Assessing Student Writing
Writing assessment takes many forms in a complete writing program. Ongoing writing assessment helps students grow as writers by helping them understand how writing evolves through revision. Writing portfolios and formal writing assessments allow educators to analyze how students' writing develops over time.
Here you'll find resources to help you assess your students and empower students to assess their own writing.
Rubrics
Rubrics, based on the six traits of effective writing, provide an effective tool for assessing papers and provide a common language for talking about writing.
The Six Traits of Effective Writing
The traits help writers look at writing with objectivity and make student self assessment easier.
Focus on Writing Tests
Analyzing a Prompt
To effectively respond to a prompt, students must first understand it. Try using the STRAP questions to help students analyze prompts:
Subject: What topic should I write about?
Type: What form of writing should I create?
Role: What position should I assume as the writer?
Audience: Who is the intended reader?
Purpose: What is the goal of my writing?
Sample Writing Test Essays
Studying sample writing test prompts and essays can help students prepare for essay tests.
Take a look at these examples of responses written for common types of writing tests.
Peer Responding
Classmates can provide informal assessments of one another's work and help each other with the revising process through peer response activities.
See Also:
Write Source Eval-U-Write Online Essay Grader
Rubrics
The Six Traits of Effective Writing
Peer Responding
Student Test Taking Tips
