College Readiness Standards - Writing  

W.I.        EXPRESSING JUDGEMENTS

W.I.a.         Score Range 3-4

W.I.a.1.     Show a little understanding of the persuasive purpose of the task but neglect to take or to maintain a position on the issue in the prompt

W.I.a.2.     Show limited recognition of the complexity of the issue in the prompt

W.I.b.         Score Range 5-6

W.I.b.1.     Show a basic understanding of the persuasive purpose of the task by taking a position on the issue in the prompt but may not maintain that position

W.I.b.2.     Show a little recognition of the complexity of the issue in the prompt by acknowledging, but only briefly describing, a counterargument to the writer's position

W.I.c.         Score Range 7-8

W.I.c.1.     Show understanding of the persuasive purpose of the task by taking a position on the issue in the prompt

W.I.c.2.     Show some recognition of the complexity of the issue in the prompt by:

W.I.c.2.i.  acknowledging counterarguments to the writer's position

W.I.c.2.ii. providing some response to counter-arguments to the writer's position

W.I.d.         Score Range 9-10

W.I.d.1.     Show clear understanding of the persuasive purpose of the task by taking a position on the specific issue in the prompt and offering a broad context for discussion

W.I.d.2.     Show recognition of the complexity of the issue in the prompt by:

W.I.d.2.i. partially evaluating implications and/or complications of the issue, and/or

W.I.d.2.ii. posing and partially responding to counter-arguments to the writer's position

W.I.e.         Score Range 11-12

W.I.e.1.     Show clear understanding of the persuasive purpose of the task by taking a position on the specific issue in the prompt and offering a critical context for discussion

W.I.e.2.     Show understanding of the complexity of the issue in the prompt by:

W.I.e.2.i. examining different perspectives, and/or

W.I.e.2.ii. evaluating implications or complications of the issue, and/or

W.I.e.2.iii. posing and fully discussing counter-arguments to the writer's position

(return to top)

W.II.     FOCUSING ON THE TOPIC

W.II.a.       Score Range 3-4

W.II.a.1.   Maintain a focus on the general topic in the prompt through most of the essay

W.II.b.       Score Range 5-6

W.II.b.1.   Maintain a focus on the general topic in the prompt throughout the essay

W.II.c.       Score Range 7-8

W.II.c.1.   Maintain a focus on the general topic in the prompt throughout the essay and attempt a focus on the specific issue in the prompt

W.II.c.2.   Present a thesis that establishes focus on the topic

W.II.d.       Score Range 9-10

W.II.d.1.   Maintain a focus on discussion of the specific topic and issue in the prompt throughout the essay

W.II.d.2.   Present a thesis that establishes a focus on the writer's position on the issue

W.II.e.       Score Range 11-12

W.II.e.1.   Maintain a clear focus on discussion of the specific topic and issue in the prompt throughout the essay

W.II.e.2.   Present a critical thesis that clearly establishes the focus on the writer's position on the issue

(return to top)

W.III.  DEVELOPING A POSITION

W.III.a.      Score Range 3-4

W.III.a.1.   Offer a little development, with one or two ideas; if examples are given, they are general and may not be clearly relevant; resort often to merely repeating ideas

W.III.a.2.   Show little or no movement between general and specific ideas and examples

W.III.b.      Score Range 5-6

W.III.b.1.   Offer limited development of ideas using a few general examples; resort sometimes to merely repeating ideas

W.III.b.2.   Show little movement between general and specific ideas and examples

W.III.c.       Score Range 7-8

W.III.c.1.   Develop ideas by using some specific reasons, details, and examples

W.III.c.2.   Show some movement between general and specific ideas and examples

W.III.d.      Score Range 9-10

W.III.d.1.   Develop most ideas fully, using some specific and relevant reasons, details, and examples

W.III.d.2.   Show clear movement between general and specific ideas and examples

W.III.e.      Score Range 11-12

W.III.e.1.   Develop several ideas fully, using specific and relevant reasons, details, and examples

W.III.e.2.   Show effective movement between general and specific ideas and examples.

(return to top)

W.IV.    ORGANIZING IDEAS

W.IV.a.       Score Range 3-4

W.IV.a.1.   Provide a discernible organization with some logical grouping of ideas in parts of the essay

W.IV.a.2.   Use a few simple and obvious transitions

W.IV.a.3.   Present a discernible, though minimally developed, introduction and conclusion

W.IV.b.       Score Range 5-6

W.IV.b.1.    Provide a simple organization with logical grouping of ideas in parts of the essay

W.IV.b.2.   Use some simple and obvious transitional words, though they may at times be inappropriate or misleading

W.IV.b.3.   Present a discernible, though underdeveloped, introduction and conclusion

W.IV.c.        Score Range 7-8

W.IV.c.1.    Provide an adequate but simple organization with logical grouping of ideas in parts of the essay but with little evidence of logical progression of ideas

W.IV.c.2.    Use some simple and obvious, but appropriate, transitional words and phrases

W.IV.c.3.    Present a discernible introduction and conclusion with a little development

W.IV.d.       Score Range 9-10

W.IV.d.1.   Provide unity and coherence throughout the essay, sometimes with a logical progression of ideas

W.IV.d.2.   Use relevant, though at times simple and obvious, transitional words and phrases to convey logical relationships between ideas

W.IV.d.3.   Present a somewhat developed introduction and conclusion

W.IV.e.       Score Range 11-12

W.IV.e.1.   Provide unity and coherence throughout the essay, often with a logical progression of ideas

W.IV.e.2.   Use relevant transitional words, phrases, and sentences to convey logical relationships between ideas

W.IV.e.3.   Present a well-developed introduction and conclusion
 

(return to top)

W.V.       USING LANGUAGE

W.V.a.         Score Range 3-4

W.V.a.1.     Show limited control of language by:

W.V.a.1.i.     correctly employing some of the conventions of standard English grammar, usage, and mechanics, but with distracting errors that sometimes significantly impede understanding

W.V.a.1.ii.  using simple vocabulary

W.V.a.1.iii.  using simple sentence structure

W.V.b.         Score Range 5-6

W.V.b.1.     Show a basic control of language by:

W.V.b.1.i.    correctly employing some of the conventions of standard English grammar, usage, and mechanics, but with distracting errors that sometimes impede understanding

W.V.b.1.ii.  using simple but appropriate vocabulary

W.V.b.1.iii.  using a little sentence variety, though most sentences are simple in structure

W.V.c.          Score Range 7-8

W.V.c.1.     Show adequate use of language to communicate by:

W.V.c.1.i.    correctly employing many of the conventions of standard English grammar, usage, and mechanics, but with some distracting errors that may occasionally impede understanding

W.V.c.1.ii.  using appropriate vocabulary

W.V.c.1.iii.  using some varied kinds of sentence structures to vary pace

W.V.d.         Score Range 9-10

W.V.d.1.     Show competent use of language to communicate ideas by:

W.V.d.1.i.   correctly employing most conventions of standard English grammar, usage, and mechanics, with a few distracting errors but none that impede understanding

W.V.d.1.ii.  using some precise and varied vocabulary

W.V.d.1.iii.    using several kinds of sentence structures to vary pace and to support meaning

W.V.e.         Score Range 11-12

W.V.e.1.     Show effective use of language to clearly communicate ideas by:

W.V.e.1.i.    correctly employing most conventions of standard English grammar, usage, and mechanics, with just a few, if any, errors

W.V.e.1.ii.   using precise and varied vocabulary

W.V.e.1.iii.   using a variety of kinds of sentence structures to vary pace and to support meaning

(return to top)