Diagnostic Essay Calibration
Free-Response Prompt Calibration Handout
- Reread the prompt for Question 3 (Open Prompt) AP Lit diagnostic test that we took at the beginning of the year (p. 4). What key words and phrases are you noticing in the prompt? Rewrite the prompt in your own words.
- Take a look at the open prompt analysis scoring guide (p.8) before rereading your essay. Scroll to the bottom of this page to access the document. Based on the scoring guide, what score do you think YOUR essay would receive if it were handed in as is? In a short paragraph write a justification for this score.
- Find and read the sample essay that corresponds with the score that you gave yourself for the free-response analysis. Read the essay as well as the scorer’s rationale and compare it to your own in a short paragraph. (Sample essays begin on page 48 and run through page 72. Scores for the sample essays begin on page 83 and run through page 87. You can enter the page number in the search box next to the magnifying glass, rather than continually scrolling through the document.)
- Find and read the sample essay as well as the scorer’s rationale that scored 2 points higher than your own (if you scored 3 you’ll read the sample essay that scored a 5). In a short paragraph write about what this essay does differently than yours and explain why the scorers think it deserves a better score.
- Read the sample essay that scored a 9 (these are tough to get by the way) along with the scorer’s rationale. Write a short paragraph that discusses fixes or techniques that you could employ to push your writing in this direction.
- List at least three things that you’ll keep in mind when you approach the open prompt to ensure that the writing you do next time ends up better (even if your current writing is good) than the writing you did on the diagnostic test. You’ll have a chance to use these notes when you approach the open prompt assessment of The Poisonwood Bible.
Prose Essay Calibration Handout
- Reread the prompt for the prose analysis portion of the AP Lit diagnostic test that we took at the beginning of the year (p. 3 on the document below), What key words and phrases are you noticing in the prompt?
- Reread the excerpt from Thomas Hardy's The Mayor of Casterbridge (pp 3-4) and then read the prompt ONE MORE TIME. Now, take a look at the prose analysis scoring guide (p. 7) before rereading your essay. Based on the scoring guide, what score do you think this essay would receive if it were handed in as is? In a short paragraph write a justification for this score.
- Find and read the sample essay that corresponds with the score that you gave yourself for the prose analysis. Read the essay and compare it to your own in a short paragraph. (Sample essays begin on page 27 and run through page 47.)
- Find a read the sample essay that scored 2 points higher than your own (if you scored 3, you'll read the sample essay that scored a 5). In a short paragraph, write about what this essay does differently than yours and explain why the scorers think it deserves a better score.
- Read the sample essay that scored a 9 (these are tough to get by the way). Write a short paragraph that discusses the fixes or techniques that you could employ to push your writing in this direction.
- List AT LEAST three things that you'll keep in mind when you approach your next prose analysis to ensure that the writing you do next time ends up better (even if your current writing is good) than the writing you did on the diagnostic test.
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