Writing Test

1. Writing Test Remediation

2. Prompt Specifications • The GHSWT topics are often referred to as “prompts,” for their purpose is to prompt or elicit a writing sample in an on-demand setting. • Each prompt is divided into two clearly marked parts: the Writing Situation and the Directions for Writing. • Writing prompts contain six elements.

3. Six Elements of the Writing Prompt Issue • The issue is to be of enough complexity to allow for the expression of diverse viewpoints. • The issue will be relevant to the experiences and interests of Georgia’s high school students. • Topics are drawn from teen and school-based issues, societal concerns, and diverse content areas (such as the social sciences and sciences). The variety of topics is intended to foster writing across the curriculum and to allow for differences in students’ prior knowledge.

4. The Prompt Descriptive Setup • The issue is presented within a framework that engages the writer’s interest, provides a realistic context for examining the issue, and presents enough information to familiarize any potentially uninformed writer with the nature of the issue. • The context may be historical, literary, current, or hypothetical. • Key terms that might be unfamiliar are defined, paraphrased, or illustrated with examples.

5. Knowledge Base Writers should be able to produce a complete and competent response using knowledge gained through either personal or academic experiences or a combination of these sources.

6. 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.

7. 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).

8. Form • Form is specified. • However, the conventions of form, such as the inside address or salutation of a business letter, are not evaluated. • Possible forms include letters, speeches, compositions, position papers, and papers to be read aloud.

9. 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

10. 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.

11. 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.

12. Persuasive Writing • has as its purpose convincing 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.

13. 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. • uses specific facts, personal experience and knowledge, and/or statistics to support the writer’s position.

14. What the Scorers Are Looking For!!! • 3-5 paragraphs • Well written sentences • No run-ons or fragments!!! • Simple Complete Sentences • Clear topic- One-sided • Persuasive

15. What Do You Need To Bring To The Test • A pencil or pen • THAT’S ALL!! • No… • Dictionaries • Paper • Notebooks

16. How Long Do You Have? • 100 minutes to write • That’s 1 hour and 40 minutes!!! • TAKE YOUR TIME! • The rest of the 20 minutes is to fill out the paper work and pass out the writing prompt

17. HOW IS IT SCORED? • Ideas 40% • Organization 20% • Style 20% • Conventions 20%

18. When you are finished writing what should you do? • Go back and read your writing…and ask these questions! • How much of this is correct? • Did I attempt anything complex? • Do I have some variety in my writing? • Does my paper make sense? • Do I have correct grammar and complete sentences? • Is my paper talking about 1 central topic?

19. How to Use Your Time Wisely • Planning & Prewriting = 20 minutes • Drafting/ Writing = 50 minutes • Revising/ Proofreading = 20 minutes

20. When Reading the Prompt What Should I Do? • The Issue • The Audience • The Format

21. For It To Be Persuasive… • Include the following in your writing: • 1. A clear statement of your position. • 2.Support your position with data (be able to verify). • 3. Include any prior knowledge (add information that you know relates to the topic).

22. Writing an Introduction • Hook • Problem/ Riddle • Surprising Fact • Statistics • Questions • Examples • Brief Story • Quotation • Thesis with points • Make sure in your thesis you give the 2-3 points that you will be talking about

23. Some Transitional Words * Body • In Fact • More Importantly • Especially • In Particular • Most Importantly • First, Secondly, Finally • Conclusion • In Conclusion • Above All

24. Writing a Conclusion • State your side again and tell me why you think it. • The conclusion is to remind the reader what you just wrote about and why it is good.

25. REMEMBER • There is a real human reading this paper. If you make it uninteresting and unenjoyable to read then it is harder for them to score it with a good grade. • Ask yourself: Would I want to read and grade this paper?