Are standardized writing tests really a good idea?

[WillJ]

As any American youngster knows, the SAT and ACT (the two main standardized tests for college admissions) now have a writing component, where you are given a certain amount of time to write an essay; the essay will then be read by a couple of examiners and assigned a grade (on a 1-7 scale or something similar).

Does this make any sense? Writing is an art, and is thus hard for anyone to actually grade, much less for a reader to read hundreds of essays a day and give each one a grade that both reflects the genuine quality and can be somehow considered objective/standardized.

The worst part, IMO, is that both tests impose a time limit, and a very short one at that: 20 minutes for one and 30 minutes for the other (I think). No actual author is ever going to be forced to write something so quickly. And I sure as hell can't write a good essay in half an hour, but I don't think that's a sign that I'm an inferior writer. It's really a sign that I actually THINK about what the hell I'm saying. When given a prompt (e.g. "Should schools have unifroms?"), I have an instinct to sit there for 15 minutes and think through the problem and arrive at what's probably the best answer. But no, apparently I can't do that. Now, I could try getting over this instinct, but really, why the hell should I have to? Is this not a good instinct to have?

These standardized essays seem to penalize actual thinking and creativity in favor of mechanically shelling out a tried-and-true essay in a short amount of time.

Now, there ARE some mechanical writing skills that can (and should) be tested: grammar, logical organization of thoughts, etc. But these should be taken care of through multiple choice tests (as they are, on some tests), not essays.

Luckily, though, many colleges seem to be about as skeptical of the writing tests as I am.

Thoughts? Almost everyone I've ever talked to seems to agree with me; what about you guys?

 

[Joeb WK]

I've done quite a few of these standardized writing test and i think there quite good and can be graded fairly easily. Although the time limit is useually way too short and I do question the logic of testing spelling on them when useually you would use a spell check for a proper essay.

 

[Gogf]

The point of these essays is not to grade the valitidy of your opinions, but the quality of your writing. However, I agree that this is not a good idea. This is far too open to interpretation by the graders. Various biases can easily come into play, and poor handwriting due to the time constraint can also cause problems.

 

[WillJ]

The point of these essays is not to grade the valitidy of your opinions, but the quality of your writing.

One of the things they want to test is how good you are at "logically supporting" your ideas. How the hell anyone can do that without having good ideas in the first place is beyond me. If they don't want ideas to come into play, they should ask you to creatively describe a basketball or something, not ask you for your opinion on the Iraqi war or whatever.

However, I agree that this is not a good idea. This is far too open to interpretation by the graders. Various biases can easily come into play, and poor handwriting due to the time constraint can also cause problems.

Agreed.

 

[WillJ]

I've done quite a few of these standardized writing test and i think there quite good and can be graded fairly easily. Although the time limit is useually way too short and I do question the logic of testing spelling on them when useually you would use a spell check for a proper essay.

I, of course, would have to disagree with the first part. I don't think any "easy" grading will be likely to be good grading.

 

[Alex the Great]

I haven't yet taken either the ACT or SAT but I pity the grader who has to grade mine, I have horrendous handwriting! But really the key to their grading scale is really organization and backing things up. From what I hear they don't even care about whether something you say is true or not, just whether it details a point.

Honestly, it is sad that good writing instincts are really penalized (Kaplan test prep for the SAT gives planning three of 25 minutes to write the essay!). On the other hand, it really is the only way to find out whether a person is able to write something halfway decent in college. Good? Bad? Just get through those 25 minutes!

 

[Smellincoffee]

I finished the ACT before this new writing test, but I remember taking these official writing tests in fourth, seventh, and tenth grades. I'm not sure what they were called, but we were supposed to have them every three years. Maybe we had one in first grade; I'm not sure. I don't remember that much about first grade. I actually remember what I wrote for two of them. We were randomly assigned a descriptive, explainatory, or narrative essay. In seventh grade, I had to describe a room in the house, and in tenth I was to write a narrative involving a time machine. (The time machine was mandatory.) Had I been forced to taking a writing test for the ACT, I doubt that I would mind. I've always enjoyed writing.

 

[Moss]

I'm too old to have had to take a writing portion of an ACT or SAT, and I'm glad I didn't have to. I agree that, in its current form, its pretty pointless.

However, I will say this, most college freshman have absolutely no clue how to write. (whether it's research, essays, or whatever.)

 

[Smellincoffee]

However, I will say this, most college freshman have absolutely no clue how to write. (whether it's research, essays, or whatever.)

My history instructor commented on that, actually. On the first day he'd go over the syllabus and then teach everyone how to write essays using a process. He'd even write the process down, copy it, and give copies of it just in case they weren't taking notes.

 

[WillJ]

I haven't yet taken either the ACT or SAT but I pity the grader who has to grade mine, I have horrendous handwriting! But really the key to their grading scale is really organization and backing things up. From what I hear they don't even care about whether something you say is true or not, just whether it details a point.

Honestly, it is sad that good writing instincts are really penalized (Kaplan test prep for the SAT gives planning three of 25 minutes to write the essay!). On the other hand, it really is the only way to find out whether a person is able to write something halfway decent in college. Good? Bad? Just get through those 25 minutes!

Yeah, I'm sure I'll be able to get through it. I just feel like in doing so, I won't be practicing good writing, but rather just working the system like a little tool.

I finished the ACT before this new writing test, but I remember taking these official writing tests in fourth, seventh, and tenth grades. I'm not sure what they were called, but we were supposed to have them every three years. Maybe we had one in first grade; I'm not sure. I don't remember that much about first grade. I actually remember what I wrote for two of them. We were randomly assigned a descriptive, explainatory, or narrative essay. In seventh grade, I had to describe a room in the house, and in tenth I was to write a narrative involving a time machine. (The time machine was mandatory.) Had I been forced to taking a writing test for the ACT, I doubt that I would mind. I've always enjoyed writing.

Ah yes, I remember those. Of course, I always scored perfectly on them since just being literate is basically good enough for the Alabama Board of Education.

I'm too old to have had to take a writing portion of an ACT or SAT, and I'm glad I didn't have to. I agree that, in its current form, its pretty pointless.

However, I will say this, most college freshman have absolutely no clue how to write. (whether it's research, essays, or whatever.)

Yep. But, like I think you imply here, we need to combat bad writing in some other way.

 

[WillJ]

But really the key to their grading scale is really organization and backing things up. From what I hear they don't even care about whether something you say is true or not, just whether it details a point.

Yep, which makes me wonder if I can get away with supporting points with references to Star Wars.

Prompt: Are humans basically compassionate or selfish?

Essay: Humas are basically selfish. After all, Anakin Skywalker...

 

[Joeb WK]

Yeah, I'm sure I'll be able to get through it. I just feel like in doing so, I won't be practicing good writing, but rather just working the system like a little tool.

Thats the spirit. Remember "The system loves you and wants to be your friend."

 

[shortguy]

Now, there ARE some mechanical writing skills that can (and should) be tested: grammar, logical organization of thoughts, etc. But these should be taken care of through multiple choice tests (as they are, on some tests), not essays.

That's the point of the writing sections. They aren't looking for creativity or brilliance, they're looking for sound writing with a little flair. That, in my opinion, cannot be judged from multiple choice questions. That said, I think that writing should have been left exclusively the domain of the SAT IIs.

 

[Louis XXIV]

I took the SATs and I passed them, but that's about all I can say somewhat positive about the writing part. I hated it. I thought they should give you much more time if it was ever going to be fair.

If there's any consolation, everyone else will have to do it exactly the same way.

 

[mitsho]

As an outsider and one who excells at writing and languages, not mathematics and physics (), I'd like to comment a bit. Writing tests have the pro of not forcing directly what you write, the perfect test leaves as much choice on HOW to do it as possible, this way testing your language/narrative and understanding skills. But I agree, 30 minutes is way too less.
I can only compare to my final exams, and here, for the essay, we have 4 hours of time which is just about enough, an hour at minimum to think of the subject(s).

A word on multiple choice tests: Do you really think they help to evaluate your skills? I've experienced a few (in the cambridge exam, as they are not common here in middle europe), and I've heard it of someone who actually went for an exchange year to America, and isn't it a fact that they are way easier than normal questions? I mean, if you have no idea, you still have usually 25 % chance of getting the correct answer. And as far as I heard, you can mostly rule out at least one answer.

mitsho

PS: On second thought, I've experienced multiple choice questions, namely in the TV-show "Who wants to be a millionaire?" - not as a candidate, but watcher...

 

[newfangle]

In my experience, talking with people that have done well on these tests says nothing about their intelligence.

I think it's just an excuse to give keeners panic attacks.

 

[Moss]

What most people don't understand is that writing about form and technique, it's about knowledge, creativity, and how well you know the subject you are writing about.

Good writers are good writers because they write with content, creativity, imagination, and substance. Form and technique can be taught, whether in Comp 101 or in High School, the others you must find yourself, the music and art and knowledge of writing is up to the writer...that's what most college freshman lack, the ablility to express themselves, not the ability to write a standard, educational crappy essay, the same type of essay they spend four years of high school writing.

 

[shortguy]

What most people don't understand is that writing about form and technique, it's about knowledge, creativity, and how well you know the subject you are writing about.

Good writers are good writers because they write with content, creativity, imagination, and substance. Form and technique can be taught, whether in Comp 101 or in High School, the others you must find yourself, the music and art and knowledge of writing is up to the writer...that's what most college freshman lack, the ablility to express themselves, not the ability to write a standard, educational crappy essay, the same type of essay they spend four years of high school writing.

Even a short, SAT-length essay can indicate aptitude in writing with meaning and substance, and creativity and imagination are comparatively less important for academic/professional writing.

 

[WillJ]

That's the point of the writing sections. They aren't looking for creativity or brilliance, they're looking for sound writing with a little flair. That, in my opinion, cannot be judged from multiple choice questions. That said, I think that writing should have been left exclusively the domain of the SAT IIs.

They're not looking for creativity, but they're looking for flair? Huh?

The problem is that not only do they not care much about creativity and brilliance, they basically penalize it. If you have any creative or brilliant impulse, too bad! You better surpress it, because apparently in the real world those things don't matter (yeah right). And to make matters worse, they don't really tell you this. They give you a thought-provoking prompt, so you'd think you're supposed to think, but alas, no. (I made this mistake when I took the ACT, and only got a 7 out of 12 on the essay. I won't make that mistake again. And yes, I'll admit my poor score might make me a little biased. )

The ideal essay test would be something that any good writer could pick up and do well on. The standardized writing tests of the SAT and ACT don't even come close; as far as I can tell, taking the time to research what the examiners are looking for, and taking a couple prep classes like (again) a little tool, is much more important than being a good writer.

Admittedly, multiple choice tests aren't perfect either (but they're just as good at testing grammar and logical organization as they are at testing math---I can't tell if you disagree with this), but I think, in the end, they're more sensible than essays, especially essays with 20 minute time limits. (Essays with a whopping four hour time limit, like mitsho describes, would probably be even better, although I'm not sure how practical that is.)

Even a short, SAT-length essay can indicate aptitude in writing with meaning and substance, and creativity and imagination are comparatively less important for academic/professional writing.

If SAT essays are supposed to represent academic/professional writing, I think they're doing a poor job. Correct me if I'm wrong, but if a physicist expects you to write a paper for a physics class, he won't limit you to 20 minutes and not expect you to actually think about physics.

Are you saying/implying that if you do well on a 20 minute essay, you'll also do well on a dissertation that takes two years? I'm highly doubtful of this. Certainly there's gotta be some sort of rough correlation, but a lot of people are outside of this correlation due to having different "peaks" (the length of time after which being given extra time wouldn't make much difference in the quality of the work). (For example, I think I personally could write a much better dissertation, relative to other disserations, than I could write a 20 minute essay, relative to other 20 minute essays. Other people are the opposite. And if that's true, that means I should be infinitely more successful than those opposite people. )

 

[MarineCorps]

. (I made this mistake when I took the ACT, and only got a 7 out of 12 on the essay. I won't make that mistake again. And yes, I'll admit my poor score might make me a little biased. )

Better socre then me. I only got a 3