The final exam is a proctor-secured written essay worth 25% of your final grade.
To comply with the Ontario Ministry of Education guidelines for secure, authentic assessment, you will prepare your outline and quotes beforehand, and then draft your essay live on camera in the secure text editor.
exam.asyncacademy.ca.Before starting the proctored exam writing session, you must prepare a notes and outline document.
Write a multi-paragraph synthesis essay (500–800 words) on one of the three prompts below. Support your arguments with specific examples, quotes, and insights from your coursework.
Prompt: In the digital age, the boundaries between objective reporting, opinion, and artificial synthesis have blurred, creating a crisis of public trust. How can the verification techniques of journalism (from fact-checking to analyzing media bias) and ethical AI collaboration be utilized to defend the integrity of truth? Frame your argument by contrasting objective analysis with the sensationalism often found in digital media.
Prompt: In Hamlet, Shakespeare explores the conflict between existential reflection and the demand for decisive action, highlighting the consequences of intellectual delay and moral hesitation. To what extent does Hamlet’s struggle reflect the modern dilemma of 'analysis paralysis' and overthinking faced by young people in a highly demanding, information-saturated society? Support your argument with evidence from the play and modern psychological contexts.
Prompt: To what extent is a person's life story a constructed fiction rather than an objective reality? Analyze the tension between authentic identity and public representation by examining how the subject of your Biography Case Study constructed, edited, or curated their identity for their audience, and discuss the ethical implications of this curation.
Your completed Synthesis Essay (pasted outline notes sidebar + final written draft) typed live from scratch in the Secure Workspace
A Google Drive link to your phone camera proctoring recording
We are learning to:
Draft a cohesive, structured academic essay under timed conditions without generative AI assistance
Select and synthesize textual evidence to defend an arguable thesis statement
Apply self-correction strategies to ensure clear syntax and grammatical accuracy
I can:
Formulate a clear, arguable thesis and structured outline beforehand
Write a multi-paragraph academic essay live under proctored conditions
Integrate relevant quotes or case study evidence
Provide a complete proctored video recording verifying your authentic work
| Category | Level 4 | Level 3 | Level 2 | Level 1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Knowledge / Understanding
How well does the student demonstrate understanding of the chosen play/biography themes and structures?
|
Demonstrates a thorough, deep, and accurate understanding of key themes, character arcs, and structures | Demonstrates a considerable and accurate understanding of key themes, character arcs, and structures | Demonstrates some understanding of key themes, character arcs, and structures | Demonstrates limited understanding, with frequent inaccuracies or superficial analysis |
|
Thinking / Inquiry
How effectively does the student construct a persuasive argument and support their thesis statement under timed conditions?
|
Thesis is highly sophisticated, and arguments are exceptionally logical, well-defended, and cohesive | Thesis is clear, and arguments are logical, well-defended, and cohesive | Thesis is basic, and arguments are generally logical with some inconsistencies or gaps | Thesis is unclear, and arguments are weak, disjointed, or lack support |
|
Application
How effectively does the student integrate textual evidence (quotes) and adhere to the proctoring protocols?
|
Integrates evidence seamlessly and follows all proctoring/recording guidelines flawlessly | Integrates evidence effectively and follows proctoring/recording guidelines | Integrates evidence with uneven effectiveness and follows most proctoring guidelines | Integrates little or no evidence, or fails to adhere to proctoring guidelines |
|
Communication
How clearly, logically, and grammatically does the student express their ideas in the written essay?
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Expresses ideas with a high degree of clarity, flow, and grammatical precision | Expresses ideas clearly, logically, and with considerable grammatical accuracy | Expresses ideas with some clarity and logic, but has minor grammatical errors | Written communication lacks clarity, organization, or contains frequent errors that impede understanding |
Demonstrates a thorough, deep, and accurate understanding of key themes, character arcs, and structures
Demonstrates a considerable and accurate understanding of key themes, character arcs, and structures
Demonstrates some understanding of key themes, character arcs, and structures
Demonstrates limited understanding, with frequent inaccuracies or superficial analysis
Thesis is highly sophisticated, and arguments are exceptionally logical, well-defended, and cohesive
Thesis is clear, and arguments are logical, well-defended, and cohesive
Thesis is basic, and arguments are generally logical with some inconsistencies or gaps
Thesis is unclear, and arguments are weak, disjointed, or lack support
Integrates evidence seamlessly and follows all proctoring/recording guidelines flawlessly
Integrates evidence effectively and follows proctoring/recording guidelines
Integrates evidence with uneven effectiveness and follows most proctoring guidelines
Integrates little or no evidence, or fails to adhere to proctoring guidelines
Expresses ideas with a high degree of clarity, flow, and grammatical precision
Expresses ideas clearly, logically, and with considerable grammatical accuracy
Expresses ideas with some clarity and logic, but has minor grammatical errors
Written communication lacks clarity, organization, or contains frequent errors that impede understanding