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ACT Writing

ACT Writing. 30 Minutes , ONE essay question. Format & Directions. Asks students to take a position on an issue and support it with evidence in a persuasive essay Graded on a 1-6 holistic scale. Four-Step Method. STEP 1: PAUSE TO KNOW THE PROMPT! (1 minute or less)

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ACT Writing

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  1. ACT Writing 30 Minutes, ONE essay question

  2. Format & Directions • Asks students to take a position on an issue and support it with evidence in a persuasive essay • Graded on a 1-6 holistic scale

  3. Four-Step Method • STEP 1: PAUSE TO KNOW THE PROMPT! (1 minute or less) • There is no right or wrong answer to the essay. Just choose your position and then support your opinion with examples.

  4. Four-Step Method • STEP 2: PLAN! • Take FIVE minutes or less to build a plan for your essay! • Controlled brainstorming • Create a quick pro/con graphic organizer – decide your position – and make sure that you can come up with arguments to support that position • Subject Matter • Avoid emotional and offensive examples • Information Banks • Refresh your memory about your favorite books, school subjects, historical events, personal experiences, etc. so that you can use them as examples in your essays • CREATE & SAVE your OUTLINES from in-class Writing prompts – and REVIEW THEM BEFORE THE ACT EXAM! • Structure your Essay! • Create a clear introduction with a hook, a body with transitions and a conclusion that ends with a bang. PLAN ON WRITING 5 PARAGRAPHS – and make them LOOK like paragraphs!

  5. Four-Step Method • STEP 3: PRODUCE! • Appearances count! Write 3-5 paragraphs (aim for 5!) and write NEATLY using INDENTATIONS for each new paragraph! • Stick with the Plan! Don’t introduce any new ideas other than the ones from your outline. • Write Carefully! Low scores can result from misspellings and grammatical errors. • Stay on Task! Make your writing direct and persuasive. USE ACTIVE VOICE! • Transitions! Think about the relationship between your ideas and make sure they follow each other logically. • Essay Length: Aim for 350-450 words. If that’s too much counting – just look at your hand for the HIGH-FIVE! FIVE PARAGRAPHS, each containing FIVE SENTENCES – and you should be OK!

  6. Four-Step Method • STEP 4: Proofread! • Leave yourself at least one-two minutes to review your work!

  7. How is it scored? • On a holistic scale of 1-6 (6 being the best) • TWO readers read and score each essay, then those scores are added together. • If there’s a difference of more than a point, your essay will be read by a third reader. • Statistically speaking, there will be few 6 essays. If each grader gives you a 4 or 5, that will place you at the upper range of those taking the exam.

  8. Skills Tested in the Writing Portion: • Stating a clear perspective on an issue • Answering the question in the prompt!!! BE SURE YOU ARE ANSWERING THE QUESTION ASKED! • Double-check your UNDERSTANDING of the prompt by UNDERLINING the actual position question. • Providing supporting evidence and logical reasoning • Building an argument and BACKING it up! • Maintaining focus and organizing ideas logically • Writing clearly

  9. FOUR-STEP METHOD RECAP

  10. To Score a 4 or higher: • To Score a 4: • Answer the question! • Support ideas with examples (be clear and obvious) • Set your examples within a context • Mention/refute the other side (your counter-argument) • Show logical thought and organization • Avoid major/frequent errors that make writing unclear • To Score a 5: • Address the topic in depth • Offer MORE examples and details: test graders LOVE SPECIFIC EXAMPLES, and the more concrete your examples are, the more they clarify your thinking and keep you focused • To score a 6: • Make transitions smoother and show variety in syntax and vocabulary (use some college-level vocab words and vary sentence length) • Add a generic metaphor to tie your argument together

  11. The Mantra • Organization and Clarity, Organization and Clarity, Organization and Clarity… • Know your points (examples and details) before you start writing • Use an effective HOOK to bring reader in • Use regular TRANSITIONS to provide the glue that holds your ideas together • End with a BANG to make your essay memorable (end with your STRONGEST point/example) If you start to run out of time, leave out one of your examples and be sure to have a concluding paragraph!!

  12. Helpful Website: www.actwritingtips.com

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