Essays

Overview

Type of objectives

Knowledge, thinking skills, problem solving, decision making, thought processes, reflective thinking

Number of students

Large group

Teacher prep time

Depends on the quality of the prompt

Class time

Depends on the requirements of the essay

Scoring time

Long

Scoring method

Analytic, analytic holistic, focused holistic

Possible problems

Teacher must be an active reader; high quality questions are difficult to prepare; students misunderstand what is being asked; the objective/question match can be difficult to achieve; equating tasks

Possible values

Can produce an in-depth look at knowledge, skills, and thought processes; requires active student participation

Frequently Asked Questions

What are essays?

Essays can vary from long reports to short answers. They can be narrative, expository, or functional in nature. A single essay can require any or all thinking skills. Essay questions generally include a description of the components that must be in the essay and the limits on the essay. Because of their versatility, essays remain assessments of choice for many teachers.

Essays can be grouped by their function, including content essays, application essays, decision making essays, and design problems essays.

How might students be helped to do better on essay questions?

Students should be taught to underline or highlight the required components of the essay so they will not leave out important parts. This is especially important in longer assignments. Younger students will need to underline or highlight requirements even in very short assignments as they tend to answer only one part of multifaceted essays.

Preparing for essay assessment is often overlooked, but as with all other assessment methods, preparation is essential.

What are the characteristics of the various types of essays?

Content Essays

Essays can require paraphrasing of knowledge or complex synthesis of ideas. The first and second examples require student content knowledge. Unless the scorer is attentive to appropriate audience and style, which is not usually the case in content courses, both of these questions require the student to produce an explanation of concepts. These essays are usually scored based only on thoroughness and accuracy rather than presentation clarity and reasoning.

Examples of Content Essays

Imagine that you are a reporter who interviewed Newton. Write a news story summarizing his laws of motion.

or

Describe Newton's laws of motion.

Application Essays

Essay questions can require the student to use any or all of the higher order thinking skills. In the examples below the student is asked to put two or more ideas together. However, if the ideas have been presented by comparing them, then the student has to do little synthesis and the essay is basically a content essay. Scoring of these complex essays tends to be more holistic as the reader is trying to determine the level of reasoning, presentation clarity, thoroughness, and accuracy. The reader must approach the paper as a whole rather than a sum of its parts.

Examples of Application Essays

Imagine that you are a reporter who interviewed Newton and Einstein. Write a news story that compares these scientists views of motion. Write an essay in which Darwin, Lamarck, and Mendel meet and discuss why beavers have big teeth. Compare and contrast the main ideas presented by Darwin, Lamarck, and Mendel.

Decision-Making Essays

Essay questions can ask students to make a decision and justify that decision with factual information and opinions. As with other essays, graphic organizers may be used to help students extend their answers. Multiple questions may be given and scored as a single essay. This is often the case with younger students who seem to be able to focus on only one process at a time. These essays are generally scored holistically based on thoroughness, accuracy, clarity, and reasoning.

Example of a Decision-Making Essay

Imagine that there is a pond on the school grounds. Next year there will be 100 new students in the school and the pond is the only place left to build a play area. Give as many reasons as you can for keeping the pond and for building the new play area. A sample answer has been given for you.

Reasons for Keeping the Pond

Reasons for Building a New Play Area

The pond is the home for many animals. The animals will not have a home without the pond.

The pond is the home for mosquitoes. The new play area will cover the pond so we will have fewer mosquitoes.

Do you think the school should keep the pond or build the new play area? Give facts to support your opinions. Be sure you include information that will negate arguments that will probably be presented by people with an opposing view.

Design Problem Essays

Essay questions can ask students to solve a problem and establish proof that their solution will probably work within the given constraints. These essays require students to use the basic principles they have learned. Since the answers can be highly divergent, focused holistic scoring is generally preferred.

Example of a Design Problem Essay

Describe a method that could be used to catch and hold rain water for a family living in a dry region. Include methods to prevent evaporation and contamination by wild animals. You may use labeled drawings to help you explain your design. Be sure to explain why your design will work using basic scientific principles.

What must a teacher do to prepare for essay assessment?

  1. Prepare a set of essay questions: one for explaining a concept, one for making a decision on an issue, and one design problem. Each essay question should weave in the required components of the essay, its purpose, limits, and the concepts students are learning.
  2. Outline the criteria you will use for judging the activities.
  3. Prepare a scoring method from the criteria.
  4. Decide how to "sell" the use of essay methods to other teachers on your team. Be sure you are able to answer the questions regarding how assessment methods should be chosen.
  5. Describe other assessments that will be required to complement the use of essays.