What is a method used to assess a student's overall writing abilities which encompasses organization, fluency, and general mechanics?

Holistic scoring is a method that evaluates a student's writing by considering the piece as a whole rather than assessing individual components separately. This approach captures the overall effectiveness of the writing in terms of organization, fluency, and mechanics, allowing educators to gauge how well these elements work together to convey meaning and engage the reader.

In holistic scoring, a single score or rating is assigned based on the general impression of the writing. This contrasts with analytic scoring, which breaks down writing into specific criteria and assigns separate scores for each aspect, providing more detailed insights into strengths and weaknesses but not reflecting the integrated nature of effective writing. Norm-referenced scoring compares a student's performance to a standardized group, while descriptive scoring focuses on providing detailed feedback about writing features but may not encapsulate the overall effectiveness as a single assessment.

Therefore, holistic scoring is ideal for assessing writing as it emphasizes the cohesiveness and overall quality, important factors in effective communication.