Wit & Wisdom Affirm - Scoring Overview

Scoring

Wit & Wisdom Affirm® assessments are scored differently depending on the type of assessment. This table provides an overview of assessment types and approaches to scoring. See the Key below for more information.

Type of assessment	Item types	Item point totals	Scoring	Total score
Question Sets	Selected response	1–2 points each	Automatically scored	Scores for each item or word are tallied for a single final score
New-Read Assessments	Selected response Constructed response	1–4 points each	Automatically scored OR Hand scored with a scoring guide
Vocabulary Assessments	Selected response (GK–2) Constructed response (G3–8)	1 point/word	Automatically scored (GK–2) OR Hand scored with a checklist (G3–8)
Focusing Question Tasks	Constructed response	Varies (each criterion, or row, in a checklist is worth 1 point)	Hand scored with a checklist (for tasks with multiple items or parts, a checklist is provided for each part)	Total number of earned criteria divided by total number of criteria in checklist(s)
End-of-Module (EOM) Tasks	Constructed response	N/A*	Hand scored with a rubric (for tasks with multiple items or parts, a rubric is provided for the culminating portion of the task; the remaining part[s] are evaluated with checklist[s])	Instead of a total score, EOM Tasks will generate qualitative feedback based on the rubric. Students will receive achievement level designations for each trait: EE:* exceeds expectations ME: meets expectations PME: partially meets expectations DNME: does not yet meet expectations

*For EOM Tasks with multiple parts: Checklists will be scored and will provide individual checklist scores (each row in the checklist is worth 1 point). However, such tasks will not produce a total score.

Key

Selected response: “closed-ended” items that provide students with a limited set of answer choices
Constructed response: “open-ended” items that allow students to respond as they choose; often involve writing
Automatically scored: items automatically scored in Affirm (for selected response items only)
Hand scored: items that are manually scored in Affirm by teachers using a scoring tool (e.g., scoring guide, checklist, or rubric) (for constructed response items only)

Note that the total point value of an assessment does not reflect its relative value. Point values are based on the number of items or amount of detail the task requires. When recording assessment results in a gradebook, teachers should focus on the percentages, not the raw points. If teachers aggregate or compare assessments, they can decide how to weight assessments based on the type and content of the assessment.

Rubrics versus Checklists

Wit & Wisdom® often provides both rubrics and checklists for Focusing Question Tasks and End-of-Module Tasks. Affirm takes advantage of the benefits of each while standardizing their use to maintain consistent scoring rules.

Checklists: Affirm uses checklists for Focusing Question Tasks and for smaller portions of End-of-Module Tasks that require multiple pieces of work. Checklists have several benefits:
- They separate required skills and competencies into individual indicators, allowing for more specific feedback, especially in the area of style and conventions.
- They are individualized for each task to better capture the nuances of student responses in an assessment.
- They offer a wider range of scores, giving students more frequent opportunities to show quick growth, especially early in the year and early in a module, and are therefore more useful for individual goal setting.
Rubrics: Affirm uses rubrics for End-of-Module Tasks. Rubrics have some key advantages over checklists that make them more appropriate for the culminating performance of a module:
- They are aligned with Writing or Speaking & Listening standards, capturing end-of-year expectations, and can be used to show achievement with respect to the standards. The grade-level expectations are captured in the Meets Expectations performance level.
- They are horizontally and vertically aligned within and across grade levels, providing a better measure of growth over time.

Teachers can continue using the checklists and rubrics provided in the Wit & Wisdom Teacher Edition and Student Edition in any combination.