1. Generate ideas for tasks drawing on your teaching experience, written sources, and community members. Community members are particularly useful in formulating real-world tasks that reflect the vision of success.

2. When choosing tasks, consider whether the task:
   • matches the specific instructional intentions

   • represents adequately the content and skills you expect students to attain

   • enables students to demonstrate their learning and progress

   • uses authentic, real-world activities

   • is interdisciplinary

   • can measure of several goals

3. Performance assessment tasks should be carefully documented. The following must be described in detail:
   • nature and format of questions

   • group or individual task--If group work, describe what group roles must be filled and how.

   • response mode (e.g., written essay, oral presentation and drawing)--Specify whether students, teachers, or both can choose the response mode.

   • materials/equipment needed

   • student directions

   • teacher directions and administrative constraints (e.g., amount of time allowed, order of tasks, assistance allowed)

4. Once you have described the task in detail, ask yourself:
   • Does the task match the targets and goals?

   • Is the task a type of problem that students will experience frequently in schools and outside of schools?

   • Is the task and the language used in it culturally or gender biased?

   • Is the task credible to stakeholders?

   • Is the task meaningful and engaging to students so that they can demonstrate their capabilities?

(Adapted from Herman, Aschbacher, and Winters, 1992)