A Guide for Students Writing Diploma Exams
Completion requirements
These are past submissions that received a score of excellence.
Requirements of Part A: Written Response
Understanding the writing requirements for Part A of the diploma examination is an essential part of your preparation. As well, make sure that you are familiar with the scoring categories and scoring criteria in the English Language Arts 30–1 Information Bulletin available on the Alberta Education website at www.education.alberta.ca. Being knowledgeable about the scoring
criteria may help you to fulfill the writing tasks. Experienced English Language Arts 30–1 teachers use the scoring criteria to mark your examination.
Teacher-markers are familiar with both the texts provided in the examination and the literary texts chosen by students in the Critical / Analytical Response to Literary Texts Assignment.
They expect you to write thoughtfully about the assignment topic and one or more of the texts in the Personal Response to Texts Assignment, and the literature you use to support your ideas in the Critical / Analytical Response to Literary Texts Assignment. Express your thoughts clearly and support them with relevant references and examples. Avoid merely repeating—without any
focus or direction—the topic, details, or quotations from a text. Try to communicate ideas that are meaningful to you.
To improve your writing, use all the time available to
• read the assignments carefully
• identify the ideas and/or impressions that are meaningful to you and that are relevant to the assignment
• consider carefully whether or not you are communicating clearly and effectively to the reader
criteria may help you to fulfill the writing tasks. Experienced English Language Arts 30–1 teachers use the scoring criteria to mark your examination.
Teacher-markers are familiar with both the texts provided in the examination and the literary texts chosen by students in the Critical / Analytical Response to Literary Texts Assignment.
They expect you to write thoughtfully about the assignment topic and one or more of the texts in the Personal Response to Texts Assignment, and the literature you use to support your ideas in the Critical / Analytical Response to Literary Texts Assignment. Express your thoughts clearly and support them with relevant references and examples. Avoid merely repeating—without any
focus or direction—the topic, details, or quotations from a text. Try to communicate ideas that are meaningful to you.
To improve your writing, use all the time available to
• read the assignments carefully
• identify the ideas and/or impressions that are meaningful to you and that are relevant to the assignment
• consider carefully whether or not you are communicating clearly and effectively to the reader