Writing Tips

ACT

English | Math | Reading | Science | Writing

The Writing Test is a 30­minute essay test that measures your writing skills—specifically those writing 
skills emphasized in high school English classes and in entry­level 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 test­taking 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

Peer­editing 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 peer­editing 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 peer­editing 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
style and style and
 Gives  Gives no
Quality of voice voice
some new
Writing
new informati
 very  Somewhat
informat on and
informative informative
ion but very
and well and
poorly poorly
organized organized
organize organize
d d
  So many
spelling,
 A
punctuat
 Few spelling number
 Virtually no ion and
and of
spelling, grammat
Grammar, punctuation spelling,
punctuation ical
Usage & s errors, punctuat
or errors
Mechanics minor ion or
grammatica that it
grammatical grammat
l errors interfere
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
Ideas too vague or
original consistent
general unclear
manner manner

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

 Writing  Writing  Writing

 Writing
shows shows shows
Understandi shows little
strong clear adequate
ng understand
understan understan understan
ing
ding ding ding

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

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

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