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Hi. I'm Michael from ETS, and welcome to Inside the TOEFL Test. Today, we're going inside the TOEFL IBT writing section-- specifically question 2, the writing for an academic discussion task.
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So in the next few minutes, we're going to look at how the question is structured, how to approach the question, how your response is scored. We'll look at a sample response that received a high score, and will give you some tips for improving your writing skills.
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Example.
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So here's generally what the writing for an academic discussion task will look like. For this task, you're presented with an online academic discussion. A professor has posted a question about a topic, and some classmates have responded with their ideas. You have 10 minutes to type your own post that contributes to the discussion. There's no maximum length for your response, but a good response is usually at least 100 words.
So what is this task asking you to do? It's asking you to write an opinion in response to the professor's question. Your opinion should contribute to the discussion. It should be clear and cohesive, and it should be developed and well supported by reasons or examples.
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Text, Approach Tips.
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The best way to approach a response is to read the discussion carefully and then come up with one or two ideas you would like to contribute to the discussion. In this discussion, the professor is asking the class to think about important discoveries or inventions other than the computer or the cell phone. One student in the class, Paul, posts about space satellites and the various benefits they bring.
Another student, Lena, posts about advances in medical science, particularly the discovery of vitamins. And now it's your turn to provide your own contribution to the discussion. You could take some inspiration from one of the other posts and write about other advances in space technology or medical science, or something completely different, like how the invention of shipping containers made transporting goods around the world a lot cheaper, or anything else that comes to mind, like television, DNA, or plastics.
Start by introducing the invention, and then explain clearly why you think it is important, just as the professor has asked in the question. When you give your opinion, you may refer to one of the other student posts to agree or disagree, but make sure to use your own words and phrases. Don't just copy what the other students have written.
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Scoring Criteria.
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Before the test, make sure you understand what the raters are looking for and how each question is scored. Responses in the writing section will each be given an overall score from 0 to 5. For question 2, the writing for an academic discussion task, the raters are looking for three main things-- relevant and clearly developed ideas, variety in the use of language, and a correct use of language.
First, relevant and clearly developed ideas. The raters are looking for ideas that contribute to the discussion and are well supported by reasons and examples. If you just use a lot of words and sentences that are not well connected and do not support each other, or that don't add up to a clear point of view, or if you develop empty ideas, you'll receive a low score.
Second, variety in the use of language. The raters are looking for evidence that you can use a variety of structures and vocabulary. The variety should be natural and support your ideas. If you try to use varied structures of vocabulary without a good reason, that will not help you get a high score.
The third criterion is a correct use of language. It is important that your use of grammar is strong and consistent, that your word choices are correct and appropriate, and that your spelling, punctuation, and capitalization are correct. Your writing doesn't have to be absolutely perfect to get a top score, but the few small mistakes you may leave behind have to be typical of competent writers writing under timed conditions.
And don't try to create an answer by memorizing sentences or paragraphs on various topics before the test and then trying to relate them to the topic you receive, because the content won't be appropriate, and you'll just receive a low score.
You can see exactly how your responses are scored by looking at the writing for an academic discussion rubric, or scoring guide. The writing rubrics can be found on the TOEFL website.
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Now, let's look at a sample response to give you an idea of what a good response looks like and what our raters look for when they score. This student wrote a response to the topic about inventions we discussed a minute ago. It received a score of 5 on a 5-point scale. The response is relevant and clearly expressed with good elaboration.
Santos was a major figure in the early history of flight and developed the first commercially viable airplane. There are some errors in mechanics, such as missing spaces after periods and not capitalizing Brazilian, and a few errors in prepositions and articles, like "any place of the world" and "a important invention," but these kinds of errors are to be expected from a competent writer under timed conditions.
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Text, Skill Building Tips.
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Now, here are some tips for improving your writing and getting ready for the writing for an academic discussion task. One, find articles in newspapers or on websites that express opinions. Read them and write about why you agree or disagree.
Two, elaborate on ideas as much as you can. Practice by thinking of different reasons why you feel a certain way about a topic, then provide plenty of supporting arguments and examples for each reason. Three, when you practice, you may find that you're making the same kinds of grammar mistakes over and over, so learn how to correct them. Then when you write, leave some time at the end to go back and revise to make those corrections.
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Inside the TOEFL test.
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There are lots of ways to improve your English skills. Whatever you do, keep practicing, and good luck on your TOEFL test.
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