A process called focused holistic scoring has been developed for use in the Texas Assessment of Basic Skills to assess student performance on writing samples. This process is "holistic" because it evaluates a total piece of writing, and it is "focused" because it evaluates the writing in terms of two specific objectives identified for the writing sample: organizing ideas in writing and responding appropriately to purpose and audience. All holistic scoring is based on the concept that a valid assessment of writing depends upon the examination of a sample of writing as a totality. Language conventions and handwriting are not considered unless they are so serious that they interfere with the communication of the writer's ideas. The procedures used for focused holistic scoring require independent readings by two trained scorers for each paper. Before scoring ever begins, a complete scoring guide has been developed for each item. It includes the following elements: the aim of the writing exercise, the exercise itself, the rationale for the exercise, constraints upon the exercise, descriptors of score points, and sample student responses. This booklet contains an example of a complete focused holistic scoring guide for an exit level writing test. (Author/BW)