Short Short Answers/OERs Answers/OERs (Open-Ended (Open-Ended Responses)Responses)

I. What Is a Short I. What Is a Short Answer?Answer?

Short Answer:Short Answer: a written a written response of a few response of a few sentencessentences (NOT a few (NOT a few words) words) – demonstrates not only your demonstrates not only your

knowledge of a subject, but knowledge of a subject, but the use of your knowledge the use of your knowledge on that subject. on that subject.

– Require that you make a Require that you make a point and prove it.point and prove it.

Also known as O.E.R.’s!Also known as O.E.R.’s!

II. Three Types of OER II. Three Types of OER QuestionsQuestions

Expository OERExpository OER – – relates to an relates to an “expository” (non-“expository” (non-fiction) passagefiction) passage

Literary OERLiterary OER – – relates to a “literary” relates to a “literary” (fiction) passage(fiction) passage

Crossover OERCrossover OER – – asks for asks for comparisons/ comparisons/ contrasts between contrasts between literary and literary and expository passagesexpository passages

III. Three Parts of the Short III. Three Parts of the Short Answer (OER)Answer (OER)

1. 1. AnswerAnswer – Your analysis – Your analysis

2. 2. Textual EvidenceTextual Evidence (quote or specific (quote or specific details)details)

– SnippetsSnippets of quotes of quotes are more effective are more effective than large chunks of than large chunks of paragraphs. paragraphs.

3. 3. Meaningful connectionMeaningful connection between the answer and between the answer and the evidencethe evidence

IV. Strategies for IV. Strategies for Successful ResponsesSuccessful Responses

Read the Read the questions BEFORE questions BEFORE you read the you read the selection.selection.

Take notesTake notes as as you read and you read and read closelyread closely. . – Mark anything Mark anything

that you think that you think may help you to may help you to answer the answer the questions. questions.

IV. Strategies for IV. Strategies for Successful ResponsesSuccessful Responses

Plan your responsesPlan your responses before before you write them. you write them. – Make small prewriting notes to Make small prewriting notes to

yourself just as you would when yourself just as you would when writing an essay.writing an essay.

Answer the question Answer the question completelycompletely!!

OER ScoringOER Scoring

I. How are OERs scored?I. How are OERs scored?

OERs use a rubric from score OERs use a rubric from score 0 to 3. 0 to 3. To pass, a student To pass, a student must earn at least a “2.”must earn at least a “2.”– 0 = insufficient0 = insufficient– 1 = partially sufficient1 = partially sufficient– 2 = sufficient2 = sufficient– 3 = exceeds expectations3 = exceeds expectations

III. AIMIII. AIMREMEMBER THE REMEMBER THE ACRONYM “AIM”!ACRONYM “AIM”!

A=Answer all the questionsA=Answer all the questions

I= Integrate important I= Integrate important evidenceevidence

M = Make meaningful M = Make meaningful connectionsconnections

The Chocolate The Chocolate LessonLesson

**You do not need to write this down!**You do not need to write this down!******

Score Point 0: Score Point 0: InsufficientInsufficient

Imagine that it is 3:00, you have Imagine that it is 3:00, you have not eaten since lunch, and you not eaten since lunch, and you will not be able to have dinner will not be able to have dinner until 7:00. If I told you that you until 7:00. If I told you that you were not allowed to have a were not allowed to have a snack, it would be an snack, it would be an INSUFFICIENTINSUFFICIENT answer to your answer to your hunger.hunger.

Score Point 0: Score Point 0: InsufficientInsufficient

Likewise,Likewise, an an INSUFFICIENTINSUFFICIENT OER OER answer does nothing to address answer does nothing to address the question being asked. The the question being asked. The response is either totally response is either totally incorrect, too vague, or is simply incorrect, too vague, or is simply a plot summary.a plot summary.

Score Point 1: Partially Score Point 1: Partially SufficientSufficient

Now imagine that I tell you, “All right, Now imagine that I tell you, “All right, you may have a chocolate Hershey’s you may have a chocolate Hershey’s kiss (which we’ll call analysis) and an kiss (which we’ll call analysis) and an almond (which we’ll call evidence).” almond (which we’ll call evidence).” This would be a This would be a PARTIALLY PARTIALLY SUFFICIENTSUFFICIENT answer to your hunger answer to your hunger in that it would trick your taste buds, in that it would trick your taste buds, but you would still be hungry.but you would still be hungry.

Score Point 1: Partially Score Point 1: Partially SufficientSufficient

Likewise, a Likewise, a PARTIALLY SUFFICIENTPARTIALLY SUFFICIENT OER response provides ONLY OER response provides ONLY analysis (chocolate), ONLY evidence analysis (chocolate), ONLY evidence (almond), or an unclear connection (almond), or an unclear connection between the analysis and the between the analysis and the evidence (the almond and the evidence (the almond and the chocolate are separate). chocolate are separate).

Score Point 2: SufficientScore Point 2: Sufficient

Now imagine that I say, “All right. You Now imagine that I say, “All right. You may have a Hershey’s bar with may have a Hershey’s bar with almonds.” You get both the salty almonds.” You get both the salty and the sweet, and it is a full-sized and the sweet, and it is a full-sized and and SUFFICIENT SUFFICIENT snack.snack.

Score Point 2: SufficientScore Point 2: Sufficient

Likewise,Likewise, a a SUFFICIENTSUFFICIENT OER response OER response contains BOTH analysis (chocolate) contains BOTH analysis (chocolate) and evidence (almonds) and the and evidence (almonds) and the connection between them is clear (as connection between them is clear (as in the chocolate bar, where they are in the chocolate bar, where they are two parts of a whole).two parts of a whole).

Score Point 3: ExemplaryScore Point 3: Exemplary

Now let’s say that I give you a Now let’s say that I give you a Toblerone bar. The chocolate and Toblerone bar. The chocolate and the almonds are both still there, but the almonds are both still there, but they are whipped up in a fancy they are whipped up in a fancy manner and combined with sweet manner and combined with sweet honey. This is an honey. This is an EXEMPLARYEXEMPLARY snack to satisfy your hunger.snack to satisfy your hunger.

Score Point 3: ExemplaryScore Point 3: Exemplary

Likewise, an Likewise, an EXEMPLARYEXEMPLARY OER OER response involves the same response involves the same “ingredients” as a sufficient one, but “ingredients” as a sufficient one, but it takes it to a higher plane of it takes it to a higher plane of thought. It is fun to read, and it is thought. It is fun to read, and it is beautifully written.beautifully written.

OER SamplesOER Samples**You do not need to write **You do not need to write

ANY of these down!!**ANY of these down!!**

Let’s look at some student Let’s look at some student samples…samples…

Here is the OER question:Here is the OER question:–Explain how the narrator’s Explain how the narrator’s actions reveal her feelings for actions reveal her feelings for her father in “In Search of her father in “In Search of Eels.” Support your answer Eels.” Support your answer with evidence from the with evidence from the selection.selection.

What score should this What score should this receive?receive?

The narrator cares about him in The narrator cares about him in a way that no one at the a way that no one at the nursing home or anywhere else nursing home or anywhere else could. “The nurses are could. “The nurses are supposed to cook for him daily, supposed to cook for him daily, but they are always too busy.”but they are always too busy.”

Did you say…a Did you say…a ZERO?ZERO?

Never answers the question.Never answers the question.The quote is irrelevant.The quote is irrelevant.

– Just because you provide a quote Just because you provide a quote does not mean you’ll receive does not mean you’ll receive credit for it! The quote must be credit for it! The quote must be able to SUPPORT your answer. able to SUPPORT your answer. Do not just randomly choose a Do not just randomly choose a quote.quote.

What about this one…What about this one…

The narrator’s love shows The narrator’s love shows through the persistence she through the persistence she exerts during the passage, exerts during the passage, signifying a level of signifying a level of commitment to her father commitment to her father and their love.and their love.

Did you say…a Did you say…a ONEONE??

Provides an answer to the Provides an answer to the question, but no textual question, but no textual support.support.

And this one…?And this one…?

In “In Search of Eels,” the narrator’s In “In Search of Eels,” the narrator’s actions reveal her love for her father. actions reveal her love for her father. She encourages her father to walk just She encourages her father to walk just like he did when she was 5 and didn’t like he did when she was 5 and didn’t want to walk anymore. “Now—want to walk anymore. “Now—Forward March!” Also, she brought him Forward March!” Also, she brought him smoked eel, which is the food she tried smoked eel, which is the food she tried at 5 and ate it all without saving any at 5 and ate it all without saving any for her father. Her actions show that for her father. Her actions show that she loves her father. she loves her father.

Did you say…a Did you say…a TWOTWO??

Provides analysis/answer Provides analysis/answer and evidence.and evidence.–Did you notice the last Did you notice the last sentence is just a sentence is just a restatement of the first? restatement of the first? That doesn’t count!That doesn’t count!

And finallyAnd finally…… The narrator does not reveal her feelings towards her The narrator does not reveal her feelings towards her

father verbally, but through kind gestures and actions. father verbally, but through kind gestures and actions. The narrator takes her father out of the home The narrator takes her father out of the home because the lunch room is crowded, the TV too loud, because the lunch room is crowded, the TV too loud, and the food tasteless. Once out of the “home” she and the food tasteless. Once out of the “home” she backtracks to help her father remember the good backtracks to help her father remember the good times like the climb up the Washington monument…times like the climb up the Washington monument…She attempts to refuel his vitality by encouraging him She attempts to refuel his vitality by encouraging him to march: “Now—Forward March!” By going out of her to march: “Now—Forward March!” By going out of her way to find his favorite food, smoked eels, and way to find his favorite food, smoked eels, and providing a “beautiful picnic,” she shows her love.providing a “beautiful picnic,” she shows her love.

Yes, it’s a Yes, it’s a threethree..

Analysis/answer the Analysis/answer the question, provided question, provided evidence, and further evidence, and further analyzed the previous two analyzed the previous two parts.parts.