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The “Fast Food” Essay:
Quick and Consistent Strategies for Success on the ACT Writing Exam
All successful food chains understand that to be top notch, you must know…
Your customersYour ingredientsHow to put the ingredients together
Your CustomersYour Customers
Two “raters” score your essayEach rater is trained and certified
to grade the ACT essayEach rater assigns your essay a
score on a scale of 1-6 and these scores are added together to give you a subscore of 2-12
If two raters have wildly different scores, a third rater is brought in
Your Customers contd.
The essay graders are your customers
and you want to give them an essay that tastes just like
what they’re expecting…
How do I know what my customers are expecting?
You can learn exactly what the ACT raters expect by looking at the actual ACT
essay directions.
The ACT DirectionsRead the directions below and make sure you
understand them:___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
AssignmentIn your essay, take a position on this question. You may write about one of two points of view given, or you may present a different point of view on this question. Use specific reasons and examples to support your position.
The Dos and Don’ts of Great ACT Writing
DO: Write only on the given
topicTake a clear position on
the topicWrite persuasively to
convince the raterInclude reasons and
examples to support your position
DON’T: Write on a topic that
barely relates to the one given
Take a “wishy-washy” approach and try to argue 2 sides
Write creatively or ornately just to show off
Include examples that are not directly related to your position
The Dos and Don’ts of Great ACT WritingDO:
Write with correct grammar and spelling
Write clearlyWrite specifically and
concretely Write 5 paragraphs and
NOTE these paragraphs with proper indentation
Write only on the given lined paper
Write NEATLY!
DON’T: Forget to proof your work
for mistakesUse too many fancy
vocabulary words or overly long sentences
Be vague or use generalizations
Put more importance on length than on quality
Make your handwriting too large
The Rater’s Instructions
Raters must refer to a set-in-stone list of criteria when
evaluating each essay and deciding what grade (1-6) it deserves. Here’s what raters
are told to grade upon…
The Rater’s Instructions contd. Rank the student’s ability to…
Take and articulate a perspective on an issue
Maintain a clear focus on the perspective throughout the essay
Explore a position by using supportive evidence and logical reasoning
Organize ideas logicallyCommunicate clearly in writing
CHARACTERISTICSHere’s how scorers separate the good from the
bad….4-6 papers (good ones)Writers show a clear understanding of the purpose of
the essay by articulating their perspective and developing their ideas
Most generalizations will be developed with specific examples to support the writer’s perspective
A clear focus will be maintained throughout the paperThe paper will show competent use of languageAlthough there may be occasional errors, these will
only occasionally distract the rater and won’t interfere with the rater’s ability to understand the writer’s meaning
CHARACTERISTICSHere’s how scorers separate the good from the
bad….1-3 papers (bad ones)
Writers will not clearly articulate a perspective on the issue
The writing will usually demonstrate some development of ideas, but the development may be very general or repetitious
Most papers will maintain focus on the general topic identified with the prompt, but they may not maintain focus on the specific issue
Except for the weakest papers, the essay will use a clear but simple organizational structure
The language will be understandable for the most part, but errors will distract the rater and possibly interfere with understanding
To write a tasty ACT essay, you’ve got to know the necessary ingredients…Recipe for a top-notch ACT Essay:
Blend equal parts of the following:Positioning: the strength and clarity of
your stance on a given topicExamples: The relevance and
development of the examples you use to support your argument
Organization: The organization of each of your paragraphs and of your essay overall
Command of language: Sentence construction, grammar, and word choice
Positioning: The Essay TopicsTypical ACT topics will give you a
statement that addresses 2-sided issues like dress codes, block scheduling, justice, the definition of success, or the importance of learning from mistakes
The broadness of these topics allow you to find many examples to support the position that you take in your essay.
SAMPLE ACT PROMPTSome high schools in the United States have considered creating separate classrooms for male and female students in subjects such as mathematics and science. Some educators think separate classes will be beneficial because students will be less distracted from learning. Other educators think having separate classes for females and males will not be beneficial because it will seem to support stereotypes about differences in ability between males and females. In your opinion, should high schools create separate classes for male and female students?
The Two Sides: How to successfully state your essay’s position
Given the 30-minute time constraint, you need to quickly employ the following strategies to ensure a solid position:Brainstorm the two sides of the issue
with supporting pointsChoose one (and only one) positionUse a T-Chart to brainstorm
The T-Chart Method
My Position Opposing Position
Point 1 Point 1
Point 2 Point 2
Point 3 Point 3 (if
possible)
Your position will need at least 3 points; try to brainstorm at least 2 for the opposing position
Let’s try one for whether we should have separate classrooms or not…
We should separate:
Fewer distractionsEliminate teachers’
gender biasStudents would be
more comfortable in their academic interactions
It would perpetuate gender biases - although students wouldn’t be compared within one class, surely they would be compared among classes
Students of different genders provide different perspectives in academia
Comparison to “separate but equal”
We should NOT separate:
Essay Position: High School should be extended to 5 years
The Steps so far…
1. Read the prompt2. Make a T-chart that identifies
arguments for both sides of the issue3. Choose a side
NEXT STEP: Come up with examples that will substantiate your argument and compose an outline that organizes these ideas.
Step 4: Develop Examples
To make an ACT essay shine, you need to use excellent examples. This means that you use:Specific examplesA variety of examples
ANOTHER SAMPLE PROMPT
Many successful adults recall a time in their life when they were considered a failure at one pursuit or another. Some of these people feel strongly that their previous failures taught them valuable lessons and led to their later successes. Others maintain that they went on to achieve success for entirely different reasons. In your opinion, can failure lead to success? Or is failure simply its own experience?
A Look at Specific Examples…What are some possible examples to
support that “Learning the lessons taught by failure is a sure route to success”?
Possibility: The American Army during the Revolutionary War, which learned from its failures in the early years of war how it needed to fight the British
How to make this example work?BE SPECIFIC! Give dates, mention
people, battles, tactics.
Don’t be Intimidated!Don’t worry if you don’t instantly recall the
dates of historical eventsANY descriptive details that you can provide
will strengthen your argument, whether they are personal examples or historical facts
Just be sure to choose examples that you know a lot about in order to be specific
A solid example and details that use the example to prove the argument make the difference between a good ACT essay and a great one
Your Turn!
Write down at least two more specific examples that would help illustrate the position that: “Learning the lessons taught by failure is a sure route to success.”When you are finished, try to think of a COUNTER example.
Variety of Examples
As crucial as using specific examples is the variety of examples that you supply to prove your point
You’re more likely to impress the ACT scorers if you use a broad range of examples from different areas—history, art, politics, literature, and science, as well as your own life—as opposed to examples in only one of these areas
How It’s DoneHere are 3 examples of how you might choose to support the position, Failure can lead to success.
History: The Americans’ victory over the British in the Revolutionary War
Literature: In spite of David Copperfield’s difficult childhood, he eventually found personal and professional happiness
Current Events: The JetBlue airline succeeding by learning from the mistakes of its competitors.
THE OUTLINE
Use the basic structure of the 5-
paragraph essay to organize your outline
The 5-paragraph EssayA good ACT essay is like a triple-decker burger.
A tasty, tasty CON-PRO-PRO burger. It has 5 paragraphs, each with a purpose.
Paragraph 1: The Introduction (top bun)
Paragraph 2 - CON: Counterargument + Refutation
Paragraph 3 -PRO: Supporting Point + Examples (meat)
Paragraph 4 - PRO: Supporting Point + Examples (meat)
Paragraph 5: Conclusion (bottom bun)
Your OutlineIntroduction
Background information: What is the controversy?Thesis statement and reasoning
Paragraph 1 - CONCounterargument + refutation, include example(s)
Paragraph 2 - PROSupport point to your thesis + example(s)
Paragraph 3 - PROSupport point to your thesis + example(s)
Conclusion
The Top Bun: Introduction
Your introduction must do 3 things:Grab the reader’s attention (hook
statement)Explain your position on the topic
clearly and conciselyTransition the rater smoothly into
your 3 supporting pointsState your thesis
The Thesis StatementThe thesis statement identifies where you
stand on the topic and should pull the raters into the essay. A good thesis statement is strong, clear, and definitive.
High schools should create separate classrooms for male and female students, as this construct would ultimately help close the achievement gap between the sexes in the United States.
Although single-gender classrooms may be beneficial in some ways, high schools should not adopt the practice of separating male and female students because this academic structure would ultimately reinforce gender stereotypes.
School districts in the United States should not adopt a policy that separates classes by gender.
Body Paragraph 1: Support Includes Counterargument and RefutationAll top scoring essays include a
statement that explains a counterargument—a side that the opposition takes on– as well as refutation of this counterargument.
Basically, good essays show the beliefs of the opposition and show why the author’s position is stronger
Example, “Those who support single-sex classrooms may argue that… however, …” or “Many educators/parents argue…”
Body Paragraphs 2 & 3
Support your thesis statement with supporting evidenceIntroduce your supporting pointProvide specific and varied
examples to prove your point
Example – “One reason schools should remain on the four-year graduation plan is …“
Paragraph 5: Conclusion1. The re-cap: In 1-2 sentences,
summarize what you’ve already argued
2. Expand on your positionTake your argument and push it a little bit further—try looking into the future and show your reader what would happen if the position could be applied on a broader scale.
3. Provide a firm sense of closure in the last sentences.
Conclusion contd.
Examples of expanding your argument in the conclusion:
“If ______ is done ____will happen.”“It is when we truly ______that we see_____.”“Until ______happens, _______will continue.”Or provide another well-worded reminder of the
importance of your argument being accepted.
Sentence Structure, Word Choice, Grammar, and Spelling
Keep your sentences focused and concise—long and complicated sentences won’t impress the scorers.
Don’t search for sophisticated vocabulary words that you’re unsure of. Use the best words to make your points clear.
A few grammar errors won’t destroy your score, but patterns of errors will make your score suffer.
The Final Don’tsDon’t use “I” or “I believe” or “I think”. It
implies opinion or uncertainty and facts are much more persuasive. If you use them, just strike them out!
Don’t use “thing” or “stuff”. These words are ambiguous and don’t tell your reader very much.
Don’t use slang or word choices that aren’t appropriate for school. These words take away from your ability to persuade the reader.
Writers will not clearly articulate a perspective on the issue
The writing will usually demonstrate some development of ideas, but the development may be very general or repetitious
Most papers will maintain focus on the general topic identified with the prompt, but they may not maintain focus on the specific issue
Except for the weakest papers, the essay will use a clear but simple organizational structure
The language will be understandable for the most part, but errors will distract the rater and possibly interfere with understanding
•Writers show a clear understanding of the purpose of the essay by articulating their perspective and developing their ideas•Most generalizations will be developed with specific examples to support the writer’s perspective•A clear focus will be maintained throughout the paper•The paper will show competent use of language•Although there may be occasional errors, these will only occasionally distract the rater and won’t interfere with the rater’s ability to understand the writer’s meaning