How Writing Is Assessed

In the assessment of writing skills in the exam, the students are assessed on their ability to demonstrate the following skills in their written responses: 1. Reading comprehension skills: understanding the rubric and fulfilling the requirements of the writing task. 2. Thinking skills: to reflect depth and maturity of thinking by drawing conclusions, inferring, giving reasons and supporting them and making predictions.

3. Language skills: using language appropriately to provide the correct tone, form and content as required by the task

The Emphasis
1. The emphasis is on how well the response fulfils the set task and the level of language used. 2. Accuracy of language in terms of grammar, sentence structures and mechanics of writing is essential for effective communication. 3. The examiner must be able to understand and follow the presentation of ideas or events conveyed in the students responses.

4. Students creativity is important but should not be the sole criterion in the assessment of writing

In order to fulfil the requirements of a writing task, a student must at least be able to:

Identify the key words that would indicate the purpose and scope of the writing task. Provide the appropriate content according to the task specified. Use an appropriate format. Extract main ideas and supporting details. Summarise Give evidence/reasons to support given response. Use correct grammar, sentence structures (simple and compound) and mechanics of writing. Use paragraphs to organise ideas. Elaborate and develop ideas e.g. by adding details, giving reasons or examples to make the response more interesting

Section A
Marked on a 5-band impression scale marks ranging from 1 30.

Section B
Content : 5 marks Language : marked on a 5-band impression scale with marks ranging from 1 5

Section C
Marked on a 5-band impression scale with marks ranging from 1 - 10

Other interpretations or variations of the task are acceptable as long as the students are able to sustain and support these variations in their responses. The mark 0 is awarded when there is: No response or response written in language other than English. Mindless lifting of irrelevant chunks from other sources including rubric.

Read the response provided for relevance to task and assessment objectives specified for the question. Indicate merit expressions. Indicate serious or minor errors and other forms of demerit. Check whether response fulfils the criteria specified in a given band. Look for additional details which make the writing more interesting. Responses which are generally free from serious errors should be placed in the upper bands. However, responses with frequent serious and minor errors should be placed in the lower bands. Read the response again to confirm or change bands. If there is a change in band, read the response again to check the general criteria specified in the new band selected. Award marks accordingly.

When awarding marks, apply the best fit principle.

No script will fit neatly into any one of the bands.

To determine the appropriate mark, identify the band the response belongs to and refer the criteria in the band to confirm. Examiners should assess the script holistically.

Section A
To assess whether students are able to write an article with the help of the given pictures and notes using correct and appropriate language in the context of interpersonal communication.

Task

: To use suitable language to write an article based on the given pictures and notes.

Format : A suitable format so long as the task is fulfilled.

Marking Criteria for Section A

Section B
To assess whether students are able to: Locate main ideas Paraphrase using correct and appropriate language

Task

: To locate main ideas and use suitable language to write a summary based on the given text.

Format : To summarise in a paragraph.

Marking Criteria for Section B

Section C
To assess whether students are able to write an appropriate response based on a novel that they have read using correct and appropriate language.

Task

: To use suitable language to write about a relationship between friends based on a novel and provide evidence/reasons to support ones answer.

Format : In prose form.

Marking Criteria for Section C

Marking Procedures
Symbols used to ensure consistency in marking and for ease of moderation.
Marking Symbols MERIT Meaning of Symbols

Merit used to indicate apt vocabulary, good expression and structure where it occurs.

D E M E R I T

Gross errors
Minor errors Irrelevance, incomprehensible

Marking Symbols

D E M E R I T

L R S

Meaning of Symbols Lifting

Omission Repetition Stringing Inverse word order (transpose)

When writing your article: you may use all the notes elaborate on the given notes to make it more interesting add any other relevant information make sure it is not less than 120 words

Pg 1

16
Pg 2

Pg 1

Pg 2

28
Pg 3

Pg 1

Pg 2

Pg 3

30
Pg 4

(Maximum 5) 1. pollutes the environment/releases (high levels of) toxic gases 2. (contribute to the) greenhouse effect/global warming 3. vision (can be) impaired 4. respiratory problems and/or breathing difficulties 5. (suffer from) irritation to the eyes, nose and throat 6. (face serious) medical conditions

Maximum 5 For language marks please refer to the marking Criteria for Section B: Summary