Humanities I
Mrs. Cave-Mattie
PSSA Writing
In order to prepare you for the PSSA exams, which you will be taking as a junior at Lake Lehman,
I am going to review the expectations for writing PSSA essays. You will use these guidelines for every
writing assignment I give from this point forward (unless I tell you that you are free to use your own
style).
PSSA graders score your essays in 5 different areas:
 Focus:
o Definition:
The writer should clearly address the topic.
o Things to include:
 Restate Prompt
 Use words from the prompt throughout
 Thesis + Blueprint
 Content:
o Definition:
Development of ideas used in your essay.
o Things to Include:
 FRED
 5-7 sentences in each paragraph
 The writer should “show” the reader, not “tell.”
 Style:
o Definition:
Choice, use, and arrangement of words and sentence structure that create tone and
voice.
o Things to include:
 Your own voice
 Your own personality
 Organization:
o Definition:
The order developed and sustained within and across paragraphs.
o Things to include:
 5 paragraphs (introduction, 3 body, conclusion)
 Thesis statement + blueprint
 Motivator/Grabber and Clincher
 Transitions
 Conventions:
o Definition:
Grammar, mechanics, spelling, usage and sentence formation.
o Things to include:
 Proper spelling
 Proper usage

Proper punctuation
Formula for each paragraph to follow
Introduction
Grabber/motivator
+
Restate prompt
+
original thoughts/sentences
+
thesis/blueprint
First Body Paragraph: Point #1
Transition
+
topic sentence
+
7-10 supporting sentences
Second Body Paragraph: Point #2
Transition
+
topic sentence
+
7-10 supporting sentences
+
7-10 supporting sentences
Third Body Paragraph: Point #3
Transition
+
topic sentence
Conclusion
Restate prompt
blueprint/thesis
+
original thoughts/sentences that connect to previous ideas
+ clincher
+
restate
Your essays for this class will be scored using the same rubric that the PSSA graders use to score
your essays.
The Five-Paragraph Essay
The PSSA writing exam expects to see 5 paragraph essays.
The five-paragraph essay is also called the “classic” essay and
as such has a traditional structure. Although like other essays,
the five-paragraph essay contains a title, introduction, body
and conclusion; each paragraph also ends and/or begins with a
transition that links one paragraph to the next.
The Introduction: The first paragraph introduces your
thesis/topic to your readers and directs them to the points (the
blueprint) you’ll develop in the body of your essay. Carefully
craft your first sentence to capture your reader’s attention
(motivator/grabber). Introduce your thesis and, in sequence,
list your three supporting points (blueprint). Like all parts of a
five-paragraph essay, the sequence of supporting points
follows a particular format.
Note About Transitions
A transition is a word, a phrase or a
sentence that helps your reader understand
your thought process and maintains your
reader’s interest from point to point in
your essay.
Transitions create a bridge from one
paragraph to the next. In addition,
effective use of transitions adds continuity
to your writing and cohesion to your essay
as a whole.
The Body: Each of the three paragraphs of the body of a five-paragraph essay is devoted to examining
one of the three points that support your thesis. In addition, the paragraph that supports each of your points
has a specific position within the body. You should discuss your three points in the same order that you
list them in the thesis + blueprint.
In writing the body, begin each paragraph with a restatement of the particular point from the blueprint you
are working with, and follow it with your evidence. Make sure your evidence is detailed and specific to
the point it supports. Each blueprint point needs at least three pieces of information to support it; use as
much evidence as is necessary to make your viewpoint clear to your reader. Each of the three pieces of
information you are using to support each blueprint point needs at least 2 sentences to fully explain it.
This makes each body paragraph around 6-7 sentences long. The body of your five-paragraph essay is the
“meat” of your essay. The first bite needs to be very tasty!
Body Paragraph #1: Begin your first paragraph with a “reverse hook”, a transition that alludes to
your thesis as a whole. As in paragraph numbers two and three of the body, be sure to restate your
point in the first or second sentence. Follow the restatement of your supporting point with your
best evidence, your strongest point and/or most interesting example. End the first paragraph with a
transitional word, phrase, or statement that progresses to your second paragraph.
Body Paragraph #2: Connect your bridge at both ends. Begin the second paragraph with a
transition that alludes to the information in the first. State your second point in the first or second
sentence of this paragraph. The supporting point and evidence presented in the second paragraph is
the second most important evidence that supports your overall thesis. Conclude the second
paragraph with a transition to the third.
Body Paragraph #3: The final paragraph of your essay body contains your weakest argument and
evidence. Strengthen this paragraph by again beginning it with a transition that connects it the
second paragraph and your thesis as a whole. Use a transition at the end of this paragraph to
connect the three points of the body in leading to the conclusion of your essay.
The Conclusion: Your essay conclusion is the fifth and final paragraph of your essay. Use it to strongly
restate your thesis, now backing it up with your three supporting points—the blueprint (again in sequence)
and important evidence your essay brought to light. In writing your conclusion, try to grasp the feelings
you have evoked in your reader and end your essay by using those feelings to add the final “sway” to your
argument—the clincher.
Informational/Expository Essays
What is an Informational/Expository Essay?
While expository is just a synonym for information, strict guidelines of the expository essay ensure that
the information it contains is clear and concise. An easy way to get off on the right foot in writing an
expository essay is to remember that the root of expository is expose. The writer’s job is to totally expose
the topic in a way that makes the information very clear to his/her audience.
However, the expository essay is a totally objective (based on facts, free of prejudice due to personal
feelings) composition. Differing from many other types of essay, the writer’s job is to explain and inform
without offering an opinion or developing an argument. The expository essay is always written in the third
person.
Know Your Audience
More so than in any other type of essay, when composing an expository essay, it’s important to write to
your audience. Judge how much background information you’ll need by asking yourself if your readers
are familiar with your topic. Although you want to fully inform your audience, you don’t want to bore
your readers by filling your essay with general information.
The goal of an expository essay is provide the reader with a full understanding of a certain process, topic,
etc.
The Expository Essay Format
The expository essay follows the standard PSSA essay format of Introduction, Body (3 paragraphs), and
Conclusion. Although it is different from other types of essays, it may require you to compare and
contrast, demonstrate cause and effect, divide and categorize, use examples, statistics and or definitions in
order to meet your goal.
The expository essay introduction should begin with a motivator/grabber. It should then restate some of
the prompt, using specific words from the prompt. You will end with a statement of the essay’s thesis and
blueprint that will be developed within the essay body. The expository essay is generally a short
composition that attempts to completely cover a narrow topic.
Each paragraph of the body of the expository essay must discuss one of the points you mentioned in your
blueprint. All of the sentences in each body paragraph should support that point.
For an informational/expository essay, you should attempt to use transitions. These will help your essay
flow better from one idea to the next.
Your sentences should be simple and clear so that the reader will understand what you are trying to say.
You need to stay away from slang or words that many will not understand (the way many of you talk
today!).
Conclude your expository essay by restating your thesis and summarizing the points of the blueprint. You
will want to conclude with a clincher statement that really leaves the reader feeling satisfied about what
he/she just read.
Proofreading the Expository Essay
After you’ve finished your first draft, along with checking for errors in spelling, grammar, etc, check your
essay to see if you have explained your topic thoroughly. Be sure that your thesis relates to every
paragraph and that supporting sentences directly relate to your main points.
Persuasive Essays
What is a persuasive essay?
A persuasive essay (also known as the argument essay) has one of two objectives:
1. To convince your reader to adopt your point of view
2. To convince your reader to take a specific course of action
A good persuasive essay argues one side of a very narrow topic. Although the persuasive essay only
addresses one side of the issue, the topic must be debatable (meaning people can argue about it). Simply
put, the persuasive essay recognizes that there are two sides to every question, but only presents one side
to the reader. Still, it’s important for you to understand both sides of the topic in order to best
communicate your ideas to your reader.
Introducing the Persuasive Essay
Use a thesis + blueprint in your persuasive essay introduction. In addition to putting your topic and
position into a sentence, the introduction to your persuasive essay should be a clear definition of the points
that support your thesis (blueprint). Present them in the same order that you’ll use in the body of your
essay so that your reader knows what to expect.
Organizing the Persuasive Essay Body
The easiest way to organize the body of a persuasive essay is to think of your points as pointing towards
your conclusion. Each sentence in the body should be closely related to your topic and to the sentence
came before it. It’s kind of like you’re “building” something. Each piece supports the piece that came
before it, and after it.



Begin each paragraph with a point from your introduction (one of your blueprints), following the
same sequence you presented in the introduction. Support it with your evidence. As you finish
each paragraph, examine it. Look for mistakes, inconsistencies, etc.
Be sure your evidence is specific. Stay away from making broad statements and giving personal
opinions. Especially refrain from using words like all (as in all people), always, every, and never.
Help your reader see the logical progression of your argument by concluding each paragraph with
a transitional sentence that leads to your next point.
In Conclusion
The conclusion of the essay is your last chance to remind your readers of your position and persuade them
to accept your point of view. In order to do this successfully, you need to redefine your opinion, give your
3 reasons (blueprint), restate some of your strongest evidence, and end with a clincher statement.
Unique to Persuasive Essays
 It is ok to make specific calls to action. (So, go out and make a difference. Begin recycling, etc)
 You may directly address your readers (kind of like “talking” to your reader)
 You want to take on a very strong, effective tone