Contents
Science
| The New Jersey proficiency assessment in Science
includes three types of items: multiple-choice, open-ended, and
performance assessment tasks. Thirty percent of the points (3
items) on the state-administered Science assessment will be open-ended;
70 percent of the points (35 items) will come from multiple-choice
items. Performance assessment tasks will be administered and scored
separately to yield a separate, hands-on, score. An additional
five multiple-choice items and one open-ended item are field test
items and will not contribute to the student's score. The committee
recommends one hour of testing time for the multiple-choice and
open-ended questions.
Each multiple-choice item will have four answer choices. We encourage students to use educated guessing to arrive at the correct answer. The open-ended (short answer) item is designed to give students the opportunity to demonstrate extension of knowledge or to relate knowledge to the question asked. The open-ended item may be answered with one word, several words, or several sentences. Students may also supplement their answers with drawings or diagrams. The open-ended items will be scored with a zero-to-three-point scoring rubric that consistently applies a hierarchy of principles of understanding to the required task. Performance assessment tasks, administered by the local school, will be derived from the matrix section labeled "Process Skills." These tasks are designed for students to complete in rotation and require ten minutes of testing time for each performance assessment task. The tasks involve the use of genuine materials such as measuring devices, pictures, cardboard, paper clips, string, as well as pencil and paper. Students may respond to these tasks using written explanations and analyses and/or drawings or diagrams. Since the responses will be open ended, they will also be scored by a zero-to-three-point scoring rubric. At the time of scoring, a unique zero-to-three-point rubric will b e developed for each open-ended item. |
