Critical
Analysis of
On-Demand
Prompts
1. This year’s On-Demand
testing window for seniors:
September 14th through 25th
2. In September on this year’s
On-Demand Assessment, you will be
given two separate timed writings:
3. One will be a ninety-minute prompt.
Another will be a sixty-minute prompt.
Both prompts will allow time extensions.
4. One prompt will be a direct prompt.
Direct prompt means that you will
simply pull from your own knowledge
base to answer the prompt.
5. The direct prompt will allow you a
choice of two tasks, and you may choose
the task to which you would like to
respond.
6. The task will have the form assigned
in the prompt as well as the audience
and purpose.
7. The second prompt MAY be passagebased—or it may be direct.
8. Passage-based prompts will ask you to
draw, in part, on a non-fiction passage
that is provided for your response.
9. YOU MUST REMEMBER:
In a passage-based prompt, your
response MUST refer to the reading
passage--otherwise, you will miss the
purpose--and end up with a zero.
10. The second prompt will allow you
the choice of two logical forms provided
in the prompt along with audience and
purpose.
11. Remember that the first prompt
allows you the choice between two tasks;
therefore, you must be able to analyze
both writing tasks to determine which
one offers you the most success.
Critical thinking is an
absolute necessity
when analyzing ondemand writing
prompts.
13. Remember:
A critical thinker is one
who is able to…
1. observe
2. analyze
3. recognize ambiguity
4. accept complexity
5. identify assumptions
6. assume perspectives of another
7. adopt multiple perspectives
8. synthesize
9. recognize bias
10. evaluate
In an effort to model what the
actual assessment will be, you will
be given two prompts today.
14. One is passage-based, the other
is direct.
15. We will learn to critically
analyze these tasks so you can
choose the one that offers you the
most opportunity for success.
16. Every On-Demand
prompt has three parts:
1. The Situation
2. The Writing Task
3. The Scoring Criteria
Right now, read critically
through the parts of both
prompts, keeping in mind
that you must decide which
one offers you the most
opportunity for success.
We must now analyze both
tasks.
Analyzing the task includes
three steps:
Step One:
17. Identifying the form.
Remember—The On-Demand forms
include the following:
*editorial
*article
*letter
*speech
18. Step Two:
Identifying the audience.
Step Three:
Identifying the purpose.
Remember—The On-Demand purposes
include the following:
*narrate
*inform
*persuade
Outlining
Once you have identified the purpose, the
audience, and the form of both prompts,
you are ready to determine which of the two
prompts you think will allow you the most
success.
Right now, you should have out on your
desk ONLY the one prompt that you have
chosen and some blank paper for outlining.
Remember: In September, the school will
provide you with blank paper on which to
outline and prewrite, and the KDE will
supply you the form on which to write your
actual response.
Remember also that you ARE allowed to
use a dictionary and thesaurus during the
On-Demand Assessment.
The best way to insure that you clearly and
thoroughly support answer the prompt is to
create an outline first.
For any of the forms we must know,
the standard outline for an essay is
sufficient—therefore, the central idea must
be created first.
Central ideas MUST be one statement that
you can consider your purpose statement.
It MUST be arguable; otherwise, your
purpose would be pointless.
Here is a released task from the state:
Situation: Latest fashion. Video games. CD’s. Computer
Software. Everyone gets caught up at one time or another with
wanting new things. Maurice Sendak, author of the children’s
book Where the Wild Things Are, believes the following:
“There must be more to life than having everything.”
Task:
Write an editorial for your school newspaper persuading the
readers to support you opinion in regard to this quote.
Identify the three critical points for the task:
Situation: Latest fashion. Video games. CD’s. Computer
Software. Everyone gets caught up at one time or another with
wanting new things. Maurice Sendak, author of the children’s
book Where the Wild Things Are, believes the following:
“There must be more to life than having everything.”
Task:
Write an editorial for your school newspaper persuading the
readers to support you opinion in regard to this quote.
Once you are ready to create your outline,
your central idea MUST contain an
opinion-based statement about the purpose.
In this case, I know that I must develop an
opinion about Sendak’s quote.
Situation: Latest fashion. Video games. CD’s. Computer
Software. Everyone gets caught up at one time or another with
wanting new things. Maurice Sendak, author of the children’s
book Where the Wild Things Are, believes the following:
“There must be more to life than having everything.”
Task:
Write an editorial for your school newspaper persuading the
readers to support your opinion in regard to this quote.
I must develop a central idea that has a clear
statement of that opinion.
Situation: Latest fashion. Video games. CD’s. Computer
Software. Everyone gets caught up at one time or another with
wanting new things. Maurice Sendak, author of the children’s
book Where the Wild Things Are, believes the following:
“There must be more to life than having everything.”
Task:
Write an editorial for your school newspaper persuading the
readers to support your opinion in regard to this quote.
Sample Central Idea:
In saying that “[t]here must be more to life than having
everything,” Sendak has undoubtedly recognized one
of America’s greatest fallacies: the more you have, the
happier you will be.
Situation: Latest fashion. Video games. CD’s. Computer Software. Everyone gets caught
up at one time or another with wanting new things. Maurice Sendak, author of the
children’s book Where the Wild Things Are, believes the following:
“There must be more to life than having everything.”
Task:
Write an editorial for your school newspaper persuading the readers to support your
opinion in regard to this quote.
Now you will write your own central idea
for the task you have chosen.
Once you’ve developed your central idea, you’re ready
to develop your thesis statement.
Remember: The central idea is WHAT you’re going to
prove. The thesis statement is HOW you’re going to
prove--or the points you will use to prove it.
A thesis statement has two main parts:
1) a hook to the main idea
2) the main reasons or points of support you will use to
support your central idea.
Note: Three reasons or points of support is always a
safe number for which to aim.
Situation: Latest fashion. Video games. CD’s. Computer
Software. Everyone gets caught up at one time or another with
wanting new things. Maurice Sendak, author of the children’s
book Where the Wild Things Are, believes the following:
“There must be more to life than having everything.”
Task:
Write an editorial for your school newspaper persuading the
readers to support your opinion in regard to this quote.
Central Idea:
In saying that “[t]here must be more to life than having
everything,” Sendak has undoubtedly recognized one of
America’s greatest fallacies: the more you have, the happier
you will be.
Thesis Statement:
The truth of Sendak’s statement is reflected in the mirror of
America’s failing marriages, the plethora of self-help books and
television shows, and an increased interest in spiritual matters.
Thesis Statement:
The truth of Sendak’s statement is reflected in the mirror of
America’s failing marriages, the plethora of self-help books and
television shows, and an increased interest in spiritual matters.
Remember:
The reasons or points in your thesis must be parallel,
and they should be arranged in the order that will
have the most effective impact on your audience.
Thesis Statement:
The truth of Sendak’s statement is reflected in the mirror of
America’s failing marriages, the plethora of self-help books and
television shows, and an increased interest in spiritual matters.
Something Else to Remember:
You should use all three different types of appeals:
*Intellectual appeal (facts, statistics, data)
*Emotional appeal
*Ethical appeal (appealing to the audience’s sense of
right and wrong)
After you have developed your thesis,
you’re ready to organize the specific details
you will use to support the reasons in your
thesis.
Thesis Statement:
The truth of Sendak’s statement is reflected in the mirror of
America’s failing marriages, the plethora of self-help books and
television shows, and an increased interest in spiritual matters.
Example of details:
Thesis Point One: America’s failing marriages
Detail 1:
According to George Barna, over
50% of marriages in America end up in divorce.
Detail 2:
Many marriages, even if they don’t
end up in divorce, display evidence of the
dissatisfaction of one or both partners.
Outlining for an On-Demand
Response
Once you have identified the purpose, the
audience, and the form of both prompts,
you are ready to determine which of the two
prompts you think will allow you the most
success.
Right now, you should have out on your
desk ONLY the one prompt that you have
chosen and some blank paper for outlining.
Remember: In September, the school will
provide you with blank paper on which to
outline and prewrite, and the KDE will
supply you the form on which to write your
actual response.
Remember also that you ARE allowed to
use a dictionary and thesaurus during the
On-Demand Assessment.
Outlining
The best way to insure that you clearly and
thoroughly support answer the prompt is to
create an outline first.
For any of the forms we must know,
the standard outline for an essay is
sufficient—therefore, the central idea must
be created first.
Central ideas MUST be one statement that
you can consider your purpose statement.
It MUST be arguable; otherwise, your
purpose would be pointless.
Here is a released task from the state:
Situation: Latest fashion. Video games. CD’s. Computer
Software. Everyone gets caught up at one time or another with
wanting new things. Maurice Sendak, author of the children’s
book Where the Wild Things Are, believes the following:
“There must be more to life than having everything.”
Task:
Write an editorial for your school newspaper persuading the
readers to support you opinion in regard to this quote.
Identify the three critical points for the task:
Situation: Latest fashion. Video games. CD’s. Computer
Software. Everyone gets caught up at one time or another with
wanting new things. Maurice Sendak, author of the children’s
book Where the Wild Things Are, believes the following:
“There must be more to life than having everything.”
Task:
Write an editorial for your school newspaper persuading the
readers to support you opinion in regard to this quote.
Once you are ready to create your outline,
your central idea MUST contain an
opinion-based statement about the purpose.
In this case, I know that I must develop an
opinion about Sendak’s quote.
Situation: Latest fashion. Video games. CD’s. Computer
Software. Everyone gets caught up at one time or another with
wanting new things. Maurice Sendak, author of the children’s
book Where the Wild Things Are, believes the following:
“There must be more to life than having everything.”
Task:
Write an editorial for your school newspaper persuading the
readers to support your opinion in regard to this quote.
I must develop a central idea that has a clear
statement of that opinion.
Situation: Latest fashion. Video games. CD’s. Computer
Software. Everyone gets caught up at one time or another with
wanting new things. Maurice Sendak, author of the children’s
book Where the Wild Things Are, believes the following:
“There must be more to life than having everything.”
Task:
Write an editorial for your school newspaper persuading the
readers to support your opinion in regard to this quote.
Sample Central Idea:
In saying that “[t]here must be more to life than having
everything,” Sendak has undoubtedly recognized one
of America’s greatest fallacies: the more you have, the
happier you will be.
Situation: Latest fashion. Video games. CD’s. Computer Software. Everyone gets caught
up at one time or another with wanting new things. Maurice Sendak, author of the
children’s book Where the Wild Things Are, believes the following:
“There must be more to life than having everything.”
Task:
Write an editorial for your school newspaper persuading the readers to support your
opinion in regard to this quote.
Now you will write your own central idea
for the task you have chosen.
Once you’ve developed your central idea, you’re ready
to develop your thesis statement.
Remember: The central idea is WHAT you’re going to
prove. The thesis statement is HOW you’re going to
prove--or the points you will use to prove it.
A thesis statement has two main parts:
1) a hook to the main idea
2) the main reasons or points of support you will use to
support your central idea.
Note: Three reasons or points of support is always a
safe number for which to aim.
Situation: Latest fashion. Video games. CD’s. Computer
Software. Everyone gets caught up at one time or another with
wanting new things. Maurice Sendak, author of the children’s
book Where the Wild Things Are, believes the following:
“There must be more to life than having everything.”
Task:
Write an editorial for your school newspaper persuading the
readers to support your opinion in regard to this quote.
Central Idea:
In saying that “[t]here must be more to life than having
everything,” Sendak has undoubtedly recognized one of
America’s greatest fallacies: the more you have, the happier
you will be.
Thesis Statement:
The truth of Sendak’s statement is reflected in the mirror of
America’s failing marriages, the plethora of self-help books and
television shows, and an increased interest in spiritual matters.
Thesis Statement:
The truth of Sendak’s statement is reflected in the mirror of
America’s failing marriages, the plethora of self-help books and
television shows, and an increased interest in spiritual matters.
Remember:
The reasons or points in your thesis must be parallel,
and they should be arranged in the order that will
have the most effective impact on your audience.
Thesis Statement:
The truth of Sendak’s statement is reflected in the mirror of
America’s failing marriages, the plethora of self-help books and
television shows, and an increased interest in spiritual matters.
Something Else to Remember:
You should use all three different types of appeals:
*Intellectual appeal (facts, statistics, data)
*Emotional appeal
*Ethical appeal (appealing to the audience’s sense of
right and wrong)
After you have developed your thesis,
you’re ready to organize the specific details
you will use to support the reasons in your
thesis.
Thesis Statement:
The truth of Sendak’s statement is reflected in the mirror of
America’s failing marriages, the plethora of self-help books and
television shows, and an increased interest in spiritual matters.
Example of details:
Thesis Point One: America’s failing marriages
Detail 1:
According to George Barna, over
50% of marriages in America end up in divorce.
Detail 2:
Many marriages, even if they don’t
end up in divorce, display evidence of the
dissatisfaction of one or both partners.