Transcript Slide 1

Thomas A. Stewart
Literacy Test (OSSLT)
Prep Guide
2013
Writing Questions:
Series of Paragraphs
A Tas Com-Tech Product: Jesse and Tess
Introduction
To help you navigate
the guide, the TAS
Logo is a link to the
Table of Contents
This guide is intended to be a resource for students,
teachers and parents.
It has several sections covering what to expect, how
these questions are marked, examples of good and
bad answers with explanations for why.
Throughout the guide there are suggestions, tips and
hints.
You can jump from section to section or go through
the guide in order.
We recommend visiting this guide more than once.
A Tas Com-Tech Product: Jesse and Tess
Table of Contents
Overview
Sample Question
How to Write a Series of Paragraphs
What to expect
How it’s Marked
Topic Development
Writing Conventions
Sample Answers
Topic Dev. 10-60
Writing Con. 10 - 40
OSSLT -speak
Other Guides
OSSLT-speak
Decoding the OSSLT:
The OSSLT has its own special terminology. It’s important to know what their terms
mean.
A “selection” is the thing they have you read…it might be part of a book,
a story from a magazine, something from a website, but basically it’s the
thing you need to base your answers on.
Prompt:
The “prompt” is basically the question. For a Series of Paragraphs
Expressing an Opinion the “prompt” will be the topic they want you to
write about.
Response: Your “response” is your answer; what you write about the “selection” in
answer to the “prompt.”
Scoring:
“Scoring” is the word they use for marking or grading. Your score on
each question is called a Code. So if you get 30 they call it a Code 30.
Conventions: Spelling, grammar, sentence structure and punctuation.
Selection:
Writing: Series of Paragraphs
Overview
The “Series of Paragraphs expressing an opinion” is one of the two
major (Long) writing tasks you will see on the OSSLT.
It is marked out of 100; 60 for “Topic Development” and 40 for
“Writing Conventions.”
This makes it one of the two most important questions in the
OSSLT.
Do well on the Long writing tasks; this and the “News Report,” and
you’re well on your way to passing the test. Bomb them, or worse,
blow them off and your chances of passing aren’t good.
An example of a Series of Paragraphs question and what good and
bad answers look like follows. There are a couple of basic things to
keep in mind:
Series of Paragraphs
The OSSLT is designed to test you on what they call the three writing skills:
1:
2:
3:
developing a main idea with sufficient supporting details
- coming up with an idea and doing a good job backing it up
with proof.
organizing information and ideas in a coherent manner
- putting your ideas and proof together in a way that makes
sense and helps get your point across.
using conventions (spelling, grammar, punctuation) in a manner
that does not distract from clear communication.
- showing you understand and can handle spelling, grammar,
and punctuation. They are looking for evidence that you have
come “control” over the language and you understand how to
put things together.
So far so good. Let’s look at a question.
You will get two lined pages
(about 50 lines) to answer this
question.
This is an example of a
Series of Paragraphs “task”
or question.
Series Of Paragraphs
Task:
Write a minimum of three paragraphs expressing an opinion on the
topic below. Develop your main idea with supporting details (proof, facts,
examples, etc.).
Purpose and
Audience: an adult who is interested in your opinion
Length:
The lined space provided for your written work indicates the approximate
length of the writing expected.
Topic: Are cellphones necessary in teenagers’ lives?
A “Series of Paragraphs” is
basically an essay.
It’s really important to follow the
instructionsWrite
here. your series of paragraphs on the lines provided on the following two pages.
It’s pretty basic but:
Rough Notes
They
are
looking
for
minimum
MakeUse
sure
youbelow
give
the space
for rough notes. Nothing you write in this space will be scored.
of three paragraphs, which
theman5introduction,
paragraphs.
includes
proof
and a conclusion.
Series of Paragraphs
What to expect
• The topic will be current and familiar to teenagers.
Are cell phones necessary? – do Video Games hurt your ability to
do well in school? – Is social media (Facebook) dangerous? –
Do music videos promote violence?
• The student must write a minimum of three paragraphs, which include an
introduction, development and a conclusion. Students are given two lined
pages for their written work.
We recommend five paragraphs – an introduction, three paragraphs
for your proof/argument and a conclusion. This will pretty much
guarantee your answer fills more than one page. Which is a factor
in the way it’s marked.
• The student must express an opinion and support it with details. The
opinion must be stated clearly at the beginning or end of the response.
Pick a side and stick to it. Don’t try to give both sides of the
argument…then you don’t have an OPINION.
Series of Paragraphs
What to expect
• The student must adequately support the opinion with reasons, examples or
facts.
It’s not enough to just make statements. You have to back them
up with examples.
“Students need cell phones.” isn’t good enough.
“Students need cell phones in school because they might have to
phone their parents. These days most families have both parents
working and being able to get in touch through a cell phone is
important. Also many students have jobs and bosses often insist on
being able to contact them.” is much better because it gives reasons
why students need cell phones.
This is where a lot of students come up short on these questions…they put
down three reasons but they don’t “adequately support” – back up – their
opinion with reasons and examples.
Series of Paragraphs
What to expect
You need to make sure that:
• your opinion is clearly stated;
- put it in the first paragraph and again in the last paragraph.
• you have provided enough specific detail to support it;
- use examples from your life of things you know about.
• the response is coherent and organized and
- take a couple of minutes to play what you want to say. Start with
your best argument – back it up, than your next best – back that up
and finish with your third best – back that up.
• the grammar, spelling, punctuation and sentence structure are correct.
- Make sure all your sentences start with capital letters and finish
with some punctuation ( . ? ! ).
How its Marked
The Series of Paragraphs is “scored”
– marked out of 100.
60 for Topic Development
Topic Development is basically what you write. They are looking for you to
express a clear opinion on one side an issue. They also looking for support for that
opinion (reasons, examples) and for you to state the opinion clearly at the beginning
and the end of your work. Basically you have to have an introduction and a conclusion.
40 for Writing Conventions
Writing conventions are basically how you write. Spelling, sentence structure,
punctuation and grammar.
Topic
Development
Writing
Conventions
Writing: Series of Paragraphs
Scoring: Topic Development
There are three (3) ways to get a zero (0)
Blank
The page is blank with nothing written or drawn in the space provided.
(If you don’t write anything there’s nothing to mark.)
Writing: Series of Paragraphs
Scoring: Topic Development
There are three (3) ways to get a zero (0)
Blank
The page is blank with nothing written or drawn in the space provided.
(If you don’t write anything there’s nothing to mark.)
Illegible
The response is illegible or irrelevant to the prompt.
(Your answer is too hard to follow or isn’t a News Report)
Writing: Series of Paragraphs
Scoring: Topic Development
There are three (3) ways to get a zero (0)
Blank
The page is blank with nothing written or drawn in the space provided.
(If you don’t write anything there’s nothing to mark.)
Illegible
The response is illegible or irrelevant to the prompt.
(Your answer is too hard to follow or isn’t related to the question)
Off topic
The response is off topic.
(Whatever you wrote didn’t answer the question.)
Here are some examples of Series of
paragraph answers taken from past tests.
We’ll start with the ones that weren’t that
good.
Series Of Paragraphs
Which
Epic fail!
This isis aanCode
10
CODE
10
10
40
20
50
30
60
There are no details and nothing
to back the opinion up.
It’s one line, not a series of
paragraphs, and because it’s so
short there is no evidence of
organization.
Basically you can’t write one line
instead of five paragraphs and
expect to pass.
About the only good thing about
this answer is, it does state an
opinion: (It is very important that
a teenager have a cellphone.)
But, basically that’s all there is.
Series Of Paragraphs
Which better than an Epic fail,
This is a Code 20
but it’s still a fail.
It there are “many reasons”…write them
How’s this for irony??
down!
10
40
20
50
30
60
CODE
20
The good news is It does state an
But; this is not a series of
opinion:
paragraphs. It’s one sentence that
I believe
that a cellphone is
The response
expresses
and
covers
four lines.is related to the prompt, and (Yes
completlyisnecessary
There’s
justan
notopinion
enough(Yes
here to
get
supports
I believe
that a cellphone
completlyin a teenagers
life). And, there
is a little support to
anecessary
passing mark.
in a teenagers life). There are insufficient
supporting
back it up.
details.
More evidence of
organization: Some
paragraphs have
concluding
sentences (That’s
silly!, This to me is
wasting money.).
There is no
conclusion to the
response.
Series Of Paragraphs
We’re heading in the right direction
but we’re
notiswhere
we want
This
a CODE
30 to
be…yet.
What’s Good:
The answer is related to
the question (it’s about
students and cell
phone,) and there are
CODE
three paragraphs which
30
shows signs of some
organization.
We’re got some
What’s Good:
supporting
details which is
There’s
clear aren’t
opinion:
good,
butathere
(No, they
enough
of aren’t.)
them and
they’re just listed and not
developed.
10
40
20
50
30
60
What’s good about this it
They start with it in the
has a clear opinion - Cell
first paragraph and end
phones are necessary –
with it in the last
that’s consistent all the
paragraph.
way through.
So 40 out of 60 for Topic
Development is a solid
pass. This is the minimum
you should be shooting for
This is a Code 40
Series Of Paragraphs
1
2
10
40
20
50
30
60
3
CODE
Each 40
reason – here
“contacting parents” – is
supported with some
example or detail.
The organization
There are 5
is obvious. They
Paragraphs
start each
which are are
paragraph with a
clearly indented
word that lets you
and obvious.
know the order.
Having the right format – five paragraphs an
introduction, three different points - one per
paragraph – and a conclusion is huge.
Do that and a couple of spelling mistakes, or
Code 40 (part 2)
repeating a point won’t hurt you.
Series Of Paragraphs
4
5
10
40
20
50
30
60
Here’s the
opinion
again. This is
a good way
to wrap up
the story.
But that’s not really a bad thing.
Still with the obvious organization. When
Unless you are really confident in your
they mark this they will say the
writing ability it’s better to be
organization is “mechanical” which holds
“mechanical” so they know you
it back from being a Code 50 or 60
know…y’know?
Series Of Paragraphs
Code 50 and Code 60
The next two examples are the best two “scores” you can get for Topic
development.
They both fill two pages and they are both, basically exactly what the
OSSLT is looking for:
They are organized…there’s a clear opinion which is backed up all the way
through the five paragraphs. There is an obvious Introduction and
Conclusion
Click on the
50 or 60
button
again.
10
40
20
50
30
60
Couple of mistakes here and there but nothing that holds them back from
getting a good mark.
Ideas are connected with linking words like: also, because, Another reason
why…, So that is why…
We’re not going to go into great detail analyzing them, but they’re here to
look over.
CODE
50
10
40
20
50
30
60
CODE
50
10
40
20
50
30
60
CODE
50
10
40
20
50
30
60
This is right out of the Marking Guide:
A clear and consistent opinion is developed with sufficient specific supporting details
(e.g., contacting family, contact each other, contact peers to make plans, emergency
call for help). Reasons are developed with examples and explanations.
The organization is logical. There is a clear introduction, body and conclusion. Ideas
are clustered into paragraphs. Each paragraph includes a clear topic sentence. Links
between ideas are indicated (also, because, Another reason why…, So that is why…).
CODE
60
10
40
20
50
30
60
CODE
60
10
40
20
50
30
60
CODE
60
This is right out of the Marking Guide:
A clear and consistent opinion is developed with sufficient specific supporting details
that are thoughtfully chosen (e.g., distractions, cost, misuse). Each reason is well
developed with specific details (e.g., going on Facebook, eight hours a day, $95 a
month, store cheat notes).
The organization is coherent and demonstrates a thoughtful progression of ideas. The
argument builds from less important to more important reasons (The most immense
disadvantage…). The introduction hooks the reader and the conclusion goes beyond a
restatement of the main points. Rhetorical questions are used effectively to emphasize
the argument (…when do teens have time to focus on school work and their families?;
Imagine how many uses one thousand dollars could pay for.; Why spend so much
money…when you could just use your home...phone?).
10
40
20
50
30
60
This is the second way
Scoring Guide
answersfor
are marked
Long Writing (scored)
Conventions
Writing Conventions
Code
Code 10
10
30
20
40
Descriptor
There is insufficient evidence to assess the use of conventions.
OR
Errors in conventions interfere with communication.
OR
You
Writing Conventions? OMG,
Youget
getaaCode
Code10
10––aaFail
Fail––if:if:
Chill. Basically they’re
“There
evidence
to with
WT…H are “Writing Conventions”?
“Errorsisininsufficient
conventions
interfere
talking
spelling,
assess
theabout
use of
conventions.”
communication.”
grammar, sentence
structure and things like
Which
Whichmeans:
means:
that.
You
left are
it blank
(didn’t
answer they
the
There
so many
mistakes
question)
or you
didn’tyou’re
write enough.
can’t figure
out what
trying to
say.
Scoring Guide for
Long Writing Conventions
This is a
CODE 10
This is a CODE 10 because:
There is insufficient evidence to assess the use of
conventions.
10
30
20
40
Which means in this case:
The student didn’t write enough. Well Duuuh. They were
looking for five paragraphs, four words isn’t going to get
it done.
Scoring Guide for
Long Writing Conventions
Code
10
30
20
40
Descriptor
Code 10
There is insufficient evidence to assess the use of conventions.
OR
Errors in conventions interfere with communication.
Code 20
Errors in conventions distract from communication.
“Errors in conventions distract
you’re
making
A Code 20 isn’t aBasically,
pass either,
although
from communication.” means:
them
hard to try to
it’s better than a 10
as work
everytoo
mark
counts in the end.understand your News
You’ve made so many mistakes
Story.
(spelling, grammar) that it’s hard
to follow what you’re trying to
say.
This is a CODE 20 because:
Errors in conventions distractScoring
from communication
Guide for
This is just the first
three paragraphs.
Long Writing Conventions
The actual answer is
twice his long. We’re
just showing this to
give you an example
of what a CODE 20
looks like.
There are 10 mistakes
in the first three
This is aIt’s
CODE
paragraphs.
just 20 because:
There
too many mistakes to follow the
too hard
to are
follow.
story,
(There’s almost no punctuation, some
capitals are missing (if, these), they messed
10
up30the possessive (teenagers use) and there
are more than a few spelling mistakes:
20
40
(comunicate, now, your, witch, there
This is a
CODE 20
??
Scoring Guide for
Long Writing Conventions
Code
10
30
20
40
Descriptor
Code 10
There is insufficient evidence to assess the use of conventions.
OR
Errors in conventions interfere with communication.
Code 20
Errors in conventions distract from communication.
Code 30
Errors in conventions do not distract from communication.
You’re allowed to make some mistakes and still
pass as long as those mistakes don’t get in the
way of following your story.
This is a CODE 30 because:
Errors in conventions do not Scoring
distract fromGuide
communication.
for
This is a
CODE 30
Long Writing Conventions
Just like
before this is
the first half
of an We’re
showing this
to give you
an example
of what a
CODE 30
looks like.
10
30
20
40
??
The difference between this CODE 30 and the CODE 20 is
even though there are a fair number of mistakes they don’t get
in the way of following the argument.
Scoring Guide for
You get a Code 40 when
Long Writing Conventions
your story follows the
News Report format
Codewithout any significant
Descriptor
mistakes and shows you
the format.
Codeunderstand
10
There
is insufficient evidence to assess the use of conventions.
Basically that
You own it.
OR
Errors in conventions interfere with communication.
Code 20
Errors in conventions distract from communication.
Code 30
Errors in conventions do not distract from communication.
Words. I am your Master.
Code 40
10
30
20
40
Control of conventions is evident in written work.
This is a CODE 40 because:
Scoring Guide
Control of conventions is evident in written work.
for
Long Writing Conventions
There are a
couple of
spelling
mistakes but
because it’s
obvious they
know what
they are doing
the mistakes
don’t matter.
10
30
20
40
This is a
CODE 40
Control is the key idea here. They’ve used apostrophes
properly for the possessive and not thrown them down on any
plurals. They’ve used commas to break up their sentences and
to make a list.
There should be a Capital C on cellphone in the second
paragraph. But there are so many things right here it
doesn’t stop the student from getting 40 out 40. It’s all
about the Control.
Thomas A Stewart
OSSLT Guide
TAS OSSLT Guides:
How the test is marked and why this matters
Reading Questions: Open Response
Reading Questions: Multiple Choice
Writing Questions: Series of Paragraphs
Writing Questions: Open Response Short Writing
Writing Questions: News Report
How to prepare for the OSSLT
Overview of the OSSLT