The ACT Writing Test. The Place of the Writing Test in the ACT

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1 The ACT Writing Test Writing has always been and will continue to be one of the essential skills for college readiness and success. Since its inception, the ACT college readiness assessment has included a multiple-choice format English Test to measure students understanding of the skills necessary for effective writing. Since 2005, students taking the ACT also have the option of adding a 30-minute direct writing test to their examination. The Writing Test is completed after the multiple-choice tests in English, math, reading, and science. The Place of the Writing Test in the ACT The English and Writing Tests in the ACT are intended to complement each other. Together, they provide a comprehensive assessment of students writing proficiency. The English Test is a 45-minute, multiple-choice test that measures students understanding of the conventions of standard written English (punctuation, grammar and usage, and sentence structure) and of rhetorical skills (strategy, organization, and style). The Writing Test is a 30-minute essay test with a single writing prompt. It is designed to evaluate students ability to make and articulate judgments, develop and sustain a position, organize and present ideas logically, and communicate clearly in original writing. The Composite score and subscores for the multiple-choice sections of the ACT are not affected by the Writing Test. Instead, when students take the ACT Plus Writing, they receive two additional scores: a Combined English/Writing score and a subscore for the Writing Test.

2 Test Format The Writing Test consists of one writing prompt that briefly states an issue and describes two points of view on that issue. Students are asked to write a response to a question about their position on the issue described in the writing prompt. Students may adopt one or the other of the perspectives described in the prompt, or they may present a different point of view on the issue. Students essay scores are not affected by the point of view they take on the issue. Example Prompt: Educators debate extending high school to five years because of increasing demands on students from employers and colleges to participate in extracurricular activities and community service in addition to having high grades. Some educators support extending high school to five years because they think students need more time to achieve all that is expected of them. Other educators do not support extending high school to five years because they think students would lose interest in school and attendance would drop in the fifth year. In your opinion, should high school be extended to five years? In your essay, take a position on this question. ou may write about either one of the two points of view given, or you may present a specific point of view on this question. Use specific reasons and examples to support your position. Understanding your Students ACT Writing Scores Scoring Rubric The Writing Test is scored using a Six-Point Holistic Rubric. Essays are evaluated according to five scoring criteria: Making judgments Developing a position Maintain focus Organizing ideas Communicate clearly Essays are scored holistically that is, on the basis of the overall impression created by all the elements of the writing. The Six-Point Holistic Rubric contains writing descriptors for each of the six levels on the scale: 2

3 Six-Point Holistic Rubric for the ACT Writing Test Papers at each level exhibit all or most of the characteristics described at each score point. Score = 6 Essays within this score range demonstrate effective skill in responding to the task. The essay shows a clear understanding of the task. The essay takes a position on the issue and may offer a critical context for discussion. The essay addresses complexity by examining different perspectives on the issue, or by evaluating the implications and/or complications of the issue, or by fully responding to counterarguments to the writer s position. Development of ideas is ample, specific, and logical. Most ideas are fully elaborated. A clear focus on the specific issue in the prompt is maintained. The organization of the essay is clear: the organization may be somewhat predictable or it may grow from the writer s purpose. Ideas are logically sequenced. Most transitions reflect the writer s logic and are usually integrated into the essay. The introduction and conclusion are effective, clear, and well developed. The essay shows a good command of language. Sentences are varied and word choice is varied and precise. There are few, if any, errors to distract the reader. Score = 5 Essays within this score range demonstrate competent skill in responding to the task. The essay shows a clear understanding of the task. The essay takes a position on the issue and may offer a broad context for discussion. The essay shows recognition of complexity by partially evaluating the implications and/or complications of the issue, or by responding to counterarguments to the writer s position. Development of ideas is specific and logical. Most ideas are elaborated, with clear movement between general statements and specific reasons, examples, and details. Focus on the specific issue in the prompt is maintained. The organization of the essay is clear, although it may be predictable. Ideas are logically sequenced, although simple and obvious transitions may be used. The introduction and conclusion are clear and generally well developed. Language is competent. Sentences are somewhat varied and word choice is sometimes varied and precise. There may be a few errors, but they are rarely distracting. Score = 4 Essays within this score range demonstrate adequate skill in responding to the task. The essay shows an understanding of the task. The essay takes a position on the issue and may offer some context for discussion. The essay may show some recognition of complexity by providing some response to counterarguments to the writer s position. Development of ideas is adequate, with some movement between general statements and specific reasons, examples, and details. Focus on the specific issue in the prompt is maintained throughout most of the essay. The organization of the essay is apparent but predictable. Some evidence of logical sequencing of ideas is apparent, although most transitions are simple and obvious. The introduction and conclusion are clear and somewhat developed. Language is adequate, with some sentence variety and appropriate word choice. There may be some distracting errors, but they do not impede understanding. Score = 3 Essays within this score range demonstrate some developing skill in responding to the task. The essay shows some understanding of the task. The essay takes a position on the issue but does not offer a context for discussion. The essay may acknowledge a counterargument to the writer s position, but its development is brief or unclear. Development of ideas is limited and may be repetitious, with little, if any, movement between general statements and specific reasons, examples, and details. Focus on the general topic is maintained, but focus on the specific issue in the prompt may not be maintained. The organization of the essay is simple. Ideas are logically grouped within parts of the essay, but there is little or no evidence of logical sequencing of ideas. Transitions, if used, are simple and obvious. An introduction and conclusion are clearly discernible but underdeveloped. Language shows a basic control. Sentences show a little variety and word choice is appropriate. Errors may be distracting and may occasionally impede understanding. Score = 2 Essays within this score range demonstrate inconsistent or weak skill in responding to the task. The essay shows a weak understanding of the task. The essay may not take a position on the issue, or the essay may take a position but fail to convey reasons to support that position, or the essay may take a position but fail to maintain a stance. There is little or no recognition of a counterargument to the writer s position. The essay is thinly developed. If examples are given, they are general and may not be clearly relevant. The essay may include extensive repetition of the writer s ideas or of ideas in the prompt. Focus on the general topic is maintained, but focus on the specific issue in the prompt may not be maintained. There is some indication of an organizational structure, and some logical grouping of ideas within parts of the essay is apparent. Transitions, if used, are simple and obvious, and they may be inappropriate or misleading. An introduction and conclusion are discernible but minimal. Sentence structure and word choice are usually simple. Errors may be frequently distracting and may sometimes impede understanding. Score = 1 Essays within this score range show little or no skill in responding to the task. The essay shows little or no understanding of the task. If the essay takes a position, it fails to convey reasons to support that position. The essay is minimally developed. The essay may include excessive repetition of the writer s ideas or of ideas in the prompt. Focus on the general topic is usually maintained, but focus on the specific issue in the prompt may not be maintained. There is little or no evidence of an organizational structure or of the logical grouping of ideas. Transitions are rarely used. If present, an introduction and conclusion are minimal. Sentence structure and word choice are simple. Errors may be frequently distracting and may significantly impede understanding. o Score = 0 Blank, Off-Topic, Illegible, ot in English, or Void. 3

4 Scoring the Writing Test Each essay written for the Writing Test is scored by two trained readers, each of whom gives the essay a rating from 1 (low) to 6 (high). The sum of these ratings is a student s Writing Test subscore (2-). During scoring, a difference of more than one point on any essay is evaluated by a third trained reader to resolve the discrepancy. Score Reporting Score reports for students who took the ACT Plus Writing will be released only after all their scores are available, within 5 to 8 weeks after the test date. Two scores are reported for students who take both the English and Writing Tests in the same administration: a Combined English/Writing score on a scale of 1 36, and a Writing Test subscore on a scale of 2. The English Test contributes two-thirds and the Writing Test contributes one-third toward the Combined English/Writing score. The Combined English/Writing score and the Writing Test subscore are reported in addition to the scores and subscores on the ACT multiple-choice tests taken in the same administration and the Composite score for those tests. In addition to reporting numerical scores, the score report includes comments about the essay for students who take both the English and the Writing Tests. One reader of each essay assigns between one and four comments appropriate for the writing skills demonstrated in the essay. Comments are assigned to an essay after it has been scored. The Essay Comments appear in their entirety on the Student Report. The code numbers for the selected Comments are listed on the high school and college reports. Complete text for each Comment Code can be found online at 4

5 Sample High School Report TALOR A C 72 W 46TH ST WHEAT RIDGE, CO TEST AD SUBSCORE AREAS EGLISH Usage/Mechanics Rhetorical Skills Pre-Algebra/Elementary Algebra Intermediate Algebra/Coord. Geometry Plane Geometry/Trigonometry READIG Social Studies/Sciences Arts/Literature SCIECE COMPOSITE (Average) SCORE GPA = TEST LOCATIO: ACT AD ORMS (See ACT User Handbook) TEST (1 36) SUB (1 ) GRADE POIT AVERAGE (GPA) FROM SELF-REPORTED GRADES PERCET OF ACT-TESTED STUDETS AT OR BELOW SCORE ATIOAL STATE EDUCATIOAL MAJOR FIRST VOCATIOAL CHOICE STADARD SCORE (20 80) HIGH SCHOOL CODE: DATE TESTED: EAR OF H.S. GRADUATIO: THE EDUCATIOAL AD VOCATIOAL PLAS STUDET IDICATED COLLEGE READIESS A student scoring at or above these benchmark scores will likely be ready for first-year college courses. EGLISH 22 READIG 22 SCIECE 23 TPE PLAS TO SEEK FIACIAL AID: BASIC ITEREST AREA SCIECE & TECH. ARTS SOCIAL SERVICE ADMI. & SALES BUSIESS OPER. TECHICAL BECHMARK STUDET BOD COMP. THIS STUDET S SCORE IS: BELOW AT OR ABOVE HOW CERTAI DEGREE OBJECTIVE HOW CERTAI THE EDUCATIOAL EEDS AD ITERESTS STUDET IDICATED EEDS HELP WITH: COLLEGE SELECTIO ITEMS B RAK ORDER FIELD LOCATIO COST (MAX. TUITIO) SIZE OF STUD OTHER FACTOR EEDS HELP TO FID WORK: HOURS/WEEK: ITEREST IVETOR (See ACT User Handbook) PERCETILE RAK ITEREST I: EDUCATIOAL OR VOCATIOAL PLAS WRITIG READIG STUD SKILLS FIRST-EAR HOORS COURSES IDEPEDET STUD ROTC EGLISH/WRITIG WRITIG (RAGE 2-) COMMETS O ESSA (SEE 24, 34, ATIOAL CALCULATIO BASED O 4.0 SCALE USIG GRADES REPORTED B STUDET I H.S. COURSE/GRADE SECTIO FOR COURSES I EGLISH,, ATURAL SCIECES, AD SOCIAL STUDIES. FEMALE 08/22/95 XXX-XX / Photo Here ACCOUTIG FAIRL SURE DOCTORATE/PROF DEGREE ISURACE & RISK MGMT VER SURE F OURTH SIXTH FIFTH SECOD THIRD PUB-4R COED COLORADO 2, , X X X X FIRST SEVETH ES ES SPECIAL MESSAGE H.S. GRADES FOR TWO OR MORE SUBJECT AREAS AD/OR OE OR MORE TEST OT REPORTED. O COLLEGE PREDICTIVE IFORMATIO POSSIBLE MAP REGIOS (See back of report): EOS RELEASE = IFORMATIO ABOUT COLLEGES (See ACT User Handbook) ote: Some of this information (e.g., tuition and fees) may have changed since it was reported to ACT by the colleges. COLLEGE ACT CODE AME OF COLLEGE SPECIAL PROGRAMS STUDET S RELATIVE RAK AT COLLEGE ACT TEST AREAS E M R S C STATE ABBREVIATIO FULL-TIME STUDET EROLLMET SIZE OF COLLEGE COMMUIT GEERAL ADMISSIOS POLIC APPROXIMATE EARL TUITIO AD FEES (WITHOUT ROOM/BOARD) PERCET OF FIRST-EAR CLASS RECEIVIG FIACIAL AID BASED O EED FALL FIACIAL AID APPLICATIO DEADLIE FOR FUTURE USE COLLEGE CALEDAR STUDET S MAJOR AVAILABLE FOR FUTURE USE HOOR COURSES/PROGRAMS REMEDIAL/STUD SKILLS CREDIT B EXAMIATIO ROTC HIGH SCHOOL AVERAGE FOR FIRST-EAR STUDETS CHACES I TE OF C OR HIGHER AVERAGE FIRST-EAR COLLEGE GPA UIVERSIT OF OMEGA ALPHA UIVERSIT BETA COMMUIT COLL MAGA COLLEGE CO IA CO OH MTR MC SC SC TRAD SEL OPE TRAD /15 03/01 04/01 03/01 E S E S T S 414 M M C M ACT HIGH SCHOOL REPORT 2013 by ACT, Inc. All rights reserved. P.O. Box 168, Iowa City, IA DASH ( ) IDICATES IFORMATIO OT PROVIDED. Printed in U.S.A ACT, Inc. Confidential Restricted when data present. 5

6 Sample College Report TALOR A C 72 W 46TH ST WHEAT RIDGE, CO FEMALE SS OR ACT ID: DATE OF BIRTH: PHOE UMBER: XXX-XX /22/ (C) TEST LOCATIO: DATE TESTED: EAR OF H.S. GRAD.: ATIOAL 04/ H.S. ATTEDED: WHEAT RIDGE SR HIGH SCHOOL 9505 W 32D AVE WHEAT RIDGE CO AD PREDICTIVE DATA (See ACT User Handbook ) ADMISSIO/ EROLLMET DATA STADARD SCORE (20-80) PLAS TO SEEK FIACIAL AID: BASIC ITEREST AREA TESTS AD SUBSCORE AREAS EGLISH Usage/Mechanics Rhetorical Skills Pre-Alg./Elem. Alg. Alg./Coord. Geom. Plane Geom./ Trig. COLLEGE CODE SCIECE & TECH. ARTS SOCIAL SERVICE ADMI. & SALES BUSIESS OPER. TECHICAL STUDET BOD COMP. TEST (1-36) CHOICE SUB (1-) FULL- TIME ORMS (PERCET AT OR BELOW SCORE) AT L LOCAL ES EEDS HELP TO FID WORK: ES HOURS/WEEK: ITEREST IVE TOR AD MAP REGIOS: TESTS AD SUBSCORE AREAS READIG Soc. Studies/Sci. Arts/Literature SCIECE COMPOSITE EGLISH/WRITIG Writing (2-) SUB (1-) (See back of report) %ILE 1 %ILE 5 %ILE 25 %ILE 50 %ILE 75 %ILE 95 %ILE 99 %ILE TEST (1-36) FIELD OF STUD ORMS (PERCET AT OR BELOW SCORE) AT L LOCAL TPE LOCATIO COST (MAX. TUITIO) SIZE OTHER FACTOR FOURTH SIXTH FIFTH SECOD THIRD FIRST SEVETH PUB-4R COED COLORADO 2, ,000 EDUCATIOAL AD VOCATIOAL PLAS EDUCATIOAL MAJOR HOW CERTAI DEGREE OBJECTIVE ACCOUTIG FAIRL SURE DOCTORATE/PROF DEGREE FIRST VOCATIOAL CHOICE HOW CERTAI ISURACE & RISK MGMT VER SURE COLLEGE EDUC ATIOAL EEDS AD ITERESTS U.S. CITIZE RESIDET OF ABOVE STATE PHSICAL/ LEARIG DISABILIT HOUSIG PLAS OVERALL GPA PREDICTIOS AME OF GROUP EAR H.S. GRADUATIO OR EQUIVALET SPECIAL MESSAGE % PGPA PROB. C SPECIFIC COURSE PREDICTIOS AME OF COURSE SELF-REPO RTED HIGH SCHOOL IFORM ATIO ST ES ES ES O RESID. HALL PUBLIC COLL PREP COLLEGE SELECTIO ITEMS B RAK ORDER SELF-REPORTED RAK: TOP QTR AD AVERAGE: SIZE OF SEIOR CLASS TPE OF SCHOOL EARS CERTAI SUBJECTS STUDIED AD ADVACED PLACEMET I HIGH SCHOOL ES O O H.S. EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AD COLLEGE EXTRACURRICULAR PLAS H.S. GRADES FOR TWO OR MORE SUBJECT AREAS AD/OR OE OR MORE TEST OT REPORTED. O PREDICTIVE IFORM ATIO POSSIBLE. % GRADE TPE OF PROGRAM STUDIED PROB. C EGLISH MATH SOCIAL STUDIES ATURAL SCIECES SPAISH GERMA FRECH OTHER LAGUAGES EARS: GRADES: ADVACED PLACEMET I H. S. LAG. ISTR. MUSIC VOCAL MUSIC STUDET GOV T PUBLICATIOS DEBATE DRAMATICS RELIG. ORG S RACIAL/ETH. ORG S VARSIT ATHL. POLITICAL ORG S RADIO-TV FRAT./SORORIT SERVICE ORG S EDUCATIOAL OR VOCATIOAL PLAS WRITIG EEDS HELP WITH: ITEREST I: READIG STUD SKILLS LOCAL ORMS REPORTED OL IF ISTITUTIO PARTICIPATES I ACT RESEARCH SERVICES. COMMETS O ESSA (SEE 24, 34, FIRST-EAR HOORS COURSES IDEPEDET STUD ROTC EDUCATIO BUSIESS ADMI LIBERAL ARTS EGIEERIG ALL FRESHME HIGH SCHOOL COLLEGE RACIAL/ETHIC BACKGROUD: RELIGIOUS PREFERECE: EGLISH MOST FRE Q. SPOKE I HOME: MOTHER/GUARDIA 1 ED. LEVEL: FATHER/GUARDIA 2 ED. LEVEL: FRESHMA EGLISH COLLEGE ALGEBRA HISTOR CHEMISTR PSCHOLOG ES O STUDET ATALOR@ .COM BACKGROUD IFORM ATIO (OPTIOAL) WHITE PREFER OT TO RESPOD ES BACHELOR S DEGREE (4 RS) SOME COLLEGE, O DEGREE TH GRADE EGLISH 10TH GRADE EGLISH 11TH GRADE EGLISH TH GRADE EGLISH OTHER EGLISH ALGEBRA 1 ALGEBRA 2 GEOMETR TRIGOOMETR CALCULUS OTHER ADV. MATH COMPUTER MATH GE./PHS./ EARTH SCIECE BIOLOG CHEMISTR PHSICS U.S. HISTOR WORLD HISTOR OTHER HISTOR GOVERMET ECOOMICS GEOGRAPH PSCHOLOG SPAISH FRECH GERMA OTHER LAGUAGE ART MUSIC DRAMA/ THEATER SELF-REPO RTED HIGH SCHOOL COURSE/GRADE IFORM ATIO ACT COLLEGE REPORT B A A P P B C C P A B T B A A P B B T T EGLISH ATURAL SCIECES SOCIAL STUDIES LAGUAGE ARTS A, B, C, D, F = FIAL GRAD E T = TAKE; O GRADE REPO RTED P = PLA TO TAKE BEFORE GRAD UATIO = OT TAKE; DO OT PLA TO TAKE DASH ( ) = O RESPOSE ACT, Inc. Confidential Restricted DASH ( ) IDICATES IFORMATIO OT PROVIDED by ACT, IC ALL RIGHTS RESERVED when data present. P. O. BOX 168, IOWA CIT, IOWA PRITED I U.S.A. 6

7 Additional Resources 1) The Educator s Guide to the ACT is available online at aap/writing/pdf/educator_guide.pdf. The guide contains sample essays with scoring explanations and other resources to help educators work with students to improve their writing. 2) ACT Essay View is available online at ou will be able to view essays by all students who took the ACT Writing Test and reported their scores to your high school. Each school is given one registration key that establishes an account for the school. The ACT contact person for your school can provide the account login information to as many individuals at your school as they authorize. 3) ACT College Readiness Standards for Writing ( planact/writing/index.html) 7

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