Quality_Points


 * **QP** || **Descriptor** || **Explanation** ||
 * **5** || **//exemplary//** || The response demonstrates an //exemplary// understanding of the scientific content, concepts, and procedures required by the task. The response goes beyond a clear, complete, and correct response as required by the task, to include important extensions of the ideas, additional detail, or critical commentary beyond what would be necessary to demonstrate a thorough understanding. ||
 * **4** || **//thorough//** || The response demonstrates a //thorough// understanding of the scientific content, concepts, and procedures required by the task. The response provides a clear, complete, and correct response as required by the task. The response may contain a minor blemish (e.g. misspelled words) or omissions in work or explanation that does not detract from demonstrating a //thorough// understanding. ||
 * **3** || **//general//** || The response demonstrates a //general// understanding of the scientific content, concepts, and procedures required by the tasks. The response may lack clarity, completeness, or detail, but these omissions do not detract from demonstrating a //general// understanding. ||
 * **2** || **//partial//** || The response demonstrates a //partial// understanding of the scientific content, concepts, and procedures required by the tasks. The response may have ideas inverted, gaps in logical analysis, or important ideas omitted, but this is balanced by some partial understanding of important content, concepts, and procedures. ||
 * **1** || **//minimal//** || The response demonstrates a //minimal// understanding of the scientific content, concepts, and procedures required by the tasks. The response makes a genuine attempt to complete the tasks using relevant ideas, but fails to demonstrate mastery of any of these ideas. Vocabulary could be used incorrectly, procedures applied inappropriately, or concepts confused. ||
 * 0 || **//insufficient//** || The response provides //insufficient// evidence to demonstrate any understanding of the scientific content, concepts, and procedures as required by the task. The response could be blank, off task, or unintelligible. ||
 * These explanations of standards are adapted from PA Department of Education's PSSA Scoring Guidelines.