Assessment Criteria

Writing Assessement Criteria

Eastern Mediterranean University • University of Calgary • Mount Royal University • Bowling Green State University

Holistic Scoring:

Writing samples are evaluated in terms of a stated purpose, in which the student is asked to compose an essay that may be persuasive, descriptive, or both. Focused holistic scoring is designed to evaluate the overall quality of the student's writing, examining specific characteristics such as organization, unity, and mechanical conventions. This scoring system describes the overall effectiveness of these characteristics.

A writing sample is evaluated on the success of its total impression, rather than in terms of its individual component parts considered in isolation. Below are scores that samples may receive, and the criteria for those scores:

4 - a well-formed writing sample that effictively communicates a whole message to a specified audience
• The writer maintains unity of a developed topic throughout the writing sample and establishes a focus by clearly stating a purpose.
• The writer exhibits control in the development of ideas and clearly specifies supporting detail.
• Sentence structure is effective and free of errors.
• Choice of words is precise, and usage is careful.
• The writer shows mastery of mechanical conventions such as spelling and punctuation.

3 - an adequately-formed writing sample that attempts to communicate a message to a specified audience
• The focus and purpose of the writing sample may be clear, but the writer's attempts to develop supporting details may not be fully realized.
• The writer's organization of ideas may be ambiguous, incomplete, or partially ineffective.
• Sentence structure within paragraphs is adequate, but minor errors in sentence structure, usage, and word choice are evident.
• There may also be errors in the use of mechanical conventions, such as spelling and punctuation.

2 - a partially developed writing sample in which the characteristics of effective written communication are only partly formed.
• The statement of purpose is not clear, and, although a main idea or topic may be announced, focus on the main idea is not sustained.
• Ideas may be developed by the use of specific supporting detail, and the writer may make an effort to organize and sequence ideas, but development and organization are largely incomplete or unclear.
• Paragraphs contain poorly structured sentences with noticeable and distracting errors.
• The writer exhibits imprecision in usage and word choice, and a lack of control of mechanical conventions such as spelling and punctuation.

1 - an inadequately formed writing sample that fails to communicate a complete message
• The writer attempts to address the topic, but language and style may be inappropriate for the given audience, purpose, and/or occasion.
• There is often no clear statement of a main idea, and the writer's efforts to present supporting detail are confused.
• Any organization that is present fails to present an effective sequence of ideas.
• Sentence structure is ineffective and few sentences are free of errors.
• Usage and word choice are imprecise.
• The writer makes many errors in the use of mechanical conventions such spelling and punctuation.

0 - The response if off topic, illegible, or it is not of sufficient length to score

CHARACTERISTICS OF ADEQUATE WRITING

CHARACTERISTIC	ADEQUATE	INADEQUATE
1. Appropriateness	Topic addressed using language appropriate for audience, purpose, and occasion.	Topic addressed using language inappropriate for audience, purpose, and occasion.
2. Unity and Focus	Topic/main idea is clearly stated and adequately maintained.	Main idea is not clearly or adequately stated. Continued focus on main idea is not evident.
3. Development	The details presented support the main idea.	The supporting details are incomplete or unclear.
4. Organization	Points of discussion are reasonably organized.	Points of discussion are inadequately organized.
5. Sentence Structure	Sentence construction is relatively free of noticeable and distracting errors.	Sentences are poorly structured, or contain noticeable and distracting errors.
6. Usage	Word usage is adequate and words are chosen with precision.	Words are poorly chosen and/or improperly used.
7. Mechanical Conventions	Writer adequately follows the conventions of spelling, punctuation, and capitalization.	Errors in mechanical conventions are noticeable and distracting.

Damon Gitelman
(303) 588-4515
damon.gitelman@gmail.com

Curriculum Vitae