Student Success, Retention & Engagement | On Course

One-Minute Paper

INTRODUCTION: A “one-minute paper” may be defined as a very short, in-class writing activity (taking one-minute or less to complete) in response to an instructor-posed question, which prompts students to reflect on the day’s lesson and provides the instructor with useful feedback. This strategy was originally developed by a Physics professor at the University of California, Berkeley (cited in Davis, Wood, & Wilson, 1983), then popularized by Cross and Angelo (1988) as one of a wide variety of quick “classroom assessment techniques” (CATs)—designed to provide instructors with anonymous feedback on what students are learning in class. For example, students write a one-minute paper in response to such questions as, “What was the most important concept you learned in class today? Or, “What was the ‘muddiest’ or most confusing concept covered in today’s class?”

While the original purpose of the one-minute paper was to assess student learning at the end of a day’s lesson, I have adapted the one-minute paper, shortened its name to “minute paper,” and used it for other purposes. In particular, I use minute papers less as a content-centered, instructional feedback strategy, and more as a student-centered reflection strategy designed to help students discover their own meaning in relation to concepts covered in class, and to build instructor-student rapport. Furthermore, I do not have students write minute papers anonymously and I do not employ them exclusively at the end of class; I give them at other times during the class period as well.

The following sections of this article are devoted to a description of (a) the types of questions I ask as prompts for minute papers, (b) the times during a class period when I use minute papers, and (c) the advantages I have found to be associated with minute papers.

QUESTIONS USED AS MINUTE-PAPER PROMPTS

Over the years, I have used a wide range of questions as prompts for minute papers. Below, I have listed some of my most frequently used minute-paper questions and attempted to categorize them in terms of what cognitive or affective dimension of the student’s learning experience they are designed to prompt.     

*Without looking at your notes, what was most memorable or stands out in your mind about today’s class? *What was the most surprising and/or unexpected idea expressed in today’s discussion? *Looking back at your notes, what would you say was the most stimulating idea discussed in today’s class? *For you, what interesting questions remain unanswered about today’s topic?

*In your opinion, what was the most useful idea discussed in today’s class? *During today’s class, what idea(s) struck you as things you could or should put into practice? *What example or illustration cited in today’s class could you relate to the most?

Attitudes/Opinions:

*Would you agree or disagree with this statement: . . .? Why? *What was the most persuasive or convincing argument (or counterargument) that you heard expressed in today’s discussion? *Was there a position taken in today’s class that you strongly disagreed with, or found to be disturbing and unsettling? *What idea expressed in today’s class strongly affected or influenced your personal opinions, viewpoints, or values?

*What did you perceive to be the major purpose or objective of today’s class?  *What do you think was the most important point or central concept communicated during today’s presentation?   

Conceptual Connections:

*What relationship did you see between today’s topic and other topics previously covered in this course? *What was discussed in class today that seemed to connect with what you are learning or have learned in other course(s)?

More recently, I have attempted to define and classify the major forms of higher-level  (higher-order) thinking processes that we intend to promote in higher education, and tried to design a set of minute-paper questions to prompt each of these forms of thinking. I am now attempting to use this classification system to help me become more intentional and systematic in my selection of thought-provoking questions for minute papers.

TIMES DURING THE CLASS PERIOD WHEN MINUTE PAPERS ARE PROMPTED

There are three times or junctures during the class period when I use minute papers: (a) at the end of class, (b) at the start of class, and (c) in the middle of class.

Most frequently, I use minute papers at the END of a class to have students reflect back and think more deeply about the most important concept discussed in class that day. This provides a meaningful sense of “closure” to the class session and focuses student attention on the major point or issue addressed, thereby increasing the likelihood that they will “consolidate” it into long-term memory. A number of research studies indicate that, if students engage in a short review of material presented to them at the end of a class period, they retain almost twice as much of its factual and conceptual content when tested for it at a later point in time (e.g., two months later) (Menges, 1988).

I also use minute papers at the START of class to activate (“turn on”) ideas and feelings students may already have about the material to be covered in the upcoming class. For example, if the topic is “Stress,” I may ask them: “When you hear the word ‘stress,’ what immediately comes to your mind?” Or, “In 3-4 sentences, tell me what you know about ‘stress’?” This type of anticipatory question serves to activate students’ prior knowledge and beliefs about the topic to be covered, prior to coverage of it, which readies the brain to make connections between the ideas they are about to encounter and the ideas they have already stored in their brain. As an instructor, it also provides me with early feedback about what prior knowledge or misconceptions students have about the topic, so I can attempt to build on their knowledge or dismantle their misconceptions.

Periodically, I will also ask for a minute paper DURING the class period, especially right after discussion of a key point. This serves to trigger student reflection on that point before another point is introduced, and it also serves to interrupt or “punctuate” class with an exercise that has students act on and do something in response to the ideas they are hearing. I believe that this mid-class interruption of discourse with an action task keeps students more alert and more mentally active during class, and intercepts the natural attention “drift” that takes place after they have been receiving (hearing) information for an extended period of time. Research indicates that student attention and comprehension are strengthened by short pauses that encourage mental activity in the middle of class presentations—for example “Tear out half a sheet of paper and write your reaction to the presentation thus far” (Bligh, 2000).

ADVANTAGES OF THE MINUTE PAPER

I have found that minute papers have multiple advantages, some of which I anticipated in advance and others that I discovered serendipitously while in the process of implementing them. These anticipated and unanticipated advantages are listed below.

1. Minute papers can provide a “conceptual bridge” between successive class periods. For instance, at the beginning of class, a quick review of student responses to a minute paper answered at the end of a previous class can provide and effective segue between successive class sessions.

2. Minute papers can improve the quality of class discussion by having students write briefly about a concept or issue before they begin discussing it. I have found that this gives the more reflective students a chance to gather their thoughts prior to verbalizing them, and benefits students who are more fearful of public speaking by giving them a script to fall back on (or build on) and use as a support structure for communicating their ideas orally.

3. Minute papers are an effective way of involving all students in class simultaneously. It ensures equal participation of each and every class member, including anyone who may be too shy or fearful to participate orally. It sends a message of high expectations—namely, each and every student is expected to participate and has something important to contribute—no matter what their cultural background or prior level of academic preparedness. To further ensure equal opportunity for participation, I sometimes ask for a minute paper in response to the following question: “During our class (or small-group) discussion today, what thoughts came to your mind that you did not get the opportunity to share verbally?

4. Minute papers can be used to stimulate and facilitate discussion of diversity. Sometimes, I’ll look for thematic or distinguishing patterns in the minute-paper responses of students of different age, gender, ethnic background, or national citizenship. I’ll report these patterns to the whole class at the start of the next session, and ask the class how they might interpret or explain the differences (and similarities) in the responses of various groups.

5. Minute papers can promote class attendance and attentiveness. I award points for completed minute papers that count toward students’ final course grade, and I do not allow students to make-up missed minute papers. I do allow students two “free” or “forgiven” minute papers for the term, so if they are absent on two days when minute papers are assigned, they will not lose those points. I adopt this forgiving policy simply because students are people, and people can get sick (physically and mentally) and have responsibilities (personal and familial) that sometimes compete with their scholastic commitments. Students who are in class for all minute papers are allowed to “bank” extra credit for the two “free” minute papers that they were entitled to, but did not use.

I have found that students are more likely to come to class if they know they are going to gain points, even if those points are not awarded every single class period. I do not assign minute papers in every class period; so, in effect, they function as a type of “pop quiz” that can be given in any class at any time. For readers familiar with Skinnerian principles of behavioral reinforcement, periodically assigning minute papers in this manner serves to reward students on a “variable schedule of reinforcement,” which is known to produce high response rates—in this case, high attendance rates.

Furthermore, students are rewarded for actually doing something in class, rather than merely “showing up.” Thus, students are rewarded for their involvement, and since attendance is a precondition or prerequisite for this involvement, they are also indirectly rewarded for coming to class. In contrast, most class-attendance policies do not positively reinforce student attendance; instead, they use negative reinforcement by penalizing students for missing class—i.e., points are taken away (subtracted).

In addition to promoting student attendance and involvement, minute papers can also be used to increase the likelihood that students will remain in class for the full duration of the class period. One faculty colleague of mine began using minute papers at the end of his biology labs, and this practice had an immediate impact on reducing the number of students who left before his 3-hour laboratory period ended. Another colleague has used minute papers at the very start of class to encourage punctuality and discourage tardiness. If the student is not in class at the time the question is asked, they cannot answer it and gain the points associated with it.

6. Minute papers are a more efficient way to promote writing-across-the curriculum than the traditional term paper. A minute paper is a shorter, more focused, writing-to-learn assignment that promotes greater reflection and deeper thinking in the classroom than the writing which takes place when students engage in rote recording of lecture notes.

Student receive full credit (usually five points) for the minute paper, no matter what they write, because the question does not ask for correct or incorrect answers; instead, it solicits their personal perceptions and experiences. The only thing I insist on for students to receive full credit is that they write complete sentences. Before their first minute paper, I point out that one purpose of this exercise is to develop their writing skills, because writing and thinking are strongly interrelated. When I read their papers, I correct spelling and grammatical errors, but do not subtract points for such mistakes. I will, however, subtract points if students do not attempt to use complete sentences. I do not subtract points on their first “offense;” instead, I point out that what they should do next time. A “repeat offender” is reminded one more time about not using complete sentences, and is warned that full credit will not be awarded for a third offense. This practice has effectively encouraged students to put effort into their in-class writing, without causing them to feel unduly threatened or unfairly penalized in the process.

7. Minute papers can function as an ongoing learning log or learning journal for the course. I have students complete successive minute papers on the same piece(s) of paper, so by the end of the term, they have a consecutive series of entries that approximates a learning log or journal. This also allows students to conveniently view their previous responses, along with my responses to them, which can sometimes help students see connections across course concepts and help them prepare for exams.

8. Minute papers can be used to personally validate students. It is not uncommon to find an example or experience cited in a student’s minute paper that powerfully illustrates a point I intend to make in class. I’ll jot down that student’s response on a post-it sticker and quote the student when I get to that point in class. (Naturally, I select quotes that are poignant and powerful, but not personal.). Students are often touched by this practice, because it validates their contribution, and more importantly, validates them as individuals. Sometimes, when I get a particularly eloquent or insightful response from a student, I include the student’s quote and name on an overhead transparency and project it at the start of class. This has turned out to be a particularly potent way to validate students; I’ve noticed that they often seem to be visibly flattered by being publicly recognized, and seeing their name and words “published” in print and showcased on screen.

9. Minute papers can help instructors identify course concepts that are most important or significant by encouraging them to step back and ask, “What is the most important idea or message that I want students to think about before they leave class today?” Minute papers have encouraged me to think more carefully about how to prioritize course content and to identify “core” concepts that I want students to examine deeply.

10. Minute papers can help the instructor learn student names if students are asked to come up to the front of the room individually to turn in their minute papers at the end of class session, and if students are called by name to come up individually and retrieve their papers at the start of the next class session. I use minute papers more frequently at the beginning of the term, not only to get students in the habit of regularly coming to class, but also to help me learn their names more rapidly. At the start of the term, I intentionally assign minute papers at the very end of class and allow students to leave when they finish writing. Individual students invariably finish their papers at different rates, so they do not all exit the room at the same time. When each student comes up to hand-in his or her minute paper, it give me the opportunity to view each student’s face and name (on the minute paper) simultaneously, which expedites my learning of student names. Moreover, at the start of the following class session, I call students by name to come up individually to pick up their minute papers from me, which further strengthens my memory of their names faces and faces.

11. Minute papers serve to build instructor-student rapport. When students get their minute papers back, they see that I have responded personally to them. I always address the student by name in my written response, and I sign my name at the end of my comments, so that the communication approximates or simulates that of a personal letter. This enables me to build instructor-student rapport, particularly because the minute paper solicits student responses that involve students’ personal perceptions or experiences. Such responses are conducive to my providing a personal response in return, rather than responding with evaluative comments on the validity of their answer or why they received a particular grade. For instance, recently I was discussing the concept of defense mechanisms, and I gave a minute paper at the end of class that asked students if they had ever witnessed or experienced any of the defense mechanisms discussed in class today. Many of the responses involved sharing their personal experiences or those of close family members, and I responded by expressing my appreciation of their willingness to share this information with me and, in a number of cases, I wrote back and shared a similar experience of my own. In some cases, I write back with a short question about their shared experience, asking them to elaborate a bit on it when they submit their next minute paper.  I have found that minute papers allow me to communicate with students on a more personal, humanistic basis, which improves the warmth and depth of the learning experience for both parties. (On several occasions over the years, students have used the minute paper to convey a “call for help,” which enabled me to connect them with a relevant support service or support person.)

Use of minute papers does not have to be a time-consuming or labor-intensive practice. For instance, they do not have to be used in very class session to be effective. I have been able to reap the benefits associated with minute papers by using them in about 30-40% of the class meetings for a given course. Also, your written remarks in response to students’ minute papers do not have to be extensive. On average, I spend about one minute responding to each student, and if I am pressed for time, I provide short responses to half the class (e.g., students with last names from A-M) and provide more extensive responses to the other half of class (last names from N-Z). On the next minute paper, I reverse the process and provide more extensive responses to the half of students who received shorter responses on the previous minute paper.

In short, I have found the minute paper to be a very efficient and versatile instructional strategy, whose multiple advantages traverse cognitive, affective, and social dimensions of the teaching-learning process.

Bligh, D. A. (2000). What’s the use of lectures? San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Cross, K. P., & Angelo, T. A. (1988). Classroom assessment techniques: A handbook for faculty . Ann Arbor, MI: National Center for Research to Improve Postsecondary Teaching and Learning.

Davis, B. G., Wood, L., & Wilson, R. C. (1983). ABCs of teaching with excellence . Berkeley: University of California.

Menges, R. (1988). Research on teaching and learning: The relevant and redundant . Review of Higher Education, 11, 259-268.

This workshop transformed my professional and personal life.

Our college needs to offer this workshop for all faculty, full and part-time.

The On Course Workshop was the most productive learning experience I have had in years.

My first day back I plunged into using On Course materials and methods with my students, and they LOVED it!! And I LOVED it! Thank you so much on behalf of myself and all of my present and future students!

You have created a workshop that, in my 25 years of professional development, is by far the best experience I’ve ever had.

Since first attending one of the summer retreats in 1997, I’ve held nine On Course workshops for our college, and I plan to offer more.

I have attended a lot of workshops and conferences–On Course is by far the best!

I am so impressed with how well thought out and integrated every aspect of the workshop is!

This workshop should be required for all faculty, staff, and administrators.

I’m a better instructor because of On Course.

McCormick Teaching Excellence Institute

One-minute papers.

A one-minute paper is an active-learning exercise that can surface new questions you don’t know students have!

Getting Started

Try a one-minute paper instead of asking “any questions?” at a major stopping point.​

• When you reach the end of a topic, lecture, or unit, ​ask students to spend one minute writing a brief response  to what they just learned.
• Collect the “papers” for review.
• Read and respond to the papers.

The prompt for the papers could be:

• What are you most confused about?
• What is the main question you have now?
• What is the most important thing you learned?
• What do you want the instructor to know right now?

Why It’s Effective

• Students will reflect on what they’ve learned, helping them and you know what to concentrate on next.
• You will get a better picture of what the class is thinking. By sampling everyone, you get more data than just letting one or two students ask a question. Then you have the opportunity to address any common confusions. You might even decide to teach a topic differently next time as a result.
• It builds trust and demonstrates that you care about what all students are learning, thus promoting a sense of belonging.
• You can respond in many ways, such as email, a class discussion forum, notes posted on a course website, lecture time in the next class, or delegating to TAs in discussion section.
• Your TAs can also do this at the end of each discussion section for their own development.
• To collect the responses, you could pass out index cards for students to write on, or print out your own customized prompts. Here are some Word documents you can use as templates:  1-up , 4-up .
• To go paperless, you could use anonymous comments in an online discussion forum, a Canvas survey, or even a Google doc if the class size is amenable.

Online Adaptations

• One-minute papers combine well with remote or asynchronous teaching. They afford students the opportunity to bring up questions that might not otherwise get raised when watching online lectures or participating in Zoom calls.
• To collect responses, you can use any of the paperless options above.
• Mid-Semester Feedback Surveys
• Classroom Support
• Classroom Observations

Recent Tips & Updates

• Muddiest Point and One-Minute Papers for Active Learning and Feedback
• Dealing with Significant Disruptions in the Classroom
• Religious Accommodations for Students
• Effective Student Studying for Learning
• Freedom and Responsibility in the Classroom: A Faculty Discussion

Tip & Update Categories

• Announcements
• Teaching Tips
• Tips & Updates

One-Minute Paper: Assess Through Student Expression

Written by  Jori Marshall November 25, 2019 • 2 minute read

You’ve wrapped up your lecture and now you begin to pack up as students are leaving your classroom. You can’t help but feel the material you presented in the lecture was pretty extensive as images of your students’ blank stares during your lecture play back in your mind. You grab your bag and close out the classroom, meanwhile, none of the students have come up to you to ask follow up questions about your lecture.

Now you wonder, did my students understand the lecture? Did they make connections to course objectives? How did my students feel about today’s class and topic? Are my students actually learning? An effective way to answer these questions consist of a quick assessment of what your students know at the end of a lecture or class with the use of a One-Minute Paper . 

The one-minute paper is a classroom assessment technique created by Charles Schwartz of the University of California Berkeley in the early 1980’s and popularized by Thomas Angelo and Patricia Cross in their well-known book, Classroom Assessment Techniques: A Handbook for College Teachers. This technique is a great tool that can provide you with a snapshot of what your students are learning in your class. 

Why Should I use a One-Minute Paper?

Not only do one-minute papers serve as a form of feedback but also as a form of assessment, allowing for a brief and simple mode that can help you gauge student learning and response. The one-minute paper is a formative tool that can improve both teaching and learning by monitoring student comprehension, giving you a glimpse into the strengths and weaknesses of your own teaching methods, and aid you in modifying your classroom’s learning experience. Giving students the ability to provide input into the teaching/learning process can promote healthy collaboration and a sense of meaning to a student’s learning experience. 

A survey study completed on students' perception of learning gains demonstrated that students reported gains in linking primary class ideals with other knowledge and the implementation of knowledge to separate situations as a result of one-minute papers. Other demographic factors had no significant impact, such as age or discipline, on student perception of learning gains. With the use of one minute paper in your classroom, you can also have the ability to establish dialogue and form connections with students outside of the discussion by responding to each paper via email. Although this requires more time commitment, Gale M. Lucas of Northwestern University writes that this gives you the ability to initiate student-teacher contact by personalizing your responses and can lead to in-depth conversations on a given subject matter. This lets your students know that you are available and eager to communicate and can create a motivation to learn by making students feel “safe” and heard; especially students who tend to be more introverted.  

How Do I Incorporate a One-Minute Paper?

Including the one-minute paper into your classroom pedagogical practice is quick, easy, and efficient. You can start by ending class two to three minutes early and request that students pull out a paper (or provide them with a template) to answer the following questions:

• "What was the most important thing you learned during this class?
• "What important question remains unanswered?"
• Optional: “Additional Comments”.

You can then give students one to two minutes to answer these questions.

Below is a step by step guide on incorporating the one-minute paper courtesy of Angelo and Cross.

• Draft minute paper prompts that are relevant to your course and students and test it on a colleague of teaching assistant. 
• Plan to save five to ten minutes of your class time to use the one-minute paper and discuss the results with your class.
• During or before class, write out and display your prompt questions for the paper.
• Provide your students with index cards or an outline to complete the one-minute paper.
• Give students the option to remain anonymous unless it is important for them to write their names.
• Communicate to students how much time they have, the type of answers you desire (short sentences, words, or phrases), and when to expect feedback. 

Asking students to reflect on their own learning using the one-minute paper can improve teacher-student collaboration and bridge gaps in learning.

How Do I Use One-Minute Papers in Remote/Online Teaching?

Download our how-to guide of using one-minute papers in remote/online teaching from Google Docs.

Synchronous Application Examples

To guide students to actively apply and build upon their knowledge in a synchronous session:

• Introduce the task: Provide the questions you want students to answer in your lecture slides or on Canvas, either as a text entry submission or a discussion board.
• Continuity across class meetings: Use one-minute papers as an activity at the beginning of class to have students reflect on previous meetings and recall any questions they have about the material.
• Use as a knowledge check: Between ending a lecture and taking a class break, ask students to submit a quick one-minute note about what was just discussed in class.
• Use as an exit ticket: Give students time at the end of class to submit and set a deadline (such as by the end of the day or immediately after session).

Asynchronous Application Examples

To guide students to actively apply and build upon their knowledge using asynchronous activities:

• Create an assignment as a check-in for completion of asynchronous tasks: Students can submit their one-minute papers by a deadline to ensure they watched your asynchronous lecture or completed their homework prior to class.
• Post to a Canvas discussion board: Ask students to post their one-minute papers onto a discussion board and reply to their classmates — they can answer each other’s questions and share with the class an interesting point others may not have considered. As the instructor, consider participating on the board with students.
• Send your questions in a Canvas Announcement and ask students to reply before class

Preparation Tips

• Make sure questions are posted on Canvas or are otherwise provided to your students.
• Be intentional about what you are asking your students to address — do your questions check for understanding, and/or will they inform your future course preparations?

Facilitation Tips

• Use a text-entry assignment on Canvas so students don’t need to figure out uploading a short document and if you want your students to be specific in their comments about understanding the concept.

Who's Doing This?

Faculty Insight: One-Minute Paper Assessments

Dr. Kelly L'Engle, an associate professor in the School of Nursing & Health Professions, shares her knowledge on how she pivoted her formative assessments for remote and online teaching, including creating one-minute papers and opportunities for web discussions.

Are you or someone you know finding success with using one-minute papers? If so, we’d love to hear from you! Email [email protected] to share your story.

Suggested Educational Technologies

Whether you don’t know where to start or have a particular educational technology in mind, we are here to help! To learn how to apply educational technologies to your course, request an Instructional Design consultation .

• Canvas Documentation: What are Discussions?

Contact Instructional Technology & Training to schedule a training session and access self-guided training materials on educational technologies supported at the University of San Francisco.

Resources and Research

• On-Course Workshop: One-Minute Paper
• Tufts University Center for the Enhancement of Learning & Teaching: The Minute Paper Template  (PDF)
• TeacherReady: 8 Questions to Ask Students While Completing the Minute Paper
• University of Glasgow: One Minute Paper Guide
• Classroom Assessment Technique Examples  (Angelo & Cross, from  Classroom Assessment Techniques: A Handbook for College Educators ) [PDF]
• Initiating Student-Teacher Contact Via Personalized Responses to One-Minute Papers (Lucas, 2010,  College Teaching)
• One-Minute Paper: Student Perception of Learning Gains (Anderson & Burns, 2013,  College Student Journal )
• Stay in touch, won’t you? Using the one-minute paper (Kloss, 1993,  College Teaching )
• The One-minute Paper as a Catalyst for Change in Online Pedagogy (Campbell & Lucio, 2019,  Journal of Teaching in Social Work )

Active Learning Strategy: Minute Papers

Overview and introduction: the what and who.

Basic Questions:

• What are the two [three, four, five] most significant [central, useful, meaningful, surprising, disturbing] things you have learned during this session? [2].
• What was the most important thing you learned in class today?
• What important question remains unanswered?

Collecting Responses Related to Student Interest [4]

• Without looking at your notes, what was most memorable or stands out in your mind about today’s class?
• What was the most surprising and/or unexpected idea expressed in today’s discussion?
• Looking back at your notes, what would you say was the most stimulating idea discussed in today’s class?
• For you, what interesting questions remain unanswered about today’s topic?

Collecting Responses Related to Relevance [4] :

• In your opinion, what was the most useful idea discussed in today’s class?
• During today’s class, what idea(s) struck you as things you could or should put into practice?
• What example or illustration cited in today’s class could you relate to the most?

Collecting Responses Related to Student Attitudes/Opinions [4] :

• Would you agree or disagree with this statement: . . .? Why?
• What was the most persuasive or convincing argument (or counterargument) that you heard expressed in today’s discussion?
• Was there a position taken in today’s class that you strongly disagreed with, or found to be disturbing and unsettling?
• What idea expressed in today’s class strongly affected or influenced your personal opinions, viewpoints, or values?

Collecting Responses Related to Student Analysis of Class Concept [4] :

• What did you perceive to be the major purpose or objective of today’s class? 
• What do you think was the most important point or central concept communicated during today’s presentation?  

Collecting Responses Related to Students making Conceptual Connections [4 ] :

• What relationship did you see between today’s topic and other topics previously covered in this course?
• What was discussed in class today that seemed to connect with what you are learning or have learned in other course(s)?

Minute Papers work well across many types of  courses with all types of learners. In some instances, not all content is easily assessed or dissected in such a simplistic manner such as Minute Papers. It might be difficult in the beginning to get high quality responses, but with repetition and explanation of feedback to the whole class they will gradually improve.

Implementation and Timing: The WHEN, WHERE, and HOW

Typically this strategy is used at the end of a class, however, some of the literature suggest using minute papers at the beginning of a class as a warm up to see what they know, or to check in with what they recall from the previous class session [1].  When Minute Papers are used at the end of class, it is recommended to set aside between two to five minutes per question so that students have an adequate amount of time to respond.  

Plan ahead: Ensure questions have been pre-determined based on the course content and what information is to be collected. Initially, it may take more time to assess the student’s minute papers for reasons such as: it is a new strategy, student responses may not be as clear, student responses may induce additional questions, etc. 

Use often: Use Minute Papers frequently and with purpose. Show the students the value in their responses and take time to discuss findings with the class. 

Implementation Tips

Implementing one of the following ideas, may increase the quality of student responses: Allow peers to revise one another’s papers and provide feedback, provide anonymous feedback as a class to a few responses, pull examples of high, medium and low responses and talk through observations.

Class Modalities

This strategy can be used in all learning environments; remote, hybrid, online asynchronously/synchronously, or in person.  The determination of how students will turn in the Minute Papers should be addressed. Some instructors may wish to have students handwrite their minute papers while others may decide to make it a graded assessment at the end of the lesson.  Other suggestions include: polling technology, use of Canvas  (quizzes and discussion boards), Google Forms, etc. [3].   Choose a method for class responses that work best with your course and content.

Ideas for Implementation

• Determine the area of focus.  Do you wish to use it to assess or to activate prior knowledge? Using Minute Papers as an assessment means it will be used at the end of class. If they are being used to activate prior knowledge, they need to be used at the beginning of class.  
• Determine what kind of data you wish to collect. This will assist you in determining the one-two questions to ask.
• Introduce Minute Papers to the class. Provide a rationale for using the technique and how it will benefit them.  Consider modeling an exemplar for students to see what you expect in terms of responses. Think about introducing sentence stems in the beginning use stages of this to support students.   Including the students in this will demonstrate that you care about their feedback.
• Implement Minute Papers and ensure enough time has been carved out at the end of class to allow enough time for student responses.
• Analyze the data and look for trends, misconceptions, insightful thoughts-for those who teach large courses, let the class know that you may not read every response but instead look for trends.
• Share with the class the results/findings. Reteach if the data shows a need for it.

Rationale and Research: The WHY

Minute Papers require little time from staff in regards to set up and implementation. They provide feedback from students that is timely [1]. This allows instructors the opportunity to immediately check the understanding of course content and make necessary adjustments quickly. Instructors may need to invest more time in the beginning to analyze student responses and determine trends; however the more effective use of this strategy will lessen the time requirements by the instructor. There is potential for students to engage in higher levels of active learning and engagement if continued use of Minute Papers occurs.  Finally, Minute Papers ask for student feedback and as a result, students might feel as if their voice matters and that their opinions matter. This in turn could support building a respectful and safe classroom environment.

Additional Resources and References

[1]  T. A. Angelo and K. P. Cross, Classroom assessment techniques A handbook for college teachers. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1993.

[2]  “The minute paper – office of the provost and senior vice president.” [Online]. Available: https://provost.tufts.edu/celt/files/MinutePaper.pdf. [Accessed: 20-Sep-2022].

[3]  S. Bodbyl, “Active learning in remote, virtual hybrid, online, and physically distanced classrooms,” Trefny Innovative Instruction Center, 14-Jul-2022. [Online]. Available: https://trefnycenter.mines.edu/active-learning-in-remote-virtual-hybrid-online-and-physically-distanced-classrooms/. [Accessed: 20-Sep-2022].

[4]  “One-minute paper: Assess student learning: On course,” College Educator Workshops & Conferences, 01-Jul-2021. [Online]. Available: https://oncourseworkshop.com/self-awareness/one-minute-paper/. [Accessed: 20-Sep-2022].

Gone in Sixty Seconds: The One-Minute Paper as a Tool for Evaluation--of Both Instructor and Student

The one-minute paper can be done at any time in a class period. You can start the class with a question: “What question do you have from the reading for today?” Or you can interrupt a class in the middle: “OK, we’ve just talked about the scientific flaws in Jurassic Park III. Write for one minute on which of those you consider to be the most serious.”

Writing one-minute papers serves as a way to seal ideas in students’ minds, provides you with an idea of where they are, develops their critical thinking skills, and, not least, tells you something about your own teaching.

A Berkeley Compendium of Suggestions for Teaching with Excellence  by Barbara Gross Davis, Lynn Wood, and Robert C. Wilson suggests assigning minute papers at the end of class in order to “Know if the class is understanding you or not, know if students are bored or confused, encourage students to listen actively during lectures, [and] give students experience writing short essay answers.”

It may seem odd that a simple teaching technique could have an “inventor,” but so it is with the “minute paper.” For the last 10 years or so, controversy and email has flown around the world, trying to get everyone to agree that Berkeley physics professor Charles Schwartz is the father of the “minute paper.” There finally seems to be general agreement that he is. So, hats off to Professor Schwartz. His “minute papers” consist of two questions to which students give written responses at the end of each weekly lecture. 

“I call them ‘minute papers,’” he says, “because I preface them with the request that they take a minute or two to write on these two questions: 

(1) What is the most significant thing you learned today? and (2) What question is uppermost in our mind at the end of today’s session?” 

“The minute papers started out purely as an attendance device,” Professor Schwartz explains. “As I began to read their responses, however, I found them very useful in evaluating how successful I had been in conveying the material that day. In fact, now I often quote one or two of their essay responses at the beginning of the next discussion period to get the discussion started.” 

As is the case with many educational experiments, this one had an additional unintended benefit. “Because these are mainly science students who are seldom asked to write, I pointed out that these minute papers were good practice for the essay questions which would constitute my final. As the term progressed, I noticed an improvement in the papers: they became longer, better developed, and more carefully phrased.” As Schwartz points out, the more students write, in any discipline, the better off they are in terms of comprehension and synthesis of the material.

The minute paper can also tell you something about your own teaching. If most of the students miss your main points, it’s probably you, not them. The first thing you do is bring that up in the next lecture and clarify it; the second thing you do is change how you’re presenting that material.

The great thing about minute papers, however, is that you can go a little crazy with them and have some fun. Rather than have them remember a point or develop a question, have them deal with a problem. At the end of the lecture, give them a scenario. For instance after my students read the Bretolt Brecht play Galileo, and we discuss it, I often give them the following one-minute paper:

You are going to make a movie of Galileo. Cast the major characters using contemporary actors (no politicians, sports stars, etc.). Provide a two or three sentence rationale for your casting choices. 

To my students, this just seems like fun, but they in fact can’t make appropriate choices unless they understand the characters. And I do let them yell out during the paper: things like ”What’s the name of the actor who was in Mrs. Doubtfire?!” (And that’s a good call—I think Robin Williams would make a great Galileo.)

Here’s another one I’ve used in class. I give them the following “Dear Abby”-esque letter, and ask them to respond:

Dear Abby: My high school teacher said I could never use “I” in an essay. Now I’m at Berkeley and I’m being told the most horrible things, like I can use “I” if it’s appropriate. What should I do? Is that true? And if so, when is it appropriate? 

Signed, “I” am confused in Berkeley

Here’s a final example from introductory physics:

Suppose you put a big block of ice in a bucket and then fill the bucket with water until the water level is exactly even with the edge of the bucket. The ice of course is now floating in the water. Now we will wait for several hours for the ice to melt. Which of the following will occur? (Neglect evaporation.) 

1. The water level in the bucket will remain the same. 2. The water level in the bucket will drop. 3. Some water will overflow the sides of the bucket.

Your task is to explain your answer in writing to a classmate who doesn’t understand and who is arguing for what you consider to be the wrong answer. Explain your answer so clearly that it serves as a little textbook that will explain the physics principles involved.1

The “one minute paper,” then is really what you make of it. It provides a good test for you and for your students and requires quick thinking, analysis, and synthesis. Oh, by the way, it’s fun. 

1. Summarized from “Microtheme Strategies for Developing Cognitive Skills,” John C. Bean, Dean Drenk, and F.D. Lee, published in  Teaching Writing in All Disciplines  12 (December 1982) in the Josey-Bass series New Directions for Teaching and Learning.

Steve Tollefson (College Writing Programs)

Originally Published: Volume 2 – Number 2 (Fall 2001)

• SALTISE Innovators
• Honorary Members
• Learning Communities
• Technology Tools
• Articles and Books
• Strategies and Approaches
• Active Learning Activities
• Instructional Course Materials
• 2025 SALTISE Conference
• Past Conferences
• About SALTISE

One Minute Paper

What is it.

The one-minute paper is a instructional strategy that uses a short writing task to assess learner understanding of course material. It is usually assigned with an open-ended question(s) in the last 5 – 10 minutes of class.

Because it is intended as a formative strategy, this technique can serve as a quick way for an instructor to gage class comprehension as well as provide learners with the means to self-assess their own understanding.

The goal is to quickly gain student feedback on what they understood to be the main points of the lesson or what they are still struggling to understand. The one-minute paper can also be conducted at the beginning of a class to assess prior knowledge on a new topic, or to determine what students have retained from the previous lesson.

Option(s): Usually the one-minute paper is conducted at the end of a class, however held at the beginning it can be used to assess prior knowledge or what students have retained from a previous lesson.

Skills Promoted

• Knowledge integration
• Critical reasoning
• Metacognition
• Self-regulation

Who's using it?

SALTISE community members who use this strategy and are willing to share advice and/or resources.

Why use it?

The one minute paper allows students to introspectively reflect on their development. It can provide a platform for students to make anonymous comments and give a teacher a jumping off point on the learning material and the competency development. If structured accordingly, the one minute paper allows students to learn from each others best practices.

Sometimes students do not produce any useful content and if used incorrectly, can be a gateway to students complaining about course material.

Ready to try it out?

STEP 1:  Instructor asks students to write a brief reflection reflecting their understanding of a lesson or activity (mini-lecture, video viewing, problem solving activity, lab, etc.). Time limit is provided (e.g., 1 min or more).

STEP 2:  Individually, students provide a written response(s)/reflection(s). Reflection(s) can address issues such as:

• What is the most important thing you have learned during this class?
• What important question(s) still remains unanswered?

STEP 3:  Instructor collects written reflections (immediately or after class) and uses them to determine the lesson plan in regards to, for example:

• What concepts or topics need further review or explanation;
• What activities or materials can be used next.

Strategy Workflow

Related activities.

Real-World Physics: Mini Video Projects

Piece of Paper Question

Helpful resources.

Stead, D. R. (2005). A review of the one-minute paper . Active Learning in Higher Education..

Drabick, D. A. G., Weisberg, R. and Paul, L. (2007). Keeping it short and sweet: Brief, ungraded writing assignments facilitate learning . Teaching of Psychology.

Choinski, E. and Emanuel, M. (2006). The one-minute paper and the one-hour class: Outcomes assessment for one-shot library instruction . Reference Services Review, Emerald Insight..

Anderson, D. and Burns, S. (2013). One-minute paper: Student perception of learning gains . College Student Journal, ERIC Institute of Education Sciences.

Panitz, T. and Panitz, P. (1999). Assessing students and yourself using the one minute paper and observing students working cooperatively . ERIC Institute of Education Sciences.

One Minute Paper – Created for  PID (Provincial Instructor Diploma), VCC (Vancouver Community College)

TO LEARN MORE

For more resources to  Articles and Books