Pennsylvania Writing Assessment Domain Scoring Guide

PENNSYLVANIA WRITING ASSESSMENT DOMAIN SCORING GUIDE

FOCUS CONTENT ORGANIZATION STYLE CONVENTIONS The single controlling The presence of ideas developed through The order developed and The choice, use and arrangement Grammar, mechanics, point made with an facts, examples, anecdotes, details, sustained within and across of words and sentence structures spelling, usage and sentence awareness of task opinions, statistics, reasons, and/or paragraphs using transitional that create tone and voice. formation. about a specific topic. explanations. devices and including introduction and conclusion.

FOCUS CONTENT ORGANIZATION STYLE CONVENTIONS

Sharp, distinct controlling Substantial, specific, and/or Sophisticated arrangement of Precise, illustrative use of a Evident control of grammar, point made about a single illustrative content content with evident and/or variety of words and sentence mechanics, spelling, usage and 4 topic with evident demonstrating strong subtle transitions. structures to create consistent sentence formation. awareness of task. development and sophisticated writer's voice and tone ideas. appropriate to audience. Apparent point made about Sufficiently developed content Functional arrangement of Generic use of a variety of words Sufficient control of grammar, a single topic with sufficient with adequate elaboration or content that sustains a logical and sentence structures that may mechanics, spelling, usage and 3 awareness of task. explanation. order with some evidence of or may not create writer's voice sentence formation. transitions. and tone appropriate to audience.

No apparent point but Limited content with inadequate Confused or inconsistent Limited word choice and control Limited control of grammar, evidence of a specific topic. elaboration or explanation. arrangement of content with or of sentence structures that inhibit mechanics, spelling, usage and 2 without attempts at transition. voice and tone. sentence formation.

Minimal evidence of a Superficial and/or minimal Minimal control of content Minimal variety in word choice Minimal control of grammar, topic. content. arrangement. and minimal control of sentence mechanics, spelling, usage and 1 structures. sentence formation.

Prewriting - /5 Draft- /5 Visible Revisions- /5 Typed Final Draft- /5

Total Score- /40

September 1, 1999