The following 16 Sample Student Responses represent a range of score points.

Score for Sample Student Response #1: Rubric Score 3

Annotation: This response shows some understanding of the limits on presidential power. Accurate concepts (separation of powers between the executive branch, the legislative branch, and the judicial branch to ensure that a branch of government does not gain too much power; the president can encourage voters to elect members to Congress that are likely to support his views; the power to appoint positions in the Cabinet and the Supreme Court; executive orders have the force of law) are supported. Some evidence of higher order thinking skills is provided through the application of effective and relevant historical example (after the bombing of Pearl Harbor the President, without the approval of Congress, sent Japanese-Americans from their homes to internment camps). Compare to Anchor Paper #7.

Score for Sample Student Response #2: Rubric Score 1

Annotation: This response is related to the question and shows only minimal knowledge. Fragments of basic ideas (checks and balances; judicial and legislative branches; veto bills) are presented, but the fragments are general and incomplete. Compare to Anchor Paper #2.

Score for Sample Student Response #3: Rubric Score 2

Annotation: This response shows knowledge of the limits on presidential power. Although minimal misconceptions (the judicial branch has the power to impeach him; the executive branch can override his vetoes with a 3/4 vote) are present, correct basic ideas (checks and balances ensure neither the executive, judicial, or legislative branches of government gets too much power; he gets to appoint justices to the Supreme Court; he can veto legislation) are provided. The response is adequate for a score of "2." Compare to Anchor Paper #3.

Score for Sample Student Response #4: Rubric Score 4

Annotation: This response shows understanding of the limits on presidential power. Accurate concepts (decentralized checks and balances of the federal government; the supreme domestic influence of the Congress; the federalist relationship with the states; increased attention to foreign affairs or national crisis; widespread public approval) are well supported. Powerful evidence of higher order thinking skills is demonstrated through the extended and integrated application of analysis and evaluation (Congress overrode his many vetoes to enact law and establish legislative dominance; the Constitution safeguarded the power of legislative dominance; the Constitution safeguarded the power of legislative supermajorities and gave power to the states as well; doomed forever the presidency of Andrew Jackson who was unable to overcome; a distinct correlation between the popularity of a president and the success they have in pushing their own agendas), cause-and-effect reasoning (riding these high poll numbers the President has passed controversial legislation; relying on the support of the people for a popular president, legislators have routinely defied contrary public opinion and even personal principle to support and simultaneously empower a once power-limited president), historical knowledge (Reconstruction), and effective use of contrasting examples (Andrew Johnson; George W. Bush).

Score for Sample Student Response #5: Rubric Score 2

Annotation: This response shows knowledge of the limits on presidential power. Basic ideas (Congress can override a president's veto; judicial review; can not declare war; Congress can impeach the president; the power to select judges and top officials; the majority of Congress being of the same party) are provided with a little support (that way the judges probably would not declare an act of the president unconstitutional; if most of Congress agrees with the president they wouldn't go against him).

Score for Sample Student Response #6: Rubric Score 1

Annotation: This response is related to the question and shows only minimal knowledge. Fragments of basic ideas (state law; governor of a state) are presented, but the ideas are skeletal and incomplete.

Score for Sample Student Response #7: Rubric Score 4

Annotation: This response shows understanding of the limits on presidential power. Concepts are accurate and well supported (powers significantly limited by Congress; can only propose legislation and hope to see it pass; Congress has the power of the purse; overcome limitations by placing a veto on laws or building coalitions). The extended and integrated application of analysis, evaluation, and cause-and-effect reasoning (once on the floor of Congress the law is often changed and debated or not even passed; vetoes are often used when there is a different party in Congress and, therefore, they significantly increase the power; without the support of certain individuals in Congress it is highly unlikely that the president will be able to pursue his agenda and promote his party's interests; therefore, compromising is imperative) provide powerful evidence of higher order thinking skills.

Score for Sample Student Response #8: Rubric Score 3

Annotation: This response shows some understanding of the limits on presidential power. Accurate concepts are supported (veto process; pocket vetoes; War Powers Act; state of emergency). Some evidence of higher order thinking skills is provided through appropriate application of relevant historical example (Abraham Lincoln suspended habeus corpus and blockaded Southern ports; veto used in the past century as presidents rarely have support in Congress; Andrew Jackson vetoed bills he believed were a violation to the common man's rights).

Score for Sample Student Response #9: Rubric Score 1

Annotation: This response is related to the question and shows only minimal knowledge. Fragments of basic ideas (the president can't shut down a business for no reason or give some people more rights) are presented, but the ideas are general and incomplete.

Score for Sample Student Response #10: Rubric Score 4

Annotation: This response shows understanding of the limits on presidential power. Concepts (limited the most by Congressional powers; can overcome by gaining support and using media) are accurate and well supported. Powerful evidence of higher order thinking skills is shown by extended and integrated application of analysis (War Powers Act), evaluation (forces Congress to maintain foreign allies and foreign support of the US by supporting the President), historical knowledge (1991 Persian Gulf War; Clinton and Newt Gingrich), and cause-and-effect reasoning (the popularity of the President forced many Congressmen who had not supported the war to lose power and not run for reelection in 1992; Clinton used the media to gain popular support for his ideas which decreased the power of Gingrich's opposition and forced the Republican Congress to pass Clinton's laws).

Score for Sample Student Response #11: Rubric Score 2

Annotation: This response shows knowledge of the limits on presidential power. Basic ideas (checks and balances so that no one group of the government has too much power; the president does not have the power to create or review laws; if Congress could get 2/3 vote they could override the veto) are presented.

Score for Sample Student Response #12: Rubric Score 3

Annotation: This response shows some understanding of the limits on presidential power. Concepts are accurate and supported (limited by Constitution, by legislative acts, by public opinion). Some evidence of higher order thinking skills is demonstrated through appropriate application of analysis and evaluation (President has few powers enumerated in Constitution; when public opinion of him is high Congress will probably not make him look bad) and cause-and-effect reasoning (legislative acts that limit powers are not as prevalent because if they severely impaired his power he would veto them; if he is disliked not only will he not get reelected but there will be support for Congress especially if it is dominated by a different party).

Score for Sample Student Response #13: Rubric Score 1

Annotation: This response is related to the question and shows only minimal knowledge. A fragment of a basic idea (the president can't just declare war on another country) is provided, but the idea is skeletal and incomplete.

Score for Sample Student Response #14: Rubric Score 3

Annotation: This response shows some understanding of the limits on presidential power. Accurate concepts (checks and balances; both other branches have power over the president; Congress can override the veto; executive orders) are supported. Appropriate application of analysis and evaluation (with clearly drawn party lines, having a 2/3 majority is often impossible to do; a president must think carefully before trying to avoid checks placed upon him or suffer the consequences) and effective use of relevant historical example (executive orders used by former Presidents JFK and Nixon) provide some evidence of higher order thinking skills.

Score for Sample Student Response #15: Rubric Score 2

Annotation: This response shows knowledge of the limits on presidential power. Basic ideas (the president cannot make laws or declare war; lacks the power to determine a person's guilt or innocence or to determine whether a law is considered constitutional; it is most effective to cooperate with both the legislative and the judicial branches) are provided with a little support (Congress has the power to make laws and declare war; these powers are given to the judicial branch; if he works with other branches it will be easier to get things done).

Score for Sample Student Response #16: Rubric Score 4

Annotation: This response shows understanding of the limits on presidential power. Accurate concepts (Congress' ability to impeach the president and override his vetoes; the Supreme Court's ability to declare presidential actions unconstitutional) are well supported. Extended and integrated application of analysis, evaluation, and cause-and-effect reasoning (if he appoints judges to the Supreme Court and the Senate confirms them there may be less chance his actions will be declared unconstitutional; if he supports the campaigns of congresspersons who support him and after elections Congress consists primarily of people of the same party as he, he can get bills passed which could greatly increase his power), and effective use of relevant example (the recent Patriotic act; Afghanistan and Iraq; President Clinton getting his environmental policy passed; President Bush's No Child Left Behind Act) provide powerful evidence of higher order thinking skills.

Anchor Papers used in scoring