General Information
Test Item Specifications
- facts and details that do not support the author’s purpose or represent the author’s perspective or bias;
- incorrect interpretations of the author’s purpose, perspective, or bias;
- incorrect analysis or evaluation of the impact of the author’s purpose, perspective, or bias; and
- plausible but incorrect distractors based on the text.
The student will identify the author’s purpose or perspective. The student will analyze the impact of the author’s purpose or perspective within or across texts.
Grade-level appropriate texts used in assessing author’s purpose should contain an identifiable author’s purpose for writing, including, but not limited to, persuading, entertaining, conveying a particular tone or a mood, informing, or expressing an opinion. The author’s purpose, perspective, and bias should be recognizable within or across texts.
Author’s Purpose (within/across texts)
Author’s Perspective (within/across texts)
Author’s Bias (within/across texts)
Texts should be literary or informational.
Other stimuli may include, but are not limited to, illustrations with captions, graphics, and charts.
Texts may include, but are not limited to, persuasive articles, essays, editorials, and informational articles.
Distractors may include, but are not limited to
Note: Distractors should not be a list of general categories (e.g., to inform, to persuade) but should include specific examples related to the texts.
Sample Test Items (5)
Test Item # | Question | Difficulty | Type |
Sample Item 1 | Sample Question for Grade 9 The sample item below is based on “A Day in the Stream” on page H–2. Read this sentence from the passage.
The author uses this comparison to |
N/A | MC: Multiple Choice |
Sample Item 2 | Sample Question for Grade 10 The sample item below is based on “Walking” on page H–9. What was the author’s purpose in writing this passage? |
N/A | MC: Multiple Choice |
Sample Item 3 | Sample Question for Grade 10 The sample item below is based on “Cutting Off the World’s Roof ” on page H–15. The author of this article would most likely make the statement that mountains must |
N/A | MC: Multiple Choice |
Sample Item 4 | The Grade 10 sample item below is based on “Cutting Off the World’s Roof ” on page G–18. The author of this article would most likely make the statement that mountains must |
N/A | MC: Multiple Choice |
Sample Item 5 | The Grade 10 sample item below is based on “Quest-4 Cell Phone––User Manual” on page G–16. Read this excerpt from the section USING THE CALENDAR. The calendar in your Quest-4 cell phone is a convenient way to keep track of important reminders; tasks that need to be completed; people who must be called; and special events such as concerts, ball games, graduations, and vacations. Your Quest-4 cell phone will hold up to 300 calendar entries. In this excerpt, the author’s information displays a bias against all the following groups EXCEPT |
N/A | MC: Multiple Choice |