Writing the ACT Essay

A Brief Tutorial

Understanding the Prompt• The prompt always follows the same structure

Use this to your advantage

• First sentence or two: Establishes the general topic

• Next sentence: Presents one side of the argument and a reason

• Next sentence Presents the other side of the argument and a

reason

• The Question: Asks you a yes or no question which you must

answer in the essay

• The Directions: The last part of the prompt that tells you what to do

Sample Prompt

Due to budget cuts, many school districts consider offering fewer elective classes such as music, art, and drama in high schools. Some school officials support cutting these kinds of classes in order to respond to budget cuts because they think core subjects like mathematics and English are more important for preparing students for success after high school. Other educators do not support cutting such elective classes because they think these classes offer students the opportunity to express themselves creatively. In your opinion, should school districts cut elective classes like art, music, and drama in high schools in order to respond to budget cuts?

In your essay, take a position on this question. You may write about either one of the two points of view given, or you may present a different point of view. Use specific reasons and examples to support your position.

Prewriting

• Determine which side you agree with. Suggestion: It’s best to choose the side that is easiest

to write.

• Prepare your arguments and counterarguments You need at least two strong arguments (but three is

better) You need to address at least one counterargument

• Keep in mind that you need specific, real-world examples to prove your point!

• If you can’t determine which side to choose, use a T-chart (See next slide)

• Begin writing

No Yes

1. try out arts fields for potential careers 1. Not many careers in the arts

2. break from the stress of school; “fun” 2. School=learning; needs focus not fun.

3. generate creative thinking needed for core 3. Do that on own time

•This topic generated a good amount of arguments on both sides. This means that you can pick either side.

•If you brainstorm and end up with more arguments for one side, then that’s the side you should write about.

The Introduction• Begin your essay by introducing the topic. It

helps if you can do so in a creative way.

• Do not use the exact words from the prompt—this is plagiarism!

• Example Intro:Upon walking into a drama, music, or art

classroom, one will generally find students, alert and deep in concentration, expressing themselves in a variety of ways. What these budding artists are all too aware of, however, is an important decision faced by the school board—budget cuts are necessary, so what should go first?

• The last sentence of your introduction should be your thesis.

The Thesis• The thesis should have three parts:

Introduce the oppositionState your position Include your reasons

• Example: While many claim that core subjects such as

math and English are more important than expressive arts classes, arts programs should not be cut as they provide an important opportunity for students to express their creativity, and studies have shown that students involved in the arts perform better in school.

The Body Paragraphs

• There are several ways that you can organize your essay.

• Each method is acceptable…just pick the style that works best for you and your approach to the prompt.

• So first you need to determine how much information you are planning to write.

• Let’s look at each of the organizational styles one at a time.

Style One…when you have much to say

• If you have three good arguments and three good counter arguments, then you will want to choose one of these methods: Counterargument Refute Argument

OR Argument Counter Refute

On a personal note, I find the first method to be the easiest and the one in which you will be least likely to repeat yourself.

If you have three arguments and three UNRELATED counterarguments, though, the second method works well.

X 3

X 3

Style Two…when you don’t have much to say

• If you only have two strong arguments and one counterargument (and remember…they give you one of each in the prompt—USE THEM!), then try this method: Body Paragraph 1

• Counterargument• Refute

Body Paragraph 2• Argument + Example

Body Paragraph 3• Argument + Example

THREE MOST IMPORTANT RULES!

• No matter the method you choose, you must remember to do three things: Include SPECIFIC, REAL WORLD EXAMPLES

• Without specific examples, you will not score higher than a 3 out of 6

Address and refute the opposition• Without showing the complexity of the issue, you

cannot score higher than a 2 out of 6 Structure your essay

• If you only write one paragraph, you cannot score higher than a 2 out of 6

• Exaggerate your paragraph indentions

Core subjects such as math, English, science, and social studies are essential in a school curriculum; few can disagree with this. These subjects provide students with lifelong skills needed to survive in the “real world.” Naturally, students should be expected to know how to compute, read and write, problem solve, and interpret and understand the world around them. Should these be the only skills, however, that students are expected to possess? A school that does not allow students to increase their knowledge of theater, music, or art does a great disservice to the community at large. By removing such programs, schools may save money, but they lose a great deal in the bargain as well.

Counter-Refute Sample Paragraph

Argument with Examples Sample ParagraphStudents naturally have interests that lay outside of the core curriculum, and taking away classes that allow students to express themselves may stifle their creativity and prevent them from learning about their talents. Allowing a child to express himself through drama, music, or art helps him to learn about himself and the world in a unique way and gives him an outlet to reveal his opinions, passions, and hopes free from the “yes-or-no-right-or-wrong” attitude of the core subjects. In these elective courses, students are able to learn about themselves and express themselves in a comfortable environment surrounded by students who have similar interests. In the drama classroom, a young actress can channel her recent heartbreak to fully express a character’s pain. As part of the school band, an aspiring musician can release his excitement about his newly acquired driver’s license by pounding the drums, while in the art studio, an eager painter may stroke the canvas in muted browns and greens, showing his inner tranquility. Removing these non-core classes may deprive students of such expressive opportunities, as many students cannot afford or do not have time for after-school programs offered within their community. Schools have an obligation to offer students a well-rounded education so that all students may discover their talents and, potentially, their future careers.

Combo Sample ParagraphMany people argue that schools should focus their time, energy, and money one the core classes because these are the subjects that students are tested on when they take the ACT, SAT, and college placement tests. Schools and students alike want to see high scores on these tests. Recent studies have shown, however, that students involved in artistic programs perform better in school, both in class and on standardized tests. When students are allowed to think creatively, they learn how to better use those skills that are encouraged in the core areas. When a student is faced with a new piece of music, he must first compute the rhythm, which is similar to the study of fractions. When faced with a new script, he must understand the play’s theme, plot, setting, and characters—elements discussed in a literature class. When examining art theory, students learn about diverse cultures and their histories. Removing these vital classes from the school’s curriculum risks reducing the students’ abilities to best understand the concepts required in core classes and on standardized tests.

The Conclusion

• Restate the thesis (using different words)

• End with a strong final thought on the topic

• Avoid asking the reader the question presented in the prompt.

• If you are running out of time, a single-sentence conclusion is acceptable (but only when necessary!).

Sample Conclusion

No one can deny that our economy is suffering which has certainly affected the budget for education, but attempting to save money by eliminating arts programs may have drastic consequences. Arts education is far too important to today’s students to be removed from our schools. Let us have graduates who can think creatively, speak boldly, and view others compassionately—they are the ones who will affect positive change in our world.

Final Tips and Suggestions• Write clearly…use transitions

• Avoid addressing the reader (don’t use “you”)

• Avoid saying things like “I think,” “In my opinion,” “I believe.” This is redundant.

• It is acceptable, however, to use personal examples to prove your point (“My school no longer offers drama classes, and I am missing out on certain opportunities because of it.”).

Final Tips and Suggestions cont.

• Think like someone who cares about the topic

• Always relate your examples to your position

• Manage your time effectively3 - 4 minutes to read prompt and

brainstorm/prewrite22 - 23 minutes to write the essay3 – 5 minutes to proofread/edit the essay

Final Tips and Suggestions cont.• Write like a mature teenager; avoid the following: Second person (you) Vague language (stuff, kind of, things) Harsh words (dumb, stupid, idiot, crap) Empty adverbs (really, very, totally, completely) In conclusion, Overall, In the end… Pronoun agreement (singular-plural) EX:

• When a student takes a drama class, they learn all kinds of really cool stuff that you wouldn’t learn in some other stupid class.

• When a student takes a drama class, he learns multiple skills—concentration, quick thinking, memorization—that are not necessarily taught in other classes.

Final Tips and Suggestions cont.• Study the rubric. Know what the readers are

looking for…the lowest score you want is an 8 (two 4s)

• The readers know this is a draft…they are not looking for or expecting a perfect essay!

• The readers consider these questions: How well does the writer explain his position on

the issue? Does the writer maintain his focus? Does the writer organize his ideas logically? Does the writer thoroughly support his position

with specific examples and details? Does the writer use language appropriately?

Final Tips and Suggestions cont.

•Relax, breathe, and remember that you have it in you to write a great essay.

Questions?