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An Experimental Study of Placement Essay Examination Scoring by Writing Teachers and Non-Writing Teachers with Consideration of Content Effects on Ratings

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Date Issued:
1983
Summary:
Measurement experts have criticized the use of essay examinations, chiefly because of their scoring unreliability. Research has emnhasized scoring inconsistencies and that scorers of essay examinations are frequently led by composition errors or other writing quality factors to grade the subject matter--content--of the essays inconsistently. Studies critical of essay scoring have emphasized the content of essay answers and have used scorers with minimal expertise in the essays' subject areas. Recent research reveals that, under certain conditions, i.e., when writing experts are scoring for placement, using appropriate grading criteria, reliability rates for essay scoring are improving. Besides making distinctions between grading conditions and purposes, recent studies distinguish between content and writing skills, and emphasize examination of how content characteristics of student essays influence teachers' ratings. This study focused on whether freshman placement essays would be graded consistently by different groups of college faculty, experts in writing and experts in the topic of the essays. Also examined were how content designated as strong and weak would influence the overall scores and the scoring of writing quality.
Title: An Experimental Study of Placement Essay Examination Scoring by Writing Teachers and Non-Writing Teachers with Consideration of Content Effects on Ratings.
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Name(s): McLemore, Mary
Floyd, Marilyn J., Thesis advisor
Florida Atlantic University, Degree grantor
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Date Created: 1983
Date Issued: 1983
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Place of Publication: Boca Raton, Fla.
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 121 p.
Language(s): English
Summary: Measurement experts have criticized the use of essay examinations, chiefly because of their scoring unreliability. Research has emnhasized scoring inconsistencies and that scorers of essay examinations are frequently led by composition errors or other writing quality factors to grade the subject matter--content--of the essays inconsistently. Studies critical of essay scoring have emphasized the content of essay answers and have used scorers with minimal expertise in the essays' subject areas. Recent research reveals that, under certain conditions, i.e., when writing experts are scoring for placement, using appropriate grading criteria, reliability rates for essay scoring are improving. Besides making distinctions between grading conditions and purposes, recent studies distinguish between content and writing skills, and emphasize examination of how content characteristics of student essays influence teachers' ratings. This study focused on whether freshman placement essays would be graded consistently by different groups of college faculty, experts in writing and experts in the topic of the essays. Also examined were how content designated as strong and weak would influence the overall scores and the scoring of writing quality.
Identifier: FA00000678 (IID)
Collection: FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
Note(s): Includes bibliography.
Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 1983.
College of Education
Subject(s): Examinations--Interpretation
Grading and marking (Students)
Held by: Florida Atlantic University Libraries
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00000678
Sublocation: Digital Library
Use and Reproduction: Copyright © is held by the author with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
Use and Reproduction: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Host Institution: FAU
Is Part of Series: Florida Atlantic University Digital Library Collections.