Each essay was read independently by two faculty readers who used the GWE Scoring Guide with its scale from 1 to 6. Their scores added together produces the GWE score sent to students. If their individual scores differ by more than one point, the essay is given to the Chief Reader to adjudicate.
Readers judge an essay on both the rhetorical and syntactic levels.
It includes such issues as the writers' understanding purpose and audience, their addressing the tasks set by the prompt, their utilizing appropriate organization and development, and their using language effectively. Three of the essays that follow were actual range-finders for the Spring 1995 GWE reading. Describe a situation in which one of your principles or beliefs was tested by circumstances, explain how you handled the situation, and tell why you now think that your behavior was or was not correct.