Writing Prompt Examples Ideas for your posters…

What is a prompt? Also known as a writing task, a prompt is designed to get a writer to create a specific essay on a specific topic. Prompts are created by teachers to elicit essays on special topics from their students.

Narrative Narrative prompts will ask students to tell about a special event, a time in their life that was significant, personal beliefs, favorite foods/music/animals/movies, etc. Example: Write a five-paragraph essay about a time when you were discouraged. Describe what you were discouraged about, how it made you feel, and what the ultimate result of the situation was.

Descriptive A descriptive prompt will ask a student to describe something: a person, place, thing, situation, belief, feeling, etc. EXAMPLE: In a five-paragraph essay, describe the plot of “Rikki Tikki Tavi.” Make sure to include details about the exposition, rising action, the climax, falling action, and resolution.

Persuasive/Persuasion/Argumentative A persuasive prompt will ask students to argue for a particular stance, idea, or belief. Usually, persuasive essays need to include not only arguments, but counter-arguments—possible arguments against the writer’s attempts to persuade the reader—and rebuttals—proof that the counter-arguments are not enough to dissuade others from adopting the writer’s stance. EXAMPLE: Write a persuasive essay to Mr. Pietrok arguing for either more homework or less homework here at Raney. Make sure to include counter-arguments to your argument, as well as a clear rebuttal of the counter-arguments.

Expository Expository prompts may ask for several different things: comparing/contrasting, cause/effect, summaries, problem/solution, or how-to essays. EXAMPLE: In a four-paragraph essay, compare and contrast the beliefs of 7th graders about school dances with the beliefs of 8th graders about school dances. In what way are their beliefs the same? How are they different?

Research Writing Research writing might include any of the following: research reports, biographical reports, multimedia reports, and I-search reports. EXAMPLE: Using the internet, encyclopedias, and reference books, write a 10-paragraph report about the social habits of 7th graders. Include information such as the types of groups they hang out in, the way they talk to one another, and their beliefs about students that are different from them.

Response to Literature R to L essay prompts ask the writer to discuss or interpret various important elements in works of literature. EXAMPLE: In a five-paragraph essay, identify and analyze the theme of “The Cremation of Sam McGee.” Make sure you identify the theme, include details that support the theme you have identified, and analyze why the theme is important in revealing a truth about human nature.

YOUR TURN Now that you have seen examples of what possible prompts for your group’s essay style might look like, you should be able to create your own with the help of your group members. Questions?