ICE Examples

⭐ GOOD EXAMPLE: Effective Use of ICE

Prompt: Should schools eliminate grades in favor of narrative evaluations?

Argument: Narrative evaluations provide students with more meaningful feedback that supports long-term learning and growth.

Paragraph:

Students benefit far more from personalized feedback than from a letter grade that tells them little about their progress or potential. Educational psychologist Dr. Susan Brookhart argues, “Grades tend to reduce student interest in learning for its own sake, encourage avoidance of challenging tasks, and foster a fear of failure” (Brookhart 2017). By introducing narrative evaluations instead, educators can offer specific comments on effort, growth, and areas for improvement—something a simple ‘B+’ can’t convey. Brookhart’s observation highlights how traditional grading promotes a fixed mindset, where students chase the grade rather than engage with the material. When feedback is instead rooted in descriptive evaluation, students are more likely to reflect on their learning process, set personal goals, and remain motivated even when material becomes challenging. This fosters a healthier academic environment and builds skills that extend far beyond the classroom.

✅ What’s good about this:

• The source is introduced with context ("Educational psychologist Dr. Susan Brookhart argues...")

• The quote is cited properly.

• The paragraph clearly explains and analyzes the quote’s relevance to the main claim.

• Commentary ties the source to the broader argument and gives depth to the claim.
  
  

🚫 BAD EXAMPLE: Ineffective Use of ICE

Same Prompt and Argument

Paragraph:

Narrative evaluations are better than grades. “Grades tend to reduce student interest in learning for its own sake” (Brookhart 2017). This shows that narrative evaluations are better because students won’t worry about grades anymore. Therefore, narrative evaluations are a good idea.

🚫 What’s weak about this:

• The quote is dropped in with no introduction or context (this is known as a "dropped quote").

• There’s little to no explanation or commentary; the writer assumes the quote speaks for itself.

• The reasoning is vague and repetitive ("narrative evaluations are better").

• It doesn’t connect the quote back to a bigger idea or dig deeper into implications.