TEST INFORMATION BOOKLET

Massachusetts Testsfor Educator Licensure ®TESTINFORMATIONBOOKLET91 Vocational TechnicalLiteracy Skills TestMA-SG-FLD091-03Massachusetts Department of Education

VOCATIONAL TECHNICAL LITERACY SKILLS TEST(Field 91)Vocational Technical Literacy Skills Test OverviewTest Overview ChartTest ObjectivesSample Test Directions and Test ItemsAnswer Key25

Vocational Technical Literacy Skills Test OverviewThe Vocational Technical Literacy Skills Test comprises two subtests: Reading and Writing. Candidatestaking the test are asked to demonstrate that they have the communication and literacy skills necessary foreffective instruction and communication between students, school, and parents or guardians. Areas testedinclude the comprehension and analysis of readings; development of ideas in essay form on specificfocused topics; outlining and summarizing; interpretation of tables and graphs; and mastery ofvocabulary, grammar, and mechanics.The Reading SubtestThe Reading subtest contains content defined by six Vocational Technical Literacy Skills Test objectives(0001 through 0006). It includes approximately 60 multiple-choice items. Each test item counts equallytoward a candidate's total Reading subtest score.Reading subtest—multiple-choice items. The multiple-choice items are linked to general interest andoccupationally related passages of up to approximately 400 words. Candidates are required to read,understand, and analyze the passages to answer specific items about them.The Writing SubtestThe Writing subtest contains content defined by seven Vocational Technical Literacy Skills Testobjectives (0007 through 0013). The Writing subtest includes multiple-choice items and two formats ofopen-response items. It comprises three sections: multiple-choice questions, written composition, andwritten summary. The multiple-choice items count for 55 percent of the Writing subtest total score andthe open-response items count for 45 percent of the Writing subtest total score.Writing subtest—multiple-choice section. There are approximately 40 multiple-choice items on theWriting subtest, some of which are linked to brief written passages. Candidates will be asked to respondto questions about grammar and mechanics.Writing subtest—written composition section. In the written composition section of the Writing subtest,candidates are asked in an open-response item to prepare, in their own words, an extended written passageon a specified topic of general interest. They must produce a composition that is unified, well organizedand developed, and written in standard American English.Writing subtest—written summary section. In the written summary section of the Writing subtest,candidates are asked in an open-response item to summarize, in their own words, an extended writtenpassage. Candidates must read the passage, identify its main ideas and essential points, and produce, intheir own words, a written summary using the conventions of standard American English.27

Test Overview ChartVocational Technical Literacy Skills Test (91)Reading SubtestSkillsApproximate Number ofMultiple-Choice ItemsWord Meaning 8–10Main Idea and Detail 8–10Writer's Purpose 8–10Idea Relationships 8–10Critical Reasoning 8–10Graphs, Tables, and Charts 14–16Writing SubtestSkillsApproximate Number ofMultiple-Choice ItemsUnity and Focus 7–9Number of Open-Response ItemsUse of Verbs and Nouns 7–9Use of Pronouns and Modifiers 7–9Use of Sentence Structure and Punctuation 7–9Use of Capitalization and Spelling 7–9Written Composition Exercise 1Written Summary Exercise 1The Vocational Technical Literacy Skills Test is designed to assess each candidate's communication andliteracy skills as required by the Massachusetts Reform Act of 1993 and specified in the Chapter 74Manual for Vocational Technical Educator Licensure and Relicensure. Candidates taking the test areasked to demonstrate that they have the communication and literacy skills necessary for effectiveinstruction and communication between school, students, and parents.The multiple-choice items on the test cover the subareas as indicated in the chart above. The openresponseitems require candidates to prepare written responses to demonstrate mastery of vocabulary,grammar, mechanics, summarizing, and development of ideas in essay form on specified topics.28

Vocational Technical Literacy Skills Test ObjectivesSUBTESTS:READINGWRITINGREADING0001 Determine the meaning of words and phrases in written material.For example: recognizing the meaning of commonly used words; determiningthe meaning of unfamiliar words or words with multiple meanings in the contextsin which they appear; recognizing the correct use of commonly misused words(e.g., their/there/they're, to/too); and identifying appropriate synonyms or antonymsfor words.0002 Recognize the main idea and supporting details in written material.For example: identifying the main idea of written material; identifying information,facts, and details that support, illustrate, or elaborate on the main idea; andidentifying an accurate summary, outline, or graphic representation of informationpresented in written material.0003 Identify a writer's purpose, audience, point of view, and intended meaning.For example: recognizing a writer's purpose for writing (e.g., to persuade, todescribe); recognizing the audience that written material addresses; and using thecontent, word choice, and phrasing of written material to determine a writer'sopinions, intended meaning, or point of view.0004 Recognize the relationship among ideas in written material.For example: identifying the order of events or steps described in written material;identifying cause-and-effect relationships; and making generalizations or drawingconclusions from ideas or information presented in written material.0005 Use critical reasoning skills to evaluate written material.For example: determining the relevance of specific facts or examples to a writer'sargument; recognizing qualifying language; distinguishing between fact and opinionin written material; assessing the credibility, objectivity, or bias of a writer; andevaluating a writer's reasoning and identifying flaws.0006 Understand information presented in graphs, tables, and charts.For example: interpreting information from tables, line graphs, bar graphs, and piecharts; recognizing appropriate representations of written information in graphic ortabular form; and drawing conclusions based on information presented in a graph,table, or chart.29

Test Objectives: Vocational Technical Literacy Skills TestWRITING0007 Recognize examples of unified and focused writing.For example: writing for a specific purpose or audience; recognizing appropriateword choice; identifying effective organization of written material; recognizingunnecessary shifts in point of view; recognizing distracting details or materialirrelevant to the main idea; identifying effective topic sentences; and providingsupport for the main idea.0008 Apply knowledge of the use of verbs and nouns in standard American English.For example: recognizing the standard use of verbs (e.g., subject-verb agreement,verb tense, consistency of tense) and nouns (e.g., plural and possessive forms) inwritten material.0009 Apply knowledge of the use of pronouns and modifiers in standard American English.For example: recognizing the standard use of pronouns (e.g., pronoun-antecedentagreement, pronoun cases, possessive pronouns, relative and demonstrativepronouns) and modifiers (e.g., adverbs, adjectives, prepositional phrases) in writtenmaterial.0010 Apply knowledge of the use of sentence structure and punctuation in standardAmerican English.For example: identifying sentence fragments and run-on sentences; and recognizinginstances in which incorrect or extraneous punctuation has been used or necessarypunctuation has been omitted.0011 Apply knowledge of the use of capitalization and spelling in standard AmericanEnglish.For example: identifying the use of standard initial capitalization and standardcapitalization with proper words and titles; and recognizing standard spelling ofcommonly encountered words presented in context.0012 Demonstrate the ability to prepare a written response in an appropriate form on agiven topic.For example: preparing a written response on a given topic for a specified audience,purpose, and occasion; using appropriate and accurate vocabulary, mechanics, andgrammar, according to the conventions of standard American English; and creating awell-organized and well-developed composition.0013 Demonstrate the ability to outline or summarize a given piece of written material.For example: preparing an outline or summary of the main ideas and essentialpoints of a given piece of written material, using the appropriate conventions ofstandard American English.30

Vocational Technical Literacy Skills TestSample Test Directions and Test ItemsThis section of the booklet presents sample test directions, sample test items, and sample responses for each testsection of the Vocational Technical Literacy Skills Test. The sample items are meant to be illustrative and reflectthe test items used in the program. The sample responses illustrate a strong understanding of the knowledge andskills addressed through the assignments. An answer key for the reading and writing multiple-choice items can befound at the end of this booklet.The general test directions that will be found at the beginning of each test booklet are provided below.Reading SubtestGENERAL DIRECTIONSEach multiple-choice question in this booklet has four answer choices. Read each question carefully andchoose the ONE best answer. Record your answer on Answer Sheet A in the space that corresponds to thequestion number. Completely fill in the circle containing the same letter as the answer you have chosen. Useonly a No. 2 lead pencil.Sample Question: 1. What is the capital of Massachusetts?A. WorcesterB. New BedfordC. BostonD. SpringfieldThe correct answer to this question is C. You would indicate that in the answer document as follows.1.Try to answer all questions. In general, if you have some knowledge about a question, it is better to try toanswer it. You will NOT be penalized for guessing.The directions for each section appear immediately before that section. You may work on and complete themultiple-choice and the open-response items in any order that you choose. Be sure to allocate your timecarefully so that you are able to complete the entire subtest within the testing session.FOR SECURITY REASONS, YOU MAY NOT REMOVE YOUR NOTES OR ANY OF THE TESTMATERIALS FROM THE ROOM. You may use the margins of this test booklet for scrap paper, but only theresponses recorded on Answer Sheet A will be scored.The words "End of Subtest" indicate that you have completed a subtest. At any time, you may go on to anothersubtest if you are taking two subtests today. You may go back and review your answers, but be sure you haveanswered all questions before raising your hand to leave. Your subtest materials will be collected and you mayleave. Your test materials must be returned to a test administrator before you leave the testing room.STOPDO NOT GO ON UNTIL YOU ARE TOLD TO DO SO.31

Writing SubtestGENERAL DIRECTIONSThis test consists of two sections: (1) a multiple-choice section, and (2) an open-response section, containingshort-answer items and writing assignments requiring written responses.Each question in the multiple-choice section is a multiple-choice item with four answer choices. Read eachquestion carefully and choose the ONE best answer. Record each answer on Answer Document F in the spacethat corresponds to the question number. Completely fill in the circle having the same letter as the answer youhave chosen. Use only a No. 2 lead pencil.Sample Question: 1. What is the capital of Massachusetts?A. WorcesterB. New BedfordC. BostonD. SpringfieldThe correct answer to this question is C. You would indicate that on Answer Document F as follows:1.Try to answer all questions. In general, if you have some knowledge about a question, it is better to try toanswer it. You will NOT be penalized for guessing.The directions for each section appear immediately before that section. You may work on and complete themultiple-choice items and the open-response items in any order that you choose. Be sure to allocate your timecarefully so that you are able to complete the entire subtest within the testing session.FOR SECURITY REASONS, YOU MAY NOT TAKE NOTES OR REMOVE ANY OF THE TESTMATERIALS FROM THE ROOM. You may use the margins of this test booklet for scrap paper, butonly the responses recorded in Answer Document F will be scored.The words "End of Subtest" indicate that you have completed a subtest. At any time you may go on to theother subtest if you are taking two subtests today. You may go back and review your answers but be sure youhave answered all questions, completed all assignments, and properly recorded all of your responses in AnswerDocument F before raising your hand to leave. Your subtest materials will be collected, and you may leave.Your test materials must be returned to a test administrator before you leave the testing room.STOPDO NOT GO ON UNTIL YOU ARE TOLD TO DO SO.32

Vocational Technical Literacy Skills TestReading Subtest: Sample Multiple-Choice ItemsREADING SUBTESTThis part of the Reading subtest consists of multiple-choice items matched to reading selections. Candidates areasked to respond to several multiple-choice items about each reading selection. Responses to the multiple-choiceitems are scored as correct or incorrect. A sample of the test directions is provided below.DIRECTIONS FOR THE MULTIPLE-CHOICE SECTION OF THE READING SUBTESTThe multiple-choice section of the reading subtest consists of reading selections, graphs, tables, and charts.Each selection is followed by several multiple-choice questions related to the selection. Read each questioncarefully and choose the ONE best answer based on the information contained in the selection you have justread. You may refer back to the selection to answer the questions.There are a total of 60 multiple-choice questions in this section of the reading subtest, numbered 1 to 60.Record your answer to each question on Answer Sheet A in the space that corresponds to the questionnumber. Completely fill in the space having the same letter as the answer you have chosen.Do NOT make any stray marks in your answer document. You may use the margins of the test bookletfor scrap paper, but only the answers that you record in your answer document will be scored.In the multiple-choice section of the reading subtest, the order of information requested by the questionsdoes not necessarily correspond to the order of information in a given selection.USE ANSWER SHEET A33

Vocational Technical Literacy Skills TestReading Subtest: Sample Multiple-Choice ItemsRead the excerpt below from a real estate Purchase and Sale Agreement; then answer the fivequestions that follow. This passage contains an error.15. Inspection of Propertya) Property Inspection: Unless otherwise stated, Buyer shall have the choice of inspecting theproperty to determine its condition. Buyer may also, at Buyer's expense, hire an outside serviceto perform the inspections. To satisfy the terms of this contract, the property must meet thefollowing requirements to ensure that it is in livable condition:1. The electricity, plumbing, heat, and major appliances are working properly and not inneed of immediate repair.2. The roof, windows and doors, and all structural elements of the property are not in needof immediate repair.3. The property shows no evidence of flooding or other unusual water leakage.4. The property contains no loose or crumbling lead paint or asbestos.b) Destructive Insects: Unless otherwise stated, Buyer may obtain, at Buyer's expense, aninspection report performed by a licensed pest control service. This report shall list anyevidence of termites, carpenter ants, or other wood-destroying insects, or damage from suchinsects.c) Repairs: If any repairs are necessary, Seller may choose or refuse to complete them. If Sellerrefuses to complete the repairs, the Buyer may choose between the following two options: TheBuyer may either 1) except the property in its present condition or 2) terminate the contract. Inthe case of terminating the contract, all down payments by the Buyer shall be refunded. Anyitems not included under a), b), or c) above shall be excluded from the terms of this contract.d) Closing: The Closing on the property shall indicate acceptance by both Buyer and Seller of allitems and conditions of the property listed above.1. Which of the following words underlined inthe excerpt above is used incorrectly?A. itsB. looseC. betweenD. except34

Vocational Technical Literacy Skills TestReading Subtest: Sample Multiple-Choice Items2. Which of the following statementsbest summarizes the information inSection b): Destructive Insects?A. The Buyer is permitted to see thereport on destructive insects writtenby a pest control service for the Seller.B. The Buyer may choose to file awritten report by a pest control serviceonly if evidence of destructive insectsis found.C. The Buyer may decide to pay for apest control service to inspect theproperty for evidence of destructiveinsects.D. The Buyer is required to report anyformal or informal findings by a pestcontrol service regarding destructiveinsects.3. What was the writer's main purpose increating this document?A. to describe the condition of theproperty and related elementsB. to persuade potential buyers topurchase the propertyC. to inform potential buyers of specificproblems with the property4. According to the contract, if the roof of theproperty is leaking, which of the followingsteps can the Buyer legally take?A. The Buyer can take no action, becausea leaking roof is not covered under thecontract.B. The Buyer can compel the Seller tomake the needed repairs to the roof.C. The Buyer can give the Seller thechoice of repairing the roof or losingthe sale.D. The Buyer can repair the roof, becauseany repairs are the Buyer'sresponsibility.5. The items listed in Section a) Part 1 arespecifically included in the contract becausethey are:A. all essential to living in the property.B. more likely to need repair than otheritems.C. miscellaneous items that do not fallinto any category.D. part of the property's underlyingstructure.D. to outline the legal issues related tothe sale of the property35

Vocational Technical Literacy Skills TestReading Subtest: Sample Multiple-Choice Items6. Use the table below to answer the question that follows.CategoryCostFoundation (e.g., excavation, concrete) $10,000Utilities (e.g., heat, plumbing, electric) $15,000Materials $35,000Labor $40,000The table above shows costs associated with constructing a house. Which of the following pie chartsmost accurately represents these data?A. B.LaborFoundationLaborFoundationUtilitiesMaterialsUtilitiesMaterialsC. D.LaborFoundationLaborFoundationUtilitiesUtilitiesMaterialsMaterials36

Vocational Technical Literacy Skills TestWriting Subtest: Sample Multiple-Choice ItemsWRITING SUBTESTThis part of the Writing subtest consists of multiple-choice items linked to written passages that contain errors inspelling, punctuation, and capitalization. Candidates are asked to respond to multiple-choice questions about eachpassage. Responses to the multiple-choice questions are scored as correct or incorrect. A sample of the testdirections is provided below.DIRECTIONS FOR THE MULTIPLE-CHOICE SECTION OF THE WRITING SUBTESTThe writing subtest consists of two sections: multiple-choice questions and open-response items. Eachquestion in the first section is a multiple-choice question with four answer choices. Read each questioncarefully and choose the ONE best answer.Some of the questions in the multiple-choice section are based on short text selections. For testing purposes,the selections contain numbered "parts" (e.g., sentences, sentence fragments, run-on sentences that should bepunctuated as two sentences); these are the "parts" to which the test questions refer. In this part of thewriting section, the term error refers to language use that does not conform to the conventions of standardAmerican English. Each selection is followed by one or more multiple-choice question(s) related to theselection. Read each selection carefully and then read the question(s) that refer to that selection. For eachquestion, choose the ONE best answer based on the information contained in the selections you have justread.For this section, there are 40 multiple-choice questions in all, numbered 1 to 40. Record your answer to eachquestion on Answer Document F in the space that corresponds to the question number. Completely fill inthe space having the same letter as the answer you have chosen.Do NOT make any stray marks in your answer document. You may use the margins of this test bookletfor scrap paper, but only the answers that you record in your answer document will be scored.USE ANSWER DOCUMENT F37

Vocational Technical Literacy Skills TestWriting Subtest: Sample Multiple-Choice Items1. Read the paragraph below; then answerthe question that follows.1Day-care center staff members are requiredto wash all surfaces with a cleaning solutionat least four times each day. 2 You alsosanitize the diaper-changing areasthoroughly after each use. 3 Staff followspecific procedures for cleaning childrenduring diaper changes and after eating.4They also wear latex gloves when handlingfood or changing diapers and wash theirhands thoroughly and frequently.In which sentence does the writer changefrom a third-person to a second-person pointof view?A. Sentence 1B. Sentence 2C. Sentence 3D. Sentence 42. In which sentence is the underlined verbform used correctly?A. All of the seedlings germinates ingreenhouse 7.B. A potential source of contaminationthreaten the aquifer.C. One farmer in this area utilizesintegrated pest management.D. The horse trainer supplement the feedwith high-quality hay.3. Choose the best word or words tocomplete the sentence below.The finished commercial that heproduced was ________ replaced byan earlier version.A. on accidentB. accidentallyC. as accidentD. accidental38

Vocational Technical Literacy Skills TestWriting Subtest: Sample Multiple-Choice Items4. Read the passage below; then answer thequestion that follows.1The accuracy of weather forecastinghas greatly improved with computertechnology, predicting the weather remainsimperfect. 2 Weather forecasters observe theweather at any given moment; then theypredict what the weather will be hours ordays later. 3 In the 1800s, scientists began tomake simultaneous weather observations ata particular time across a region, theyplotted these observations on a map. 4 Todaytelevision weather reporters illustrate theirforecasts; using computer-generated weathermaps.5. Which underlined word in the sentencebelow is spelled correctly?After consulting with the decorater, thecarpenter created a beautifull table for thehotel dinning room.A. decoraterB. createdC. beautifullD. dinningIn which sentence above are two ideasjoined using correct structure andpunctuation?A. Sentence 1B. Sentence 2C. Sentence 3D. Sentence 439

Vocational Technical Literacy Skills TestWriting Subtest—Written Composition: Sample ItemIn this section of the Writing subtest, the candidate is asked to prepare a composition on an assigned topic.Responses are scored on the extent to which they effectively communicate a whole message to the specifiedaudience for the stated purpose. The candidate is assessed on his or her ability to express, organize, and supportopinions and ideas. The candidate is not assessed on the position he or she takes. The final version of thecomposition should conform to the conventions of standard American English, should be written legibly, andshould be the candidate's own original work. More specifically, the candidate's response is scored according tothe following performance characteristics:• APPROPRIATENESS: The extent to which the response addresses the topic and uses language andstyle appropriate to the given audience, purpose, and occasion.• MECHANICAL CONVENTIONS: The extent to which words are spelled correctly and the responsefollows the conventions of punctuation and capitalization.• USAGE: The extent to which the response shows care and precision in word choice and is free of usageerrors.• SENTENCE STRUCTURE: The effectiveness of the sentence structure and the extent to which thesentences are free of structural errors.• FOCUS AND UNITY: The clarity with which the response states and maintains focus on the main ideaor point of view.• ORGANIZATION: The clarity of the writing and the logical sequence of ideas.• DEVELOPMENT: The extent to which the response provides statements of appropriate depth,specificity, and/or accuracy.A sample of the test directions is provided on the next page.40

Vocational Technical Literacy Skills TestWriting Subtest—Written Composition: Sample ItemDIRECTIONS FOR THE COMPOSITION EXERCISE OF THE WRITING SUBTESTThis section of the writing subtest consists of one writing assignment. The assignment can be found on thenext page. You are asked to prepare a multiple-paragraph composition of approximately 150 to 300 wordson an assigned topic.You may use any blank space in the test booklet to make notes, write an outline, or otherwise prepare yourcomposition. However, your score will be based solely on the version of your composition that iswritten on pages 3 and 4 of Answer Document F. Compositions written in the test booklet will NOTbe scored.Your composition should effectively communicate a whole message to the specified audience for the statedpurpose. You will be assessed on your ability to express, organize, and support opinions and ideas. Youwill not be assessed on the position you express.Your composition will be evaluated based on the following criteria:• APPROPRIATENESS: The extent to which the response addresses the topic and uses languageand style appropriate to the given audience, purpose, and occasion.• MECHANICAL CONVENTIONS: The extent to which words are spelled correctly and theresponse follows the conventions of punctuation and capitalization.• USAGE: The extent to which the response shows care and precision in word choice and is free ofusage errors.• SENTENCE STRUCTURE: The effectiveness of the sentence structure and the extent to whichthe sentences are free of structural errors.• FOCUS AND UNITY: The clarity with which the response states and maintains focus on the mainidea or point of view.• ORGANIZATION: The clarity of the writing and the logical sequence of ideas.• DEVELOPMENT: The extent to which the response provides statements of appropriate depth,specificity, and/or accuracy.Your composition must be communicated clearly enough to permit valid judgment of the evaluation criteriaby scorers. The final version of your composition should conform to the conventions of standard AmericanEnglish. Your composition should be your original work, written in your own words, and not copied orparaphrased from some other work.Please write legibly. You may not use any reference materials during the test. Remember to review yourwork and make any changes you think will improve your response.USE ANSWER DOCUMENT F:PAGES 3 AND 441

Vocational Technical Literacy Skills TestWriting Subtest—Written Composition: Sample ItemCOMPOSITION EXERCISERead the information below; then follow the instructions for writing your composition.A common task facing everyone at one time or another is learning how to use an unfamiliar tool,device, instrument, or appliance. Your purpose is to write a composition, to be read by a generalaudience of adults, in which you identify a tool, device, instrument, or appliance (e.g., power saw,computer spreadsheet program, x-ray machine, food processor), then describe how to use thattool, device, instrument, or appliance. You may include in your composition, but are not limited to,the following topics: a description of the functions that can be performed by the tool or device,information about the components and power requirements of the tool or device, and strategies forusing the tool or device safely.42

Vocational Technical Literacy Skills TestWriting Subtest—Written Composition: Sample ResponseThe sample below is an example of a strong response.The following is a description of how to change gears in a car with manualtransmission.The clutch is located to the left of the brake pedal and is pushed downward just likethe gas and brake pedals. Press it down in order to change gears, and let up on it tocruise in the new gear. The other piece that is engaged in the process is the stick shift,usually located beside the driver’s right thigh.To begin, start the car with the clutch depressed. Move the stick to the middle ofthe gear mechanism (neutral), where it moves freely from left to right. Next, slide thestick left as far as possible and forward (toward the front of the car) into first gear.In this position, let the clutch pedal up quickly but evenly and press down on the gas pedal.The car will begin to move forward. First gear is used only to get the car moving—do notstay in this gear for more than a few seconds.Once the car begins to move, press the clutch down all the way, let up on the gas,and pull the stick straight back (toward the rear of the car) as far as possible, keeping itto the left. This is second gear. Let up on the clutch while completing the pull back andpress on the gas again to accelerate. Go into third (forward and to the right of firstgear), fourth (straight back from third), and fifth gear (forward and to the extremeright) in the same manner. Reverse is typically all the way to the right and back, and isharder to engage in order to avoid slipping directly into from fifth gear. The car shouldbe completely stopped before going into reverse.43

Vocational Technical Literacy Skills TestWriting Subtest—Written Summary: Sample ItemThis section of the Writing subtest presents a passage for the candidate to summarize in his or her own words.Responses are scored on the extent to which they effectively communicate the main idea and essential points ofthe passage clearly and concisely, in the candidate's own words. The response should conform to the conventionsof standard American English (i.e., be free of grammatical errors) and should be written legibly. Morespecifically, the candidate's response is scored according to the following performance characteristics:• FIDELITY (closeness, faithfulness): The accuracy and clarity with which the response uses your ownwords to convey and maintain focus on the writer's main ideas.• CONCISENESS (briefness, succinctness): The extent to which the response is of appropriate length,depth, and specificity to convey the writer's main ideas.• ORGANIZATION (logic, clarity): The clarity of the writing and the logical sequence of ideas.• GRAMMAR AND MECHANICS: The effectiveness of the sentence structure and the extent to whichthe sentences are free of structural errors. The extent to which the writing shows care and precision inword choice and is free of usage errors. The extent to which words are spelled correctly and the writingfollows the conventions of punctuation and capitalization.A sample of the test directions is provided on the next page.44

Vocational Technical Literacy Skills TestWriting Subtest—Written Summary: Sample ItemDIRECTIONS FOR THE WRITING SUMMARY EXERCISE OF THE WRITING SUBTESTThis section of the writing subtest presents a passage for you to summarize in your own words. The passagecan be found on the next page. Prepare a summary of approximately 75 to 125 words.You may use any blank space in this test booklet or on the unlined page following the passage to make notes,write an outline, or otherwise prepare your summary. However, your score will be based solely on theversion of your summary that is written on page 5 of Answer Document F. Summaries written in thetest booklet will NOT be scored.Your summary should effectively communicate the main idea and essential points of the passage. You areexpected to identify the relevant information and communicate it clearly and concisely in your own words.Your summary will be evaluated based on the following criteria:• FIDELITY (closeness, faithfulness): The accuracy and clarity with which the response uses yourown words to convey and maintain focus on the writer's main ideas.• CONCISENESS (briefness, succinctness): The extent to which the response is of appropriatelength, depth, and specificity to convey the writer's main ideas.• ORGANIZATION (logic, clarity): The clarity of the writing and the logical sequence of ideas.• GRAMMAR AND MECHANICS: The effectiveness of the sentence structure and the extent towhich the sentences are free of structural errors. The extent to which the writing shows care andprecision in word choice and is free of usage errors. The extent to which words are spelled correctlyand the writing follows the conventions of punctuation and capitalization.Your summary must be communicated clearly enough to permit valid judgment of the evaluation criteria byscorers. The final version of your summary should conform to the conventions of standard AmericanEnglish. Your summary should be your original work, written in your own words, and not copied orparaphrased from some other work.Please write legibly. You may not use any reference materials during the test. Remember to review yourwork and make any changes you think will improve your response.USE ANSWER DOCUMENT F:PAGE 545

Vocational Technical Literacy Skills TestWriting Subtest—Written Summary: Sample ItemRead the selection below; then follow the instructions for writing your summary.Workplace Hazard AvoidanceSince the passage of the 1970 Occupational Safetyand Health Act (OSHA), the role of the safety andhealth manager at American manufacturing firmshas become increasingly important. A significantcomponent of the manager's job these days isrecognizing and reducing the risk of hazards inthe workplace. Safety and health involve theunknown in many instances, so a manager cantake a variety of approaches to anticipate andeliminate both known and unknown hazards.Four general strategies concerning hazardavoidance provide managers with a variety oftools to accomplish this job. While all theapproaches have merit, none guarantees sureelimination of hazards. The manager has thegreatest chance of ensuring worker safety andhealth by drawing from the following fourstrategies: enforcement, employee awareness andencouragement, safety engineering, and analysis.The enforcement approach is direct. Rules aremade clear and penalties for violations are severeand enforced. The manager's job is to determinethe mandatory standards of OSHA safety rules thatare relevant for his or her plant and to ensure thatthey are obeyed.The employee awareness approach encouragesthinking about and acting in safe ways. It employsconcepts of acknowledgement and reward.Posters and signs remind workers of safetymeasures. Meetings, awards, and prizes are usedto recognize and reward safe attitudes and actions.Most importantly, the manager ensures that allemployees encourage safety through modelingsafe behavior.The safety engineering approach requires themanager to consider workplace machinery, theenvironment, and protective systems. Emergencycutoff switches, guards, ergonomic designs, noisecontrol, and protective equipment are all used toengineer a safer workplace.Last, a manager must take an analytical approachto the hazards of the workplace. This involvesstudying the mechanisms of potential hazards,analyzing statistical histories, computingprobabilities of accidents, and being familiarwith toxicological studies. When incidents andaccidents take place, they need to be analyzed todevelop preventive strategies.By combining all four of the safety strategies, thesafety and health manager can make a significantcontribution to the good health of all employees.In the process, that contribution will positivelyenhance the health of the company itself.46

Vocational Technical Literacy Skills TestWriting Subtest—Written Summary: Sample ResponseThe sample below is an example of a strong response.Since the passage of OSHA, manufacturing firms have become more concerned withhealth and safety in the workplace. Strategies that managers use to eliminate hazardsand minimize risk include enforcement, employee awareness and encouragement, safetyengineering, and analysis.The direct approach is to make safety rules clear to employees and to strictly enforcethem. A less direct approach is to heighten awareness by creating a climate where safetyis discussed, acknowledged, and rewarded through meetings, posters, awards, etc. Anotherapproach is to engineer the workplace to be safer and more healthful by controlling noise,using ergonomic design, and installing cutoff switches, guards, and protective equipment.In addition to these three methods, a health and safety manager will analyze theworkplace for potential hazards, using statistical histories, accident probabilities, andtoxicology reports; he or she will also analyze accidents that do happen to try tounderstand and implement safeguards to prevent them in the future.These four approaches work together to improve the safety and health of employeesand the company itself.47

Answer Key to Sample Multiple-Choice ItemsReading SubtestQuestion NumberCorrect Response1 D2 C3 D4 C5 A6 BWriting SubtestQuestion NumberCorrect Response1 B2 C3 B4 B5 B48