Test Information Guide
Field 31: Russian
Written Expression
The following materials contain:
- Sample test directions for the written expression assignment
- A description of the written expression assignment
- The performance characteristics and scoring scale
Sample Test Directions for the Written Expression Assignment
This section of the test consists of a writing assignment to which you must respond in the target language. The assignment appears on the following screen. A list of suggestions is provided to help direct your writing for the assignment. It is not necessary that you cover every point on the list, nor are you limited in your response to those points indicated. You are, however, required to write about the general assignment that you are given, and part of your score will be based on the degree to which you elaborate on the assignment by addressing either the suggested points or points of your choosing.
Your final response must be written on the response sheet provided. Please label your response sheet with the appropriate exercise (e.g., "Written Expression"). Your response sheet must be scanned using the scanner provided at your workstation.
Instructions for scanning your Response Sheet are available by clicking the "Scanning Help" button at the top of the screen.
Your response will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
- PURPOSE: the extent to which the objective of the assignment is achieved and the response is appropriate for the intended audience
- COHERENCE: organization and clarity of ideas
- CONTENT: development of ideas and relevance of supporting details
- GRAMMAR: accuracy of grammatical forms and syntax
- VOCABULARY: command of vocabulary and idiomatic expressions
- MECHANICS: accuracy of spelling, diacritical marks, and punctuation
Be sure to write about the assigned topic and use MULTIPLE PARAGRAPHS. Please write legibly. You may not use any reference materials during the test. This should be your original work, written in your own words, and not copied or paraphrased from some other work. Remember to review what you have written and make any changes you think will improve your written response.
Any time spent responding to the assignment, including scanning the response sheet(s), is part of your testing time. Monitor your time carefully. When your testing time expires, a pop-up message will appear on-screen indicating the conclusion of your test session. Only response sheets that are scanned before you end your test or before time has expired will be scored. Any response sheet that is not scanned before testing ends will NOT be scored.
Select the Next button to continue.
Description of the Written Expression Open-Response Item
In this section of the test, the candidate is required to produce a written response in the target language in response to a prompt. Each assignment will specify a particular type of written product (e.g., a letter, a narrative description, etc.) that the candidate is expected to generate and an audience for whom the written product is intended. The candidate is expected to demonstrate the ability to communicate in an appropriate register that displays cultural knowledge and sensitivity, organize ideas, and use a range of vocabulary, idiomatic expressions, and simple and complex linguistic structures.
Sample questions are provided in the Russian sample items 
.