Using QASI to Answer Open-Ended Questions

How to Score Higher on the New Jersey HSPA Test

Dec 11, 2008 Tara Gardner

Each year standardized testing in public schools all across the state of New Jersey creates serious educational stressors; however, there are methods to ease the burden.

In the state of New Jersey students are required to take standardized tests to prove that they are academically capable of advancing, and eventually graduating from, school. One test in particular, the High School Proficiency Assessment (HSPA), is important due to its status as a graduation requirement for high school seniors. If the students do not pass the test, then they must retake it or complete an alternate assessment. If not, they will not graduate. Obviously teachers, parents, students and school districts alike feel the pressure to perform. One way to ease this anxiety is by using the QASI method for answering open-ended questions.

Testing Basics

One of the more difficult sections of the HSPA is the open-ended question section that appears at the end of the both the narrative and persuasive reading passages. This section is located after ten multiple choice questions and measures ability based upon skill level. According to the NJPEP web site provided by the New Jersey Department of Education, “Students taking the HSPA will read and respond to a variety of text types... In each text type, multiple-choice and open-ended questions will assess literal and inferential thinking. Questions will be based on those skills that critical readers use to understand, analyze, and assess texts."

Oftentimes students will be asked to offer reflection on a passage or complete prompts using information directly from the text previously read. Other questions may ask students to offer insight or personal anecdotes to the answer to show that they have a culturally appropriate view of society that can be inculcated into the academics presented to them.

Solutions for Testing

A method that teachers often use when preparing for the test is referred to as QASI. This stands for Question, Answer, Support and Insight. It is a fantastic method for students to utilize because it offers every student, from the special education learner to the AP scholar the opportunity to formulate a basis for writing an answer and then add to the answer, hopefully increasing the scoring potential with each reference, allusion or directly supported example from the test. The breakdown is as follows:

  • Q = Question:Students are to simply restate the question when answering the prompt. This creates a familiarity with the text and also shows the test graders that the student is aware of what is being asked.
  • A = Answer: Students are to answer all parts of the question. If there are two bullets to a question, they are to answer each bullet in a separate paragraph. If the bullet itself has multiple parts, all parts must be answered to receive an acceptable score.
  • S = Support: This is perhaps the most crucial element. The students are required to include direct support, either in the form of quotes, paraphrases or summaries, in their answer. A good transition is to write "In paragraph ____ the author states..."
  • I = Insight:This is the last step and can really increase a student's scoring potential. They can reflect on the question and answer and offer some insight, whether it be a personal anecdote, allusion, or scholastic or global reference. It creates nice closure and offers the grader a chance to see the students think "outside the box."

The Outcome

While every student performs differently on standardized tests, offering a student the chance to learn how to test effectively can increase the chances of receiving a 200, a passing score according to the HSPA handbook, and bring him one step closer to graduating. By creating a base for answering these sometimes difficult questions, each student can enter the testing room armed with a little more knowledge than he or she had the test before.

The copyright of the article Using QASI to Answer Open-Ended Questions in Teacher Tips/Training is owned by Tara Gardner. Permission to republish Using QASI to Answer Open-Ended Questions in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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