TOEFL TPO -1 Academic Discussion Writing Sample: Doctor Gupta This week,I want you to discuss assessment criteria. Some schoolteachers give high grades(marks) only to those students who perform well on their homework assignments and tests. Other teachers, however, may give high grades to students who have worked very hard on their assignments but have not performed so well.Which approach do you think is better: Giving grades based only on performance, or grading students not just on performance but also on their effort?
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Professor
Kelly I think grades should be based on performance only.It's a matter of fairness.I'd be really upset if another student got nearly the same grade that I did when I turned in work that was almost perfect and the other student's work had incorrect answers or unclear ideas.It wouldn't matter to me if they worked harder
Student A
Paul Sure evaluation should mainly be based upon the student's performance,but hard work should count for something.A student who works hard,even when the final grade isn't the highest in the class, builds character, which will benefit the student later in life when they go to university or apply for a job
Student B
User Samples & Evaluation Results
User Sample
Personally, it is better to give grades based on the performance. As Kelly mentioned, it is fair to give grades based on performance. It is hard for teachers to value the degree of hard work in study. For example, if a teacher gives more grades to a student because of his hard work, it might incite disputations from other students. There will be some other stuff to deal with, which will cost time for both teachers and students. While it is true that hard work is a good habit not only for studying but also for working. However, we can not deny that some people do not work as hard as it seems. This is also the cause that the company values a good employee on work output. Therefore, performance should be the proper way to give grades.
Evaluation Result
1. Sub Scores:
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Relevance and Contribution to Discussion: 4.0
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Clarity and Elaboration of Viewpoint: 3.5
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Language Use and Grammar: 4.0
2. Estimated Scores:
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Average Score: 3.83
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Mapped Score: 24
3. Task completeness:
The essay does a decent job of addressing the specific requirements of the task, but there is room for improvement. The essay could benefit from providing more specific examples or details to support the viewpoint that performance should be the primary factor in grading. Additionally, it would be helpful to address the counterargument presented by Student A (Paul) more directly and explain why hard work should not be considered as a factor in grading.
Suggestions for improvement:
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Provide specific examples or details to support your viewpoint.
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Address counterarguments more directly and explain why they are not convincing.
Examples in English:
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"For instance, if two students both work hard on a project, but one student's work is significantly better than the other's, it would be unfair to give them both high grades simply because they both put in effort."
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"Although Paul argues that hard work builds character, this does not necessarily mean that it should be factored into grading; instead, schools could find other ways to reward hard-working students without compromising the fairness of their grading system."
4. Essay structure and organization:
The essay has a clear structure with an introduction, body, and conclusion. However, the organization could be improved by using clearer transitions between ideas and paragraphs.
Suggestions for improvement:
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Use clear transitions between ideas and paragraphs.
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Ensure each paragraph focuses on a specific point with supporting details.
Examples in English:
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"On the other hand, some may argue that considering effort in grading can encourage students to develop good study habits."
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"In conclusion, while recognizing hard work is important, grading should primarily be based on performance to ensure fairness and accurately reflect students' understanding of the material."
5. Grammar
Personally, it is better to give grades based on the performance.
As Kelly mentioned, it is fair to give grades based on performance. It is hard for teachers to value the degree of hard work in study. For example, if a teacher gives more grades to a student because of his hard work, it might incite disputations from other students. There will be some other stuff to deal with, which will cost time for both teachers and students.
While it is true that hard work is a good habit not only for studying but also for working. However, we can not deny that some people do not work as hard as it seems. This is also the causecase(Detects potentially wrong usage of "cause" instead of "case") that the company values a good employee on work output.
Therefore, performance should be the proper way to give grades.
Title: 6 Revised Essay
In my opinion, grading students based on their performance is the better approach.
As Kelly pointed out, fairness is a crucial factor when it comes to grading. It is challenging for educators to accurately assess the extent of a student's effort. For instance, if a teacher awards higher grades to a student due to their perceived hard work, it may provoke disputes among other students. Consequently, this would lead to additional issues that consume valuable time for both teachers and students.
It is undeniable that hard work is an essential trait not only in academics but also in professional settings. However, we cannot overlook the fact that some individuals may not exert as much effort as they appear to. This notion aligns with the idea that companies evaluate employees based on their output rather than their perceived effort.
Hence, focusing on performance when assigning grades is the most appropriate method. (154 words)
Personally, it is better to give grades In my opinion, grading students based on the performance. their performance is the better approach (revised for clarity and a more natural tone).
As Kelly mentioned, pointed out, fairness is a crucial factor when it is fair to give comes to grading (rephrased for better flow). It is challenging for educators to accurately assess the extent of a student's effort (revised for clarity). For instance, if a teacher awards higher grades based on performance. It is hard for teachers to value the degree of hard work in study. For example, if a teacher gives more grades to a student because of his due to their perceived hard work, it might incite disputations from may provoke disputes among other students. There will be some other stuff to deal with, which will cost students (rephrased for better flow and clarity). Consequently, this would lead to additional issues that consume valuable time for both teachers and students. students (revised for improved readability).
While it is true It is undeniable that hard work is a good habit an essential trait not only for studying in academics but also for working. in professional settings (rephrased for better flow). However, we can cannot overlook the fact that some individuals may not deny that some people do not work exert as hard much effort as it seems. they appear to (revised for clarity and readability). This is also the cause that the company values a good employee notion aligns with the idea that companies evaluate employees based on work output. their output rather than their perceived effort (rephrased for improved flow).
Therefore, Hence, focusing on performance should be the proper way to give grades.when assigning grades is the most appropriate method (revised for clarity and a more natural tone).
8 Mind Map
1. Grading students
a. Performance-based
b. Effort-based
2. Fairness
a. Accurate assessment
b. Avoid disputes
3. Hard work
a. Essential trait
b. Academics and professional settings
4. Perceived effort vs actual effort
5. Evaluation in companies
a. Output-based assessment
6. Conclusion: Performance-based grading is appropriate
9 Key Words
| Word | Phonetic Symbol | Part of Speech | English Definition | English Translation | Sample Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grading | /ˈɡreɪdɪŋ/ | Noun | The process of evaluating and assigning a level or rank to someone's work or performance | Grading | The teacher spent the weekend grading her students' essays |
| Fairness | /ˈfɛrnəs/ | Noun | The quality of treating people equally without favoritism or discrimination | Fairness | The fairness of the grading system was questioned by some students |
| Assessment | /əˈsɛsmənt/ | Noun | _The evaluation or estimation of the nature, quality, or ability of someone or something | _Assessment | _The teacher's assessment of the student's performance was accurate and unbiased |
| Dispute | _ /dɪˈspjut/ | _Noun | _A disagreement, argument, or debate | _Dispute | _The dispute among the students about their grades took up valuable class time |
| Trait | _ /treɪt/ | _Noun | _A distinguishing quality or characteristic, typically one belonging to a person | _Trait | _Hard work is an essential trait for success in both academics and professional settings |
| Perceived | _ /pərˈsivd/ | _Adjective | _Interpreted or understood in a particular way | _Perceived | _The perceived effort of the student did not always match their actual performance |
| Exert | _ /ɪɡˈzərt/ | _Verb | _Apply or bring to bear (a force, influence, or quality) | _Exert | _Some individuals may not exert as much effort as they appear to |
| Output | _/ˈaʊtput/ | Noun | The amount of something produced by a person, machine, or industry | Output | Companies evaluate employees based on their output rather than their perceived effort |
| Performance-based | _/pərˈfɔrməns beɪst/ | Adjective | Relating to a system that evaluates someone's work or abilities based on their achievements | Performance-based | Focusing on performance when assigning grades is the most appropriate method |
How Academic Discussion Is Scored
The TOEFL Academic Discussion task is evaluated based on the official ETS scoring rubric. AI evaluation analyzes each response across multiple dimensions.
Relevance & Contribution
Does the response address the question and contribute meaningfully to the discussion?
Language Use
Grammar accuracy, vocabulary range, and sentence structure quality.
Development & Support
Are ideas well-developed with specific examples and clear reasoning?
Common Patterns Across Responses
Based on analysis of user submissions for this task, here are common patterns observed in student responses.
Many students provide clear opinions but lack specific supporting examples.
Strong responses directly reference the reading passage and other speakers' viewpoints.
Higher-scoring responses use varied sentence structures and academic vocabulary.
Time management is a key factor — responses that feel rushed tend to score lower on development.
Learning Tips
Read the prompt carefully and identify all parts of the question before writing.
Reference the reading passage and the other students' opinions in your response.
Use specific examples to support your main point — avoid generic statements.
Aim for 120-150 words. Longer responses are not always better; clarity and focus matter more.
Practice timed responses (10 minutes) to build fluency under exam conditions.
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