Writing an Answer to a Short Response Question with paired texts Copyright © 2016 Write Score LLC

4 Steps in Answering Short Response Questions 1.Read and understand the rubric. 2.Actively read the passages – mark up texts, make notations, self-check. Try to find connections between the two articles. 3.Read questions carefully to understand the task. 4.Find and use evidence from the texts to support your answer. 1.Read and understand the rubric. 2.Actively read the passages – mark up texts, make notations, self-check. Try to find connections between the two articles. 3.Read questions carefully to understand the task. 4.Find and use evidence from the texts to support your answer.

Step 1 Read and understand the rubric. PointsDescription 2 The response achieves the following:  demonstrates a thorough understanding of the question and text(s)  uses sufficient evidence and includes specific examples/details that make clear references to the text(s)  describes or explains adequately by using clearly relevant information based on the text(s) 1 The response achieves the following:  demonstrates a basic understanding of the question and text(s)  uses limited evidence and includes vague/limited examples/details that make references to the text(s)  somewhat describes or explains by using vague/limited information based on the text(s) 0The response achieves the following:  demonstrates no understanding of the question and text(s) OR  uses limited or no evidence and may or may not include examples/details that may or may not make references to the text(s) OR  includes no explanation or no relevant information from the text(s)

Step 2 Actively read the passages – mark up texts, make notations, self-check. Short Response Questions 1. Give an example of Internet censorship that most agree is necessary. Use details from Source #1 to support your answer. 2. What are some of the fears associated with censoring the internet? Use details from Source #2 to support your answer. 3. What are the central ideas in both articles? Use details from both articles to support your answer.

Step 2 Actively read the passages – mark up texts, make notations, self-check. Look for any words that are unfamiliar. Underline the main idea if it is stated. Briefly summarize the main idea if it is implied. Stop every paragraph or two and recap quickly in your head. Look for signal words and phrases. Look for connections between the two articles.

Step 2 Actively read the passages – mark up texts, make notations, self-check. Look for any words that are unfamiliar. Underline the main idea if it is stated. Briefly summarize the main idea if it is implied. Stop every paragraph or two and recap quickly in your head. Look for signal words and phrases. Look for connections between the two articles.

Step 2 Actively read the passages – mark up texts, make notations, self-check. Look for any words that are unfamiliar. Underline the main idea if it is stated. Briefly summarize the main idea if it is implied. Stop every paragraph or two and recap quickly in your head. Look for signal words and phrases. Look for connections between the two articles.

Step 2 Actively read the passages – mark up texts, make notations, self-check. Look for any words that are unfamiliar. Underline the main idea if it is stated. Briefly summarize the main idea if it is implied. Stop every paragraph or two and recap quickly in your head. Look for signal words and phrases. Look for connections between the two articles.

Step 2 Actively read the passages – mark up texts, make notations, self-check. Look for any words that are unfamiliar. Underline the main idea if it is stated. Briefly summarize the main idea if it is implied. Stop every paragraph or two and recap quickly in your head. Look for signal words and phrases. Look for connections between the two articles.

Step 2 Actively read the passages – mark up texts, make notations, self-check. Look for any words that are unfamiliar. Underline the main idea if it is stated. Briefly summarize the main idea if it is implied. Stop every paragraph or two and recap quickly in your head. Look for signal words and phrases. Look for connections between the two articles.

Step 2 Actively read the passages – mark up texts, make notations, self-check. Look for any words that are unfamiliar. Underline the main idea if it is stated. Briefly summarize the main idea if it is implied. Stop every paragraph or two and recap quickly in your head. Look for signal words and phrases. Look for connections between the two articles.

Step 2 Actively read the passages – mark up texts, make notations, self-check. Look for any words that are unfamiliar. Underline the main idea if it is stated. Briefly summarize the main idea if it is implied. Stop every paragraph or two and recap quickly in your head. Look for signal words and phrases. Look for connections between the two articles.

Step 2 Actively read the passages – mark up texts, make notations, self-check. Look for any words that are unfamiliar. Underline the main idea if it is stated. Briefly summarize the main idea if it is implied. Stop every paragraph or two and recap quickly in your head. Look for signal words and phrases. Look for connections between the two articles.

Step 3 Read questions carefully to understand the task. 1. Give an example of Internet censorship that most agree is necessary. Use details from Source #1 to support your answer. 2. What are some of the fears associated with censoring the internet? Use details from Source #2 to support your answer. 3. What are the central ideas in both articles? Use details from both articles to support your answer. Short Response Questions

Step 3 Read questions carefully to understand the task. 1. Give an example of Internet censorship that most agree is necessary. Use details from Source #1 to support your answer. What do I need to do to answer this question? I will need to reread the passages and look for information about positive examples of censorship.

Step 4 Find and use evidence from the texts to support your answer. 1. Give an example of censorship that most agree is necessary. Use details from Source #1 to support your answer. When I reread this, I noted areas where people agree censorship is good. This will help me with this question.

Step 4 Sample response: Most people agree that censoring criminal content involving children is a good idea since it makes the crime less accessible and therefore will not occur as frequently. Most people also agree that censoring information about where military personnel are located, so as to not put them in harm’s way, is an acceptable form of censorship. Also, most people feel that protecting private data, such as social security numbers and credit cards, is an acceptable form of censorship since it is more a security precaution than actual censorship. Find and use evidence from the texts to support your answer. 1. Give an example of censorship that most agree is necessary. Use details from Source #1 to support your answer.

Do Together 1.Read and understand the rubric. 2.Actively read the passages, mark up texts, make notations, self- check. Try to find connections between the two articles. 3.Read questions carefully to understand the task. 4.Find and use evidence from the text to support your answer. 1.Read and understand the rubric. 2.Actively read the passages, mark up texts, make notations, self- check. Try to find connections between the two articles. 3.Read questions carefully to understand the task. 4.Find and use evidence from the text to support your answer.

Step 3 2. What are some of the fears associated with censoring the Internet? Use details from Source #2 to support your answer. Read questions carefully to understand the task. What do I need to do to answer this question?

Step 4 Find and use evidence from the texts to support your answer. When I review each article, I need to locate all areas where they mention the downside of censorship. 2. What are some of the fears associated with censoring the internet?

Sample response: The article suggests that some people fear that if the government censors content from hate groups and extremists, then they determine what is considered a hate group or extremist. According to the article, this can “invite abuse.” Another fear is that censored Internet may result in personal intrusions (such as state-determined limits on music and literature). Step 4 Find and use evidence from the texts to support your answer. 2. What are some of the fears associated with censoring the internet? Use details from Source #2 to support your answer.

On Your Own 1.Read and understand the rubric. 2.Actively read the passages, mark up texts, make notations, self- check. Try to find connections between the two articles. 3.Read questions carefully to understand the task. 4.Find and use evidence from the text to support your answer.

Step 3 Read questions carefully to understand the task. What do I need to do to answer this question? 3.What are the central ideas in both articles? Use details from both articles to support your answer.

Step 4 Find and use evidence from the texts to support your answer. Where do I find this information?

3. What are the central ideas in both articles? Use details from both articles to support your answer. Step 4 Find and use evidence from the texts to support your answer. Sample response: In the first article, the author is informing the reader of government censorships that are widely accepted as legitimate. He states: “Censorship on the Internet is good, in the opinion of many or even most people, when it helps protect other people.” The second article is informing the reader mostly on the dangers that come with political censorship. That article includes the following: “Seeing the world from many angles thanks to the free flow of data surely cannot be a bad thing.”