Writing Tips

ACT

English | Math | Reading | Science | Writing

The Writing Test is a 30-minute essay test that measures your writing skills—specifically those writing
skills emphasized in high school English classes and in entry-level college composition courses.

The test consists of one writing prompt that will define an issue and describe two points of view on that
issue. You are asked to respond to a question about your position on the issue described in the writing
prompt. In doing so, you may adopt one or the other of the perspectives described in the prompt, or you
may present a different point of view on the issue. Your score will not be affected by the point of view you
take on the issue.

SAT essay
The essay is always the first question on the SAT. Students are given 25 minutes to respond to the question
by writing an essay in longhand on the answer sheet, using a No. 2 pencil. The essay measures a student's
ability to:

 Develop a point of view on an issue presented in an excerpt

 Support a point of view using reasoning and examples from their reading, studies, experience, or
observations
 Follow the conventions of Standard Written English

Students are given a prompt or assignment, which is a short (no more than 80 words long) quotation or
statement on an issue that is carefully selected to:

 Enable students to react and respond quickly in a variety of ways

 Be easily accessible to the general test-taking population, including students for whom English is a
second language (ESL
 Be free of figurative, technical, or specific literary references

Sample essay prompt

Here is a sample essay prompt:

Essay Prompt:

Think carefully about the issue presented in the following excerpt and the assignment below.

Even scientists know that absolute objectivity has yet to be attained. It's the same for absolute truth. But, as
many newspaper reporters have observed, the idea of objectivity as a guiding principle is too valuable to be
abandoned. Without it, the pursuit of knowledge is hopelessly lost.

Adapted from "Focusing Our Values," Nieman Reports

Assignment: Are people better at making observations, discoveries, and decisions if they remain neutral
and impartial? Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies,
experience, or observations.

http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/printouts/Essay%20Rubric.pdf

http://www.simpsonell.com/rubrics.cfm

http://www.edmondschools.net/AboutUs/Curriculum/CurriculumSpecialties/TheWritingCenter/MiddleSch
oolHome/MidSchWritingRubrics.aspx

Peer-editing helps students become efficient writers.

See More About

 writing process
 assessment tools
 language arts lessons
 rubrics

What is a Essay Rubric?

An essay rubric is a way teachers assess students' essay writing by using specific criteria to grade
assignments. Essay rubrics save teachers time because all of the criteria is listed and organized into one
convenient paper. If used effectively, rubrics can help improve students' writing.

How to Use an Essay Rubric

 The best way to use an essay rubric is to give the rubric to the students before they begin their
writing assignment. Review each criteria with the students and give them specific examples of
what you want so they will know what is expected of them.
 Next, assign students to write the essay, reminding them of the criteria and your expectations for
the assignment.
 Once students complete the essay have them first score their own essay using the rubric, and then
switch with a partner. (This peer-editing process is a quick and reliable way to see how well the
student did on their assignment. It's also good practice to learn criticism and become a more
efficient writer.)
  Once peer-editing is complete, have students hand in their essay's. Now it is your turn to evaluate
the assignment according to the criteria on the rubric. Make sure to offer students examples if they
did not meet the criteria listed.

Elementary Essay Writing Rubrics

Informal Essay Rubric
4 3 2 1
Features
Expert Accomplished Capable Beginner
 Piece  Piece
had little had no
 Piece was  Piece was
style or style or
written in an written in an
voice voice
extraordinary interesting
 Gives  Gives no
style and style and
some new
Quality of voice voice
new informat
Writing  very  Somewhat
informat ion and
informative informative
ion but very
and well and
poorly poorly
organized organized
organize organize
d d

 So many
spelling,
 A
punctuat
 Few number
 Virtually no ion and
spelling and of
spelling, grammat
punctuation spelling,
Grammar, punctuation ical
s errors, punctuat
Usage & or errors
minor ion or
Mechanics grammatica that it
grammatica grammat
l errors interfere
l errors ical
s with
errors
the
meaning
 Formal Essay Rubric
Areas of
A B C D
Assessment
 Presents  Presents
 Ideas are  Ideas are
ideas in an ideas in an
too vague or
Ideas original consistent
general unclear
manner manner

 Some
organizati  No
 Strong and
 Organized on; organizatio
organized
beg/mid/e attempt n; lack
Organization beg/mid/e
nd at a beg/mid/e
nd
beg/mid/ nd
end

 Writing  Writing  Writing  Writing

shows shows shows shows
Understandi strong clear adequate little
ng understan understan understa understan
ding ding nding ding

 Sophisticate  Nouns and

d use of verbs  Needs  Little or no
nouns and make more use of
Word Choice verbs make essay nouns nouns and
essay very informativ and verbs verbs
informative e

 Sentence
 Sentence  Sentence
structure
structure structure  No sense of
enhances
is evident; is limited; sentence
Sentence meaning;
sentences sentences structure
Structure flows
mostly need to or flow
throughout
flow flow
piece

 Few (if
 Several  Numerous
any)  Few errors
Mechanics errors errors
errors