Extensive Writing Assessment

Grade Level: 12

Standards of Learning (SOL)

Research 12.8

The student will write documented research papers.

a) Use technology as a tool to research, organize, evaluate, and communicate

information.

b) Frame, analyze, and synthesize information to solve problems, answer

questions, and generate new knowledge.

c) Critically evaluate the accuracy, quality, and validity of the information.

d) Synthesize information to support the thesis and present information in a

logical manner.

e) Cite sources for both quoted and paraphrased ideas using a standard method

of documentation, such as that of the Modern Language Association (MLA) or

the American Psychological Association (APA).

f) Revise writing for clarity, depth of information, and technique of

presentation.

g) Edit writing for language, spelling, punctuation, capitalization, syntax, and

paragraphing as appropriate for standard English.

WIDA Standard(s): ​Standard 2 - The Language of Language Arts

WIDA Level: ​5 - Bridging

Can-Do Descriptors:

● Produce research reports from multiple sources

● Create original pieces that represent the use of a variety of genres and

discourses
 ● Critique, peer-edit and make recommendations on others’ writing from

rubrics

● Explain, with details, phenomena, processes, procedures

Objectives

● Content: ​Students will be able to conduct secondary research about a topic

that affects them.
● Language: ​Students will be able to write a well-organized essay that is
based on their research findings.

Secondary Research Report Prompt

A day has 24 hours; thus, if you sleep eight

hours per day, you spend about a third of
your life with your eyes closed. We all need
sleep, but why and how much? Do some
people need more sleep than others? Are
there really night owls and early birds? What
time should schools start in the morning?
What happens when we sleep? What if we
don’t sleep? How can you get a good night’s
sleep? Does technology affect sleep?

Directions

During the first four weeks of this semester, you

will research three major questions you have about
sleep. You can choose questions from the
paragraph above, or you may come up with your
own questions to which you will try to find answers
through a process called secondary research.

We will work on this project in class two class

periods per week. This will be our weekly schedule:
Week 1:​ topic orientation and research questions
Week 2: ​finding and evaluating sources
Week 3:​ writing an outline and first draft
Week 4:​ revising and editing

Final Product
To share your findings, you will write a well-organized research report. This is what
it needs to look like:
● Your report must consist of about 1,250 words (not including references);
● You must explain your findings about three research questions related to sleep.
Include the following paragraphs:
○ A factual introduction that explains the topic.
○ At least three comprehensible body paragraphs, each with a clear topic
that is supported with relevant examples and data from reliable sources.
○ A strong conclusion paragraph that summarizes key findings, provides a
prediction/advice based on these findings, and/or lays out questions for
further research.
● You must provide at least one reference from a reliable source (as discussed in
class in week two) for each of the three questions about sleep you choose to
address;
● On a separate page, include an annotated bibliography of your source(s). In this
bibliography, explain in one paragraph (~150 words) per source why you trust
this source (guidelines will be discussed in class in week two);
● Your report must be written in APA format; this means you need to:
○ Include a cover page
○ Include paragraph headings that follow APA guidelines
○ Include a running head and page numbers
○ Include a reference page
○ Use Times New Roman size 12 as your font
○ Double-space the entire document
● Your report needs to be well organized and ​virtually​ free of errors in
punctuation, spelling, grammar or capitalization or word choice that distract the
reader and make your ideas difficult to understand.
 Scoring

Distinguished Proficient Getting there Not yet

9 - 7 points 6 - 4 points 3 - 1 points 0 points

Sources The evidence Most evidence Some evidence No evidence for

and examples and examples and examples or examples of
9 possible come from come from come from the author’s
points sources. reliable sources. sources, but claims are
their reliability is given, ​or​, none
An annotated An annotated questionable. of the evidence
bibliography in bibliography in or examples
which the which the An annotated given come
reliability of reliability of bibliography in from other
each source is each source is which the sources.
defended defended is reliability of
according to the included on a each source is No annotated
guidelines separate page, defended is bibliography is
discussed in but the included on a included.
class is included guidelines separate page,
on a separate discussed in but the
page. class have not guidelines
been followed. discussed in
class have not
been followed.

APA The report The report APA format is APA format has
format follows APA mostly follows not used not been
format. It is APA format. It is correctly. The followed.
9 possible double-spaced double-spaced report is not
points and the font and the font double-spaced None of the
type is Times type is Times and/or the font following items
New Roman New Roman type is not are included:
size 12. size 12. Times New
● cover page
Roman size 12.
All of the Most of the ● paragraph
following items following items Some of the headings that
are included: are included: following items follow APA
are included: guidelines
● cover page ● cover page ● running head
● paragraph ● paragraph ● cover page ● page numbers
headings that headings that ● paragraph ● reference
follow APA follow APA headings that page
guidelines guidelines follow APA ● at least one
● running head ● running head guidelines (accurate)
● page numbers ● page numbers ● running head citation per
● reference ● reference ● page numbers body
page page ● reference paragraph
page
 ● at least one ● at least one ● at least one
(accurate) (accurate) (accurate)
citation per citation per citation per
body body body
paragraph paragraph paragraph

Mechanics The essay is The essay is The essay is The essay is

clear and mostly clear and difficult to follow difficult to follow.
9 possible understandable. understandable. in spots, but
points main ideas are The essay
The essay The essay still clear. contains ​a vast
contains ​almost contains ​a number of
no errors in number of The essay errors in
punctuation, errors in contains ​many punctuation,
spelling, punctuation, errors in spelling,
grammar or spelling, punctuation, grammar or
capitalization or grammar or spelling, capitalization or
word choice that capitalization or grammar or word choice that
distract the word choice that capitalization or distract the
reader and distract the word choice that reader and
make the reader and distract the make the
author’s ideas make the reader and author’s ideas
difficult to author’s ideas make the difficult to
understand. difficult to author’s ideas understand.
understand. difficult to
understand.

Reasoning All of the One of the Two of the More than two
following following following of the following
9 possible components are components components are components are
points included: may be missing: missing: missing:

A factual A factual A factual A factual

introduction that introduction that introduction that introduction that
explains the explains the explains the explains the
topic. topic. topic. topic.

At least three At least three At least three At least three

comprehensible comprehensible comprehensible comprehensible
body body body body
paragraphs, paragraphs, paragraphs, paragraphs,
each with a each with a each with a each with a
clear topic that clear topic that clear topic that clear topic that
is supported is supported is supported is supported
with relevant with relevant with relevant with relevant
examples and examples and examples and examples and
objective data objective data objective data objective data
from reliable from reliable from reliable from reliable
sources. sources. sources. sources.

Strong Strong Strong Strong

conclusion conclusion conclusion conclusion
paragraph that paragraph that paragraph that paragraph that
summarizes key summarizes key summarizes key summarizes key
findings, findings, findings, findings,
provides advice provides advice provides advice provides advice
or a prediction or a prediction or a prediction or a prediction
based on these based on these based on these based on these
findings, and/or findings, and/or findings, and/or findings, and/or
lays out lays out lays out lays out
questions for questions for questions for questions for
further research. further research. further research. further research.