Writing Section
Occurs first on the day of the test
For the Issue Task, two topics will be
presented and you will choose one (45
minutes).
The Argument Task does not present a
choice of topics; instead one topic will be
presented (30 minutes).
Five Paragraph Essay
• The first paragraph introduces the topic,
gives a three-sentence outline of the
argument to follow, then suggests what
the essay's conclusion - the thesis - will
be.
Five Paragraph Essay
• The next three paragraphs restate the
three topic sentences, which have
appeared in paragraph one, and offer
proof or evidence for the assumptions that
support the thesis of the essay.
Five Paragraph Essay
• The conclusion paragraph summarizes the
argument, reiterates the thesis, and
suggests how the thesis relates in some
way to a broader idea. The final sentence
should be clever, memorable, and
relevant.
Issue Task
• Present Your Perspective on an Issue
• http://www.ets.org/portal/site/ets/menuitem
.1488512ecfd5b8849a77b13bc3921509/?
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Issue Task
• It doesn’t matter which perspective you
choose – pro vs. con.
• Pick the perspective for which you can
generate the strongest persuasive
position.
Issue Task
• Decide which perspective you will argue.
• Identify at least 3 ideas that supports the
perspective.
• Incorporate them in the five paragraph
essay structure.
Outline of Essay
• Intro paragraph
•
•
•
•
•
Point 1
Point 2
Point 3
… (can have more points if you like)
Conclusion Paragraph
Pool of Issue Questions
• http://www.ets.org/portal/site/ets/menuitem
.1488512ecfd5b8849a77b13bc3921509/?
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Examples
• "Rituals and ceremonies help define a culture.
Without them, societies or groups of people
have a diminished sense of who they are
• "The bombardment of visual images in
contemporary society has the effect of making
people less able to focus clearly and extensively
on a single issue over a long period of time.”
Argument Task
• Analysis of an Argument
• http://www.ets.org/portal/site/ets/menuitem
.1488512ecfd5b8849a77b13bc3921509/?
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Argument Task
• It does matter which perspective you
choose.
• Try to find at least three reasons why the
argument is not necessarily so.
• You will use knowledge from research
methods and statistics class.
Pool of Argument Questions
• http://www.ets.org/portal/site/ets/menuitem
.1488512ecfd5b8849a77b13bc3921509/?
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Example
• According to information recently reported in the
Eliottown Gazette, the number of people who travel to
Eliottown has increased significantly over the past
several years. So far this year over 100,000 people have
arrived on flights to Eliottown's airport, compared with
only 80,000 last year and 40,000 the year before.
Eliottown's train station has received more than 50,000
passengers this year, compared with less than 40,000
last year and 20,000 the year before. Clearly tourism in
Eliottown has been increasing, thanks to the new Central
Park and Museum of Modern Art that opened last year.
Therefore, the funding for the park and museum should
be increased significantly.
Example
• "Arctic deer live on islands in Canada's arctic region. They search
for food by moving over ice from island to island during the course of
a year. Their habitat is limited to areas warm enough to sustain the
plants on which they feed, and cold enough, at least some of the
year, for the ice to cover the sea separating the islands, allowing the
deer to travel over it. Unfortunately, according to reports from local
hunters, the deer populations are declining. Since these reports
coincide with recent global warming trends that have caused the sea
ice to melt, we can conclude that the decline in arctic deer
populations is the result of deer being unable to follow their age-old
migration patterns across the frozen sea."
Spelling Counts
• You will not have a spell checker.
• Review lists of commonly misspelled
words
• http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar
/misspelled_words.htm
Review Basic Grammar & Punctuation
• Strunk & White
– Elements of Style
http://www.bartleby.com/141/
Review Irregular Verbs
• http://www.bartleby.com/141/
• I go…
• I went…
• I have gone….
Review Irregular Verbs
• http://www.bartleby.com/141/
• He writes.
• He wrote.
• He had written.