THE PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT STUDY IN WRITING: ANALYSIS OF THE SAT® II: WRITING SUBJECT TEST

Abstract

This study examined the SAT® II: Writing Subject Test as a predictor of writing performance in college English courses. Writing performance was based on eight writing samples submitted as part of regular course work by students in eight colleges. The samples consisted of drafts and final papers submitted in response to four take-home writing assignments. The samples submitted were evaluated by 20 experienced readers of student writing using a common scoring scale. Each sample was read and scored independently by two different readers. In addition to this writing performance criterion, two supplemental criteria were used: English course grades and students' self-assessments of their own writing ability and experience. In evaluating the SAT II: Writing Test as a predictor of these three criteria, special attention was given to comparisons of the predictive effectiveness of the essay and multiple-choice components of the test. It was concluded that both components were good predictors of the three criteria; however, the 40-minute multiple-choice component tended to produce higher predictive correlations than the 20-minute essay component. The best predictions were obtained when the two components were combined.