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A Quick Review

Mrs. Graham
WBHS 2008
So…you forgot to pay
attention..
….and now it’s judgme nt day .
March 4, 2008 is the tenth grade writing test!!!
If you pick only one day out of the year to get
at least nine hours of sleep, it should be
today!
If you…
-get nine hours of sleep
-eat a light breakfast (eggs, fruit, cereal,
toast, OJ)
-review tonight (not cram, just a light review)
-de-stress before bed and in the morning
= a 25% increase in test scores (it’s been
What do I need to know ?
About the test… Speaking of scores…
 You have 100 minutes to  You must score a 12 to
write an essay obtain a LEVEL III
 You could get a  You must score a 17 to
cause/effect or a definition obtain a LEVEL IV
(I don’t know!)  Off topic and illegible
prompts are considered
 Any talking, cell phone use, non-scoreable
or suspicious behavior is a  It’s all about content!
misadministration (the  No teacher or student can
entire 10th grade will hate discuss the test for 30
you) calendar days.
 You can write on the  You can tell me how you
prompt, and you can use felt about it (i.e. “it sucked”
the scrap paper to plan, but or “I totally boasted it”) but
anything not written on the you can not tell me
lined paper will not be anything else.
What about that scrap
paper?
Use it to PLAN!! It is
not graded nor kept,
but it is collected.
About the prompt….
Things you need for EVERY
essay
Introductio
n
Thesis
Body
Paragraphs
Conclusion
Cause

effect effect Effect effect effect


Function-
comparisons ho w it
to related works,
terms what it
do es

neg ation- syno nyms


what it is
no t
facts or
Basic
statistics
definition
etymology from
dictionary related
or prompt examples
sensory or
details ancedotes

breakdown
contrasts of parts that
yo ur make up
with
personal
opposite quotations the term
experience
terms from others
with the
term
Don’t forget…the
“outline”method works for
both… I. Define your thesis
II. State the first main
idea related to the
thesis
III. State the second
main idea related
to the thesis
IV. State the third
main idea related
to the thesis
V. Conclude with a
strong opinion
Followed promptly by “where
have you been?”
Introductory Paragraphs
Contain…. Open with a….
 The thesis  A startling statistic
 A Hook (found on prompt)
 Conclude with the main  An unusual fact or vivid
point example
 Flow easily into the next  Quotation or a bit of
paragraph dialogue
 A question

Remember, your thesis  An analogy, metaphor,


can appear anywhere in or simile
your paragraph  An anecdote
(Heishman prefers them
in the middle), but
without one, you are
automatically OFF
TOPIC
An effective Thesis…
A central idea that Too Broad:
can be supported Mapping human DNA
Must require further has many
proof or further implications for
development health and science.
Be debatable
Not too broad and Too Vague:
Not too narrow The way the TV show
Focused, and not too ER portrays doctors
vague. and nurses is
interesting.
Body Paragraphs
Develops the support
for the thesis
Stick to the point
State the main point in
a topic sentence
Have a pattern of
organization
Use elaboration
(examples,
descriptions, compare
and contrast, cause
and effect,
classification and
division, analogy)
It could summarize the

Conclusions main points


Propose a course of
Should remind readers of action
the essay’s main idea Discuss the topic’s wider
without dully repeating it significance
At this point, readers Offer advice
should already Pose a question for
understand your main future study
point- your conclusion You might include a
drives it home and
detail, example, or
leaves the reader with
image from the
something larger to
introduction to bring
consider
readers full circle
An effective conclusion is
You could include a
decisive and
quotation, a bit of
unapologetic
dialogue, an anecdote, a
Revisions? Anyone?
Look for ways you
Be sure to fix…
can…
 Incoherent sentences. Use transitional words.
Does it make sense if you But don’t overuse!
read it out loud?
 Link ideas together clearly. Have a good length to
Do you have support? Do your paragraph and
your paragraphs flow essay.
together?
Use parallel structure.
 Repeat key words, but
avoid repetition Bind together a series of
 Maintain consistency. sentences expressing
Don’t shift from one point similar information.
of view to another (I to you,  It is a hard thing to
anyone to they) understand, to
recognize, and to forgive
Some Common Errors
Watch out for…
Spelling/Usage  Wordiness
 Their vs.. there  Repetition
 Here vs.. hear  Vague statements
 Its vs.. It’s
(“Hamlet seemed
disturbed”)
 Im vs. I’m  Passive voice ( The play
 Alright vs. all right was praised by the critics
 Already vs.. all ready vs. The critics praised the
 All together vs.. play.
altogether  Sentences beginning with
 Affect vs.. Effect There and It (There were
cars inching along the
 Accept Vs Except
freeway vs. Cars inched
 Between vs.. Among along the freeway)
 Amount vs.. Number  Limited or lifeless
 Bring vs.. Take vocabulary
 SHOULD OF vs..  Ordinary language
SHOULD HAVE (etc)  Complete thoughts
 Can
Onvs. May  Verb/tense agreement
a side note….
 Punctuation and
Don’t forget to watch your commas!
Capitalization
And don’t use those banned
words…
Interesting Any word your
Nice
five year old
Bad
In my opinion
sister/brother/c
I believe ousin/imaginar
Like y friend would
We know!
Us
In this paper
Ways to organize an
Essay…
Chronological Order
Reverse
Chronological Order
Order of Importance
Compare and
Contrast
Negative Effects and
Positive Effects
Term Definition and
Term in Practice
Don’t forget to check…
Context…. Audience….
From what point of view Who is listening or
are you writing your reading your essay?
essay?

Focus:

Did you stay on topic?


Differences between a 3
and a 4
Voice- most papers
with a four have a
distinct voice. Instead
of just writing an
essay, the narrator
entertains.
Higher vocabulary
Elaborate sentence
structure
Variety of sentences
Strong introductions
and strong
conclusions

Final word….
Think of your essay as a speech. Is the
audience going to boo you?
Will they laugh at some parts?
Will they have “ah ha!” moments?
Will they remember a phrase you wrote?
Is there a highlight?
Does it read like a good song (intro, bridge,
finale)?
Were you memorable?
Remember,
I will accept you no matter what grade you get,
however, I will love you more if you get a four!

“Aim at the sun, and you may not reach it; but
your arrow will fly far higher than if aimed at an
object on a level with yourself.” - Joel Hawes

Enjoy the movie!

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