Writing assessment notes ppt

Writing Assessment:

Practice on the MIST site is a must—navigating the site,

keyboarding options (spellcheck, highlighting, no cut &

paste, no tabs); supposed to have a notepad for taking

notes as they read)

Student may move forward and backward through the

assessment. Students may start the second essay during

the first hour after completing the 1st essay.

Prompt types and lengths—

• Social studies and Science

• The website NEWSELA is a suggested

source for prompts from various subject

areas.

What is Evidence?

• Facts

• Definitions

• Concrete Details

• Quotations – limited by length…

• Other information

• Must be accurate and credible

What are Conventions?

• Sentence Structure

• Grammar

• Usage

• Spelling

• Capitalization

• Punctuation

Prompt #1

• Term/Phrase/Centrl Idea from

one text

• Students need to analyze the term/phrase

(central idea, point of view, theme, etc.) as

it is stated in the text; examine the usage

of the term at specific points in the text;

and show how it is developed in the text

i.e. explaining/analyzing how it is used in

the text.

• Use examples from the text throughout

your essay. Make them specific by

quoting/ paraphrasing…

• Length of the quotes need to be limited.

• Explain/analyze each quote/

paraphrase. (Back each quote

with 3 of y our own sentences)

Advice for Effective Use of

Quotes/Paraphrase

• Include author’s last name in an introduction

to the quote.

• Include line numbers after the quote (18).

• Quote only a portion of the sentence or

passage; paraphrase the rest.

Quoting/Paraphrasing/Summarizing

• Quotes/Paraphrases should be a

STRENGTH of the essay because they are

the words of a skilled writer. However, they

must directly connect to your thesis.

• Do not begin or conclude with a quote.

Quoting/Paraphrasing/Summarizing

• DO NOT summarize the article. Your thesis and

voice should dominate your essay (quotes/paraphrase

should be complementary/supportive).

• You MUSTcombine quotes/paraphrase evidence with

your analysis/explanation in the same paragraph.

Quoting/Paraphrasing/Summarizing

• Evidence is best used in a citable form (quotes or

paraphrases) in order for you to show clearly

that you know you are using it).

• Embedded quotes must be used as evidence to

support your thesis. If not, your quote is Static.

• Students need to show that they understand the

prompt and the stimulus (aka the article).

Misunderstanding what the stimulus (the

article) is stating or not writing DIRECTLY in

response to the prompt is deadly. You MUST

analyze the prompt as much as the article.

• Students need to practice how to

explain how an author uses and

develops a term, phrase, or idea

(central idea, point of view, theme

etc.).

• Writers may benefit from following a

specific, simple format: determine the

thesis (introduction), explain first point

with supports (paragraph #2), explain

second point with supports (paragraph

#3), conclude by wrapping up ideas by

restating the thesis in different words

(paragraph #4).

Introduction

• Include title of stimulus (article) and author’s

name.

• Introductions that generally summarize your

essay are effective, provided you also clearly

state a thesis.

Body

• Each paragraph should be a “unit of

thought,” i.e. You should focus on one

specific piece of evidence or point.

• Traditional paragraph structures are

effective, e.g., transition - topic sentence

(main idea) evidence from stimulus

analysis.

Conclusion

• The conclusion should be thoughtful, not a

collection of copied text from the article.

• Restate your thesis in new words, not the original

words used in the introduction.

• No new information.

• Do not use a rhetorical question.

• A thoughtful conclusion wraps up your ideas.

Prompt #2

• Comparing Two Texts

Beware of these pitfalls!• Using only one stimulus in this section is

detrimental.

• Do NOT confuse the texts (e.g., stating Text A

said something that Text B actually said).

Introduction

• Clearly make a statement that

responds to the prompt (e.g., make a

choice, take a side, etc.).

• Identify the function/purpose/central

idea of each stimulus.

Body

• Effective organization is very important in this task

because students are dealing with two texts.

• Students should spend MORE time on the stimulus

they have selected as “better,” but they should also

devote at least a short paragraph (longer paragraph

if time allows) to the stimulus that they decided was

less effective.

Conclusion

• An effective conclusion will mention both

texts.

• An effective conclusion will restate WHY

one text is superior to the other.

General Observations

• Rhetorical questions should not be

overused, but can be effective when

used sparingly.

• Students must balance the amount

of text (quoting, paraphrasing,

summarizing) they use from the

text.

• It is clear when students are

attempting to cleverly use the words

from the stimulus, so it is ineffective to

copy/paraphrase just to fill up space.

• Use of paragraphing is not required,

but it is highly recommended to receive

above a 2. A single, long paragraph

must be effectively organized and

transitioned. All essays should have a

definitive beginning, middle, and end.

• Using memorable words/phrases

from the stimulus without clearly

indicating they are using them as

evidence is ineffective.

• Avoid fluff words that fill space, e.g.

Dr. Ronald Smith from Duke

University in North Carolina said, “…

• Avoid becoming personal or using

language that makes the response seem

personal (use of “I” or “you”; use of

personal anecdotes). This assignment is a

text analysis.

• Transitions should NOT be formulaic

(e.g. first, second, third, in conclusion,

etc.) unless student is capable of only

formulaic transitions (anything is better

than nothing).

• Hyperbole and other propaganda-

type language are not effective.

• Attempts at humor should be

avoided.

• Students with better vocabulary

were noted. It may be effective to

provide students with a small,

usable list of academic words.

(See Jim Burke’s list as a starting

point.)

Recommendations

• Go over the rubric with your students

• Practice in a timed setting and online

when possible.

• Have students use the rubric to do peer

evaluation with justifications.

Goal of Maryville City Schools—Effective Writers