Responding to growing interests in alternative assessment practices, this article examines ungrading in two composition courses at a public university classified as a Hispanic-Serving Institution, detailing its implementation by two instructors in an Accelerated Learning Program composition class and a standalone composition class. Utilizing…

Writing and the teaching of writing is changing at a rapid pace. How can educators understand writing assessment "as" and "with" technology in the 21st-century classroom? Michael Neal contends that new technologies are neither the problem nor the solution. Instead, educators need to tap into digital resources only inasmuch as they promote writing…

This study details the development and results of a campus-based writing assessment plan that was mandated by a state-wide university system in order to explore the ''value-added'' from a writing program curriculum to undergraduate students' competence with written expression. Four writing samples (two timed essays and two conventional essays)…

Proposes that in-depth assessment of student writing is the best and most effective way of grading papers and determining student needs. Includes a sample assessment scale. (CRH)

The first year of the writing program at the William M. Trotter Elementary School (Boston, Massachusetts) accomplished (1) the development of an outline of basic writing activities and skills for grades one through five; (2) the use of holistic rating; (3) the development of a common correction symbol; (4) the development of writing folders…

Describes a "focused holistic" method of writing evaluation, which considers a total piece of writing, but in terms of predefined criteria. Provides sample evaluations. (HTH)

Advocates a holistic method for evaluating assignments. Notes how the system reflects the evaluation procedures used in business for determining the success of a written communication by assigning numbers (0,1, or 2) for unacceptable, acceptable, and excellent work respectively. Explains that this system not only reduces the time commitment of…

Offers a brief history of an attempt to establish predictive test validity with holistic scoring of writing tests. Asserts that holistically scored writing samples may be practical for some local purposes, but they must be used judiciously. Suggests monitoring the validity of local tests with statistical packages and using teacher ratings as…

Chronicles the development of holistic evaluation in English testing, defines the term and others associated with it, and suggests the central reasons for its use. Discusses some of the problems and disadvantages of this powerful and generally positive approach to student writing evaluation. (HTH)

Designed to evaluate the degree to which an essay is successful in giving information, this instrument is an analytic/holistic scoring guide for evaluating any writing that contains generalizations supported by elaboration. The following criteria are applied: (1) relevance--any statement that gives information or elaborates on information already…

Examines the questions: (1) What criteria do raters use when making holistic judgments of brief, impromptu essays? and (2) Do raters judge such essays in the same way they think they do? (FL)

Claims that holistic scoring for schoolwide assessment of writing proficiency is influenced by the disciplines represented by the faculty readers. Describes in detail the findings of a study designed to measure reader bias in evaluation, a phenomenon suggested by reader-response theory. (HB)

Describes a system to evaluate writing in which students use extensive marginal notes to comment on their own writing processes. Provides sample notes from a variety of student papers to illustrate the effectiveness of this system in increasing student knowledge and involvement. (KEH)

The Primary Trait System (PTS) of scoring was devised by the National Assessment of Educational Progress to score large numbers of natural writing samples. Essentially, PTS permits evaluation of writing in an objective way, but one that does not rely on scoring surface features such as mechanics, grammar, or spelling. While the assessment value of…

Impromptu writing on tests is a useful way to evaluate student comprehension and encourage students to use critical thinking skills. Students' performance on essay tests can improve, and teachers' time required for grading can decrease through the use of an adapted holistic grading scale that clearly states expectations. First, a carefully written…