MAP Industry Best Practices 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: On a MAP ELA constructed-response item, what is the best way to support a claim?
- Restate the question in different words
- Write as many sentences as possible regardless of relevance
- Cite specific evidence from the text and explain how it supports the claim (Correct answer)
- Share a personal opinion without referencing the text
Correct answer: Cite specific evidence from the text and explain how it supports the claim
Scorers reward responses that use text evidence and explain its connection to the claim.
Question 2: Which strategy is most effective when answering a multiple-choice math item on MAP?
- Estimate first, then eliminate answers that are clearly unreasonable (Correct answer)
- Pick the first answer that contains a number from the problem
- Always choose the longest answer
- Skip all word problems
Correct answer: Estimate first, then eliminate answers that are clearly unreasonable
Estimation helps rule out implausible choices and check computed answers.
Question 3: In the writing process assessed on MAP, which step comes immediately after drafting?
- Publishing
- Brainstorming
- Revising (Correct answer)
- Prewriting
Correct answer: Revising
After drafting, writers revise to improve content and organization before editing and publishing.
Question 4: A student reads a passage with an unfamiliar word. What is the best-practice strategy?
- Guess based on the word's length
- Skip the entire passage
- Assume it means the opposite of the nearest word
- Use context clues from surrounding sentences (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Use context clues from surrounding sentences
Context clues are the primary strategy for determining word meaning on reading tests.
Question 5: On a MAP science item about an experiment, which variable is deliberately changed by the investigator?
- Confounding variable
- Controlled variable
- Dependent variable
- Independent variable (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Independent variable
The independent variable is the one the experimenter manipulates.
Question 6: Why is a fair test in science designed to change only one variable at a time?
- So that a hypothesis is not needed
- To make the experiment shorter
- So any change in results can be attributed to that variable (Correct answer)
- Because changing variables is not allowed
Correct answer: So any change in results can be attributed to that variable
Controlling other variables isolates the effect of the one being tested.
Question 7: Which best practice helps students prepare for the online format of MAP tests?
- Studying only on paper worksheets
- Avoiding computers before the test
- Memorizing last year's answer key
- Practicing with DESE's online practice and training tests (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Practicing with DESE's online practice and training tests
Practice tests familiarize students with the testing tools and item types.
MAP Industry Best Practices 3
On a MAP ELA constructed-response item, what is the best way to support a claim?