Pre-scored Anchor Papers
Pre-scored Anchor Papers
Essay Prompt:
Think carefully about the issue presented in the following excerpt and the assignment below.
Why do we not value the creative arts more than we do? Why are subjects like music, drama, photography,
and creative writing always the first to be cut from school budgets during hard times? Many would answer
that, unlike math, science, history, and other subjects taught in school, the arts are unnecessary. But this is so
untrue. The arts are as necessary as these other subject areas — possibly even more necessary.
Assignment: Is it absolutely necessary for people to study the creative arts?
Review Scored Anchor Papers
The pre-scored essays on the following pages (pages 16–33)
are in rank order from highest to lowest scores (6 to 1). These
anchor papers give a strong impression of the comparative
differences in the scores for the given essay prompt. These
papers have also been annotated to demonstrate aspects of the
SAT Essay Scoring Guide.
To Do:
❐ Review the SAT Essay Scoring Guide (page 4).
❐ Read the essay prompt above.
❐ Read the pre-scored anchor papers (pages 16–33). Also
read the annotation that is p
­ rovided at the end of each
essay.
Paper:
Score:
G
6
H
6
I
5
J
5
K
4
L
4
M
3
N
2
O
1
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G
Pre-scored Anchor Paper
Score of 6: Clear and consistent mastery
Pre-scored Anchor Papers
BEGIN YOUR ESSAY ON THIS SIDE. IF YOU NEED MORE SPACE, YOU MAY CONTINUE ON THE NEXT PAGE.
CONTINUE ON NEXT PAGE IF NECESSARY.
16
G
CONTINUATION OF ESSAY. WRITE BELOW ONLY IF YOU NEED MORE SPACE.
Pre-scored Anchor Papers
Annotation for Paper G:
Score of 6
Demonstrating outstanding critical thinking, this response develops an analysis of art’s value in contemporary society, concluding that
“art has become more dangerous and belongs in education even less than before.” The writer supports this position with appropriate
reasons and examples drawn from philosophy. Well organized around its examples, the essay displays coherence and progression of
ideas (In The Republic, Plato creates a compelling account of art as being essentially imitative…. Thus, art is an insidious thing….
However, there exists also a school of thought that holds that art is immeasurably beneficial to mankind. Aristotle, Plato’s pupil,
took this stance in the Poetics, where he defends art and states that what Plato saw as dangerous sympathy with the irrational is,
in fact, the cleansing, or catharsis, of these irrational impulses from the soul of man). The essay exhibits skillful use of language,
using a varied, accurate, and apt vocabulary, and displays meaningful variety in sentence structure (In The Work of Art in the Age of
Mechanical Production, Walter Benjamin analyzes the decay of art’s aura that has been caused by relentless, precise reproduction of
images by machines). This essay demonstrates clear and consistent mastery and receives a score of 6.
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H
Pre-scored Anchor Paper
Score of 6: Clear and consistent mastery
Pre-scored Anchor Papers
BEGIN YOUR ESSAY ON THIS SIDE. IF YOU NEED MORE SPACE, YOU MAY CONTINUE ON THE NEXT PAGE.
CONTINUE ON NEXT PAGE IF NECESSARY.
18
H
CONTINUATION OF ESSAY. WRITE BELOW ONLY IF YOU NEED MORE SPACE.
Pre-scored Anchor Papers
Annotation for Paper H:
Score of 6
This essay demonstrates outstanding critical thinking by effectively and insightfully developing its point of view (American
education must consist of both artistic and vocational training) and supports this position by using clearly appropriate reasons
and examples from American history. The response is well organized and clearly focused, displaying clear coherence and smooth
progression of ideas (The eighteenth century was home to the best political minds America has ever seen….These thinkers
and many more were educated by the arts, an integral part of Euro-American education in the 1700s. As soon as pragmatism
took over in the 1800s, political thinkers were replaced by political machines). The essay exhibits skillful use of language, using
a varied, accurate, and apt vocabulary, and displays meaningful variety in sentence structure (The study of arts is undeniably
essential to a democracy’s political well-being, and must hang in balance with practical studies to maintain an equilibrium of
profession). Demonstrating clear and consistent mastery, this essay merits a score of 6.
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I
Pre-scored Anchor Paper
Score of 5: Reasonably consistent mastery
Pre-scored Anchor Papers
BEGIN YOUR ESSAY ON THIS SIDE. IF YOU NEED MORE SPACE, YOU MAY CONTINUE ON THE NEXT PAGE.
CONTINUE ON NEXT PAGE IF NECESSARY.
20
I
CONTINUATION OF ESSAY. WRITE BELOW ONLY IF YOU NEED MORE SPACE.
Pre-scored Anchor Papers
Annotation for Paper I:
Score of 5
Exhibiting strong critical thinking, this well-organized essay effectively develops a point of view (Instruction should be comprised
of a balance of the sciences and the arts) and supports the position with appropriate reasons and examples from personal
experience and observation. Focused on its argument, the response displays coherence and progression of ideas (It seems that
in the United States — an extremely advanced technological country, a greater emphasis is on preparing its young people for
jobs in the for-profit sector. In this capitalist state, it is the people who hold the jobs related to business, finance, engineering,
and research who prosper economically). The essay exhibits facility in the use of language and variety in sentence structure (The
skills of public speaking, expression through art, and effective writing are the true assets — not the laws of thermodynamics or
the fundamentals of calculus). To earn a 6, the writer should make a case for how those who work in the nonprofit sector use the
creative arts and “community-building” in their work, perhaps by enhancing the discussion on the “spiritual” benefits of the arts.
Overall, this essay demonstrates reasonably consistent mastery and merits a score of 5.
21
J
Pre-scored Anchor Paper
Score of 5: Reasonably consistent mastery
Pre-scored Anchor Papers
BEGIN YOUR ESSAY ON THIS SIDE. IF YOU NEED MORE SPACE, YOU MAY CONTINUE ON THE NEXT PAGE.
CONTINUE ON NEXT PAGE IF NECESSARY.
22
J
CONTINUATION OF ESSAY. WRITE BELOW ONLY IF YOU NEED MORE SPACE.
Pre-scored Anchor Papers
Annotation for Paper J:
Score of 5
Demonstrating strong critical thinking, this essay effectively develops the point of view that “the arts will forever have a
necessary place in our society and education,” and provides appropriate reasoning and other evidence to support the position.
Well organized and focused on its argument that resistance to the arts is based largely on “fear” and “uncertainty,” the essay
displays coherence and progression of ideas (Because one may study, say, painting, and learn the ways in which colors mix…
doesn’t mean that this “artist” has any talent…The lack of concrete and solid existence in the world of the arts makes them
foreboding and scary to some). The essay uses appropriate vocabulary and exhibits variety in sentence structure (Many will argue
that arts are a frivilous waste of time and energy and most of these people might, in fact, be basing their assumptions on fear).
The writer could achieve a score of 6 by elaborating on how Mr. Holland improved the lives of his students or by more effectively
linking the “fear of the arts” argument to the “Mr. Holland” discussion. Overall, this essay displays reasonably consistent
mastery and receives a score of 5.
23
K
Pre-scored Anchor Paper
Score of 4: Adequate mastery
Pre-scored Anchor Papers
BEGIN YOUR ESSAY ON THIS SIDE. IF YOU NEED MORE SPACE, YOU MAY CONTINUE ON THE NEXT PAGE.
CONTINUE ON NEXT PAGE IF NECESSARY.
24
K
CONTINUATION OF ESSAY. WRITE BELOW ONLY IF YOU NEED MORE SPACE.
Pre-scored Anchor Papers
Annotation for Paper K:
Score of 4
Demonstrating competent critical thinking, this essay develops a point of view (It is absolutely necessary for people to be able
to study the creative arts) and supports the position with adequate reasons and examples. The essay is generally organized
and focused on its argument, displaying some coherence and progression of ideas (For example, if one looks at the “Pietà” by
Michelangelo, one can grasp the beauty and majesty of it that could never be communicated through words…One learns to
look beyond the surface and to ask why something is the way it is). The essay displays adequate facility in the use of language,
and sentence structure is somewhat varied (My own sister is not a great student, but when she is creating art, she is amazingly
superior to me. That talent gives her the confidence to move through life as someone who is not inferior). The writer can earn
a higher score by further developing her three examples and providing an insightful conclusion. Overall, this response displays
adequate mastery and earns a score of 4.
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L
Pre-scored Anchor Paper
Score of 4: Adequate mastery
Pre-scored Anchor Papers
BEGIN YOUR ESSAY ON THIS SIDE. IF YOU NEED MORE SPACE, YOU MAY CONTINUE ON THE NEXT PAGE.
CONTINUE ON NEXT PAGE IF NECESSARY.
26
L
CONTINUATION OF ESSAY. WRITE BELOW ONLY IF YOU NEED MORE SPACE.
Pre-scored Anchor Papers
Annotation for Paper L:
Score of 4
This essay develops a point of view (The Creative Arts are not a subject all alone, but rather a necessity in our education as
a whole) and displays competent critical thinking, supporting the position with adequate reasons and examples drawn from
personal experience. Generally organized and focused on its argument, the response exhibits some coherence and progression of
ideas (As children enter school they learn the basic subjects, math, reading, history, and science, and often lose out on another,
equaly important subject, art…but [creative arts] offer a new way of understanding those four subjects we’re all forced to
learn by analyzing arts within each subject). The essay uses generally appropriate vocabulary and demonstrates some variety
in sentence structure (As a junior filling out my courses for next year, my last year in highschool, I couldn’t help but feel a little
melancholy. My transcript was filled with the basic math, science, history, and english, and lacked any presence of the Arts). To
achieve a higher score, the writer should provide concrete examples of the “amazing art” being discussed in the essay and/or
better support the claim that “Education is art.” Demonstrating adequate mastery, this essay receives a score of 4.
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M
Pre-scored Anchor Paper
Score of 3: Developing mastery
Pre-scored Anchor Papers
BEGIN YOUR ESSAY ON THIS SIDE. IF YOU NEED MORE SPACE, YOU MAY CONTINUE ON THE NEXT PAGE.
CONTINUE ON NEXT PAGE IF NECESSARY.
28
M
CONTINUATION OF ESSAY. WRITE BELOW ONLY IF YOU NEED MORE SPACE.
Pre-scored Anchor Papers
Annotation for Paper M:
Score of 3
Exhibiting some critical thinking, this essay develops a point of view (…art is an irreplaceable part of life and schools need to
prepare students for everyday life) but provides evidence that is inadequate to support the position. While somewhat organized
around its examples, lapses in progression of ideas occur (…this is part of their argument for cutting the art programs, that art
is not essential for a career.…musicians, actors, photographers and authors are careers that are just as prevalent in society
as architects or surgeons. Also, art is an important part of higher education). The essay displays developing facility in the use
of language. To earn a higher score, the writer should provide more detailed analysis of why art might be important in higher
education and everyday life, and fix the problems in sentence structure in the second paragraph. This response demonstrates
developing mastery and receives a score of 3.
29
N
Pre-scored Anchor Paper
Score of 2: Little mastery
Pre-scored Anchor Papers
BEGIN YOUR ESSAY ON THIS SIDE. IF YOU NEED MORE SPACE, YOU MAY CONTINUE ON THE NEXT PAGE.
CONTINUE ON NEXT PAGE IF NECESSARY.
30
N
CONTINUATION OF ESSAY. WRITE BELOW ONLY IF YOU NEED MORE SPACE.
Pre-scored Anchor Papers
Annotation for Paper N:
Score of 2
While this response develops the point of view that “it would be nice for it to be an option of whether or not you want to study
the creative arts,” it displays weak critical thinking, providing reasons and examples that are insufficient to support the position.
Sparse, repetitive evidence impedes progression of ideas (…taking a course in one of the subjects may give you a heads up as to
what you may want to do in life. You never know you may…and may possibly end up having a job in doing something that involves
creative arts). The response displays very little facility in the use of language, using very limited vocabulary. To achieve a higher
score, the writer must use critical thinking to develop meaningful examples and reasoning to support the point of view. Overall,
this essay demonstrates little mastery and merits a score of 2.
31
O
Pre-scored Anchor Paper
Score of 1: Very little or no mastery
Pre-scored Anchor Papers
BEGIN YOUR ESSAY ON THIS SIDE. IF YOU NEED MORE SPACE, YOU MAY CONTINUE ON THE NEXT PAGE.
CONTINUE ON NEXT PAGE IF NECESSARY.
32
O
CONTINUATION OF ESSAY. WRITE BELOW ONLY IF YOU NEED MORE SPACE.
Pre-scored Anchor Papers
Annotation for Paper O:
Score of 1
Displaying very little mastery, this response states a point of view (I believe that people should have the opportunity to study the
creative arts) but offers very little evidence to support the position. Disorganized and repetitive evidence result in a disjointed
essay (Some people might want to become an artist or musician, so they should have the chance to study it… Everyone should
have the right to take creative arts classes). To earn a higher score, the writer must use critical thinking to develop a more
focused point of view and provide examples and analysis to support that position. This fundamentally lacking essay merits a
score of 1.
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Unscored Anchor Papers
Unscored Anchor Papers
Essay Prompt:
Think carefully about the issue presented in the following excerpt and the assignment below.
Why do we not value the creative arts more than we do? Why are subjects like music, drama, photography,
and creative writing always the first to be cut from school budgets during hard times? Many would answer
that, unlike math, science, history, and other subjects taught in school, the arts are unnecessary. But this is so
untrue. The arts are as necessary as these other subject areas — possibly even more necessary.
Assignment: Is it absolutely necessary for people to study the creative arts?
Practice Scoring Anchor Papers
Like the pre-scored anchor papers, the unscored papers
(pages 36–47) are essays that received scores from 6 to 1.
However, these papers do not appear in rank order by
their score.
To Do:
❐ Read the six unscored essays (pages 36–47) and rank
them from best (6) to worst (1). Record your answers in
the table to the right.
Paper:
Score:
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
❐ It may be helpful to print them out or make photocopies
so you can physically arrange them in descending order
from best to worst.
❐ Review the actual scores and annotations for these
papers on pages 48–­49.
35
U
Unscored Anchor Paper
Instructions: Read and sort essays U to Z and rank them from best (score of 6) to worst (score of 1).
Log your scores on page 35.
Unscored Anchor Papers
BEGIN YOUR ESSAY ON THIS SIDE. IF YOU NEED MORE SPACE, YOU MAY CONTINUE ON THE NEXT PAGE.
CONTINUE ON NEXT PAGE IF NECESSARY.
36
U
CONTINUATION OF ESSAY. WRITE BELOW ONLY IF YOU NEED MORE SPACE.
Unscored Anchor Papers
Unscored Anchor Paper U:
The score and annotation for this essay can be found on page 48.
37
V
Unscored Anchor Paper
Instructions: Read and sort essays U to Z and rank them from best (score of 6) to worst (score of 1).
Log your scores on page 35.
Unscored Anchor Papers
BEGIN YOUR ESSAY ON THIS SIDE. IF YOU NEED MORE SPACE, YOU MAY CONTINUE ON THE NEXT PAGE.
CONTINUE ON NEXT PAGE IF NECESSARY.
38
V
CONTINUATION OF ESSAY. WRITE BELOW ONLY IF YOU NEED MORE SPACE.
Unscored Anchor Papers
Unscored Anchor Paper V:
The score and annotation for this essay can be found on page 48.
39
W
Unscored Anchor Paper
Instructions: Read and sort essays U to Z and rank them from best (score of 6) to worst (score of 1).
Log your scores on page 35.
Unscored Anchor Papers
BEGIN YOUR ESSAY ON THIS SIDE. IF YOU NEED MORE SPACE, YOU MAY CONTINUE ON THE NEXT PAGE.
CONTINUE ON NEXT PAGE IF NECESSARY.
40
W
CONTINUATION OF ESSAY. WRITE BELOW ONLY IF YOU NEED MORE SPACE.
Unscored Anchor Papers
Unscored Anchor Paper W:
The score and annotation for this essay can be found on page 48.
For a typed version of this essay, visit www.collegeboard.org/scorewrite.
41
X
Unscored Anchor Paper
Instructions: Read and sort essays U to Z and rank them from best (score of 6) to worst (score of 1).
Log your scores on page 35.
Unscored Anchor Papers
BEGIN YOUR ESSAY ON THIS SIDE. IF YOU NEED MORE SPACE, YOU MAY CONTINUE ON THE NEXT PAGE.
CONTINUE ON NEXT PAGE IF NECESSARY.
42
X
CONTINUATION OF ESSAY. WRITE BELOW ONLY IF YOU NEED MORE SPACE.
Unscored Anchor Papers
Unscored Anchor Paper X:
The score and annotation for this essay can be found on page 48.
43
Y
Unscored Anchor Paper
Instructions: Read and sort essays U to Z and rank them from best (score of 6) to worst (score of 1).
Log your scores on page 35.
Unscored Anchor Papers
BEGIN YOUR ESSAY ON THIS SIDE. IF YOU NEED MORE SPACE, YOU MAY CONTINUE ON THE NEXT PAGE.
CONTINUE ON NEXT PAGE IF NECESSARY.
44
Y
CONTINUATION OF ESSAY. WRITE BELOW ONLY IF YOU NEED MORE SPACE.
Unscored Anchor Papers
Unscored Anchor Paper Y:
The score and annotation for this essay can be found on page 49.
45
Z
Unscored Anchor Paper
Instructions: Read and sort essays U to Z and rank them from best (score of 6) to worst (score of 1).
Log your scores on page 35.
Unscored Anchor Papers
BEGIN YOUR ESSAY ON THIS SIDE. IF YOU NEED MORE SPACE, YOU MAY CONTINUE ON THE NEXT PAGE.
CONTINUE ON NEXT PAGE IF NECESSARY.
46
Z
CONTINUATION OF ESSAY. WRITE BELOW ONLY IF YOU NEED MORE SPACE.
Unscored Anchor Papers
Unscored Anchor Paper Z:
The score and annotation for this essay can be found on page 49.
47
Scores and Annotations for
Unscored Anchor Papers
Paper U: Score of 5
Unscored Anchor Papers
This essay demonstrates strong critical thinking by
effectively developing its point of view (…the creative arts
should, like the regular academic curriculum, be mandatory
for all students) and supporting the position with appropriate
reasons and detailed examples drawn from personal
experience. Well organized and focused as it develops its
examples, the response displays coherence and progression
of ideas (…I have seen various types of students take art for
the first time…Whether they were a master artist or not, the
students excelled in the class. I believe it was because for at
least one hour out of their day, they were able to clear their
mind of all the numbers, and tests and quizzes, and just
channel their energy – whether positive or negative – into
their own creation). Using appropriate vocabulary, the
essay exhibits facility in the use of language, and variety
in sentence structure appears throughout. To merit a 6,
the writer should address the contradiction created by the
left-brain/right-brain set-up in the introduction, since the
creative arts would favor the left-brain types. Overall, this
essay demonstrates reasonably consistent mastery and earns
a score of 5.
Paper V: Score of 2
Exhibiting weak critical thinking, this essay attempts to
develop a balanced point of view (Creative arts are very
important, but not a important as math, english, and science)
but provides only brief, general reasons and examples that
are insufficient to support the position. Poorly organized
and focused, the response demonstrates serious problems
with coherence and progression of ideas (Although creative
arts are very important to some people not everyone uses them
on a daily basis. You don’t need to use music when you are
representing someone in court or listening to some ones heart
rate at the doctors office). For a higher score, the writer must
use critical thinking to further develop a stronger point of
view, providing detailed evidence that better supports the
position. This response demonstrates little mastery and
receives a score of 2.
48
Paper W: Score of 6
Displaying outstanding critical thinking, this essay
effectively and insightfully develops a point of view (…
the creative arts train our mind to think in a way the other
subjects are incapable of doing) and uses clearly appropriate
reasons and examples drawn from the writer’s studies
in psychology and photography to support the position.
Well organized and clearly focused on the idea that
studying creative arts allows one to form “a comprehensive
understanding of the world,” the response shows clear
coherence and smooth progression of ideas (I used to hate
anything do with the arts….This dramatically changed when
one of my friends took up photography as a hobby. There was
just something about the myriad of lenses, positions, lighting
and distinctive focuses that grabbed my interest). The essay
exhibits skillful use of language, using a varied, accurate
and apt vocabulary, and displays meaningful variety in
sentence structure (To answer this question comprehensively,
it is important to look at the bigger picture and to understand
the more subtle aspects of art which sustains the somewhat
spontaneous and dynamic nature of human beings). Overall,
this response demonstrates clear and consistent mastery, and
earns a score of 6.
Paper X: Score of 4
This essay demonstrates competent critical thinking by
developing a point of view (It is absolutely necessary for people
to study the creative arts) and providing adequate reasons
and examples as support. Generally organized and focused
on the physical and cognitive benefits that studying the
creative arts provides, the response exhibits some coherence
and progression of ideas (The use of the creative arts help
unlock different parts of the brain…. The creative arts will help
a student learn things they never thought they would, such
as learning the musical language or learning how to express
ideas through art, poetry, or even music). Using generally
appropriate vocabulary, the essay displays adequate but
inconsistent facility in the use of language and demonstrates
some variety in sentence structure. The writer can earn a
higher score by providing more detailed examples of how
specific creative arts help with the learning of core subjects,
or how together they keep America free. Displaying adequate
mastery, this response merits a score of 4.
Paper Y: Score of 1
This fundamentally lacking essay offers a point of view (I dont
feel that it is nessasary to have creative arts) but provides too
little evidence to support the position. The few ideas presented
are unfocused, resulting in a disjointed essay (Math, science,
and english are much more useful because they will help us in
life. If your going to collage for the Arts then you can take Art
classes in collage). Pervasive errors occur in grammar, usage,
and mechanics. The writer can achieve a higher score by using
critical thinking to provide well-organized, clearly developed
evidence that supports the point of view. Demonstrating very
little mastery, this response receives a score of 1.
Paper Z: Score of 3
Unscored Anchor Papers
This essay develops a point of view (It is completely necessary
for the youth of today to learn about the creative arts) and
demonstrates some critical thinking, but its position is
inadequately supported by the evidence provided. Despite
an attempt to organize the essay around supporting reasons,
some lapses occur in coherence and progression of ideas
(Art is also a subject just like history or science….Without the
knowledge of music, paintings, or plays we will never know
what life was like before the 21st century). The response exhibits
developing facility in the use of language. To achieve a higher
score, the writer must provide specific details to show how the
arts illuminate history or what the positive benefits of artistic
self-expression are. This response displays developing mastery
and merits a score of 3.
49