Test Information Guide

Field 15: Latin and Classical Humanities
Sample Open-Response Item

The following materials contain:

Sample Test Directions for Open-Response Items

This section of the test consists of two open-response item assignments. You will be asked to prepare a written response of approximately 150–300 words for each assignment. You should use your time to plan, write, review, and edit your response for each assignment. You must write responses to both of the assignments.

For each assignment, read the topic and directions carefully before you begin to work. Think about how you will organize your response. You may use the erasable notebooklet to make notes, write an outline, or otherwise prepare your response. However, your score will be based solely on the version of your response that is typed in the on-screen response box.

Please note that special characters (such as letters with macrons or other diacritical marks) cannot be entered using the keyboard but are available for insertion in the on-screen response box. To access these characters, click on the symbol icon that appears in the upper left corner of the screen. Using the mouse, click on the character you wish to include in your response and then select “Insert”. The character will be inserted where the cursor is positioned in the response box.

As a whole, your response to each assignment must demonstrate an understanding of the knowledge of the field. In your response to each assignment, you are expected to demonstrate the depth of your understanding of the subject area by applying your knowledge rather than by merely reciting factual information.

Your response to each assignment will be evaluated based on the following criteria.

PURPOSE: the extent to which the response achieves the purpose of the assignment

SUBJECT KNOWLEDGE: appropriateness and accuracy in the application of subject knowledge

SUPPORT: quality and relevance of supporting evidence

RATIONALE: soundness of argument and degree of understanding of the subject area

The open-response item assignments are intended to assess subject knowledge. Your responses must be communicated clearly enough to permit valid judgment of the evaluation criteria by scorers. Your responses should be written for an audience of educators in this field. The final version of each response should conform to the conventions of edited American English. Your responses should be your original work, written in your own words, and not copied or paraphrased from some other work.

Be sure to write about the assigned topics. You may not use any reference materials during the test. Remember to review your work and make any changes you think will improve your responses.

Sample Open-Response Item

Objective 0013
Prepare an organized, well-developed, and analytical response on a topic based on a given Latin text and related to one or more of the following subareas: Reading Comprehension of Latin, Language Structures and Language Acquisition, Cultural Understanding.

Read the following passage from Caesar's De Bello Gallico. Then respond to the exercise below, supporting your points with references to the text.

Sub vesperum Caesar portās claudī mīlitēsque ex oppidō exīre iussit, nē
quam noctū oppidānī ā mīlitibus iniūriam acciperent. Illī ante initō, ut
intellectum est, cōnsiliō, quod dēditiōne factā nostrōs praesidia dēductūrōs
aut dēnique indīligentius servātūrōs crēdiderant, partim cum eīs quae
retinuerant et cēlāverant armīs, partim scūtīs ex cortice factīs aut vīminibus                    5
intextīs, quae subitō, ut temporis exiguitās postulābat, pellibus induxerant,
tertiā vigiliā, quā minimē arduus ad nostrās mūnītiōnēs ascēnsus vidēbātur,
omnibus cōpiīs repentīnō ex oppidō ēruptiōnem fēcērunt. Celeriter, ut ante
Caesar imperārat, ignibus significātiōne factā, ex proximīs castellīs eō
concursum est; pugnātumque ab hostibus ita ācriter est ut ā virīs fortibus                    10
in extrēmā spē salūtis inīquō locō contrā eōs quī ex vallō turribusque tēla
iacerent pugnārī dēbuit, cum in ūnā virtūte omnis spēs salūtis cōnsisteret.
Occīsīs ad hominum mīlibus quattuor, reliquī in oppidum reiectī sunt.
Postrīdiē eius diēī refrāctīs portīs, cum iam dēfenderet nēmō, atque
intrōmissīs mīlitibus nostrīs, sectiōnem eius oppidī ūniversam Caesar                        15
vēndidit. Ab eīs quī ēmerant capitum numerus ad eum relātus est mīlium
quinquāginta trium.

                                                                                (Caesar, De Bello Gallico II.33)

Write a response in which you:

Sample Strong Response to the Open-Response Item

The sample response below reflects a strong knowledge and understanding of the subject matter.

In this passage, Caesar orders the gates of the city to be shut (portās claudī) and his own soldiers to leave, all in order to avoid problems between his men and the city's inhabitants (lines 1–2). The residents of the city have other plans: thinking Caesar will be lax (indilīgentius servātūrōs) because they have surrendered, they make a surprise attack (repentīno . . . fēcērunt) using weapons they had hidden (cēlāverant armīs) or fashioned from available materials (scūtīs . . . aut vīminibus intextīs).

But Caesar is ready: he alerts his men using a fire signal (ignibus . . . factā) when the attack begins. His men rush from nearby towers to defend the walls (ex . . . castellīs . . . concursum est). There is a battle. The townsfolk are clearly desperate and fight hard (lines 10–12). Four thousand of them are killed and the rest retreat back into the city. The next day, Caesar breaks down the gates (refrāctīs portīs), sends his soldiers in, and sells off everyone left into slavery.

Caesar normally tries to be merciful to conquered peoples, as long as they accept submission and become peaceful. This is shown in the passage when he keeps his own men outside the city at night, "lest the townsfolk receive any harm" (line 2). He does not trust naively, though. The fact that the town had to hide weapons, for instance, suggests that Caesar may have demanded that they be handed over to him. In this passage, no one can leave the city (closed gates keep the townsfolk in, too), and Roman fortifications are just outside of town. It is clear that Caesar keeps his men ready for the possibility of rebellion; he even has plans for what to do if it should happen. But when the citizens do rebel, Caesar's mercy is at an end. He takes what they have by force and sells off their citizens, including women and children, as slaves.

Scoring Rubric

Performance Characteristics

The following characteristics guide the scoring of responses to the open-response item(s).

Performance Characteristics
Purpose The extent to which the response achieves the purpose of the assignment.
Subject Matter Knowledge Accuracy and appropriateness in the application of subject matter knowledge.
Support Quality and relevance of supporting details.
Rationale Soundness of argument and degree of understanding of the subject matter.

Scoring Scale

The scoring scale below, which is related to the performance characteristics for the tests, is used by scorers in assigning scores to responses to the open-response item(s).

Score Scale with description for each score point.
Score Point Score Point Description
4 The "4" response reflects a thorough knowledge and understanding of the subject matter.
  • The purpose of the assignment is fully achieved.
  • There is substantial, accurate, and appropriate application of subject matter knowledge.
  • The supporting evidence is sound; there are high-quality, relevant examples.
  • The response reflects an ably reasoned, comprehensive understanding of the topic.
3 The "3" response reflects an adequate knowledge and understanding of the subject matter.
  • The purpose of the assignment is largely achieved.
  • There is a generally accurate and appropriate application of subject matter knowledge.
  • The supporting evidence is adequate; there are some acceptable, relevant examples.
  • The response reflects an adequately reasoned understanding of the topic.
2 The "2" response reflects a limited knowledge and understanding of the subject matter.
  • The purpose of the assignment is partially achieved.
  • There is a limited, possibly inaccurate or inappropriate, application of subject matter knowledge.
  • The supporting evidence is limited; there are few relevant examples.
  • The response reflects a limited, poorly reasoned understanding of the topic.
1 The "1" response reflects a weak knowledge and understanding of the subject matter.
  • The purpose of the assignment is not achieved.
  • There is little or no appropriate or accurate application of subject matter knowledge.
  • The supporting evidence, if present, is weak; there are few or no relevant examples.
  • The response reflects little or no reasoning about or understanding of the topic.
U The response is unrelated to the assigned topic, illegible, primarily in a language other than English, not of sufficient length to score, or merely a repetition of the assignment.
B There is no response to the assignment.