The WIAT-IIIA&NZ provides an interactive version of the Scoring Guide within the individual Scoring Wizard screens. To access the interactive Scoring Guide, select the icons next to any of the Essay Composition fields within the Raw Scores window. If hand-scoring, or if more information is needed, a copy of the full Scoring Guide is available in Appendix B of the WIAT-IIIA&NZ Examiner's Manual.
Space limitations in the Record Form sometimes necessitate recording only part of a student’s statement. Record a sufficient sample of each statement so that the full statement in the essay can be identified later, if needed, to verify scoring.
To facilitate recording and scoring, make a copy of the student’s essay or use a transparency overlay. Use coloured pens or highlighters to mark Reasons Why and Elaborations in different colours. Circle Transitions in another colour.
The first time you use this Scoring Guide (or after a long time without using it), it is strongly recommended that you read all of the information boxes.
It is strongly recommended that you practice scoring before administering and scoring Essay Composition. The Scoring Workbook is included with the WIAT–IIIA&NZ for this purpose.
Disregard spelling, capitalisation, and punctuation errors. Theme Development and Text Organisation is not a measure of written mechanics, so mechanics errors are not penalised.
With the exception of identifying independent clauses, dependent clauses, and complete sentences, disregard other grammar and syntax errors.