(Education Week) By Walt Gardner–
Although the new SAT makes the essay optional, almost two-thirds of test takers in the spring went for it (“How a teacher bombed the SATs,” The Boston Globe, Jul. 14). The essays were rated by two scorers on the basis of reading, writing, and analysis. The scores were added up for a final total. In the latest version, test takers were asked to analyze an op-ed decrying the use of air conditioning. They were instructed not to agree or disagree but instead to explain how the writer built his argument to persuade.
So far, so good. But James Murphy, who holds a Ph.D in English from the University of California at Berkeley, has written more than two dozen pieces for prestigious national publications, and has been published in six peer-reviewed academic journals, received a lackluster score. He didn’t actually “bomb” the essay portion as he claimed, but on the analysis part, which measures an “understanding of how [an] author builds an argument,” he got a low score. Finish the article
