How Students Choose ESL Writing Assessment Prompts
This article, reporting on the research done by Margo Glew and Charlene Polio of Michigan State University, examines writing assessment in a different way than most research on the topic. The goal of this research was to look into how an ESL student chooses prompts for a writing exam when offered a choice. Polio and Glew not only investigate how they choose, but how long it takes each student to choose and if they should even be given a choice at all.
There are numerous suggestions through research that provide possible answers to the questions at hand. Some say students tend to choose shorter questions, or questions placed first or second on the list. This research was inconclusive however. Polio and Glew argue that “the primary reason for offering students a choice of prompts is the belief that students should be allowed to choose a prompt that will enable them to display their best writing” (37). This applies especially to ESL students who come from a much larger variety of backgrounds than to regular English students. However, “there is no evidence that when students choose a prompt, they choose one that allows them to display their best writing skills” (38). It is also pointed out though, that giving choices decreases reliability, adding to the already difficult process of fairly scoring written tests. Some even think that choosing wastes time.
The researchers thought that looking at how the students chose a prompt might shed light on whether or not they should have a choice. They used 26 students and through testing, video taping and interviewing, they found that most students looked at all prompts before choosing and that 21 out of 26 students choose their topic in under two minutes. “The median time before students began writing was less than 60 seconds, with a range of 18 to 182 seconds.” (42). Out of all 26 students, only one student started writing with one prompt and started over with a second. Through the interviews they discovered that 22 students chose a prompt based on “perceived familiarity or background knowledge.” Proving true that having a choice should increase their ability to display their best writing proving false the idea that having a choice is a waste of time.
... more likely the students will write effectively. When they feel in control of their writing they will gain confidence and be proud of their achievements (Gibbons, 2002).
“As the term suggests, an auteur is an author, someone whose aesthetic sensibilities and impact are most important in the creation of a text. With literary texts, discerning authorship is usually no problem. But with collaborative art forms, such as film, deciding on authorship is much more complicated. Generally speaking, film theorists have concluded that it is the director of a film who is the auteur, the most important creative figure.
Several people have trouble writing college level essays and believe that they are unable to improve their writing skills. In “the Inspired Writer vs. The Real Writer,” Sarah Allen argues how no one is born naturally good at writing. Sarah Allen also states how even professional writers have trouble with the task of writing. Others, such as Lennie Irvin, agree. In Irvin’s article “What is ‘Academic’ Writing?” states how there are misconceptions about writing. Furthermore, Mike Bunn’s article “How to Read Like a Writer” shows ways on how one can improve their writing skills. Allen, Bunn, and Irvin are correct to say how no one is born naturally good writers. Now that we know this, we should find ways to help improve our writing skills, and
In this essay I will discuss three similar paintings, painted by three different painters around the same time period. Furthermore, I will discuss how both Matisse’s Bonheur de Vivre and Picasso’s Les Demoiselles d’Avignon were inspired by Paul Cézanne’s The Large Bathers.
The concept of "Auteur" is deriding and damaging to the screenwriter and to the director, according to William Goldman because Goldman understands that there are many independent parts working together to create a movie. Screenwriter, such as Goldman, have a very difficult task to adapt the script and the storyline in such a way that the whole story can be told with themes and symbolism without losing the viewer and without giving the viewer too much to take in and grapple with.
In her essay, “The New Literacy: Stanford Study Finds Richness and Complexity in Students’ Writing,” Cynthia Haven claims that writing, for the modern college student, has changed due to recent technology, specifically the internet. To prove this claim, the author turns to a study that began in 2001 at Stanford. This study’s goal was to analyze the writing habits of college students; however, the results yielded more than just that. The study found that students are writing much more than was expected, and much of what they write is not for a grade. So, these students write almost as much for their personal gain as they do for an academic one. Due to this, students are able to understand and utilize higher-level writing techniques, such as epistemic writing. Furthermore, they have
Even though Ali’s boxing career started out as Cassius Marcellus Clay, he is known as the great Muhammad Ali changing his birth name after changing his religion to become a member of the Nation of Islam in the early sixties. “GG” (Myers2) was the nickname given to Muhammad as a baby because his parents stated he always repeated “gee, gee, gee, gee” (Myers2). Once a teenager and after winning the title of being the champion of the Golden Gloves he told his family he was letting them know that he was to be the Golden Gloves champion (Myers). Clay’s boxing career started early as a child once he had his bike stolen which infuriated him to the point that he to...
Pierre - Auguste Renoir was the most popular French impressionist painter ever.3 Unfortunately, there has not been any exhibitions about him or his work since the nineteen thirties. Majority of his creations represent the world and its people without any problems or concerns.4 Renoir made the world look as though everything was perfect. That was what brought him his popularity.
Throughout much of the 20th century right after its inception during the tail end of the 19th century, film’s function within our world and society has been questioned, analyzed, theorized, and challenged time and time again. Robin Wood’s “Ideology, Genre, and Auteur” article is a testament to this predicament and he suggests that theory is something which inhibits understanding the evolving nature of cinema beyond the brackets put in place by theory. If the evolution of cinema were to adhere to the parameters of theory, we may not have groundbreaking film movements that offer an alternative understanding of cinema. If society chooses to understand film in the way D.W. Griffith defines film with his works in the 1910s, we may not allow filmmakers
Impressionism began in the late 19th century as a result of friendships cultivated in Paris France at Café Guerbois amongst four students of Marc Gleyre including Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Alfred Sisley, and Frédéric Bazille with other Parisian artists such as Edgar Degas and Edouard Manet ("Impressionism,"). Their collective style was largely characterized by their attempts “to depict transitory visual impressions, often painted directly from nature, and by the use of pure, broken color to achieve brilliance and luminosity.” ("Impressionism,") Those considered to be part of the Impressionist movement were involved for varied portions of their artistic careers for the exhibition purposes ra...
When comparing art, there are many different variables one must consider. Technique, median, inspiration, color palette, etc. When viewing art with similar but different views, you must consider several different things, and ask yourself several questions. Art is meant to inspire and bring about feelings (happiness, sadness, excitement, etc) When we look at these three paintings of very similar subjects, we can see just how different while being similar art can be.
Nothing much you can do when you get to the point, they just kind of toss you into the fire. I recall the first time I went through the audition process:. I walked into the auditorium, the stage lights turned up all way, and seating set in darkness. As I made my way up to the stage, Tina stopped me to hand me a script and said, “Just head up to the stage.” As I walked up there was a sudden wave of anxiety and nervousness that washed over me. When I finally looked back at the seats my sight was blinded by the beams of lights that shot above me. Then she just simply said, “Let’s Begin.” Twenty minutes of nervous performing and the audition was
By giving students the ability to choose the technique in which they take their tests, professors are giving them more confidence which increases productivity. A vast majority of professors use short and/or long answer test; however, this can be damaging too many of their students’ scores. Pink gives the example of Zappos founder Tony Hsieh who gives his employees the autonomy to work without scripts, monitoring, or timing (101). The problem with how professors are giving test is that not all students can work to their best ability in short and/or long answer test. Pinks concept is to give people the ability to choose the method that best fits them so they can produce their best results. For example, Student 1 has the best result on tests when they are multiple choice; however, student 2 has the best result when the test are oral. Professors do not want their students to ...
...this, Renoir was a dedicated portrait and figure artist. In the early 1870’s many of his paintings were cast-off by the Salon. Because of this, Renoir joined Monet in forming the Impressionist movement.
In the beginning, there was no real stock market. However stock exchanges did take place in smaller groups and corporations. This all took place during the 1700's where stocks were already around for a long time before that but it wasn't really popular in the United States. Stocks originally started as auctions where traders called out names of companies and the shares available. There was a auction that took place and the shares went to the highest bidders.