Abstract
•This study identifies essays that are difficult-to-score accurately.•Rater perceptions are used to identify reasons for rater inaccuracy.•Inconsistent rater perceptions are related to several essay features.•Essay features noted by raters are focus, textual borrowing, and idea development.•Approaches for improving accuracy through rater training are discussed.
Integrated writing (IW) assessments underscore the connections between reading comprehension and writing skills. These assessments typically include rater-mediated components. Our study identified IW type essays that are difficult-to-score accurately, and then investigated reasons based on rater perceptions and judgments. Our data based on IW assessments are used as formative assessments designed to provide information on the developing literacy of students. We used a mixed- methods approach with rater accuracy defined quantitatively based on Rasch measurement theory, and a survey-based qualitative method designed to investigate rater perceptions and judgments toward student essays within the context of IW assessments. The quantitative analyses suggest that the essays and raters vary along a continuum designed to represent rating accuracy. The qualitative analyses suggest that raters had inconsistent perceptions toward certain features of essays compared to the experts, such as the amount of textual borrowing, the development of ideas, and the consistency of the focus. The implications of this study for research and practice of IW assessments are discussed.
