PSSA Writing Test

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PSSA Writing Test
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What will the test be like?

• In grade 8 there are
• 20 Multiple Choice questions for editing and
  revision
• 3 writing prompts

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Multiple Choice Section

• 5 Short passages with errors
• Each passage is followed by 4 multiple choice
  questions (20 MC questions).
• Questions will focus on revising and editing the
  passages.
• Answers are a part of your
• conventions score.

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Prompts

• 8th graders will respond in writing to 2 prompts.
  
• These are on demand writing tasks that means
  you do not read a passage before you write.
• The only thing you have to rely on for your
  answer is the knowledge you already have prior
  knowledge.

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What will I be asked to do?

• Write in 2 different modes
• Show that you are proficient in all 5 domains of
  writing

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What is a mode of writing?

• Mode means type, style, or genre.
• There are many modes of writing such as
  narrative, poetic, informational, and persuasive.
• Only persuasive and informational modes will be
  tested in grades 8 and 11. No narrative.

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What types of writing assignments are in the
persuasive mode?

• Position Paper
• Evaluation
• Opinion Essay
• Editorial
• Problem-Solution
• Persuasive Essay

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What types of writing assignments are in the
informational mode?

• Compare/Contrast Essay
• Descriptive Essay
• Narrative Procedure (Instructions or How To)
• Expository Essays
• Report of Information
• Research Paper
• News story

Facts
Info. Man
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Lets PlayGuess the Mode

• Hints
• An informational prompt will ask for an
  explanation, clarification, evaluation,
  comparison, instructions, description, or
  definition.
• A persuasive prompt will ask you to take a side,
  convince, persuade, support an opinion, defend,
  argue, or refute.

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Informational or Persuasive?

• A new principal is contacting all students
  about changing or adding to the school rules.
  Think of a rule you would like to change or add.
  Write to convince your principal to use your
  suggestion.

PERSUASIVE KEY WORDCONVINCE
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Informational or Persuasive?

• You are the class president and have been
  asked to write an introduction for a person you
  admire greatly. Write an essay describing the
  most admirable qualities of the person.

INFORMATIONAL - DESCRIPTIVE KEY WORD DESCRIBE
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Informational or Persuasive?

• Many areas have laws that require motorcycle
  and bicycle riders to wear helmets. Do these laws
  conflict with your right to life, liberty, and
  the pursuit of happiness? Take a position for or
  against these laws and write an essay supporting
  your view.

PERSUASIVE- POSITION PAPER KEY WORDPOSITION
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Informational or Persuasive?

• Great thoughts speak only to a thoughtful mind,
  but great actions speak to all humankind.
• Emily P.
  Bissell
• How do great actions speak to all humankind?
  Write an essay that explains your understanding
  of this quotation.

INFORMATIONAL- EXPOSITORY KEY WORDEXPLAIN
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Informational or Persuasive?

• A teacher needs directions from the school to
  your home. Write a set of instructions that
  describes the route you take.

INFORMATIONAL-NARR. PROCEDURE KEY
WORDSDIRECTIONS, INSTRUCTIONS
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Informational or Persuasive?

• Think about discoveries or inventions that
  have affected our lives. Select one. Write to
  inform someone about this discovery or invention.
  Tell whether it has been good or bad for society.

INFORMATIONAL KEY WORDINFORM Note The bulk of
what you are being asked to do is to inform
someone. You are asked to include your opinion,
but you are NOT asked to persuade the reader.
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Helpful Hints

• When taking the test, first decide what mode is
  being asked for.
• Do they want me to inform?
• Do they want me to persuade?

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Informational

• If they want you to inform, figure out what type
  of information they want.
• Narrative Procedure/Instructive/How to
• Descriptive
• Compare/Contrast
• Expository

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If Its How to

• Think
• Tell what youre teaching and why.
• Materials needed (if any)
• Steps with good transitions
• Anticipate problems a reader may have.

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If Its Descriptive

• Think
• Imagery or Word Picture
• Characteristics/Qualities
• Adjectives
• Sensory details

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If Its Expository

• Think
• Make a point /Answer the question
• Back it up with
• Details
• Examples
• Explanation
• Anecdote a short, real life example
• Facts if youve got them

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If Its Compare/Contrast

• Think
• Venn Diagram
• Organization
• Point by point,
• Topic by topic,
• OR like then different

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If Its Persuasive

• Think
• Take a strong position -one position even if you
  see both sides! No wishy-washies.
• Back it up with logical reasons and any facts
  that you may have.
• Use persuasive techniques like rhetorical
  questions, repetition, and ideas that will appeal
  to your audience.
• Recognize and refute (reasonably) one counter
  argument that your opposition might have.

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You focus your writing when you

• answer the prompt and make your point.
• stick to your point from start to finish.
• write to your audience in a style and tone that
  match the mode (persuasive, informational).

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How Will My Test Be Scored?

• The PSSA uses a different rubric for each mode of
  writing.
• The rubrics identify the most important qualities
  of the mode.
• These qualities are broken down into 4 areas or
  domains focus, content, organization, and style.
• The 5th domain, conventions, is scored with a
  separate rubric.
• These are similar to the FCAs only each domain
  is reviewed, not just a few.

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Your content is strong when you include

• examples
• explanations
• elaboration
• evidence
• details
• reasons
• facts
• anecdotes
• connections
• to support your point and help your reader
  understand what youre saying.

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You show strong organization when you arrange
your ideas in a helpful way, such as

• most to least important reasons
• least to most important reasons
• similarities then differences
• topic by topic
• chronological order (first to last)

Use of paragraphing, with topic sentences and
transitional words, is KEY!
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You get style points for

• using high level, appropriate vocabulary.
• using a variety of sentence styles (simple,
  compound, complex).
• creating a strong tone that suits the mode
  (persuasive, expert/informational).
• writing in a way that would reach your target
  audience.

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For a high conventions score you must have

• correct spelling.
• complete sentences.
• correct end punctuation.
• correct internal punctuation (commas,
  semicolons).
• correct capitalization.
• logical paragraphing with topic sentences.

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Your Score

• Your test will receive 2 scores
• 1 for conventions
• grammar, etc.
• 1 for composition
• how well you write in the modes

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Scoring Your Test

• Conventions
• The multiple choice section is worth 12 points.
• Also, each of your compositions will get a
  conventions score of 1-4 for a possible 8 points
  total.
• The multiple choice score and 2 writing
  conventions scores are added together.
• 128 20 possible

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Scoring Your Test

• Composition
• Each of the 2 writing tasks is worth a possible 4
  points. Your 2 scores are totaled and multiplied
  by 10. (One prompt isnt counted, but you wont
  know which one that is, so try your best on all
  three.)
• Thats 80 points possible for composition the
  focus, content, organization and
• style domains.

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Total Score

• Conventions possible 20 points
• Composition possible 80 points
• Total possible 100 points