Marked Sample Answers to Writing Questions
Many students often want to see a perfect ‘model’ answer to an ISE writing question they have just or are about to complete. There are some good reasons for showing students perfect answers:
- They provide useful language of the level in context
- They can help show students one way that they can approach the writing task effectively, including all the task requirements
- They can be used to provide feedback on the students’ own writing as they compare what they have written with one perfect answer.
However, using model answers can also have some drawbacks. If students always look at the final product of the writing process and compare their work to this perfect version, it devalues the process they have gone through themselves to reach their own answer. It can also imply that there is one ‘right’ answer, when in fact, ISE questions can often be approached in a number of different ways, and ‘perfect’ answers can look very different depending on the approach that has been taken.
In order to avoid these potential pitfalls of using perfect model answers, it’s much better to show students a range of different answers to a writing prompt and encourage them to evaluate these on the basis of the rating scale. This has two main advantages:
- Students become familiar with the criteria that their own work is being assessed on. If you don’t know what the examiner is looking for, you are not necessarily going to be able to show them that you can do this!
- Students develop their own critical reading and evaluation skills – as they critique other people’s writing, they learn how to review their own writing.
On the Trinity College ISE webpage, there are some examples of marked responses to ISE writing questions. You can also find some more examples on this site.
How to use the marked sample answers
- Students read through the sample answers quickly (without the rationale) and rank them from best to worst, giving reasons for their answers.
- Students use the rating scales (or perhaps just the headings) to suggest ways in which the writer did well and ways in which they could improve their writing. Remember, the rating scales for the ISE exams include the following criteria:
- Task fulfilment (Overall achievement of communicative aim; Awareness of the writer–reader relationship (style and register); Adequacy of topic coverage)
- Organisation and structure (Text organisation, including use of paragraphing, beginnings/endings; Presentation of ideas and arguments, including clarity and coherence of their development; Consistent use of format to suit the task; Use of signposting)
- Language control (Range and accuracy of grammar; Range and accuracy of lexis; Effects of linguistic errors on understanding; Control of punctuation and spelling)
- Reading for writing (task 3 only) (Understanding of source materials; Selection of relevant content from source texts; Ability to identify common themes and links within and across the multiple texts; Adaptation of content to suit the purpose for writing; Use of paraphrasing/summarising)
The full rating scales can be found on the Trinity College London webpage:
http://www.trinitycollege.com/site/?id=3634
- Students give a score for each sample of writing, using the rating scale.
- Students compare their own ratings with the provided rationales and discuss any discrepancies between what they thought and what the rater thought, and why these discrepancies might have occurred.
- Students choose one of the lower marked sample responses and work together in pairs to make changes to improve it.
- Pairs swap writing and rate the new response to see if the scores are improved.
- Students take any language from the sample answers that they might be able to use in their own writing, for example connectors, introductory phrases, etc.
- Finally, students can write their own response to the question, putting into practice everything they have learnt from reading the sample answers. They can also review their peers’ writing as a final stage before it is given to the teacher for marking.
Using the sample marked answers can be really useful – give it a try using our ISE marked sample answer files :)