In answering written answer questions, consider the following:

• Read the entire question before answering
• Be sure to write on the assigned topic, and in the format requested; off-topic responses may be labelled “non-compliant,” and will result in a lower score
• Answers must be written in full and correctly written sentences; incomplete or poorly written sentences may result in a lower score
• Make connections between the ideas and information in the selection and your own knowledge and experience
• Responses with excessive and/or confusing spelling and sentence structure errors may interfere with communication and lead to a low score
• Your response should have a definite structure and organization:
• Start with a topic sentence which states the main idea of your response
• Support your topic sentence with details from the reading selection and/or your own ideas, as requested in the question; be sure to explain where required
• End your response with a closing sentence that concludes the paragraph
• Look for keywords, such as identify, explain, summarize and describe in formulating your answer
• Responses the markers cannot read may be labelled “illegible” and could result in a lower score
• The answers to open-response questions are expected to fill the six lines provided with “regular-sized” handwriting; markers will not be fooled by oversize writing

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