Prep for the Writing OGT

1. Prep for the Writing OGT 19 FEBRUARY 2009 MRS. ADKINS MR. LEWIS

2. Agenda • What's On The Test • Types of Writing  • Writing Process • Writing Prompts   • Scoring • Tips  • Q & A  

3. What’s On The Test • 13 questions • 2 Major writing prompts • 18 pts each • 11 questions about writing • 48 pts. total

4. Types of Writing Passages Essay - any short piece of writing stating an author's point of view Informative  - writer takes the role of the expert on topic to an audience that we assume is unfamiliar with the topic.  This type of essay is challenging in that it forces you, the writer, to be informative and keep the readers interest simultaneously.   Persuasive- writer is taking the role of an advocate for a particular topic.  Your job, as the writer, is to convince your audience to accept your point of view.  It is important for the writers to keep their objective clear in this type of essay.

5. Type of Writing Passages Cont. Descriptive- this essay is intended to appeal to the reader's senses and vividly describe a thing or an occurrence.  This is a difficult essay for writer's because it is difficult to use words that "show" what the writer is describing rather than "telling".  Reflective - this essay uses personal thoughts and experiences to explore a topic.  Ultimately the writer would like to provide the reader with a new understanding of the topic due to the writer's experience.

6. How To Write Each Essay TypeInformative • Begin with your topic, the OGT will provide your topic • Form a thesis.  What do you want to share and support? • Begin an outline.  List details and evidence of major points that will begin to shape your essay. • Begin your essay.  The opening paragraph should contain your thesis statement and also capture your readers attention with leads into the body of the essay. • Use the body of the essay to provide your audience with specific information about your topic.  Each piece of information should have it's own paragraph and be properly segued.   • Conclude your essay.  Summarize what you have shared in your writing.  Bring closure to the essay and avoid adding additional information or raising new questions.

7. How To Write Each Essay TypePersuasive • Identify the main point of your essay and stick to it.   I.E. If you are writing to persuade your reader to vote for your candidate, do not write about animals in the zoo. • Keep in mind who your audience is.  It may be someone who is undecided or it may be someone who is adamantly against the idea. This makes a big difference in how to approach the essay. • Identify strong, supporting ideas.  Making a list of pros and cons will help you add facts and examples to support your idea. • Make sure to address the opposition's point of view and have a well informed response for it. • Organize your essay.  First paragraph should be an introduction and state your main point.  The following paragraphs should be your argument, one paragraph per supporting piece of evidence, with examples.  Once paragraph for oppositions point of view and finally a conclusive paragraph stating the main point.

8. How To Write Each Essay TypeDescriptive • Envision your surroundings.  Be sure to describe in great detail the characters and setting of your essay.  Be sure to focus on visuals (color, light, size, shape and volume) and smells . • Remember what would be heard. The mind often blocks out sounds but noise is always prevalent.  Focus on dialog between characters but also describe background noises vividly (the whoosh of cars passing on a wet street, the laughter of children playing, etc...) • Feeling is essential.  Be sure to describe what touches you and what you are touching.  Also, feeling is not limited to the physical senses but also emotions. • Keep your thoughts organized and your essay well formatted.  The events in your essay should happen chronologically.  Avoiding this will confuse your reader and weaken your essay.

9. How To Write Each Essay TypeReflective • Once you know your topic, make an outline of personal experiences that relate to the topic.  Use only strong experiences and be sure to group them logically. • Create a strong opening paragraph.  "Hook" your reader with a brief story that is cohesive with your thesis and other experiences that will be reflected upon. • Keep your experiences very specific, concrete and unique.  Make sure your experiences are all cohesive with your topic and are showing that you have experienced the topic. • Your experiences should be part of a universal truth, make sure your concluding paragraph shows your reader this.  The conclusion should address the following questions.  What did you learn through these realizations and experiences? What action should an individual facing these issues take next? How can you reconcile your experience with the rest of the world?

10. Writing Process • Pre-write • Outline • Draft • Keep in mind your time • 1 draft – revise this as your final • Edit • Proofread

11. 5 Paragraph Format Introduction  -  address the problem and what you plan to do. 1st paragraph  - State and support your idea with solid evidence 2nd paragraph - Support your ideas with additional evidence, introduce new ideas 3rd paragraph - Support new ideas with strong evidence Conclusion - Finalize all ideas into one paragraph that states your opinion clearly.

12. Proofread! • Be sure that you have written and stated exactly what you want to say. • Re-read what you have written and check your main ideas against your outline. • Each paragraph should transition rather seamlessly into the next, if this is not the case, write segues into each paragraph. • Check your work for spelling, grammar and punctuation mistakes. • Read each paragraph diligently and in a timely manner.

13. For Each Writing Prompt • Subject • What you are writing about • Audience • Who is reading • Purpose • Why? Goal or reason • Form • Letter, essay, story Types: Informative Descriptive Persuasive Reflective

14. From 2007 Spring Test SUBJECT: AUDIENCE: PURPOSE: FORM:

15. From 2007 Spring Test SUBJECT: AUDIENCE: PURPOSE: FORM:

16. Scoring Writing Applications – Organization, content, supporting ideas, style, word choice, etc)

17. Scoring Writing Conventions (Grammar, Punctuation, Spelling, etc)

18. Those Other 11 Questions • Editing / Revision • Choosing best sentence • What’s the best closing sentence? • Writing Process • Prewriting strategies • Handbook questions

19. “Handbook” Questions From 2006 Writing OGT

20. "In Your School" Questions • As an online student - may not apply  • For the test - just pretend that it does!  Your school has received a large donation for the purpose of inviting a famous person to speak or perform for the students and staff at an assembly. Select a famous person you would like to have visit your school for this assembly. Write to your student government, persuading them that this is the person who should be invited. Write your response in the Answer Document. (18 points) From 2005 Writing OGT

21. Tips for Success on the Writing OGT • Plan for at least 1 hour • NO BLANK ANSWERS  • Preview the prompts and questions  • Write legibly!  (Print or cursive)  • Double-check everything before you turn it in.  • Write in test document (it's OK!)

22. How OGT writing applies to future endeavors • College application essays • In-class essays • Vocational/trade documents • Personal enjoyment

23. Q & A

24. Prizes ALL IN ATTENDANCE – SKIP BLOG DOOR PRIZE

25. Good Luck!