Page 1 of 1
MISCONCEPTIONS
1. Spelling Counts. Spelling is not a major
consideration unless it hinders communication. It is better to use a phonetic
spelling of a sophisticated word than a correct spelling of a simple word. ex. tremendis [sic] cs.
2. The
state requires a formulaic essay
The
formulaic essay with three examples is only ONE way to answer the prompt. It is
FAR better to have one well-developed example than to have 2 or 3 weak
examples.
3. Humor is
bad
Humor can
be used effectively if it is appropriate.
4. You have
to fill up two pages!
There is no
requirement as to the minimum number of lines to be filled. “Quality, not
quantity” is part of
5. It is
the lOth grade
responding to prompts.
Certainly 9th grade teachers also play an important role in the preparation for
the assessment.
6. What is
written on the planning sheet is looked at by the readers!
The planning
sheet is a valuable tool for planning/prewriting strategies by the students. It
is collected with the assessment but is not part of the scoring.
7. Every
student gets a different prompt!
Two
prompts, one of which calls for a persuasive essay and the other of which calls
for an expository essay, are randomly distributed to students.
8. One
person gives the student a score! Two readers score each paper.
9. Only
perfect papers receive high scores!
The
assessment is on first drafts of papers. Many papers with very high scores have
errors, but the errors are not so numerous or overwhelming that they prevent
communication of ideas.
10.
Students must write in a formal style!
11.
Students should not use first person or clichés!
12.
Students should place a thesis statement in the introductions
13.
Students should never use a one-sentence paragraph!
14.
Students should consider the readers and write what they think the readers want
to hear
A reader's
agreement with a student's point of view or language is not part of the scoring
criteria.
15.
Students should write only in cursive
Students
may either print or write in cursive. It is important to write as neatly as
possible. Handwriting, neatness and margins are not part of
16.
Students who use fragments can never receive a high score!
Students
whose sentence structure is varied and whose sentences are complete EXCEPT WHEN
FRAGMENTS ARE USED PURPOSEFULL Y can receive high scores when all other
components are also there.