Get Out of Town…Get Out of Town…

With a great ACT writing scoreWith a great ACT writing score

What to IncludeWhat to Include Your position on the issueYour position on the issue A strong thesis that outlines the main arguments of A strong thesis that outlines the main arguments of

your essayyour essay Recognition of opposing argumentsRecognition of opposing arguments Transitions – see Vol. 1 p. 223Transitions – see Vol. 1 p. 223 ClinchersClinchers Supporting evidence/well-developed explanation of Supporting evidence/well-developed explanation of

pointspoints Consistent third-person pronouns (no I or you, etc.)Consistent third-person pronouns (no I or you, etc.) Sentence VariationSentence Variation

Hints and TipsHints and TipsPrewrite – Plan your essay –Use your Prewrite – Plan your essay –Use your experiences as examples. Refresh your memory experiences as examples. Refresh your memory about:about:

*Favorite books*Favorite books

*School subjects*School subjects

*Historical events, *Historical events,

*Personal experiences*Personal experiences

**Familiarize yourself with current events**Familiarize yourself with current events

More Hints and TipsMore Hints and Tips State a CLEAR perspective on the issueState a CLEAR perspective on the issue ANSWER ANSWER

THE QUESTION and ONLY the THE QUESTION and ONLY the questionquestion

You must work quickly – You have 30 minutes for prewriting, You must work quickly – You have 30 minutes for prewriting, writing and editingwriting and editing

Write neatly – Appearances countWrite neatly – Appearances count

Don’t skip lines and use a pencilDon’t skip lines and use a pencil

EDIT, EDIT, EDIT – Leave yourself at LEAST two minutes EDIT, EDIT, EDIT – Leave yourself at LEAST two minutes

to proofread your workto proofread your work..

Even MORE Hints and TipsEven MORE Hints and Tips

Organization and clarity are KEY to an above Organization and clarity are KEY to an above average essay (4,5,6)average essay (4,5,6)

If your reader doesn’t understand your train of If your reader doesn’t understand your train of thought- you won’t do well. thought- you won’t do well.

Testmakers LOVE Testmakers LOVE specific examples specific examples and the more and the more concrete your examples are the more they clarify concrete your examples are the more they clarify your thinking and keep you focused.your thinking and keep you focused.

In some countries, upon graduating from or leaving high In some countries, upon graduating from or leaving high school, young people are required to perform 24 months of school, young people are required to perform 24 months of compulsory service. A choice is offered between military compulsory service. A choice is offered between military service and an alternative, community service. Some people service and an alternative, community service. Some people think universal think universal compulsory service is a good idea because compulsory service is a good idea because young people learn valuable lessons from the experienceyoung people learn valuable lessons from the experience. . Other people think that such a Other people think that such a required service engenders required service engenders resentmentresentment so that no important civic lesson is learned. In so that no important civic lesson is learned. In your opinion, should all young people be required to your opinion, should all young people be required to participate in some form of universal compulsory service?participate in some form of universal compulsory service?

Sample Essay (Score = 4)Sample Essay (Score = 4)

Look forLook for Position on issuePosition on issue ThesisThesis Clear Intro, Body and ConclusionClear Intro, Body and Conclusion Recognition of opposing viewpointsRecognition of opposing viewpoints Well-developed explanationsWell-developed explanations TransitionsTransitions ClinchersClinchers

Consistent Third Person Point of ViewConsistent Third Person Point of ViewSample Essay 4Sample Essay 4

Sample Essay (Score = 5)Sample Essay (Score = 5) Look forLook for Position on issuePosition on issue ThesisThesis Recognition of opposing viewpointsRecognition of opposing viewpoints Well-developed explanations – moves from Well-developed explanations – moves from

general idea to specific examplegeneral idea to specific example TransitionsTransitions ClinchersClinchers

Consistent Third Person Point of ViewConsistent Third Person Point of View Sentence VariationSentence Variation

Sample Essay 5Sample Essay 5

Sample Essay (Score = 6)Sample Essay (Score = 6) Look forLook for

Position on issuePosition on issue ThesisThesis Recognition of opposing viewpointsRecognition of opposing viewpoints Well-developed explanations – moves from Well-developed explanations – moves from

general idea to specific examplegeneral idea to specific example TransitionsTransitions ClinchersClinchers

Consistent Third Person Point of ViewConsistent Third Person Point of View Sentence VariationSentence Variation Sophisticated Word ChoiceSophisticated Word Choice

Sample Essay 6Sample Essay 6

EDIT, EDIT, EDIT – Leave yourself at LEAST two minutes to proofread your work.

Read pages Vol. 1 p.219 – 227 for hints and Read pages Vol. 1 p.219 – 227 for hints and tips on essay writingtips on essay writing

In Volume 2 look at the sample writing In Volume 2 look at the sample writing prompts on pages 380, 436, 496, and 556prompts on pages 380, 436, 496, and 556

Sample Essay (Score = 1)Sample Essay (Score = 1)

Well I don't think they should have a dress code Well I don't think they should have a dress code because, it takes away from the kidsbecause, it takes away from the kids. We shouldn't be . We shouldn't be mindless drones. I thought this is America were you mindless drones. I thought this is America were you can exspece yourselfs. The government should stay can exspece yourselfs. The government should stay out of it. Next they will be telling us what we should out of it. Next they will be telling us what we should eat and think. I think if they look good they should be eat and think. I think if they look good they should be able to where what they want to. If they start control able to where what they want to. If they start control how we dress. Next, they will control everything. I how we dress. Next, they will control everything. I for one want to think and dress for myself. If we let for one want to think and dress for myself. If we let them tell us what to do slowly our freedoms will them tell us what to do slowly our freedoms will reduced to noting.reduced to noting.

Sample Essay (Score = 2)Sample Essay (Score = 2)I agree with parents and teachers who say dress codes is I agree with parents and teachers who say dress codes is

needed.needed. Dress codes sets guidelines for what students wear and Dress codes sets guidelines for what students wear and helps the learning environment.helps the learning environment.

Uniforms encourage equality. They sets guidelines for Uniforms encourage equality. They sets guidelines for what students wear so everyone looks the same. Uniforms what students wear so everyone looks the same. Uniforms encourage people to be equal by setting what all students wear encourage people to be equal by setting what all students wear at school.at school.

Uniforms helps stop rivalry between groups and Uniforms helps stop rivalry between groups and "clicks." Uniforms put an end to groups at school because "clicks." Uniforms put an end to groups at school because everyone looks the same. If everyone looks the same than everyone looks the same. If everyone looks the same than groups won't divide people by how they look because uniforms groups won't divide people by how they look because uniforms makes everyone equal. All students would be the same if they makes everyone equal. All students would be the same if they wear uniforms.wear uniforms.

These is just a few of the many benefits to wearing a These is just a few of the many benefits to wearing a uniform. A dress code is only one way of creating a good uniform. A dress code is only one way of creating a good school environment, but it is a good one.school environment, but it is a good one.

Sample Essay (Score = 3)Sample Essay (Score = 3) Look forLook for Position on issuePosition on issue ThesisThesis Clear Intro, Body, ConclusionClear Intro, Body, Conclusion

Recognition of opposing viewpointsRecognition of opposing viewpointsWell-developed explanationsWell-developed explanationsTransitionsTransitionsClinchersClinchersConsistent Third Person Point of ViewConsistent Third Person Point of View

Sample Essay 3Sample Essay 3