Timed Writing: PSAT & SAT Essay Notes & Preparation

What you’re graded on: R - Reading (Score 1-4) (How well you understood the article) A – Analysis (Score 1-4) (How well you analyzed the Persuasive Techniques used by the writer) W - Writing (Score 1-4) (How well you organized the essay: intro, body, and conclusion, grammar/mechanics) 4/4/4 = BEST SCORE (Total of 12 possible points)

50 Minutes Total: To get the highest score possible, you will need to manage your time wisely! The best way to manage time and get the highest possible score is to learn a 4 Step Strategy (with time limits) to ensure that you have enough time to: Read Plan Write Revise

Step 1: Read & Identify T.A.P.S. Read (10-12 minutes) Read the entire prompt that comes before & after the passage, Read the passage and identify T.A.P.S. Why read the prompt before the passage? Because the prompt includes the description of the author’s claim. Knowing what the author’s claim is before reading the article can help keep you focused on the argument, rather than getting caught up in the details of the passage.

Reading: What should I look for? Read the article: Identify TAPS - (topic, audience, purpose, stance) T – What is the TOPIC? A – Who is the AUDIENCE this article is intended for? P – What is the PURPOSE of this article? S – What STANCE or “claim” is the author making in the article?

Write T.A.P.S. next to the article! On the left side of the margin write: T – A – P – S – And begin filling in (topic, audience, purpose, stance) as you read the article. T.A.P.S will help you write the introduction of your essay! 

How many Body Paragraphs? Let’s establish some truth: considering this is a timed-essay; it’s a lot easier to write a good 4 paragraph essay than a good 5 paragraph essay and still have time to edit. So how many Body Paragraphs should you write? Answer: 2 Body Paragraphs These should look similar to 2-chunk paragraph

Step 2: Plan and Organize A visual overview of your essay: Plan and organize by either clustering/outlining important examples “concrete details” (8-10 minutes). Paragraph 1: Introduction Paragraph 2 (BODY): Analyze Persuasive Technique #1 written as 2-chunk paragraph Identify ONE of the persuasive techiniques used by the author and TWO examples of when/how this technique was used to build his/her argument Paragraph 3 (BODY): Analyze Persuasive Technique #2 Identify a second persuasive techinique used by the author and TWO examples of when/how this technique was used to build his/her argument Paragraph 4: Conclusion

Step 3: Write your Essay The Introduction Write the entire essay skipping lines (if you can) so later you can easily add sentences, make corrections, etc… (20-22 minutes) The INTRODUCTION of your essay must: Demonstrate your understanding of the article Include Title, Author, Source T.A.P.S. (topic, audience, purpose, author’s stance) Thesis - what persuasive elements are used and how (keep it brief - you’ll explain more in body paragraphs) A good strategy is to write a basic introduction and leave space to write/add the perfect thesis statement later 

Writing Body Paragraphs TS - identify ONE persuasive element used and quick statement of why or how it strengthens author’s stance CD #1 - an example from the article only use small chunk of text OR paraphrase the example include lead-in no citation needed CM 2-3 sentences analysis of HOW or WHY the device strengthens argument CD #2 - an example from article CM 2-3 sentences analysis of HOW or WHY the device strengthens argument CS - rephrase your TS using a concluding transitional phrase (As a result, or In conclusion,)

Writing a Conclusion Paragraph Summarize the main points of your essay: the persuasive techniques used by the writer and your analysis (how each of them supported the author’s argument)

Step 4: Proofread and Revise Proofread your essay, revise it, and make corrections. (8-10 minutes) Go back and write a strong thesis in the space you provided. Read over everything you have written: you will find many mistakes, words or ideas that are missing, poor grammar, informal language, repetition of words or ideas, etc. The conclusion is usually rushed and needs some attention, but not at the cost of a bad introduction or thesis. All essays will be written in pencil so you can easily make corrections.

What is Persuasive Writing? Writing that presents an argument, or message meant to get readers to think or act in a certain way.

Persuasive Techniques

There are 4 Persuasive Techniques that are used by writers for effective persuasion: Appeals to Emotion: to influence readers’ feelings; plays on reader’s emotions such as his/her fears, insecurities, hopes, and desires in effort to gain support for argument Appeals to Logic: to show that an argument is well reasoned; uses information, facts, statistics, examples to justify the writer’s claim Appeals to Ethics: to show that an argument is fair or just Appeals to Authority: to show that higher power supports the argument; includes statements and information provided by individual experts and/or organizations

Example Introduction: Demonstrate your understanding of article – T. A Example Introduction: Demonstrate your understanding of article – T.A.P.S. In the New York Times article “Why Literature Matters”, Dana Gioia informs readers of the declining rates of literacy in young adults. The intended audience is the general population. The author claims that the decline in literacy will have critical negative consequences on society, including a decrease in civic knowledge and participation, as well as higher-order thinking. He also attempts to persuade readers that the responsibility of encouraging literacy should extend to politicians and the business community. Gioia’s argument is strengthened through the use of evidence in the form of surveys and polls as well as the use of emotional appeals. As the students wrote their practice paragraph, I wrote this one and then modeled my thinking/writing process by typing this for them.

Example Body Paragraph Gioia employs the use of emotional appeals as a way to strengthen his argument. The use of connotative words and appeals to readers’ feelings of civic duty are the primary ways that Gioia uses emotional appeals. In Paragraph 2, Gioia describes the “worrisome” fact that the 2002 survey shows that literacy is declining in young adults. The use of the word “worrisome” connotes anxiety and will evoke worry in the reader. This strategy helps Gioia convince the readers that they should feel the same way about the issue as he does which, in turn, strengthens his argument as he gains support from the reader. In the last paragraph, Gioia concludes by claiming that the skills fostered by reading are ones that a “free, innovative, or productive society” cannot afford to lose. Gioia’s choice of words in this example are an important way for him to gain support by the readers. By using “free”, “innovative”, and “productive”, Gioia identifies traits that society should strive to demonstrate. Therefore, if society does not make changes to reverse the trend of decreasing literacy, Gioia implies that society will become the antithesis of “free”, “innovative”, and “productive”. If society becomes the antithesis of those traits - enslaved, rote, and unproductive - they will have failed their civic duty and contributed to the fall of democracy. The use of connotative words and appeals to readers’ sense of civic duty help strengthen Gioia’s argument by invoking feelings of worry and duty in the reader to persuade them to make a change. As the students wrote their practice paragraph, I wrote this one and then modeled my thinking/writing process by typing this for them.