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WRITING 119 Stick to your assigned topic. You cannot choose your own topic. If you write about a different topic, you will receive a score of “0.” Read questions carefully. If a prompt asks you to discuss only one characteristic, limit yourself to one. If you write about three characteristics, you will receive a lower score. Limit your focus. For example, if a question asks you to describe some of the qualities you value in a friend, quickly choose two or three characteristics for your essay. You do not have enough time or space to discuss more. Impose conditions. Some questions give you only two choices for your response, but that does not mean you are limited to a simple “yes” or “no” answer. For example, a prompt may ask you: “Do you agree or disagree that all stu- dents should wear school uniforms instead of whatever clothing they desire?” You can impose some conditions in your answer: “Students should not have to wear school Find Topics Online All of the writing prompts used on the computer-based TOEFL exam are available online. Although you cannot select which one you want to write about on the test, make sure to review the topics list. Pick several prompts and practice composing essays be sure to time yourself . To view the topics: 1. Go to www.toefl.org. 2. Click on “Test Prep.” 3. Click on “Writing Topics.” 120 TOEFL EXAM ESSENTIALS uniforms, but there should be restrictions about what kind of clothing students can wear.” ALL ABOUT SCORING The scoring system for the computer test and the TWE exam is the same: two readers independently rate your essay and give it a score from 0–6. The two scores are then averaged to determine your final essay score. For example, if one reader gives your essay a score of 6 and the other a 5, your score will be 5.5. If there is a discrepancy of more than one point, e.g., one reader rates your essay a 4, and the other a 6, a third reader will independently score your essay. The developers of the TOEFL exam created a scoring guide to aid readers in rating essays. The guide names specific criteria for each score. The official writing guide is available online at www.toefl.org or in the exam bulletin. Review the qualities of a top-rated essay. The more you know about what official exam read- ers are looking for, the more likely you will meet those expecta- tions. The following guidelines are adapted from the TOEFL exam “Writing Score Guide.” Your Guide to Scoring Score An essay with this score: 6 ■ fully addresses the essay topic ■ makes a clear thesis statement main idea ■ gives appropriate details and examples to support its thesis ■ is organized logically and develops ideas thoroughly