Editor’s Toolkit: Goals, Objectives, and Outcomes – Page 2

Why Is It Important to Include Goals, Objectives, and Outcomes?

Objectives, outcomes, and goals are good things to keep in mind for two reasons. Firstly, when they are presented in a lesson, they help learners focus on what they are supposed to be learning and mastering. The most important knowledge and skills are clearly stated. Secondly, they are helpful to authors. As authors are writing, they should keep in mind the two questions: What do I want my students to learn? What do I want my students to be able to do with what they learn? If there is no clear answer to either of these questions, the author is likely to get stuck.
 

Does Every Book Need to Include Objectives, Outcomes, and Goals?

Although it is usually possible to identify objectives and outcomes that can be presented at the beginning of each chapter, not every book needs to have these explicitly stated. Not every author will want to include them. When included, they don’t have to be the first thing students see in the chapters. They should be presented early, however.

What Should Objectives and Outcomes Look Like?

The way objectives and outcomes are written will always depend on the content, the course, and the instructor. Outcomes, however, which are focused on what students learn to do, should always include a verb.


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