Skills Assessment Preparation Workshop

SenecaLC

• 300 words or more, 5 paragraph• Original or unique thesis• Strong topic sentences that refer to thesis• Sophisticated and critical analysis• Only minor errors• Formal, academic language

4 Points (Exempt)

• 300 words or more, 5 paragraphs• Clear thesis with good transitions• Demonstrates the beginnings of critical thinking • No summary, but an actual argument about the subject matter• Some errors which are superficial

3 Points (EAC150)

• 300 words, 4-5 paragraphs• Thesis is somewhat clear• Weak, repetitive constructions• Topic sentences need work• Personal: uses I, states opinion• Grammar errors are common but do not affect meaning • Limited vocabulary usage

2 Points (EAC149 OR EAP500)

• 300 words, less than 5 paragraphs• Main idea sentence, but no formal thesis• No transitions• Does not provide support for claims• Personal: uses I, states opinion• Significant grammar errors that compromise meaning• Limited vocabulary with errors in word choice

1 Point (EAP330 OR EAP300)

• 300 words or less, less than 5 paragraphs• No main idea sentence• No transitions• Writing is off-topic and lacks focus• Writing is not fluent or clear• Numerous grammar errors make the writing difficult to read

Less Than 1 Point Below EAP330

Mesmerize: to capture the complete attention of (someone).

Oblivious: not aware of or concerned about what is happening around one.

Lexicon

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Technological advances have made it possible for us to accomplish our daily tasks quickly. Technology has provided our society with the benefit of being able to remain connected with people regardless of where they are located in the world.  While there are arguably many positive impacts of technology, there are also far-reaching negative consequences, especially for teenagers. Technology can promote a false sense of reality, making it difficult for teenagers to learn the skills needed to succeed in the real world.  Technology allows teenagers to engage in impersonal relationships, in instant gratification, and in cyber-bullying. 

Sample Response

Technical advances encourage teenagers to engage in impersonal relationships instead of forming the lasting bonds needed for meaningful relationships.

Topic Sentence 1

• Teenagers have the ability to connect with a number of people (using short messages) who they may/may not already know

Support: Social media services like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram make it easy for you to get in touch with others/comment on the content that they have posted

• Interaction between teenagers has become impersonal since people no longer engage in long telephone conversations/meetings which can sustain friendships

Support: Cell phone messaging services like WhatsApp/BBM/Standard Text Messages encourage teenagers to communicate with short messages instead of actually calling one another/meeting

Topic Sentence 2The instant gratification offered by technological advances like the Internet does not teach teenagers to have patience in real-world situations.

• Teenagers are able to access a variety of information within seconds which often does not reflect the real-world wait times

Support: Search engines like Google offer teenagers instant access to information, applications like The iPhone’s SIRI make information finding even more efficient

• Teenagers want explanations for everything quickly which isn’t always possible in workplace especially when working with teams

• The phenomenon of cyber-bullying allows teenagers to bully others without significant repercussions.

Teenagers are able to post hurtful messages anonymously• YouTube enables users to post comments on original content that has been

uploaded by someone you know/don’t know

Forum Moderators are unable to exact any kind of serious punishment on the individual

• The only punishment is perhaps getting banned from the forum, but teenagers can create new identities or post on different forums

Topic Sentence 3

5 paragraphs? Conclusion that re-states your thesis in different wording, ties up

any loose ends but does not introduce new material

Hook: An interesting statement to engage the reader Thesis: Takes a definitive stance on the topic and answers the

“so what” question clearly Directional Statement: Outlines clearly the three points that will

be discussed in the essay Topic Sentences: Clearly tell the reader what each paragraph will

be about

Essay Checklist

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