1. How to Answer Constructed Response Questions
Writing Practice
Modified by Dr. Williams, 10/7/14

2. Constructed Response Questions:
Ask you to apply your knowledge and understanding in a short written answer.
On standardized tests, these short written answers are scored on a scale like 0,1,2,3, or 4 points.
A full 4 point response answers all 4 parts of the question, usually two, two-part questions.

3. Acronym--RACE
To understand and answer the constructed response essay question, the easiest way is to memorize the acronym "RACE" - this stands for reword, answer, cite and explain. If you are able to restate a question, provide an answer using evidence cited from the prompt given, and then explain how that evidence does, in fact, support the answer, you will probably score well on the constructed response essay section of any exam you take.

4. Rewording the Question (the "R" in "RACE")
Reword the question means that you are to restate the question and make it into a statement as a part of the answer you provide. If you were to be asked "What color is the sky?", you would not simply answer "blue" - instead, the correct answer would be "The color of the sky is blue," or words to that effect.

5. How do you best reword the question?
Your first sentence should restate the question, but not answer it. Example: Why do students get excited about vacation? How would you answer this question?

6. Weak Example
Students get excited about vacation because they like free time and sleeping late. You’ve answered so much in your first sentence, that you have nowhere to go. It’s hard to add more ideas, when you’ve said so much in your first sentence

7. Strong Example
Students get excited about vacation for several reasons. Now you’ve gotten started, and you also know how to keep going by adding more details in the rest of your sentences.

8. Answering the Question (the "A" in "RACE")
In order to answer the question, you need to understand what you are being asked, and then make sure you provide the answer to that specific question. The answer, as in the example above, may come in the first sentence as you reword the question into a statement, but in an essay question you will then need to show how you arrived at your answer.

9. Citing Evidence (the "C" in "RACE")
As the constructed response question is meant to show how well you comprehended and were able to draw inferences from the essay prompt, it is essential that you give examples from the prompt to show how they support your answer.

10. More about Cite
Your response must include at least one short direct quotation that is in quotation marks and has a set up.
Example:
According to the author, “Tom worked for hours on his project.”
“Tom worked for hours on his project,” his mother told his teacher.
In the story, his mother told the teacher that Tom should have a better grade on the project because he “worked for hours” on it.

11. If the prompt is a story you read about a boy named Joe who loves to ski, and the question is "Does Joe like the winter?", you could answer "Joe likes the winter because the story tells us that he loves skiing and skiing is a winter sport." In your response, you could go on to provide specific details that tell you how much he enjoys skiing (and, by extension, winter), such as quoting a line that says, "Joe enjoyed the feel of the icy-cold air on his cheeks."

12. Explaining the Answer (the "E" in "RACE")
In addition to the evidence you've cited from the prompt, you will need to supply your own reasoning for why you think your answer is correct.

13. Returning to the example above, the story about Joe who loved to ski, your examples from the text would be the details about how he enjoyed skiing and the cold air, but your own reasoning would be demonstrated by explaining that you know that skiing and cold air are things he is only likely to encounter during the winter, therefore his enjoyment of these things must mean that he also enjoys the winter season.

14. Let’s look at some examples: We will start out with simple examples.
Question: What are two characteristics of mammals? Give two examples.
Two characteristics of mammals are they are warm-blooded (1 point) and give birth to their young(2 points). According to Document A, two examples of mammals are humans (3 points) and bears (4 points).

15. Another example:
Name two kinds of overhead serves in volleyball. Explain the benefits of using each one.
Tip: Identify the four parts of the question.
Answer: Two kinds of overhead serves are the top spin and the floater. Top spin would be used for speed projection and the floater for height (“Volleyball for All”).
Tip: Count the four parts of the answer.

16. Writing Tips for Your Response:
Prewriting:
Read the entire prompt.
Identify and underline key words in the question, such as: explain, elaborate, illustrate.
Restate the prompt in your own words to be sure that you understand it.

17. Prewriting, continued.
Make a list of the items you are supposed to identify in your answer.
Make a list of reasons that will support your answer.

18. Writing:
Use the question to form your topic sentence. (Use the same terms in the question for the first sentence of your paragraph answer!)
Make sure you include all FOUR parts of the question in your answer. Remember, you get a point for each part you answer correctly!

19. Writing, continued:
Make sure you EXPLAIN each item with a concrete detail—something specific!

20. Another example:
“The Sky is Low”
THE sky is low, the clouds are mean,
A travelling flake of snow
Across a barn or through a rut
Debates if it will go.
A narrow wind complains all day
How some one treated him;
Nature, like us, is sometimes caught
Without her diadem.
Emily Dickinson
Question: How does the word "person" give you a clue as to the meaning of personification? Why do you think a writer would want to use personification in a poem? List two examples of personification found in the poem at left.

21. Answer: In the poem by Dickinson, the word “person” lets me know that personification means that some object in the poem has qualities or actions like a person.(1 point) A poet might use personification to help us feel a relationship to the object. (2 points) “The clouds are mean” (3 points) and “narrow wind complains” (4 points) are both examples of personification.

22. As you see, these are “short answer questions” and are not meant to be answered as an essay.
Identify the four parts of the question asked, then make sure that your response answers each of the four parts.
No answer at all gets 0 points!
Answering 1 part of the question correctly counts as 1 point, 2 parts = 2 points, and so on.

23. Now you try one alone:
Name your two favorite teachers and give a reason why each one is your favorite.

24. Does the answer begin with restating the question?
Share your answer with a partner near you.
Check your partner’s answer.
Does the answer begin with restating the question?
Has your partner used RACE?
Has your partner answered all four parts of the question?
Score the answer 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4 according to completeness.

25. Is the answer explained with specific details?
Give your partner feedback about their response.
Tell your partner how they could have scored more points or explained their answer better.

26. Explain the difference between physical and verbal bullying.
Another example:
Explain the difference between physical and verbal bullying.
Give examples of each in your explanation.

27. Does the answer begin with restating the question?
Share your answer with a partner near you.
Check your partner’s answer.
Does the answer begin with restating the question?
Has your partner answered all four parts of the question?
Score the answer 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4 according to completeness.

28. Is the answer explained with specific details?
Give your partner feedback about their response.
Tell your partner how they could have scored more points or explained their answer better.

29. Remember:
Never leave the answer on the constructed response questions blank; this will get zero points!
Always attempt to answer the question.
Every part of a correct answer equals 1 point. Try to answer all four parts.
Good luck!

30. Resources
YouTube Video Explaining RACE