…Text response essays…
Text response essays
Being able to write a text
response essay is a skill and
one that you will be expected
to have mastered by the end
of the year! So what exactly
do text response essays do
and why do we write them?
When writing a text response essay
you will…
Have an introduction, at least three to
five paragraphs and a conclusion
 Respond to a theme/idea/event, etc. in a
particular text
 Analyse the text (using SHRIMP)
 Present your arguments about the text
 DO NOT retell the story

Use quotes and evidence to back up
your argument about the text
 Use formal language
 Use present tense to discuss your
argument
 NEVER use first person e.g. I think...
 Be convincing
 Be specific – refer to actual events in
the novel

Let’s do it ourselves!

Imagine that you have been given the
topic:
In the novel ‘Looking for Alibrandi’, Josie
must learn to deal with a whole range of
issues. How and why does Josie
change?
Write a clear, coherent response to
this topic. It is important that you
prepare for it as well as you can. Use
this checklist to help you.
1.
What is the question actually asking you
to do? Underline the words or phrases in
the topic that are important.
In this case the question is asking you to
decide whether Josie changes and if so
what causes her to change. The topic
implies that she changes from something
to something else.
Ways of defining…(this is practice
for you until you get into the exam)
 Dictionary definition of terms
 Define as a concept or idea
 Synonyms
BEFORE you write your
introduction it is important to
know what your body
paragraphs are focusing on.
2.
Make a list of the issues that the topic
has raised. Good questions to ask
about a topic might include: How?
Who? Where? Why? When? Which?
The answers will be in the text.
3.
Make a list of at least three key
ideas/quotes/examples/opinions that
will formulate a response relevant to
the question.
You might like to do this by putting your
ideas on paper, like this:
Argument
Evidence/Quotes
Josie used to be embarrassed about
being Italian but through the text
she becomes proud of her Italian
heritage.
Finds Tomato Day suffocating and
embarrassing. “This might be where I
come from, but do I really belong
here?” Changes through hearing
Katia’s story and realising the
importance of her heritage.
Josie initially resents her father but “Stop being polite, you’re making me
comes to love and respect Michael puke. Be angry or rude – but don’t
you pretend I’m not here”. Rejects
and accept him in her life.
Michael at first, but then starts to
warm to him. “I’ll ring my father –
he’s a barrister”.
Josie has conflicting feelings towards
Jacob.
“I don’t know if he’s my type”. Josie is
still initially stuck on John. It is not
until after his death that she realises
her real feelings for Jacob.
Josie doesn’t know where she belongs
initially, but throughout the course of
the novel, finds herself.
Initially she feels that she is out of
place, “I don’t belong anywhere and I
hate it”. After John’s death she
understands that she doesn’t belong in
his world, and therefore sets about
creating her own sense of belonging,
“ I know now that what’s important is
who I feel I am”.
Writing the essay
Introductions
Introductions are an important part of the
essay as they set the tone for your piece.
They are also the first opportunity that you
have to persuade your reader. The
introduction always provides three things:
Definition: identify key terms/ideas in the topic
Interest: grab the reader’s attention
Direction: hints at what the paragraphs are
about; your contention/line of reasoning.
You must always do these three things.
You can remember them by: DID I DO?
The introduction must also always
include the name of the text:
Looking for Alibrandi (underlined
or inverted commas) and the name
of the author(Melina Marchetta).
FORMULATING A RESPONSE:


From the table formulate a paragraph responding to the
essay question for all FOUR of your responses.
These will form the body of your essay:
INTRODUCTION
Paragraph one
Paragraph two
Paragraph three
Paragraph four
CONCLUSION
Your FOUR responses
will be expanded
into FOUR detailed
paragraphs
responding to the
question
FORMULATING A RESPONSE:
Introductions
Introductions are an important part of
the essay as they set the tone for your
piece. They are also the first
opportunity that you have to persuade
your reader and summarise your key
points (four responses that are
expanded in your essay’s BODY
paragraphs).
REMEMBER:
Author, title and your
main contention
PRACTICE
In the novel Looking for Alibrandi, Josie must
learn to deal with a whole range of issues.
How and why does Josie change?
PRACTICE
1.
What is the question actually asking you
to do?
In the novel Looking for Alibrandi, Josie must
learn to deal with a whole range of issues. How
and why does Josie change?
This question is asking you to decide whether
Josie changes and if so what causes her to
change. The question implies that she
changes from something to something else.
FORMULATING A RESPONSE:
Introductions
Now that you have planned your four
responses to the essay question,
attempt to write an introduction.
PRACTICE

Underline the words or phrases that are
important. Write a synonym for each of
the words you have highlighted in the
question. Extensive vocabulary is
important.
deal issues –
change –
CONFRONT
PROBLEMS
TRANSFORM
RESOLVE
PRACTICE...
Improve the following introduction...
In Melina Marchetta’s novel, Looking for
Alibrandi, Josie confronts and resolves
a number of problems she has in her
life.
Josie’s attitudes towards
her family and friends alter as she
learns more about them and tries to
understand them.
Topic
sentence
including
main
contention
Outline
your main
arguments
Include a summary of supporting ideas
that will be explored in greater detail in
your BODY paragraphs
Clincher
Ultimately, Josie is not the same girl at
the end of the novel as she was at the
beginning.
Paragraphs

Your paragraphs are where you develop
your main ideas. Each paragraph has a
main idea/major argument. This major
argument is discussed in detail and
proved with evidence (usually a quote).

Remember the ‘TEA- (shrimp)-C’
structure for paragraphs.
FORMULATING A RESPONSE:
Write FOUR responses to this
question:
 These FOUR responses will be your
focus for FOUR different paragraphs
in the body of your essay.
 Number your responses from the
strongest to weakest. This will be the
order of your paragraphs for the body
of your essay.

PRACTICE...
Improve the following paragraph...
In the novel, Looking for Alibrandi, Melinda Marchetta explores
how Josie is initially embarrassed about being Italian but
throughout the text she becomes proud of her Italian heritage.
Topic
sentence
Include supporting ideas and quotes from the text
This is highlighted when Josie finds Tomato Day suffocating
labelling it “National Wog Day” and embarrassing, as she wonders,
“How many other poor unfortunates our age were doing the same?”
(p.171). However, this changes through hearing Katia’s story and
realising the importance of her heritage.
**NEW EVIDENCE REQUIRED! READ p.220-226 and incorporate
supporting detail to this statement
Evidence /
Examples
SHRIMP to
Explain HOW and WHY Josie changes using SHRIMP
EXPLAIN what your evidence is Showing, How the author has
constructed meaning, how has the Reader has been positioned, why
your evidence is Important, the author’s Main Messages or Purpose
analyse
Restate or reword the topic sentence. Add one or two words
to make it different from the topic sentence.
Clincher
FORMULATING A RESPONSE:

For EACH response complete the following table:
PARAGRAPHING ELEMENTS
Your notes:
TOPIC SENTENCE – this has to be clear and concise. It MUST
state your stance (opinion/ argument)
EVIDENCE – What key piece of evidence will you begin with?
Choose wisely. Introduce the quote appropriately. Remember
the page number(s).
ANALYSIS – incorporate a minimum of 3 shrimp elements. Remember that you can often fit 2 or more
elements into one sentence.
SHOWS – What does this key piece of evidence show?
HOW – How does Marchetta focus readers using literary
devices (see separate sheet for ideas)
READERS – how are readers positioned to feel, think, react?
IMPORTANT – What other important evidence or examples can
be used to support your stance (key argument). One quote per
paragraph is really not adequate.
MAIN MESSAGE OR PURPOSE – What is Marchetta trying to
teach readers? This CAN be your clincher but if it doesn’t use
key terms and sum up the whole argument then a clincher will
be needed too.
CLINCHER – round off by summing up your stance/ key ideas.
Uses key terms /synonyms for key terms. Ensure you don’t
change the stance. Is this in line with your TS?
Conclusions

Conclusions are important as they leave
a final impression on your reader. They
also have rules.
Have interest (it’s your last chance to
impress the reader).
 Summarise your total view.
 Have a punch-line/final comment

Sample conclusion
Be specific
with
evidence
and
examples
from your
BODY
paragraphs
Josie’s transformation from schoolgirl
to young adult is the result of a number
of major events in her personal and
school life. Indeed, without these
influences, Josie’s heightened
understanding of herself and others
would never have occurred. In
reflecting on these experiences and
understanding their impact on her life,
Josie’s transformation is complete.
Now it’s your turn!

Have a go writing an essay. Use the
question I’ve used here as your first
‘practice’ essay. Remember to plan it
carefully.
“We are caught in the middle of two
societies.” Looking for Alibrandi
deals with a number of characters
who are caught in the middle.
Discuss.