Use title case for essay titles and headings
When to use this goal
For middle school students who title their essays and slide headings in all caps, all lowercase, or sentence case where title case is expected. Present levels should show reliable capitals for names and sentence starts.
- Baseline
- Collect titles and headings from three recent assignments and score each one correct only when every word is right. A 10-item probe can fill in if assignments have few headings.
- Tips
- Agree with teachers on one style (most schools follow a simple version of title case). Online title case checkers are fair to use if the student reviews the result. Check slide decks too.
- Limits
- Style guides differ on prepositions of four or more letters. Few headings per assignment means slow data. The goal is narrow and short-term.
Original IEP Atlas template based on general measurement principles; not copied from any goal bank. ID wr-mec-039.
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Goal
By the annual IEP review date, when titling an essay, report, or project in any class, the student will capitalize the first and last words and every major word in titles and headings, keeping articles, short prepositions, and short conjunctions lowercase in the middle independently with at least 90% accuracy on titles and headings, on 3 consecutive scored assignments, as measured by work-sample analysis collected every two weeks.
Baseline: 30% accuracy.
- Condition
- Observable behavior
- Criterion
- Measurement method
Measurability check11 of 11 met
Met: Observable behavior. Stated as an action.
Met: Condition. Stated.
Met: Unit fits the behavior. Percent accuracy fits this behavior.
Met: Explicit criterion. Number and unit stated.
Met: Mastery rule and schedule. Both stated.
Met: Method produces the metric. Work-sample analysis gives percent accuracy data.
Met: Review timeframe. Stated.
Met: Baseline and target compatible. Same unit, change in the right direction.
Met: Aligned with area of need. Still about Capitalization, Punctuation & Grammar.
Met: Level of support. Defined.
Met: Blanks filled in. Nothing left to fill in.
Checks structure and wording only. Whether the goal fits the student is the team's call.
Short-term objectives (optional)
When are objectives required?Required for students on alternate assessments (34 CFR §300.320(a)(2)(ii)); some states require them for everyone.
Paste into your IEP system
Most district systems have a separate box for each part of a goal. Copy them one at a time, or all at once as labeled text.
- Area of need
- Writing - Capitalization, Punctuation & Grammar
- Baseline
- 30% accuracy.
- Annual goal434 characters
- By the annual IEP review date, when titling an essay, report, or project in any class, the student will capitalize the first and last words and every major word in titles and headings, keeping articles, short prepositions, and short conjunctions lowercase in the middle independently with at least 90% accuracy on titles and headings, on 3 consecutive scored assignments, as measured by work-sample analysis collected every two weeks.
- Timeframe
- By the annual IEP review date
- Condition
- When titling an essay, report, or project in any class
- Behavior
- The student will capitalize the first and last words and every major word in titles and headings, keeping articles, short prepositions, and short conjunctions lowercase in the middle independently
- Criteria
- With at least 90% accuracy on titles and headings, on 3 consecutive scored assignments
- Evaluation method
- Work-sample analysis
- Schedule
- Every two weeks
Copied as plain text, with straight quotes and plain dashes.
Matching data sheet
Accuracy tracker. Records number correct and number attempted.
Accuracy tracker
Percent accuracy- Student label:
- Target:
- with at least 90% accuracy on titles and headings
- Mastery rule:
- on 3 consecutive scored assignments
- Collection schedule:
- every two weeks
- Method:
- Work-sample analysis
- Data collector:
Goal: By the annual IEP review date, when titling an essay, report, or project in any class, the student will capitalize the first and last words and every major word in titles and headings, keeping articles, short prepositions, and short conjunctions lowercase in the middle independently with at least 90% accuracy on titles and headings, on 3 consecutive scored assignments, as measured by work-sample analysis collected every two weeks.
| Date | Task / materials | # correct | # attempted | % accuracycorrect ÷ attempted × 100 | Support levele.g., independent, 1 verbal prompt | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Preview shows 4 of 12 rows.
- Score only items the student attempted unless the goal defines a fixed set of items. Use the same denominator every session.
- Percent = numerator ÷ denominator × 100. Round to one decimal place.
- Record the support actually provided, even if the goal is independent performance.
The CSV opens in Excel or Google Sheets, with formulas. Sheets print blank; no student data is stored.