Preparing for TOEFL – Explaining the Independent Writing Rubrics
Submitted by: Kimi
The scoring system for the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) exam – the forerunner of ESL tests in the world and respected around the world – can be very confusing. The test itself is designed to allow you to show that you can excel in an academic setting in an English speaking country. Students of ESL take this test to see if they have what it takes to study overseas; a desire of many people around the world. As I mentioned in previous articles, the entire TOEFL exam (if you are taking the popular internet-Based Test known as the iBT) is out of 120. Each of the four components of the test – reading, writing, speaking and listening – are given grades out of 30, so each are of equal value. But since each section of the test has a different format, there needs to be a general way to apply grades. This is known as the Rubrics, and each of the four components have their own Rubrics. Here I will explain the Rubrics for the Independent Writing Task, which differs from the Rubrics for the Integrated Writing Task.
Grade descriptions
Your Independent Writing Task response – in other words, your essay – is given a grade ranging from Zero to Five. This is different from the Integrated Writing Task in that you have to write an essay based on your own personal opinions on the subject. There is no right answer; you are judged based on your ability to convey your ideas, no matter how outlandish they may be. Here is a breakdown of the grades and what is done to receive these grades:
Zero
An essay that receives a grade of Zero shows a very low understanding of your obligations. You may have simply copied words and phrases from the text, or you simply do not answer the question directly. For example, the question asks you to determine what the main idea of the lecture is and you answer by giving your opinion on how boring it was to read such a passage. Although you may use perfect grammar and sentence structure, you simply did not answer the question therefore you cannot receive an actual score.
One
An essay at this level is severely flawed and has the following problems: your ideas are not organized in a coherent way; your ideas are vastly underdeveloped and incomplete; your answer lacked details or examples (which are mandatory); or you have frequent grammatical, spelling, or sentence structure mistakes. Grammar mistakes include poor verb conjugation, improper use of conjunctions and participles, etc.
Two
To get a score of Two on your Independent Writing Task, your personal essay has one or more of the following problems: the development of your topic and its relationship to the task is limited; you did not aptly connect your ideas so that they flow smoothly and accurately; your details and examples are not directly connected with your ideas or they are overly simplified; you consistently use improper sentence structure or word phrases; or your grammar, vocabulary and sentence structures are too simple or adolescent. Remember; you are attempting to attend an English university, not your local high school.
Three
An essay at this level shows a strong understanding of the task at hand, yet still is flawed in regards to other elements based on the following: you have effectively addressed the topic and how it relates to the task, yet you have not fully developed your explanations for them; your essay has shown a clear link between each of your points, yet the judges may still struggle to grasp the nature of your links; your language use is good, but there is still plenty of room for clarity; and finally, your essay may be well written, yet you still have a few grammatical or structural problems that hinders comprehension.
Four
A score of Four on your essay is something to be proud of. Your essay contains the following in order to gain such a respectable score: your essay addresses the issue of the passage as well as being linked with the task in an accurate and succinct manner, however, small problems may still exist; your use of grammar and sentence structure is impeccable and therefore does not hinder comprehension, although small grammar errors may still be present; your essay displays a united set of ideas that flow from one point to the next, however the ideas may still require concentration by the judge; and finally your grammar and vocabulary shows a strong understanding of the English language, albeit some insignificant mistakes may still be present but they do not effect comprehension.
Five
To receive a score of Five on your Independent Writing Task, your essay needs to be near perfect. Your essay directly addresses the topic and how it relates to the task so that the judge can easily and instantly understand your ideas; you have successfully linked all of your ideas in a coherent way with limited to no mistakes so that the judge can read and highlight your ideas with limited effort; you have consistently throughout your essay shown that you have a strong grasp of grammar, vocabulary and sentence structure; however, some mistakes may still be present.
The judges of your Independent Speaking Task are aware that what you are writing is a simple rough first draft; they do not expect your essay to be overly researched; the information from the text are all you are after and you have to be able to express your ideas. Do not worry if you have a few errors, so long as they do not directly affect how the judge comprehends your essay.
Latest Articles about: TOEFL
1: Preparing for TOEFL – Building your English speaking skills2: Preparing for TOEFL – Explaining the Integrated Writing Rubrics
3: Preparing for TOEFL – Explaining the Independent Writing Rubrics
4: Preparing for TOEFL – Explaining the Speaking Rubrics
5: TOEFL Test Score: How the test is scored
Word Count: 993 Date: Sat, 9 Apr 2011 Time: 2:30 AM
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