Strategies for Answering Extended/Short Answer

Response Questions

• Typically difficult for students.

• Each question requires a specific task from the student.

Extended-Response (4 pt) and Short-Answer (2 pt) Questions

To find these requirements, look at the scoring guide…

1. Start on the ODE homepage.2. Near the top-right of the page, click on Testing. 3. On the left menu, click on Released Test Materials.4. Select Released Test Materials for Ohio's Grade 3-8

Achievement Tests.

How to Find Scoring Guides

5. Select your grade, subject and year of the test. Scoring guides are on the right.

• Read the question carefully and completely.

• Underline each keyword (action words).

• Circle each special keyword.

Extended-Response/Short Answer Recommendations

Test makers do not make all questions in the same way:

• Questions have a mix of keywords, special keywords and subjects.

• The most common combinations are:• Four Keywords• Two Special Keywords for one Subject• Two Keywords on two Subjects

Key Words

• A two-point question has two brief tasks or one detailed task

• In order to respond effectively, students must recognize:

Two keywords, or tasks.

One keyword for two subjects.

One special keyword about one subject.

Patterns of a Short-Answer (2 pt) Question

Questions contain keywords and expect an answer for each one:

Ex: Identify, describe, explain, compare, determine, list, draw, graph, give details, etc…

• When reading the question, mark all keywords. If there are fewer marked keywords than the number of points, the special keywords need extra attention.

• Special keywords: Describe, explain or compare. Require more depth and detail. Worth two points since there is partial credit.

Short Answer (2pt) Questions

39. Explain why Railroad Time wascreated. Then, explain why it wasreplaced with another system.

Write your answer in the Answer Document (2 points)

One keyword for two subjects.

Patterns of an Extended Response (4 pt) Question

Two Special Keywords for One Subject

Four Keywords

What are two theories about the shifting sands on Jockey’s Ridge? Using information from the passage, describe two possible solutions to the problem of sand migration. Write your answer in your Answer Document. (4 points)

One Special Keyword for Two Subjects

Two Special Keywords for One Subject

Classroom Practices that Develop Needed

Knowledge and Skills

• Advance organizers• Corrective instruction• Clarity of presentation • Use of examples• High expectations• Effort reinforcement• Classroom time management• High level questioning• Classroom assessment

Effective Classroom Practices

AB Quadrant Questions1. Cause students to summarize and draw conclusions.

2. Useful to bring about combination and recombination of experiences which lead to:

• Generalization

• Understanding

3. Their importance is limited since these questions tax the lower cognitive domain.

4. These are too common in the classroom.

5. Requires students to use mainly:

• Recall and limited reasoning

• Problem-solving limited to facts already stated

CD Quadrant Questions1. Open-ended questions that lead to further questions,

cause students to experiment or lead to research

2. These questions:

• Foster thinking

• Enlarge the scope of material being studied

• Deepen students’ interest on the topic3. These are probably the least-asked questions

4. There are no “right” answers

5. Requires students to use both:

• Concrete thinking

• Abstract thinking