Georgia Graduation Writing Test

1. Reminders for the Georgia Graduation Writing Test

2. Writer’s Intent and Writing Task Cues in the wording of the prompt should make it clear whether the writer is to • examine different sides of a controversy or • choose a position and provide support for that position or • analyze a problem and its solution(s) The organization or structure of the writing sample is to be appropriate to the task.

3. Audience • The audience is specified. The audience may range from the familiar (fellow students or family members) to the distant (legislators, school board members, newspaper subscribers). • The audience will always be specified in the “Directions for writing” section.

4. Form (what you are writing) • Form is specified in the “Directions for writing” section. • However, the conventions of form, such as the inside address or salutation of a business letter, are not evaluated. • Possible forms include letters, speeches, position papers, editorials, and papers to be read aloud.

5. Successful Essays are consistently focused on the assigned topic, persuasive purpose and audience • have an effective introduction, body, and conclusion • demonstrate a well developed and valid writer’s position • present supporting ideas that are fully elaborated with specific examples and details

6. Successful Essays • fully address readers’ concerns and/or counter arguments. • have main points of their argument that are logically grouped and sequenced within paragraphs and across parts of the paper. • contain varied transitional elements that connect ideas (ex. first, next, finally) • exhibit word choice that is varied and precise throughout the response

7. Successful Essays • present sentences that are varied in length and structure. • show a writer’s voice that is distinctive. • maintain sustained attention to the audience in the introduction, body, and conclusion.

8. Successful Essays • strive for sentence formation, usage, and mechanics that are consistently correct in a variety of contexts. • contain only minor and infrequent errors. • have a text of sufficient length to demonstrate effective writing skills in a variety of contexts.

9. Good persuasive writing • convinces others to accept the writer’s position as valid, adopt a certain point of view, or take some action. • provides logical appeals, emotional appeals, facts, statistics, narrative anecdotes, humor and/or the writer’s personal experiences and knowledge.

10. Good persuasive writing • clearly establishes a position on the issue and fully develops an argument with specific details and examples. • defends the writer’s position with relevant evidence that is appropriate for the audience identified in the writing topic.

11. Good persuasive writing • demonstrates that the writer can anticipate and counter the audience’s position on the issue . • uses specific facts, personal experience and knowledge, and/or statistics to support the writer’s position.

12. Good persuasive writing • includes appeals to logic and/or emotion. • contains an organizational structure appropriate for persuasion.

13. Prepare yourself to write • Read the Writing Situation and Directions for Writing carefully. • Brainstorm for ideas. • Consider how to address your audience. • Decide what ideas to include and how to organize them. • Write only in English.

14. Make your paper meaningful • Use your knowledge and/or personal experiences that are related to the topic. • Express a clear point of view. • Fully support your position with specific details, examples, and convincing reasons. • Include an appeal to logic and/or emotions. • Organize your ideas in a clear and logical order. • Write a persuasive paper and stay on topic.

15. Make your paper interesting to read • Use examples and details that would be convincing to your audience. • Use appropriate voice that shows your interest in the topic. • Use precise, descriptive, vivid words. • Vary the type, structure, and length of your sentences. • Use effective transitions.

16. Edit and revise your paper • Consider rearranging your ideas and changing words to make your paper better. • Add additional information or details to make your paper complete. • Proofread your paper for usage, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling.

17. Timeline for the test Part 1: Planning/Prewriting (15 minutes) • Read your assigned topic on the Writing Topic Page and review the Writing Checklist. • Use the space provided for your notes, jot list, or outline. • Organize your major supporting details before writing the first draft. Part 2: Drafting (35 minutes) • Using your prewriting notes, write a first draft of your paper on the Drafting Sheet. • Concentrate on getting your ideas down on paper in a logical order. Part 3: Revising and Editing (25 minutes) • Carefully reread what you have written to see if your ideas are clear and fully developed. • Consider any changes that would make your paper better.

18. Timeline for the test Part 4: Final Draft (20 minutes) • Rewrite your paper on pages 3 and 4 of the Answer Document. • When you rewrite, make sure that you use a blue or black pen and write neatly. • You may either print or write in cursive. • Do not use pages 1 and 2 of the Answer Document for you writing. • Only what is written on pages 3 and 4 of the Answer Document will be scored. Part 5: Proofreading (5 minutes) • When you finish writing your final draft, make any needed corrections on your paper. • You may strike through words, but do so neatly. • Do not use correction fluid. The suggested times given in the directions are approximate. You will be reminded of the times for each part. What you write on the Planning/Prewriting Page and the Drafting Page will not be graded. Only your final draft will be graded. You MUST write your final draft (using a blue or black ink PEN) on the Answer Document using only pages 3 and 4.

19. Sample Writing Prompt • Writing Situation Many public school systems across the country require students to wear uniforms. Some educators believe that wearing uniforms will help students concentrate more on their school work. On the other hand, some students argue that having to wear uniforms prevents them from expressing their individuality. Your principal is considering whether students at your school should wear uniforms. • Directions for Writing Write a letter to your principal expressing your view on school uniforms. Provide convincing reasons and specific examples to support your position.

23. Sample Essay Outline • I. Introduction • Think of an effective idea for leading sentence. State a fact, question, quote, etc. to grab the reader’s attention. (Question, Anecdote, Bold Statement) • Thesis Statement: • II. Body Topic Sentence: Topic Sentence: Topic Sentence: • III. Conclusion Summarize main ideas, restate thesis

24. Nuggets of Wisdom from Mrs. Donaldson • If you can’t spell it, don’t use it. Always remember to look in the prompt for the spelling of some words. • Don’t argue both sides of the prompt. • Keep your audience in mind. • Don’t attack your reader by overusing “you.” • Don’t use slang. • If you are to write a letter, your paper better say “Dear Somebody,” at the top. • Remember that an editorial is an opinion piece written in a newspaper. • Don’t use don’t and other contractions.

25. Did you know… • Including statistics, data, expert opinion, and personal experiences can add support and evidence to your argument/point. You can completely MAKE UP, FABRICATE, LIE when it comes to creating statistics, data, expert opinion, and personal experiences to support your argument. You just need to make sure that the information you create enhances your argument and is believable. Remember, you are being graded on your ability to write and convince an audience. If your information is not 100% accurate, it is ok as long as it is believable.

26. Personal Story or Experience • Including a personal story or experience can be very convincing. Be sure that your story is concise and lends itself to the point that you are trying to make. When including a personal experience, be sure to include other information/strategies as well. Only citing personal experiences can come across as anecdotal and sometimes trivial if presented alone.

27. Statistics and Data • Using statistics in your persuasive writing is a great way to include solid evidence or support in your persuasive essay. YOU CAN COMPLETELY MAKE UP STATISTICS TO SUPPORT YOUR ARGUMENT FOR THE GHSGWT as long as they make sense and provide support for your argument.

28. Facts • Using facts in your writing is another way that you can beef up your evidence. There is a different between what is fact and what is asserted as fact. Think about what information you can present that your reader cannot reasonably dispute. For example, it is widely accepted that six million Jews died in the holocaust of World War II, but can we claim in our essay, then, that this is the worst display of humankind's systematic cruelty to other humans? Do you see where some people could make an argument against this statement? This is what you want to avoid when stating fact.

29. Quoting Experts • Quoting or citing experts on a subject is another way to develop a sound argument. Again, YOU CAN MAKE UP EXPERTS AND THEIR QUOTES as long as what you say they said logically supports your argument. “Bob Smith, geography professor at Harvard university and author of So You Think You Can Shake Me, states that there is constant plate and ground movement along the eastern coast of the United States.” Would this convince a group of architects developing high-rises in Atlanta to take extra efforts when developing the structure of their buildings? Yes, it probably would.