ACTAAP Writing
TIPS TO “ROCK” THE
TEST
Two Types of Writing on EOC
 Responses to reading Open Response Questions
 Responses to writing Topics
Scoring Procedures for Open-Response Questions
 Scores range from “0” to “4,” with “4” being the best.
 All student responses to the Grade 11 Literacy
Examination open-response test items are scored
independently by two readers. Those two scores are
compared, and responses that receive scores that are
non-adjacent (a “1” and a “3,” for example) are
scored a third time by a Team Leader or the Scoring
Director for resolution.
Responses to reading Open Response Questions
 Students will be asked to read a passage or passages.
 Students will then be asked to respond to what they
have read in writing.
 For example: Describe a conflict presented in the passage.
Explain how the conflict is resolved. Provide two examples from
the passage to support your response.
 Students will be provided with a rubric that will
show what will merit the highest score possible.
SCORE DESCRIPTION
Example Rubric
The response describes a conflict of the passage, explains how the conflict is resolved, and
provides two examples from the passage to support the response.
The response describes a conflict of the passage, explains how the conflict is resolved, and provides one
example from the passage to support the response.
OR
The response describes a conflict of the passage and provides two examples from the passage to support the
response.
OR
The response explains how the conflict is resolved and provides two examples from the passage to support the
response.
The response describes a conflict of the passage and explains how the conflict is resolved.
OR
The response describes a conflict of the passage and provides one example from the passage to support the
response.
OR
The response explains how the conflict is resolved and provides one example from the passage to support the
response.
The response describes a conflict of the passage.
OR
The response explains how the conflict is resolved.
The response is totally incorrect or irrelevant. There is no evidence that the student
understands the task, or the response may be off-topic.
B Blank—No Response. A score of “B” will be reported as “NA.” (No attempt to answer the item.
Score of “0” assigned for the item.)
Domains for Open Response
 Writing is graded in five different areas called
“domains”:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Style
Content
Usage
Mechanics
Sentence Formation
Domains are Great!
All these different domains are
great because they give you
more opportunities to succeed!
Domain 1: STYLE Divisions
Selected Vocabulary
Selected Information
Style
Tone
Voice
Questions asked when scoring STYLE:
 Is the vocabulary and information selected to
influence the reader? Is vocabulary precise/specific,
and is it suited to the writer’s purpose? Does the
writer create images for the reader?
 Are a variety of sentences used to enhance the
writer’s points and to create reader interest?
 Does the writer’s voice emerge through the selected
vocabulary and information?
More questions about STYLE:
 Is there an appropriate tone created with all the
features working together?
 Does the writer control these features consistently or
just some of the time?
 What level of control of all features within the
domain of STYLE does the writer demonstrate?
Domain: STYLE
Consistent Control (score of 4)
Selected Vocabulary
•purposeful selection with audience in mind
•precise, specific
•suits the writer’s purpose and topic
•creates images for the reader sustained throughout
Selected Information
•purposeful selection of details to affect reader
•creates images for the reader (“Dentyne” rather than
“gum”) sustained throughout
Sentence Variety
•sentences have a variety of beginnings and lengths
•different sentence structures create an interesting reading
Tone
•an attitude is conveyed through selected vocabulary and
information
•maintained throughout
•tone does not shift
•appropriate for the piece
Voice
•strong writer’s voice
•reader can get a picture of the writer
Domain 2: CONTENT
Central idea
Elaboration
Unity
Organization
Questions asked when scoring
CONTENT:
 Is the central idea clear and does the student
maintain the focus?
 Are there details that five a clear idea of the student’s
message? Does the writer leave some questions
unanswered?
 Are all ideas in the essay elaborated or did the
student elaborate only some of the ideas?
More questions about CONTENT:
 Are all the details supporting the central idea? Does
everything hang together? Is the essay cohesive?
 Is there an organizational plan or has the writer
jumped around?
 What level of control of all features within the
domain of CONTENT does the writer demonstrate?
Domain: Content
Consistent Control (score of 4)
Central Ideas
•clear central idea
•apparent to reader
•adhered to throughout piece
Elaboration
•writer has included
• details so that reader gets a clear idea of message
•elaboration for a narrative fills in the steps in the
sequence
•even elaboration (not just one of the ideas elaborated)
Unity
•all elaboration focused on central idea presence of closure
•more mature writers will close the entire piece (less
mature writers
will close their last thought)
•consistent point of view
•piece hangs together
Organization
•clear organization
•can tell there is a plan in effect
•sequential for a narrative piece
•writers may clump ideas in expository pieces
•clear progression of ideas
Domain 3: SENTENCE FORMATION
Completeness
Absence of Fused Sentences (run-ons,
comma splices)
 Expansion through Coordination and
Modifiers
Embedding through Standard
Subordination and Modifiers
Standard Word Order
Questions asked about SENTENCE
FORMATION:
 Are all sentences complete or are there fragments?
 Are there sentences with words out of order?
 Has the writer made use of clauses, coordinating
conjunctions, series, adjectives, adverbs so that
he/she demonstrates the ability to construct
different types of sentences.
More questions asked about SENTENCE
FORMATION:
 What has the writer done well in relation to what
he/she has done poorly.
 What level of control of all features within the
domain of FORMATION does the writer
demonstrate?
Domain:
SENTENCE FORMATION
Consistent Control (score of 4)
Completeness
Non-enjambment
•control of a variety of sentence structures
Expansion
through
standard coordination
and modifiers
•ideas are combined and embedded with skill
•fragments may be used for effect
•does not have to be perfect
Embedding through
standard subordination
and modifiers
Domain 4: USAGE
Standard Inflections
Agreement
Word Meaning
Conventions
Questions asked when scoring USAGE:
 Does the writer control inflections: noun and verb
endings?
 Does the writer control subject/verb and
pronoun/antecedent agreement?
 Is verb tense consistent and accurate throughout?
More questions about USAGE:
 Has the writer chosen the correct words to fit the
meaning in the sentences or are there inaccurate
word choices?
 What has the writer done well in relation to what
he/she has done poorly?
 What level of control of all features within the
domain of USAGE does the writer demonstrate?
Domain: USAGE
Consistent Control (score of 4)
Standard inflections (plurals, possessives,
-ed, -ly, etc.)
•all the features are handled well
Agreement
•does not have to be perfect
Word meaning
Conventions
Domain 5: MECHANICS
 Capitalization
 Punctuation
 Formatting
 Spelling
Questions asked when scoring
MECHANICS:
 Does the writer have control of capitalization?
 Does the writer have control of punctuation?
 Does the writer format correctly?
 Does the writer have control of spelling? Misspelling
more difficult words is less important than a pattern
of misspelling basic words such as “a lot.”
More questions asked when scoring
MECHANICS:
 What has the writer done well in relation to what
he/she has done poorly? Mechanics offers the
greatest opportunity to make errors OR show skills!
 What level of control of all features within the
domain of MECHANICS does the writer
demonstrate?
Domain: MECHANICS
Consistent Control (score of 4)
Capitalization
•all the features are handled well
Punctuation
Formatting
Spelling
•does not have to be perfect