prompt n.

[Amy West]

In the world of standardized testing, "prompt" is also used. Here in
MA we have the state MCAS test with a "long composition"  and there
are "prompts" given for those.

But, your students are using it differently than I've heard it used
up here in K-12. The "prompt" is not only the brief instructions, but
what they are supposed to write about/in response to.

I think searching some K-12 education sites will turn up useful instances.

---Amy West

>Date:    Mon, 15 Mar 2010 12:35:32 -0400
>From:    Charles Doyle <cdoyle at UGA.EDU>
>Subject: prompt n.
>
>Typically, when I assign a paper to a class, I will write out and
>distribute several sentences of instructions and advice.  All of a
>sudden (it seems to me), my students are referring to such a
>document as "the prompt." (I would call it simply "the
>assignment"--or maybe, if I wanted to sound informal, "the specs").
>
>When asked about the term, some of my students associate it with
>their AP classes in high school. Is it a (behaviorist?) term that
>emanates from colleges of education? The use doesn't match any of
>the entries for _prompt_ n.2 in the OED.
>
>--Charlie

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