Quick Writes Using Google Forms

It is essential for students to be able to process and think about their learning. I have found no better way to have students process their thinking then to give a quick write.  

A quick write can fulfill many different purposes:

• a quick formative assessment
• a moment for students to process information
• an opportunity to write without the worry of a formal editing process.

I recognize that quick writes are not new. However, I have struggled to find a simple and easy way to have students do digital quick writes, either on their computer (if your school is 1-to-1) or on their personal devices.

One way to make it truly quick to write and quick to view, or assess is with a Google Form. Using a Google Form makes it simple for the students to view the questions and respond.  Once the students have submitted their responses they will show up in a Google Sheet.  I can then simply review the responses to check for understanding. Here is how I set up a Google Form for a quick write.

I like to put the word quick write in the title.  This informs the students and me that it is not a formal writing paragraph or assignment.  If you do regular quick writes, adding the date in the title may be helpful to organize it.  

Next, just type in the question for your quick write, and add the question type as paragraph text.

If you want to make it fancy change the theme, and your quick write is ready!

Finally get the link to your students in one of the following ways.

• Email it
• Post it on your webpage, Moodle page, or other class site
• Google Classroom

 After the students submit their quick writes, you will see all the responses in one Google Sheet.  Then you can quickly read and/or assess the students’ responses.

Quick writes are a powerful writing and thinking tools, and I hope you will try it with a Google Form!