|
0014 Prepare a Developed Composition on a Given Topic Using Language Consistent with a Given Audience and Purpose
The Constructed-Response section of the Writing subtest also requires you to write an essay in addition to responding to short-answer items and writing a summary.
Since you have a total of four hours to complete both the Reading and Writing sections of the VCLA, you should allocate approximately 1-2 hours to complete the task of writing your essay. This is a guideline, however, and each writer should allocate his time accordingly depending on his strengths or weaknesses.
Each essay is evaluated immediately after each VCLA administration by at least two readers using a four-point score scale (see next page).
Graders will evaluate essays based on the following criteria:
| Appropriateness: |
The extent to which the candidate addresses the topic and uses language and style appropriate to the given audience, purpose, and occasion. |
Organization: |
The clarity of writing and the logical sequence of the candidate's ideas. |
Focus and Unity: |
The clarity with which the candidate states and maintains focus on the main idea or point of view. |
Development: |
The extent to which the candidate provides statements of appropriate depth, specificity, and/or accuracy. |
Usage: |
The extent to which the candidate's writing shows care and precision in word choice and is free of usage errors. |
| Sentence Structure: |
The effectiveness of the sentence structure and the extent to which the sentences are free of structural errors. |
| Mechanical Conventions: |
The extent to which words are spelled correctly and the candidate follows the conventions of punctuation and capitalization. |
|
