Until the 1980s and 1990s, direct assessments of writing, in which students actually write essays that are scored, were rare in statewide testing programs. Multiple-choice tests of language arts skills were common. Many critics argued, albeit usually without using the actual phrase, that this was a clear case of construct underrepresentation. Certainly, some skills needed for writing can be assessed with multiple-choice items. But some of the essential skills implied by the construct of “proficiency in writing” can be measured only by having students write. As a consequence, direct assessments
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