• usually fail to do this because
  • teacher hasn't decided yet
    
  • teacher knows but hasn't communicated to student (barometer example)

• ambiguity makes it impossible to score

A. Specify limitations

• tell student desired length and weighting of question
  
  • by # words
    
  • by length of time
    
  • by maximum number of points per item

"For a maximum of three points...
"In no more than 100 words,

B. Structure the task OVERHEAD: Explain World War II. (from Sax)

"Discuss essay questions"

"Compare multiple-choice and essay questions"

SEE PAGE 135-137 in Making the Grade for problems with words like "discuss" "evaluate" and even "compare"

Poor Example: OVERHEAD #8: POOR/BETTER
• also problem of silly answers again: what did Demitri do? Eat, sleep...

• UNFORTUNATELY, must be careful that the more specific you are, the more likely you are to slide down Bloom's taxonomy--> words like list and outline call for only recall

• try words like "compare; contrast"; at higher grades, "defend"

• SEE PAGES 138-142 in Making the Grade for discussion of directing words and how to use them

C. Provide a context

• in real life, writing arises out of context

• what is wrong with Alberta Writing Competency Tests
  
  • asking "Why do you like living in Alberta" sounds like it should be accessible to everyone, but after a moment or two of false starts, realize that you have nothing to say beyond, "well, because"

  Components of Extended Respones Assignments

  1. Purpose of writing
     
  2. Audience to be addressed
     
  3. Type of writing expected

• need to tell them the purpose <--reason for writing
  
• need to tell them who the audience is
  
• need to tell them the format
  course provides some background, but you need to connect student to that course material by providing enough lead-in to reconnect to class discussion

  also:

• provides clear idea of where the question is coming from, so how to answer

• cuts down on blank page syndrome

• can be done in a number of ways:
• brief Prolog --->OVERHEAD OF GRADE 12 TOPIC A

• provide info earlier in test, on multiple-choice data questions

• present relevant data on test itself (e.g.DBQs)

• to increase breadth of coverage
• to increase reliability (the more measures you have, the more reliable)
  • "tell me everything you know" leads to vague rambling answers which are difficult to mark

  If you are trying to assess student's ability to write, synthesize, sustain an argument, then have to use much fewer assignments -- usually just one

  If you are trying to simulate a process, break down into steps:

• get more diagnostic information about where in process breaks down

• preps for major assignment

hold up grade 6 ACHIEVEMENT TEST

• allows student to chose topic student knows about, BUT

(a)indecisive students will waste time trying to choose

(b) students will chose one topic, be dissatisfied, panic, start over
(used to see this all the time on provincials)

(c) a few students will attempt to write both or all questions

(d) introduces a new variable: the student's ability to know which is the student's best area

• traditionally, weak students in Social 30 picked Topic B because questions like "Is war ever justified" sound easier than, "compare economic systems" --> actually not the case, economic ones easier to prepare

• it is a trap (WHY the prov tests have choice in a moment)

(e) makes marking objectively more difficult for you

is your intention to reward students who tackle challenging material, or those who select the safe, easy question?
• is screwing up a tough question better or worse than getting an easy question correct?

• going to try to make them equal difficulty -- hoho!

• can you really assume questions were equally difficult?
  
• very difficult to construct balanced question sets

• can you really assume you covered both topics equally thoroughly? (well, your specifications will help with that)

• more work because need two answer keys,

• have to sort papers into same answer groups,

• and then mark all of those groups;

• then check that standards you applied were equal for both groups
  --> go back and reread average paper from both, top paper from both to make sure have same standard;

• but what if all the good students go for one topic?

• if you have 6 topics, you may end up with three of the questions only having one student each
  
  lot of work for nothing?

(f) -if you have one topic, you can use the rest of the test to prepare the kid for the writing assignment:

eg, provide data in the data-based multiple choice which will help them to start thinking on topic, overcome blank page syndrome

--OCCASIONALLY --> will be assessing out of context for writing skills only, not content, like Universities' Writing Competency test

--> THEN you would provide choice so that content of question doesn't stop them --> won't apply to you in your classroom

(and WC test really sucks for precisely that reason -- no context)

(g) -if topic choice is such a good idea, why not for multiple-choice too?

--> drawbacks become obvious...

(h) -encourages students to avoid topics they do not wish to bother with because can tell themselves they just won't choose that topic

[story of Adam Charlesworth beating the 10 question essay test]

If no choice, you can provide indication of general area will be required to write on, since you want to avoid "but that was the ONE topic I didn't study for!"

-- indicate general area they will be responsible for ahead of time, even if you don't test all of it

• CAN give them a choice IF it is not a time limited test

  --> then they have a chance to cope with all the above problems

• can give choice if you screw up --> e.g., I found out text missing glossary page day before the exam, so had to offer alternative for those who missed that class

  on the other hand, Nola is teaching them to give choice no reason, she says, for time limited tests give kids chance to show strengths not weaknesses She is a warm fuzzy elementary teacher and I am a hardnosed secondary type

  YOU USE YOUR PROFESSIONAL JUDGEMENT -- ART NOT SCIENCE

• make sure meets learning objective you intended

• make sure that it is answerable

• by writing key at the same time, as you realize what you want them to do, it helps you focus your question

  
  

• warning --> don't get too pedantic (see next page!!!)

• don't expect them to reproduce your answer, unless you want mindless memorizers

• if you can think of three reasons, examples, only ask for two
  

• give them more time then you had
  

• we made Social 30 markers start by writing the exam one year -- humbling experience--> guys who'd been complaining about how poor students were suddenly started giving out higher marks (-gave then only a 1/3rd the time)

• when Diplomas came out, some teachers kept criteria secret, or didn't think to tell students

• easier to perform well when you know what's wanted

• helps students organize their material
  
  
• helps give weak students a structure
  
  
• helps strong students a focus

• forces teacher to plan ahead
  

  --> temptation to make up answer key after having given the question is overpowering but disastrous

• discover their answers unrelated to intended learning objectives

• discover that question does not yield useful diagnostic information

• discover that question is too easy or too hard or too unclear

• states the biases of the marker in open and fair manner
  

  (eg., warned my 4430 students that I am picky about English, and that I particularly hate "pretentious academic" writing)
  
  

  • ok, they've been warned about my particular hobby horse

• hidden agendas are very frustrating for students, makes you an enemy for life because it is unfair

Same as for multiple-choice:

• new reading in English, start them thinking

• series of documents (DBQ) for them to analyze, synthesize

• statement to argue against

• announcement of new policy to respond to

• simulations

• new situation in Drama
  Here's a scene from a script. Now,
  
  "how would you position the actors on the stage?
  
  "The actor playing opposite you has just forgotten his next line. What could you say while staying in character?
  
  etc....