ACT WritingACT Writing30 Minutes, ONE essay question30 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)

There is no right or wrong answer to the essay. Just choose your position and then support your opinion with examples.

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!

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!

Four-Step Method

STEP 4: Proofread!

Leave yourself at least one-two minutes to review your work!

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.

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

FOUR-STEP METHOD RECAP

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

The Mantra Organization and Clarity, Organization and Clarity,

Organization and Clarity…

Know your points (examples and details) before you start writingUse an effective HOOK to bring reader

inUse regular TRANSITIONS to provide

the glue that holds your ideas togetherEnd 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!!

Helpful Website:

www.actwritingtips.com