The demand that public school students, especially at the high school level, write under time pressure has been the subject of debate for at least the last seventy-five years. As state after state has added timed writing component to its testing apparatus in recent years, the debate has intensified. Those teachers who are alumni of the National…

Asserts that good writing matters, and that the College Board's decision to include a written essay on the SAT is a long overdue message for U.S. students. (EV)

The author states that by neglecting to give essay tests, teachers not only eliminate the motivation to read and write but also fail to test for a deep understanding of the material. The author presents guidelines for designing essay questions. (CT)

Argues that instructors need to think more systematically about how to prepare students to write good essay examinations. Demonstrates that higher levels of learning involving integration, synthesis, evaluation, and application are essential for this type of testing. Concludes that the significance of efficient writing skills is as important as…

Too many students prefer "objective" tests to essay tests because they mistakenly believe writing is isolated from the learning process. (DD)

Describes the problems some basic writing students have had generating ideas for writing in response to timed essay tests. Proposes a technique based on the classical notion of the "topoi," which enables students to generate ideas and equips them for participation in the social and political dialogs they encounter in higher education.…

Defends the CUNY-WAT against the charges made by Fishman (CS 731 865). Offers suggestions for those wishing to undertake research into the choice of topics for writing assessment tests. (FL)

Explains that a good essay question should be as specific in what it asks for as the students are expected to be in their answers. (HOD)

Types of questions that will stimulate student participation in French literature classes are discussed. After a summary of ineffective approaches, factors influencing development of effective questions are assessed: preparation, reformulation, and progression. Examples are included. (Contains nine references.) (LB)

A summary of the writing assessment programs reviewed in this journal is presented. The problems inherent in the programs are outlined. A coordinated research program on major problems in writing assessment is proposed as being beneficial and cost-effective. (DWH)

Examines students' amusing responses to essay test questions, while maintaining that such responses can still give a teacher a better indication of what students are learning in the classroom than can objective tests. (HTH)

Describes the pros and cons of using written essay examinations. Reviews the history of the basic arguments for and against essay exams. Considers essay exams as forms of writing, in relation to portfolio assessment, and as reliable instruments of assessment. Advocates the use of timed, impromptu essay exams. (HB)

Claims that written tests are superior to objective, scan-tron tests in literature, composition, and vocabulary because they require students to think on paper. Describes the following types of in-class written tests and examines the advantages of each: literary essay, topical composition, imitation, brief answer, timed rewrites, and vocabulary…

Examines the CUNY-WAT program and questions many aspects of it, especially the choice and phrasing of topics. (FL)

Discusses the problems of readers' different responses to essay test passages and the implications for the subsequent writing assignment. Describes a model of the writing assessment episode and discusses four generalizations about writing task interpretation. (HTH)