Evaluating Students' Presentations with the COPS Form

One of the most difficult tasks in teaching sociology is evaluating students' work. This paper describes one method for grading oral assignments: the COPS form (for Content, Organization, Planning, and Style), which allows faculty members and students to analyze oral presentations critically. It can be used in a wide variety of courses, from undergraduate introductory sociology through upper-level graduate seminars, and is a useful tool for helping students improve their oral communication.