The American Literature and Composition EOC assessment consists of a total of 51 items worth a total of 60 points. . You will be asked to respond to selected-response (multiple-choice), technology-enhanced items, constructed-response, extended-response, and extended writing-response items.

The test will be given in three sections.

You will have up to 80 minutes per section to complete Sections 2 and 3. They may be administered on the same day or on two separate days.

You will have up to 90 minutes to complete Section 1, which includes the writing prompt.

The test will evaluate your reading comprehension and writing skills.

The American Literature and Composition EOC assessment consists of selected-response, technology-enhanced items, constructed-response, extended constructed-response, and extended writing-response items.

A selected-response item, sometimes called a multiple-choice item, is a question, problem, or statement that is followed by four answer choices. These questions are worth one point.

There will be approximately 37 selected response questions on the EOC Milestone.

Strategies for answering selected-response questions:

• Read the directions carefully.
• Read the entire reading passage provided. The questions often deal with the passage as a whole or the relationship between a specific section and the entire passage, so you need to be sure to read the whole passage and understand its purpose and tone.
• Read the question and then think about what you think the answer is.
• Read all of the answer choices carefully.
• If the question directs you back to the passage, go back to the lines it directs you to; don't try to answer from memory.

Technology-Enhanced Item:

A technology-enhanced item may be the following three types:

• Evidence-Based Selected Response: These questions have two parts. You will be asked to answer the first part of the question, and then you will answer the second part of the question based on how you answered the first part. These questions are worth two points. Partial credit may be awarded if the first response is correct but the second is not.
• Drag-and-Drop Items
• Drop-Down Items

There are approximately 5 technology-enhanced items on the test.

A constructed-response item asks a question, and you provide a response that you construct on your own. These questions are worth two points. Partial credit may be awarded if part of the response is correct.

There will be 1 constructed response item on the test.

These items test your reading comprehension and ability to analyze. They do not test your writing ability.

Strategies for answering constructed-response Items:

• Read the question or prompt carefully.
• Think about what the question is asking you to do.
• Go back to the passage or passages and find details, examples, or reasons that help support and explain your response.
• Reread your response and be sure you have answered all parts of the question.
• Be sure that the evidence you have chosen from the text supports your answer.
• Your response will be scored based on the accuracy of your response and how well you have supported your answer with details and other evidence.
  
• If there are two passages, you need to provide evidence from BOTH passages.

An extended constructed-response item is a specific type of constructed-response item that requires a longer, more detailed response.

These items are worth four points. Partial credit may be awarded.

There will be 1 extended constructed-response item on the test.

For American Literature and Composition, you will respond to a narrative prompt based on a passage you have read, and the response will be scored according to the rubric for the prompt. Partial credit may be awarded.

The narrative writing will be evaluated on these criteria:

• effective establishment of a situation, point of view, character(s), and setting
• effective use of narrative strategies such as description, dialogue, plot, and pacing
• vivid, precise language
• incorporation of material from the source
• few or no errors in usage and grammar
• good writing style

The extended writing-response item is located in section one of the EOC.

Students are expected to produce an argumentative essay OR develop an informative or explanatory response based on information read in two passages.

There are 2-3 selected response items and one two-point constructed response item to help focus the students’ thoughts on the passages and to prepare them for the actual writing task.

The extended writing response task is scored on a 7-point scale: 4 points for idea development, organization, and coherence, and 3 points for language usage and conventions.

Check out this study guide from the Georgia Department of Education for a full explanation of the test, sample items, and writing rubrics.

American Lit EOC Milestone Study Guide