Prompts are free of technical or pacific literary references and do not require specialized knowledge. The prompts are designed to stimulate critical thinking and are relevant to any number of fields and interests. Students will be asked to draw on a broad range of experiences, learning and ideas to support their point of view on the issue in question. Scores on Workplace range from 1 to 8. An essay that is too short to be evaluated, written on a topic other than the one presented, or written In a language other than English will be given a score of zero. A prompt consists of a short passage adapted from some authentic text.
Following the passage is an assignment that requires the student to focus on the issue addressed in the passage. Instructions to Students The essay gives you an opportunity to show how effectively you can develop and express your Ideas in writing. You will first read a short passage and an assignment question that are focused on an Important Issue. You will then write an essay In which you develop your own point of view on the issue. You should support your position with appropriate reasoning and examples. The position you take will not influence your score.
Your essay will be given a holistic score that represents how Leary and effectively you expressed your position. The following six characteristics of writing will be considered: ; ; ; ; ; ; Purpose and Focus – The extent to which you present Information In a unified and coherent manner, clearly addressing the Issue. Organization and Structure – The extent to which you order and connect Ideas. Development and Support – The extent to which you develop and support ideas. Sentence Variety and Style – The extent to which you craft sentences and paragraphs demonstrating control of vocabulary, voice and structure.
Mechanical Conventions – The extent to which you express ideas using Standard Written English. Critical Thinking – The extent to which you communicate a point of view and demonstrate 2008 The College Board. All rights reserved. Sample Prompt Passage An actor, when his cue came, was unable to move onto the stage. He said, “l can’t get in, the chair is in the way. ” And the producer said, “Use the difficulty. If it’s a drama, pick the chair up and smash it. If it’s comedy, fall over it. ” From this experience the actor concluded that in any situation in life that is negative, there is something positive you can do with it.
Adapted from Lawrence Ginsberg, “Canine Scrutiny. ” Assignment Can any obstacle or disadvantage be turned into something good? Sample Essays On the pages that follow there are descriptions of each of the eight Workplace score points followed by two sample essays that were assigned the indicated score. Annotations are provided for each essay explaining why the essay was given the score it received. Studying these sample essays and the accompanying annotations will point out the elements considered during the scoring process. SCORE of 1 Description of Score of 1 A response in this category demonstrates no mastery of on- emend essay writing; the response is severely flawed by many or most of the following weaknesses: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; Lacks a viable point of view on the issue Demonstrates no awareness of audience Fails to present a main idea Demonstrates flawed reasoning Demonstrates no complexity of thought Is disorganized and/or disjointed Displays fundamental errors in word choice, usage and sentence structure Contains pervasive spelling, grammar, punctuation and mechanical errors Shown below are sample essays that received a score of 1 .
The annotations explain why the essay received the indicated score. Sample Essay #1 – Score of 1 The question is can any obstacle or disadvantage be turned into something good? Ye s it can, because even in the story he couldn’t get in because of the chair and the guy tells him if it’s a drama, “Smash it and if it’s a comedy fall over it. But when you think about it, if a girl was guilty and WA say on how she was innocent and they catch her in a lie its practically the same thing. But that’s not the point but you can change a negative into a positive someway.
Annotations This essay lacks a viable, coherent point of view on the issue. The writer attempts to e plain that “you can change a negative into a positive,” but the ideas provided are minimal and disgorge aniseed, resulting in a disjointed and, at times, incoherent essay (Yes it can…. But when you think about it, if a girl was guilty and was pleading to say on how she was innocent and they catch her in a lie its practically the same thing). The response demonstrates flawed reasoning, no complexity of thought and displays fundamental errors in sentence structure (But that’s not the point but you can change e… . Demonstrating no mastery, this essay receives a score of 1 . 3 Sample Essay #2 – Score of 1 Yes, obstacles and disadvantages can be turned into something good because you will I know how to over come obstacles and disadvantages in the future. You can help other people with obstacles and disadvantages because you have been in the situation, that needs help. You also can learn from them it can also help you in life and with your success. This essay attempts to present a point of view (Yes, obstacles and disadvantages can be turned into something good) but fails to develop any of its ideas.
The absence of support results I n a disjointed essay that demonstrates no complexity of thought (You can help other people with b tackles and e also contains fundamental errors in sentence structure (You also can learn from them it can also h elf you in life). The response demonstrates no mastery and earns a score of 1. 4 SCORE of 2 Description of Score of 2 A response in this category demonstrates very little mastery of on-demand essay writing; the response is flawed by many or most of the following weaknesses. ; ; ; ; ; ; ; Presents a vague or limited point of view on the issue Demonstrates little awareness of audience Presents an unclear main idea Demonstrates weak critical thinking with little complexity of thought or with flawed seasoning Organizes ideas ineffectively, demonstrating a problematic progression of ideas Displays numerous errors in word choice, usage and sentence structure Contains significant spelling, grammar, punctuation and mechanical errors Shown below are sample essays that received a score of 2.
The annotations explain Sample Essay #1 – Score of 2 I live in a house that every body in it came from acting. I remember my mom telling m e this it you in find your self bad situation, don’t forget your smile with “you”. I think she meet that w hat ever is the difficulty think always positive. For an example, I grow up in place that full with bad p people and one time some body try to convince me to smoke. And smoking it very bad thing. So I start De to tell jokes on people that cancer and after 2 minutes I change the subject.
Or that every t ‘me I am getting sick and fill not so good. I am trying to see comedy movies as much as I can. Because I have been told that comedy is the best cure. I think that as an actor on the stage you need to be law yes ready for something rang, and if you ready and prepare. It will be good and life for your self in you all life and not only there. This experience important for your benefits, always a positive person a ND people will love you and get along with you. This mark it the best. This essay presents an extremely vague point of view on the issue.
The writer discuss sees the value of thinking “always positive,” but the ideas provided are unclear, demonstrating weak crib tactical thinking (For an example … One time some body try to convince me to smoke. And smoking it very bad thing. So I started to tell Jokes on people that cancer and after 2 minutes I change the sub] etc). The response contains numerous and significant errors in spelling, grammar, punctuation ND mechanics (… You need to be always ready for something rang, and if you ready and prepare. It will be good and life for your self in you all life and not only there).
Demonstrating very little mast ere, this essay receives a score of 2. 5 Sample Essay #2 – Score of 2 This sentences very good and right because you must believe the have a good and POS dive, something also in a bed situation. I you think so, you succeed in your life. Also in a bad situation, you must think a good and be a good. I have 3, examples from my life: 1 1 basketball player I have a lot of games and tough games. I want a great player. I am always think good before every game and also before every practice. This thinking help me to successes d.
If I lose a game I don’t cry I try to take the good things from the bad game, this is not help me if I cry all the time. 2. I had a important text before 3 years I remember this text all the time, because that I got a high score, because I learned a lot before this text, this text all the time in my memory became use the way was very difficulty, I thought good before the text, and I seceded I all the time thought good and positive. 3. I didn’t seceded in the first, text driving. I didn’t cry, I tried to learn from my mistake sees.
In the second text driving I seceded because I thought positive and I said to myself that I g DOD driver and I will succeed. From this example I can to learn that I you think good and positive you succeed all the time. Also if you mistake or don’t succeed you must to take the good and the positive from your mi say to the end that if you thought good and positive and you learn to take all the posit vive things. You be enjoy and you will be fun and you succeed, all the time, you need to learn from the e mistakes. There earner perfect people! Believe yourself! This essay presents a point of view (… O must to take the good and the positive fro m your mistakes) but is unable to develop its ideas clearly. Although there is an attempt to or agonize the response around three examples, errors in word choice, usage, sentence structure, s peeling, grammar and punctuation are so numerous and significant that meaning is obscured (l had a I important text before 3 years … Because I learned a lot before this text, this text all the time in my m Emory and I seceded I all the time thought good and positive). The response demonstrates very lie title mastery and earns a score of 2.
SCORE of 3 Description of Score of 3 A response in this category demonstrates little mastery of on-demand essay writing; the response is flawed by one or more of the following ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; Presents a vague or limited point of view on the issue Demonstrates little awareness of audience Attempts to develop the main idea though that attempt is inadequate Demonstrates weak critical thinking with little complexity of thought or with flawed reasoning Provides inappropriate or insufficient examples, reasons, or other evidence to support its position Is poorly organized and/or focused r demonstrates serious problems with coherence or progression of ideas Displays limited word choice and little sentence variety Contains many errors in mechanical conventions of usage, sentence structure, grammar, spelling and punctuation Shown below are sample essays that received a score of 3. The annotations explain Sample Essay #1 – Score of 3 I do believe that any obstacle or disadvantage can be turned into something good. I b because people learn many things from their mistakes and that’s the only way. In the example that is provided, the actor is obviously confused. The director makes a good point on how to work around it, ND in a case where they make use of the chair that’s in the way, which helps make it funny, exciting, or depressing.
In a play or musical of any type, it adds meaning. Not only does an bobs tackle or disadvantage get turned into something good, but it can discover new things. When ever any situation happens, such as in this case, I’d laugh if it’s funny, cry if it’s dramatic, make a Joke O OTF it, or act like it didn’t happen. Just keep in mind that the purpose of life is to learn from mistakes, which can turn into something good. Demonstrating weak critical thinking, this essay states a point of view (l do believe that any obstacle or disadvantage can be turned into something good) but offers little support beyond an insufficient discussion of the acting example given in the passage.
Despite some attempt to develop pop the main idea, poor organization leads to serious problems in progression of ideas (Whenever any situation which can turn into something good). The response contains many errors in usage and sentence strut cutter. This essay demonstrates little mastery and receives a score of 3. 7 Sample Essay #2 – Score of 3 Can any disadvantage turn into something good? Every person answers this question differently, and hat is his way to live. Some are optimistic, some are pacifistic, either way, the way w e answer this question is, in a way, our way of life. Other can cheer me up when something sad happens, and show me a nicer and cheerful way of looking on it. A good example is what happened today, this morning.
I came to take this test from m y home which is a few drive from the test center for different reasons I came in late in about ten mini test, but instead of being stressed because of it, I was (and still am) quite calm, and actually in very ha app and satisfied with my approach to this in compare to my father who took it very hard. I believe that the ability to look on the bright side, in both better and worse cases, is a recipe for a better and calmer life. This essay answers the question “Can any disadvantage turn into something good? ” w tit a vague discussion of optimistic and pessimistic approaches, demonstrating weak critical thin king.
Despite providing only limited assertions and an insufficient example, the writer is able to ear vive at a point of view, concluding that “the ability to look on the bright side… Is a recipe for a better an d calmer life. ” However, flawed reasoning seriously impedes progression of ideas (Some people can kook on something that to me it is wonderful and find it terrible, and other can cheer me up when something sad happens…. A good example is what happened today…. ‘ came in late in about ten minutes, but instead of being stressed because of it, I was (and still am) quite calm). Vocabulary is I emitted and many errors in word choice, usage, and sentence structure occur. Demonstrating little e mastery, this essay earns a score of 3. SCORE of 4 Description of Score of 4 An essay in this category demonstrates developing mastery of on-demand essay writing. A typical essay ; ; ; ; ; Develops a viable point of view on UT may do so inconsistently or use inadequate examples, reasons, or other evidence to support its position May lack control of organization or focus, demonstrating some lapses in coherence or progression of ideas Contains some errors in sentence structure and use of grammatical conventions such as word choice, usage, spelling and punctuation Shown below are sample essays that received a score of 4. The annotations explain Sample Essay #1 – Score of 4 I think that most of life’s obstacles or disadvantages can be turned into something go do.
The way you look at situations determines the outcome of a situation because if you look at the sit action negatively you don’t have any hope that the outcome would be positive; but if you lo k at the situation positively you would have a better chance at being successful at what you d o. The writer in the passage saw the chair in his way as an obstruction to his performance but the pr deduce had a broader perspective saying that he could use the chair according to what the genre o f the play was. For bad things to work out we need to stop being so narrow minded and broaden our perspective on life. If you committed a crime and got caught don’t Just concentrate on the bad that h appended in our life, use that experience to share with others showing them the hardship that go sees with that type of lifestyle discouraging them not to do it. The outcome of a situation is determine Ned by how you look at it.
This essay develops the point of view that “most of life’s obstacles or disadvantages c an be turned into something good,” demonstrating some critical thinking as it explains the value of positive thinking. However, the evidence provided – one sentence on the chair example and one sentence about breaking the law – is inadequately developed to support the position (For bad things to work UT we need to stop being so narrow minded and broaden our perspective on life. If y O committed a he response lacks focus and contains some errors in grammar and sentence structure (use that ex prurience to share with others showing them the hardship that goes with that type of lifestyle disc ragging them not to do it). This essay demonstrates developing mastery and merits a score of 4. Sample Essay #2 – Score of 4 There are many things in life that may seem to have a difficult or depressing outlook but if you try some of those things can be turned into something outstanding. For example there m ay be certain people you may run into on a day to day basis that may seem to carry themselves in a bad way but you have to try to get to know them because you never know that can turn out to be o nee of the best people in the world. Many people in our society look at things such as driving a car, to be a very hard bobs scale because they feel that it’s something that is hard to do, but until they try they will never know. If we’d learn to look at the bright side of things instead of the negative then many things that we face in our life would turn out for the better.