The purpose of this booklet is to provide social studies teachers with student writing samples that exemplify the criteria used to score students' responses on the June 1987 Alberta (Canada) Social Studies 30 Diploma Examination. Students choose one of two possible essay questions that required writing a defense of individual initiative in national economics or the national pursuit of isolationist policies. Five writing examples of responses to each question are reproduced in the students' own handwriting, and these selected responses generally illustrate the quality levels of exceptional, proficient, satisfactory, limited, and poor. The essays are assessed for: (1) the use of description, examples, or case studies; (2) the description of value positions; (3) a defense of the position taken; and (4) the quality of language and expression. The accompanying commentaries discuss selected features of the students' responses and indicate how the scoring criteria used to evaluate the essays relate to the students' work. An appendix provides a scoring guide for each of the four assessed criteria. (JHP)