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

Score for Sample Student Response #1: Rubric Score 2

Annotation: This response shows knowledge of the potential effects of a mandatory voting law. Basic ideas (the turnout in voters will be greater; voting is the tool for shaping the nation's government; if people don't vote, there will not be a clear consensus of who should be in office) are provided with a little support (if the wrong person gets into office, it could ruin the lives of everyone; by voting you can stay involved with the government). Compare to Anchor Paper #4.

Score for Sample Student Response #2: Rubric Score 1

Annotation: This response is related to the question and shows only minimal knowledge. Fragments of a basic idea (making an equal percentage reported voting; poor people would vote as much as rich people) are presented, but the idea is skeletal and incomplete. Compare to Anchor Paper #2.

Score for Sample Student Response #3: Rubric Score 4

Annotation: This response shows understanding of the potential effects of a mandatory voting law. Accurate concepts (the law would be hard to enforce and could be unfair) are well supported. Powerful evidence of higher order thinking skills is demonstrated through insightful and integrated application of analysis, evaluation, and cause-and-effect reasoning (hard for poor people to get to the polls if they don't have any means of transportation; lack of money; harder to stay informed; moving makes it hard to stay registered; the homeless don't have an address to register to vote; absentee ballots are a hassle).

Score for Sample Student Response #4: Rubric Score 3

Annotation: This response shows some understanding of the potential effects of a mandatory voting law. Accurate concepts (people with lower incomes would vote and have an equal say in government decisions; not everyone would take elections seriously) are supported. Some evidence of higher order thinking skills is provided through appropriate application of analysis and evaluation (it should be strongly recommended to those who want to have a say in government and have the best candidates elected) and cause-and-effect reasoning (if the lower income citizens had a greater voter turnout, they would have a greater influence). Compare to Anchor Paper #7.

Score for Sample Student Response #5: Rubric Score 2

Annotation: This response shows knowledge of the potential effects of a mandatory voting law. Basic ideas (more lower class citizens would vote; many of the people who don't vote don't pay attention to the elections and would just be picking a name out of a hat) are presented and provided with a little support (that is not how we want our government officials picked). Compare to Anchor Paper #3.

Score for Sample Student Response #6: Rubric Score 3

Annotation: This response shows some understanding of the potential effects of a mandatory voting law. Accurate concepts are supported (poorer people will be just as able to elect someone as the richer people; everybody would have an equal vote). Some evidence of higher order thinking skills is provided through appropriate application of analysis and evaluation (candidates would care about the votes of the homeless as much as they care about the people with lots of money; nobody will have an advantage just because of the amount of money they make). Compare to Anchor Paper #6.

Score for Sample Student Response #7: Rubric Score 4

Annotation: This response shows understanding of the potential effects of a mandatory voting law. Concepts (the voting percentage would theoretically be at 100% for each average income; there would be many voters who have absolutely no idea of the candidates or issues) are accurate and well supported. Powerful evidence of higher order thinking skills is demonstrated through comprehensive application of analysis, evaluation, and cause-and-effect reasoning (this would lead to people just punching the first candidate, giving an advantage to the person whose name comes first; we could end up with a leader who goes against all American principles; forcing people might be seen as taking away freedom of expression).

Score for Sample Student Response #8: Rubric Score 1

Annotation: This response is related to the question and shows only minimal knowledge. Fragments of basic ideas (people might not pick the right people to be in office; everything is all messed up) are presented, but the ideas are general and incomplete. Compare to Anchor Paper #1.

Score for Sample Student Response #9: Rubric Score 4

Annotation: This response shows understanding of the potential effects of a mandatory voting law. Comprehensive concepts (drastically increase the percent of voter turnout; the right to vote is a right that every person has the option of exercising) are accurate and well supported. Integrated application of cause-and-effect reasoning, analysis, and evaluation (many families could not afford to pay the fine because they are struggling with mortgages/rents, taxes, and daily expenses; everyone has the right to freedom of religion but not all people exercise it; we are taking away their right to abstain; they might vote for any random person on the ballot to avoid the punishment; democracy doesn't force the public to choose without a basic understanding) provide powerful evidence of higher order thinking skills.

Score for Sample Student Response #10: Rubric Score 3

Annotation: This response shows some understanding of the potential effects of a mandatory voting law. Concepts are accurate and supported (the percentage of citizens voting would increase dramatically; the people's right to choose if they want to vote or not). Some evidence of higher order thinking skills is demonstrated through appropriate application of cause-and-effect reasoning (if people are forced to vote they may choose somebody according to chance) and analysis and evaluation (the purpose of elections is so that informed voters choose who they think will best represent them).

Score for Sample Student Response #11: Rubric Score 2

Annotation: This response shows knowledge of the potential effects of a mandatory voting law. Basic ideas (people with the lowest paying jobs would have more votes; it would have been totally fair who gets authority; a democratic decision) are provided with a little support (people can't complain about the president because they voted him in).

Score for Sample Student Response #12: Rubric Score 4

Annotation: This response shows understanding of the potential effects of a mandatory voting law. Concepts (lower income families would increase dramatically in number of voters; voting is a right and not a responsibility) are accurate and well supported. The integrated and insightful application of analysis, evaluation, and cause-and-effect reasoning (richer people are in the minority so the law would mean an overwhelming majority of middle to lower classes would vote; there would probably be landslide elections of candidates who want to help lower income families; minorities and middle class people tend to be Democrats while richer, white males are often Republicans; the goals of politicians would have to change to benefit the majority; by forcing people, they will not cherish voting anymore as a privilege) provide powerful evidence of higher order thinking skills.

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 (people sometimes don't support any canandate) is presented, but the idea is skeletal and incomplete. Compare to Anchor Paper #1.

Score for Sample Student Response #14: Rubric Score 2

Annotation: This response shows knowledge of the potential effects of a mandatory voting law. Basic ideas (the number would certainly go up; shouldn't be forced to make a desicion you can't support; people wouldn't think about who they were voting for) are provided with a little support (our citizens might not make the right decisions; voting is a privilage, a freedom). Compare to Anchor Paper #3.

Score for Sample Student Response #15: Rubric Score 3

Annotation: This response shows some understanding of potential effects of a mandatory voting law. Accurate concepts (the income people make won't matter because everyone is going to have to vote; everyone should share their opinion on who they think should run our country) are supported. Appropriate application of analysis and evaluation (making people vote wouldn't give people advantages over other people; everyone would be satisfied that they did their part in the elections) provide some evidence of higher order thinking skills. Compare to Anchor Paper #6.

Score for Sample Student Response #16: Rubric Score 1

Annotation: This response is related to the question and shows only minimal knowledge. Fragments of basic ideas (it would discourage a lot of people from getting involed with government; it is a person's choice when they want to vote) are presented, but the ideas are general and incomplete.

Anchor Papers used in scoring