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Course Review Guide

 

This guide provides a systematic approach for subject matter experts (SMEs) to review educational courses, ensuring both technical accuracy and educational quality. The review is broken down based on:

Content Accuracy Review

Factual Verification

  • Technical Accuracy: Verify all facts, figures, formulas, and technical details
  • Currency: Check that information reflects current best practices and recent developments
  • Source Reliability: Validate that referenced sources are credible and up-to-date
  • Industry Standards: Confirm alignment with current industry standards and regulations

Conceptual Clarity

  • Definitions: Review all key terms and definitions for accuracy and clarity
  • Explanations: Assess whether complex concepts are explained clearly and completely
  • Examples: Verify that examples are relevant, accurate, and helpful for understanding
  • Context: Ensure information is presented with appropriate real-world context 

Assessment Quality Review

Question Construction

  • Question Stems:
    • Clear and unambiguous language
    • Single concept being tested
    • Appropriate difficulty level
    • Free from grammatical errors
    • No unintentional clues to correct answer
    • Answer Choice Analysis
  • Correct Answers:
    • Verify factual accuracy
    • Confirm it's the BEST answer (not just a correct one)
    • Ensure completeness of the response
    • Check for any ambiguity
  • Incorrect Answers (Distractors):
    • Confirm they are definitively incorrect
    • Verify they represent common misconceptions
    • Ensure they're plausible to someone with incomplete knowledge
    • Check that they don't contain partially correct information that could confuse learners

Explanations and Feedback Review

Answer Explanations

  • Correctness: Verify explanations are factually accurate and complete
  • Clarity: Ensure explanations are clear and easy to understand
  • Educational Value: Confirm explanations teach, not just tell
  • Completeness: Check that explanations address why correct answers are right AND why incorrect answers are wrong

Learning Reinforcement

  • Key Concepts: Verify explanations reinforce important learning points
  • Common Mistakes: Ensure explanations address typical errors or misconceptions
  • Additional Context: Review whether explanations provide helpful additional information

Language and Presentation Review

Copy Editing

  • Grammar and Syntax: Review for grammatical errors and sentence structure
  • Spelling and Punctuation: Check for spelling errors and punctuation mistakes
  • Consistency:
    • Terminology usage throughout the course
    • Formatting and style
    • Voice and tone
    • Capitalization and numbering schemes 

Clarity and Readability

  • Sentence Structure: Ensure sentences are clear and concise
  • Jargon and Technical Terms: Verify appropriate use and definition of technical language
  • Reading Level: Confirm text is appropriate for target audience
  • Flow and Transitions: Review connections between ideas and sections

Review Checklist Summary

Critical Issues (Must Fix)

  • Factually incorrect information
  • Wrong correct answers in assessments
  • Incorrect answer choices that are actually correct
  • Misleading or confusing question stems
  • Inaccurate explanations
  • Major grammatical errors that impede understanding

Important Issues (Should Fix)

  • Unclear explanations
  • Inconsistent terminology
  • Missing context or examples
  • Formatting inconsistencies
  • Minor grammatical errors

Enhancement Opportunities (Consider Fixing)

  • Additional examples that could improve understanding
  • More comprehensive explanations
  • Better question variety
  • Improved visual elements

Tips for Effective SME Review

  1. Review in Multiple Passes: Don't try to catch everything in one reading
  2. Take Breaks: Fresh eyes catch more errors
  3. Consider the Learner: Review from the perspective of your target audience
  4. Question Everything: Don't assume anything is correct without verification
  5. Document Thoroughly: Provide specific, actionable feedback
  6. Collaborate: Work with instructional designers to implement changes effectively

Common Red Flags to Watch For

  • Absolute statements that may have exceptions
  • Outdated statistics or references
  • Questions with multiple correct answers
  • Explanations that don't actually explain the reasoning
  • Technical terms used without definition
  • Examples that don't match the concept being taught
  • Answer choices that are too similar or too obviously wrong