ABCD’s of On-Demand Writing
Attack the prompt
Brainstorm possible answers
Choose the order of your response
Detect errors before turning the draft in
ABCD: Attack the prompt
Some prompts contain two parts:
1) Warm-up or background information
2) Actual writing prompt
Example
By the time students enter high school, they have learned about many moments in history
that have influenced our world today. Think about a moment in history you studied and
consider its importance.
Write a composition in which you discuss a moment in history. Share its importance
in today’s world. Be sure to support the moment with details and examples.
Warm-up or background information
By the time students enter high school, they have learned about many moments in history
that have influenced our world today. Think about a moment in history you studied and
consider its importance.
The idea of “warm-up” or “background” is to help the essay writer think about the topic.
It’s like part of the brainstorming has been done for you. This should guide your writing and
can help you start deciding what you want to say about the topic.
Actual writing prompt
Write a composition in which you discuss a moment in history. Share its importance in
today’s world. Be sure to support the moment with details and examples.
The “prompt” is the part that tells you what the actual assignment is that you have to do.
The prompt is often made up of several parts that you need to break into pieces so you can
figure out exactly what to do.
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Three Steps to “Attack a prompt”
1. Highlight any words that ask you to do something (different colors for different
things).
2. Highlight using the same color but a lighter shade what it specifically tells you
to do.
3. Under the prompt, rewrite and number what you’ve highlighted.
1. Highlight words that ask you to do something:
Write a composition in which you discuss a moment in
history. Share its importance in today’s world. Be sure to
support the moment with details and examples.
2. Highlight words that specifically details what you are supposed to
do:
Write a composition in which you discuss a moment in
history. Share its importance in today’s world. Be sure to
support the moment with details and examples.
3. Under the prompt, rewrite and number what you’ve highlighted.
Write – a composition – the final goal
1. Discuss – a moment in history
2. Share – that history’s importance
3. Support – that moment with details and examples
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ABCD: Brainstorm possible answers
Three Layers of “Brainstorming possible answers”
Layer 1) Brainstorm in the same order what the prompt asks you to do. Create a
list of ideas for what the prompt asks first.
Layer 2) Choose just one of the brainstormed ideas and address what the prompt
asks you to do.
Layer 3) Add supporting details, reasons, evidence, etc…
From this writing prompt example:
Write a composition in which you discuss a moment in history. Share its
importance in today’s world. Be sure to support the moment with details and
examples.
1st Layer – brainstorm a list of ideas/topics to write about
From the prompt: Discuss – a moment in history
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9/11
Holocaust
The Declaration of Independence
First humans on the moon
“Founding” of the Americas by Columbus
Iraq War
2nd Layer- Select one idea from your brainstormed list and do
what the prompt asks you to do.
From the prompt: Share – its importance
Brainstorm as many reasons as you can why it’s important:
9/11
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The moment
Security
Patriotism
War
Economy
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3rd Layer: Add supporting details, evidence, data, proof,
examples, etc…
3. Support – details/examples
War
The Moment
Security
Patriotism
Economy
Iraq
4 planes:
airports
more flags in public
airlines
Osama bin
Laden
2 NYC, 1 DC, 1
PA
amusement parks
pledge
hotels
bombings
burning towers
victims honored
restaurants
soldiers honored
tourist attractions
deaths
You will write better in an on-demand setting if you take a few
minutes to make a plan.
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You probably don’t want to write about every reason and its details that you
brainstormed because there will be too much and you probably won’t have the time.
Revisit your brainstorming and narrow it down.
You have to decide the criteria for why you will keep some reasons and why you will toss
the others, some reasons why you might want to keep a reason:
o easiest for you to write about, most impressive to the one reading it, most
interesting, most insightful, etc.—remember, this is a test and you want to show
off your smart brain and your writing skills
Narrow it down for a five paragraph essay (that means choose three subtopics).
War
The Moment
Economy
Iraq
4 planes:
airlines
Osama bin Laden
2 NYC, 1 DC, 1 PA
hotels
bombings
burning towers
restaurants
deaths
tourist attractions
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ABCD: Choose the order of your response
You need to decide on a logical flow to your essay
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
Choose the order of your response
decide what goes first, second, and so on
Choose the order you will write the essay in.
The Moment
War
Economy
4 planes:
Iraq
airlines
2 NYC, 1 DC, 1 PA
Osama bin Laden
hotels
burning towers
bombings
restaurants
deaths
tourist attractions
Now that you know what order everything is going to go in, it’s time to outline it
more completely by using one of the outlining methods you know.
ABCD: Detect errors before turning in draft
Reread your essay after you finish drafting.
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There is real value in revising your work before turning it in.
Writers often uncover silly mistakes when they review their paper before submitting.
Perfection in a first draft is not the goal, rather the skill of detecting obvious errors is the
focus.
If there is a rubric, use it! Look at one item on the rubric and then check your writing to
see if you did that. Then look at the next item on the rubric and check your writing for
that. Etc.
Examples of basic mistakes to look for:
o Punctuation
o Spelling
o Agreement issues (tense, noun/pronoun, etc…)
o Sentence fragments and/or run-ons
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Practice
All humans make choices or decisions daily. Some are important; some are
not so important. We choose what clothes to wear. We decide whether or not
to do our homework. We choose certain people for friends. Sometimes the
decisions we make change our lives.
Discuss an important decision you have made in your life. Explain the
decision and how it affected you. Tell whether you would make the same
decision again.
ABCD: Attack the prompt
Three Steps to “Attack a prompt”
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•
•
Highlight any words that ask you to do something (different colors for different
things).
Highlight using the same color but a lighter shade what it specifically tells you to do.
Under the prompt, rewrite and number what you’ve highlighted.
Discuss an important decision you have made in your life. Explain the
decision and how it affected you. Tell whether you would make the same
decision again.
Write an essay about an important decision
1. Discuss – important decision in your life
2. Explain – how decision affected you
3. Tell – if you would make same decision again
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