WRITING #21

 

Q. My daughter wants to get in to a selective college and will need high test scores and killer essays for her applications. How can we help her add some sparkle to her writing?

 

Writing samples are often scored on "rubrics," or numerical protocols, to guide scoring based on the presence or absence of various factors.

On a O-4 grading scale, for example, a student who misunderstands the assignment, gives vague or overgeneralized responses, does not address the actual question, or gives incomplete and irrelevant evidence, will get a O.

For a reasonable analysis that still lacks textual evidence or fails to connect that evidence with analysis, the score might be a 1 or 2.

A student who scores a 3 shows creativity, has a unique analysis of the selection, supports his analysis with accurate and relevant examples, and uses what used to be called "two-bit" words, revealing that he or she has had the advantage of studying quality, classic literature.

What seems to be of key importance in papers that rate a 4 is the ability to put solid elaboration strategies into your writing. Just stringing statements of facts one after another will never cut it as well as elaborating on each of those facts, and connecting those elaborations to a unified whole.

Students also need to know how to extend their ideas.  If students will learn to add one final extension sentence after implementing an elaboration strategy, they will be able to increase their chances of getting 4's.

Another element is "voice," or personality. It's thought to be a sign of writing maturity if a student can reveal something personal about himself, give his opinions and feelings, tap into an emotion, reveal his ethnicity, demonstrate empathy with the downtrodden, or otherwise distinguish themselves from the crowd.

            It's regrettable, but true, that many writing evaluators and college admissions personnel are left-of-center in their political and social thinking. So these compositions can put conservative or moderate students at a disadvantage. Don't compromise your principles, but be aware.

  
Homework: See the interesting test-preparation aids available on www.educyberstor.com