Writing and Scoring Writing

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Writing and Scoring Writing

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• Using the Jane Schaeffer Method of writing and
  the six- trait rubric for scoring.

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Overview

• The Jane Schaeffer Writing Formula allows us
  to communicate our ideas clearly and completely.
• The six-trait rubric allows us to evaluate
  written communication.

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Long-term goals

• Each of us will become a more clear communicator
  with words, sentences, paragraphs, essays, and
  letters.
• We will each learn to recognize flawed written
  communication and improve it for more clarity.
• We will be able to pass the WASL writing section
  with ease.
• No one will ever be able to discriminate against
  you for jobs, college admissions, scholarships,
  etc. because your writing isn't clear.
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The Current Situation

• Each of us enters this program with different
  skill levels in the area of written
  communication.
• True?
• However, we all need to get to the same finish
  line.
• Also true?

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Never fear We've actually been getting ready for
this!

• So far we have been doing fluency journals
• We have been studying nouns and pronouns
• We wrote the District Writing Assessment which
  was a persuasive letter

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Definitions Common Terms for Success!

• We need to have some common terms in order to
  move forward with the instruction. Everyone
  needs to be able to communicate clearly in the
  process. So...get ready to copy some terms for
  your own personal glossary of writing terms.
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Essay

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• An essay is a piece of writing that gives your
  thoughts on a subject.

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Letter

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• A way of sharing your ideas and thoughts with a
  particular individual.

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Fully Formed Essays and Letters...

• Usually have AT LEAST four paragraphs
• An Introduction
• Two body paragraphs
• A conclusion.
• So...what are those things?

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Introduction

• Introductions are sometimes called introductory
  paragraphs.
• They are the first thing your audience will read.
  They should include an attention grabber and a
  thesis statement (usually the last sentence).
  Wondering what a thesis statement is?
• The answer in a moment.
• Ironically, I usually write the introduction
  last. Why? Because by the time I've written my
  essay or letter, I'm more qualified to introduce
  it to my audience.

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Thesis Statement

• Your thesis is your audience's key to
  understanding what it is you want them to
  understand. It is a road map of sorts.
• It always contains a subject and an opinion about
  that subject (from now on we will call opinions
  CMs or commentaries), and usually gives the
  audience a heads-up about the way in which you
  will prove your point.
• Here comes an example...

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Thesis Statement, cont.

• Example The Sumner School Board should not
  require daily homework for high school students
  because it is unnecessary, it will stress kids
  out, and kids won't be able to participate in
  after-school sports.
• Question How many paragraphs will this letter
  have? How do you know?

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Body Paragraphs

• Body paragraphs come after your introduction and
  each one will support a different idea from your
  thesis.
• Example follows...

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Body Paragraphs, cont.

• Example
• The first reason the school board shouldn't
  require homework is that it isn't necessary.
  Kids in high school don't need to practice
  everything they learn in class. Many students
  can learn well enough in class to master the
  skills. And giving homework just for the sake of
  giving it wouldn't make them learn the skill
  better. Teachers already assign homework when it
  will help. They know their lessons and how much
  practice is required to help their students
  learn. Teachers should be trusted to judge when
  and how much homework their students need. Surely
  the board doesn't want to require teachers to
  create and give assignments for students that
  would essentially be busy work with no benefit to
  student learning.

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What goes into a Body Paragraph?

• One thing each body paragraph should have is a
  TS Topic Sentence.
• Topic sentences are the first ones in each body
  paragraph.
• They are like mini-thesis sentences in that they
  let your audience know what your paragraph will
  be trying to prove.
• The TS should support the thesis statement in
  your introduction.
• Want an example?

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TS More on Topic Sentences

• Remember this sample thesis?
• The Sumner School Board should not require daily
  homework for high school students because it is
  unnecessary, it will stress kids out, and kids
  won't be able to participate in after school
  sports.
• We learn the writer's opinion about required
  daily homework. We also learn that there are
  three reasons why the writer believes the way
  he/she does.

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Finally the TS!

• So that was the thesis.
• Now, the topic sentence for the first
  paragraph...
• The first reason the school board shouldn't
  require homework is that it isn't necessary.
• Now... your turn!

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TS, con't.

• Again, the sample thesis was
• The Sumner School Board should not require daily
  homework for high school students because it is
  unnecessary, it will stress kids out, and kids
  won't be able to participate in after school
  sports.
• I wrote the first TS. Now you try to construct a
  TS for the second body paragraph.
• Tip Include a transition like In addition to,
  Also, Similarly, or More importantly, etc.

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Concrete Details

• Concrete Details are facts and details that
  support opinions that we communicated in our
  thesis statements and TSs.
• We will call them CDs.
• Synonyms for CDs include facts, details,
  examples, illustrations, descriptions, etc.
• For each body paragraph, we should include at
  least two CDs per paragraph.
• What does that look like?

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Concrete Details, cont.

• In my sample paragraph, I provided two CDs to
  support the idea that daily homework wasn't
  necessary. Reread them to determine whether or
  not they support my TS
• CD Kids in high school don't need to practice
  everything they learn in class.
• CD Teachers already assign homework when it will
  help.

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Concrete Details, cont.

• So, now your turn! You wrote the second
  paragraph's TS from my thesis. Take that TS and
  write two sentences of CD on your own.
• P.S. A fact is not necessarily true, it just has
  the ability to be tested and either proved true,
  or not true.

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Commentary

• Commentary, or CMs, are statements of opinion
  that support, analyze, describe, explain, comment
  or expound on your CDs.
• There should be TWO sentences of CMs, for EACH CD
  in a sentence.
• So, if there are two CDs in each body paragraph,
  how many sentences of CM will there be?

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CMs, cont.

• Look back at my first CD
• Kids in high school don't need to practice
  everything they learn in class.
• Now check out the 2 CMs that support my CD!
• CM 1Many students can learn well enough in class
  to master the skills without any homework.
• CM 2 And giving homework just for the sake of
  giving it wouldn't make them learn the skill
  better.

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CMs, cont.

• Let's try again!
• My second CD was Teachers already assign
  homework when it will help.
• CM 1 They know their lessons and how much
  practice is required to help their students
  learn.
• CM 2 Teachers should be trusted to judge when
  and how much homework their students need.

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CMs, cont.

• You guessed it! Your turn now.
• Take one of your CDs from your previous practice
  and write two CMs.
• Hey, make sure they are opinions, descriptions,
  clarifications, analysis, insight,
  interpretation, etc., and NOT more facts or CDs!
• Otherwise your essay/letter just sounds like a
  bulleted list. ?

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Concluding Sentences

• Every body paragraph also has to have a
  Concluding Sentence, or CS at the end.
• Like a concluding paragraph, it shouldn't repeat
  points you have made, instead it should move the
  issue forward, and leave your reader with a sense
  that your point has been made completely.
• Check out my example
• Surely the board doesn't want to require
  teachers to create and give assignments for
  students that would essentially be busy work with
  no benefit to student learning.

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CSs, cont.

• Don't make me say it...okay,
• it's your turn.
• Try your hand at CS for your CD and 2 CMs.

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Conclusions

• Every essay should have a satisfactory
  conclusion, or concluding paragraph. This
  paragraph should strive to give the writing a
  sense of closure and leave the audience with a
  clear picture of what has been communicated.
• Some believe that your conclusion should be a
  five to eight sentence paragraph.
• I respectfully disagree. A well thought out,
• two-to-three sentence conclusion can be
  satisfying, assuming you remember one thing...

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Conclusions, cont.

• The most satisfying way to end an essay and some
  letters is to leave your audience with a sense
  that what you have communicated is bigger than
  just that one issue. The way to do this is to
  leave them with some U.M.
• What?

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???U.M. ?

• That's right. U.M. Universal Meaning.
• For instance, if I want the board to care about
  unnecessary homework assignments, it's a good
  idea to help them see this issue as it fits into
  the bigger picture.
• Ex Finally, though these issues may only seem
  important to Sumner High School students, a
  closer look shows that people everywhere want to
  spend their time being productive instead of just
  going through the motions.

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Six Traits

• Critics and writers agree that there are at least
  six traits that good written communication share.
  So now that we have some common language about
  writing, and we know what it takes to build a
  great essay or letter, let's talk about how we
  assess the observable skills at work in its
  creation.

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Trait One Ideas and Content

• This is the most important and heavily weighted
  trait. If you don't have good ideas and
  arguments, nothing else matters.
• This is where what you are trying to communicate
  is judged for quality.
• For our rubric, this category is weighted seven
  times its raw score.

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Goal for Ideas and Content

• To earn a four your message should be very clear
  and should be supported by multiple layers of
  interesting and important ideas and details
• Broken down
• Clear, focused persuasive thesis
• Content (the message) is logical, varied,
  effective, and supports the thesis
• Concrete details (CDs) are relevant, accurate,
  and support the topic sentence (TS)?
• BUT THAT'S NOT ALL!

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Goal for Ideas and Content, cont.

• Commentary (CMs) effectively explains concrete
  details' (CDs) relevance to the thesis
• Commentary draws from knowledge and/or experience
  and shows insight
• Includes quotes and parenthetical citations from
  a variety of sources (when applicable)?
• Text notes and citations properly used (when
  applicable)?

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Ideas and Content

• If all the aforementioned goals are met in an
  essay or letter, then the writer has clearly
  communicated his/her well-thought-out ideas, and
  has made his/her point. When that happens the
  writer has earned full credit in this category in
  the rubric.

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Ideas and Content on the Rubric

• Look at the rubric with me now. Find the Ideas
  and Content column. Read all of the bullet
  points in the first box representing a 4.
• Do you agree that if an essay or letter
  accomplishes those things, the ideas and content
  goals have been met and the piece will be
  effective at communicating with its audience?
  Why? Why not?

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Ideas and Content on the Rubric, cont.

• Now look at the description of the 3 under
  Ideas and Content.
• What is different about the descriptions?
• Do you agree that if an essay is only adequate,
  or mostly does its job of communicating ideas
  that it should receive ¾ of the credit for that
  category?

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Ideas and Content on the Rubric, con't

• Guess what's next?
• That's right! Check out the 2 category.
• Make a mental note about how the description has
  changed even more.
• Look back at the 4 and the 3. Comparatively,
  do you agree that an essay or letter that is
  described with words like inadequate, not
  relevant, not logical, ineffective, etc.,
  deserves only ½ the credit possible?

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Finally, the end of Ideas and Content in the
Rubric!

• Eyeball the 1 description. Observe the word
  choice in that block.
• Finally, can you think of three suggestions for a
  person who has written a 1 essay in this
  category? Take a minute to write them down.
• We'll share when everyone has thought up his/her
  suggestions.

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Organization

• Organization is the second most heavily weighted
  category on the six-trait rubric. It is weighted
  six times its raw score.
• Why is organization so important?
• Have you ever tried to follow the thoughts of
  someone who is half-asleep, or loopy from
  medications? That's what it's like to try to
  read a disorganized essay or letterall over the
  place, leaving you saying, Huh?

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Organization and the rubric

• To earn a 4 in organization the following
  description should be true
• The writing is well organized and easy to follow.
• The introduction is clever or unusual and pulls
  the reader in
• Concrete details and commentary are sequenced in
  an intentional way that makes sense
• Transitions are interesting and sound natural.
• Paragraphing is equally proportioned
• The conclusion wraps up the writing in a unique
  and compelling way.

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Organization and the rubric, cont.

• One criteria of a well-organized essay is that it
  grabs your attention. What are some of the best
  first lines you've ever read? What about first
  scenes in movies? What makes them good?
• AND...what about the bad ones? What is the
  effect of a bad beginning?
• Do you think about this as you write?
• What about now?

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Organization and the rubric, cont.

• And what about the conclusion?
• Can you remember a time that you were really
  enjoying a song, film, book, or class, and then
  all of the sudden...
• IT'S OVER!
• No warning. Just over. It's aggravating, right?
• So your essay or letter MUST leave your readers
  with that sense of completion. It's the LAST
  chance you have to communicate with your
  audience. If you don't do it well, your audience
  won't forgive you.

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Organization and the rubric, cont.

• Additionally, I have to mention what I think are
  the BIGGEST mistakes people make in the area of
  organization...
• Repeating themselves
• Body paragraphs that don't seem to fit together
  to fulfil the promise of the thesis
• My tip reread your thesis between each of your
  paragraphs to make sure you are either focusing
  on your original thesis, or reshaping the thesis
  to match the new direction of your essay.

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Organization and the rubric, cont.

• Finally, please look at the 3, 2, and 1
  descriptions under Organization.
• Do the descriptions match what you think would
  compromise clear communication in an essay or
  letter?
• What are some suggestions you would offer someone
  who is struggling with clear organization? Write
  three of them down.

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Voice The Personality Behind the Essay and Letter

• Voice is the third column in the six-trait
  rubric. This category is weighted three times
  its raw score.
• Voice is judged based on how much of your
  personality and energy comes through as you try
  to communicate your ideas through the essay or
  letter.
• I always say, The voice is effective if I can
  tell it was you who wrote it without seeing your
  name on it.

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Voice, cont.

• In order to score a 4 in voice, the reader must
  be able to clearly see the writer.
• Look at the checklist of criteria for the 4.
• Underline or highlight the words and phrases that
  you think are most important.

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Voice, cont.

• Now check out the 3.
• What's different about the checklist?

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Voice, cont.

• Finally, read the checklist for the 2 and the
  1 in the voice column.
• Do you have questions about this category?

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Word Choice

• The next category on the six trait rubric is Word
  Choice, sometimes called Diction. Scoring high
  in this column requires that the writer uses a
  variety of appropriate and colorful words
  correctly.
• Take a moment to read and notice the different
  descriptions of writing that scores 4, 3,
  2, and 1.

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Word Choice, cont.

• After reading the descriptions of the variety of
  scores for Word Choice, what two pieces of advice
  would you give someone who is struggling in this
  category?

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Sentence Fluency

• Take a moment to read the bullet lists under the
  umbrella of Sentence Fluency.
• What skills have you practiced that could help
  you score a 4 in this category?

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Sentence Fluency, cont.

• Let's take a moment to think about the bullet
  point dealing with how sentences begin. Why do
  you think a reader would benefit from writing in
  which there is variety in the way sentences
  begins?
• How would a conversation sound if you started
  every sentence with, And then...

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Sentence Fluency, cont.

• What advice would you give a reader who is
  struggling with this writing trait?

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FINALLY, Conventions!

• The final writing trait that is scored on this
  rubric is Conventions.
• Please read through the bullet lists to determine
  which skills are being scored in this category.

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Conventions, cont.

• What are the skills being scored here?
• What practice have you had that might prepare you
  to score a 4 in Conventions?
• What advice would you give someone who is scoring
  a 2 in conventions?

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The Scoring...

• So, we've learned what good writing looks like,
  how to talk about it, and how to score it.
• So let's score some!

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Scoring Directions

• I will be breaking you out into six groups.
• Each group will get
• A set of essays in a binder
• A scoring sheet for each member of the group.
• A set of score justification sheets for the
  group.

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Scoring Directions, cont.

• Each group should
• Circle up together
• Elect a group leader to speak for the group
• Elect a group scribe to write for the group
• Pass out essay packets so that everyone has
  his/her own packet
• Individually and silently read the first essay in
  the packet
• Individually score the essay using the score
  sheet and the rubric

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Scoring Directions, cont.

• Then once the first essay has been read and
  silently scored by each member of the group
• The group should compare scores and should
  discuss any difference of opinions using the
  language from the rubric.
• Once enough discussion has taken place to make a
  judgement call, the group scribe should record
  the consensus and rubric language justification
  on the group sheet.
• If there is no consensus, the group leader makes
  the call on the score.

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Scoring Directions, cont.

• The group will repeat the process with all of the
  essays in the packet.
• When a group finishes its task, notify me and I
  will get you a new set of essays to score.
• At the end of each class period, I will let each
  group know what the WASL scoring board scored
  each essay so that you will know how you're doing.

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Final Slide, I promise. )?

• Depending upon the results of the first two sets
  of essays each group scores, we may read more, or
  we may move straight to peer evaluation of the
  District Writing Assessment.
• Congratulations, you made it through the Writing
  Seminar!