Chapter 11

Acing the Essay

IN THIS CHAPTER

Bullet Understanding the essay requirements

Bullet Using the best writing tactics

Bullet Seeing how the essay is scored

Bullet Practicing with prompts and evaluating results

In your career as a teacher, success depends on your being clearly understood, not only by your students but also by their parents, your colleagues, the school administration, and your community. The Praxis tests this ability by requiring you to write two essays. One directs you to respond to a statement by writing an essay that agrees or disagrees with a particular point of view. This essay is referred to as the argumentative essay, and you draw on your own observations and opinions to complete this writing assignment.

The other essay gives you a statement about a general topic that’s familiar to all adults and asks you to write an essay about that topic, using two provided sources. This is the informative/explanatory essay. You don’t need any special knowledge to write the essay. In addition to using information from the source material, you can also support the topic with examples from your own personal experience and general knowledge.

You have 30 minutes to produce each essay, so the essays don’t have to be long. But they do need to be organized, logical, and supportive of the main ideas. Additionally, in the informative/explanatory essay, you must demonstrate that you can extract information from the provided sources and cite the sources correctly.

This chapter gives you details about how to write a strong essay, explains how your essay will be scored, and gives you several essay prompts so you can practice your writing skills.

Perusing the Types of Prompts: “Picking a Side” versus “Exploring an Idea”

The Praxis presents a prompt for writing the essay, and this prompt directs you to address the topic in a particular manner. You’re directed to write either an argumentative essay, in which you argue for or against the stated idea, or an informative/explanatory essay, in which you write about a topic and explain why it’s important. Understanding the writing prompt is essential for writing a successful essay. Take time to analyze the prompt before you begin the drafting process. Restate the topic in your own words.

The following sections explain how to write an argumentative essay and how to write an informative/explanatory essay.

Writing persuasively

A persuasive essay is written to convince the reader to accept your view, or your opinion. A good persuasive essay is forceful, well-organized, and carefully reasoned.

The prompt may concern an issue about which you feel strongly. If so, your job in writing your essay is to persuade the reader to accept your view. Conversely, the prompt may be one about which you have no strong feelings. In this case, you can address the topic by exploring both sides of the idea. In either case, you must make your position clear. The scorer should not have to guess where you stand.

The directions for the first essay will be similar to these:

Discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with this opinion. Support your views with specific reasons and examples from your own experience, observations, or reading.

Read the prompt carefully. Think about it. Do you agree or disagree? Maybe you’re not sure of your opinion. In that case, which stance is easier for you to take? For which side of the issue can you generate the most support? For which side of the issue can you produce the best essay? Take that side.

Sticking to the facts

The second essay requires you to read passages from two sources and draw on the information in both sources as well as your own experiences to write the essay. You must correctly cite the sources.

The directions for the second essay will be similar to these:

The following assignment requires you to use information from two sources to discuss the most important concerns that relate to a specific issue. When paraphrasing or quoting from the sources, cite each source by referring to the author’s last name, the title, or any other clear identifier.

The Praxis doesn’t test the depth of your knowledge of a topic. The Praxis tests your ability to analyze information, write well, and incorporate outside sources while citing correctly. So, you don’t need to be a Jeopardy! champion to write this essay.

The Praxis scorers want just the facts in your essay. Don’t waste their time and endanger your good score with unnecessary descriptions or comments that don’t contribute to your main point, your thesis.

Creating a Solid Essay

The standard five-paragraph essay is an excellent way to organize an essay, and this method is the most frequently taught form of writing in the classroom. Even though this method isn’t the only way to produce an essay, for most test-takers, the five-paragraph essay is a good choice for the Praxis essay. You may find, however, that only one or two middle paragraphs are sufficient to fully develop your thesis.

Making an outline: Essential or overrated?

Although a formal outline isn’t necessary, getting organized is essential. After you’ve read the directions and the prompt, restate the prompt in your own words. Be sure you understand what the prompt is asking you to do.

If you’re writing the argumentative essay, think about your viewpoint. If you’re working on the informative/explanatory essay, read the source material. Then, for either essay, formulate a rough thesis. Next, take a mental inventory. What examples or experiences can you relate to the topic? Write them down. In what order will you arrange these supporting details? Number them. Reread the prompt. Are your supporting details relevant? Make adjustments and rewrite your thesis, if necessary. You should spend no more than five to seven minutes on these tasks.

A common maxim regarding essay writing is, “Tell them what you are going to tell them, tell them, and then tell them what you told them.” Although a bit simplistic, this is still good advice to keep in mind when you’re organizing your writing.

Looking at the sections of your essay

Keep in mind that good writing of any kind requires an excellent thesis, topic sentences, and well-organized supporting details, as well as a strong conclusion.

Here’s a breakdown of how to structure each paragraph in your essay:

First paragraph
- Craft a short introduction.
- State your position, which is your thesis. (Here’s your chance to make a good first impression. Best foot forward!)
Middle paragraphs
- Begin with a topic sentence related to your thesis.
- Provide specific examples, details, and/or experiences. Explain why these are important and how they relate to your thesis. If you’re working on the argumentative essay, what benefits can occur as a result of your point of view?
- End each paragraph with a strong final sentence relating to the thesis.
Read the prompt again to be sure everything you wrote relates to it! Remember: You don’t want the thought “So what?” to enter the minds of your readers.
Conclusion
- Put a bow on it! Tie up your ideas into one neat package. Avoid merely summarizing.
- Restate your position if this is the argumentative essay.
- Sum up the supporting details.
- Drive your point home.
Works Cited (only for the essay requiring the use of sources). Be sure to format your sources properly.

After you have organized your thoughts, begin writing your essay. Be sure to save the last four or five minutes to proofread, correcting spelling and grammar.

Don’t box yourself in: Theses aren’t set in stone

After you’ve written your thesis and begun to develop it in your middle paragraphs, you may find that an adjustment is in order. You may discover while writing your examples or experiences that your thesis statement has evolved and could be better.

Write your revised statement. After you’ve completed your essay, revisit your revised thesis and reread the prompt. If your revised thesis is better, change it.

Citing the sources

When you write the informative/explanatory essay, you must cite any outside sources you quote or paraphrase. You can cite sources within the body of the text several different ways:

You can cite a source by including the author’s name in the sentence you are writing. Be sure to use quotation marks when quoting directly.
- According to Mary Lucas, “Children learn best by doing.”
If you paraphrase, you must still cite your source:
- Mary Lucas believes that children can learn best by doing.
You can cite a source by writing the last name of the author in parentheses at the end of the sentence before the period:
- Children learn best by doing (Lucas).

Checking out some additional writing pointers

Here are some general, but important, tips to keep in mind as you write your essays (see Chapter 13 for some additional strategies):

Be careful to address only the assigned topic. Don’t wander off course — no sudden left turns.
Don’t leave anything out. Address every point, but be concise. Be specific; make every word count.
Provide clear support for your points. Imagine that for every point you make, someone asks, “So what?” Be sure you have an answer. Doing this keeps your writing relevant.
Pay attention to grammar, usage, and mechanics. Errors here will cost you points.
Use transitions to make your words flow from idea to idea and paragraph to paragraph.
Vary the length and structure of your sentences.
Avoid passive voice. Use active verbs whenever possible.
Include correct citation, whether you paraphrase or quote directly from the source.

Turning a Good Essay into a Great One

The Praxis essay scorers are looking for the complete package. They want a well-written, interesting essay. If you want a top score, you need to do more than organize your essay well and have good support for your thesis. You should also provide anecdotes when applicable, choose your words carefully, and acknowledge the other side of the argument when writing a persuasive essay. The following sections touch on these tactics.

Adding interesting anecdotes

Experienced writers and speakers often relate an anecdote to make a point. An anecdote is a very short story and can be an excellent way to support your essay’s thesis. Personal stories are particularly memorable and, consequently, make your point memorable, too.

Consider this prompt for an argumentative essay:

“Because students have so many extracurricular activities and so little time outside the school day, the majority of school hours should be limited to academic courses only.”

What could be better to support your view than a brief anecdote about your own experience in juggling extracurricular activities and academics?

The anecdote is simply a suggestion and not a requirement. It helps to illustrate your main ideas by using a real-life situation.

Although the Praxis is no place to practice your stand-up comedy routine, an amusing anecdote to illustrate your point is certainly allowed and can add energy and personality to your essay. Just be sure that the anecdote clearly supports your thesis and doesn’t distract the reader.

Painting a picture with words

The old saying “A picture is worth a thousand words” applies to the essay. Even though you can’t literally place a picture into your essay, your words can paint a picture to support your point. Create an image, a “word picture,” by being very specific. Consider the following descriptions:

Vague: a nice day
Specific: bright sunshine, marshmallow clouds in a brilliant blue sky

By revising the vague statement of a nice day, the specific, detailed adjectives and nouns create a detailed image of a nice day in the reader’s brain.

Vague verbs are too weak to create an image. Instead, use strong, active verbs. For example, instead of “walk,” use a more specific verb — “amble,” “stroll,” or “trot,” for example.

Use specific words in your essay to appeal to the five senses: sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell. Doing so gives the reader the sense that he is there and can experience what you’re describing.

However, using specific words also comes with a caveat. You should know the words that you use. “Big words” won’t earn you extra points.

The big word isn’t necessarily preferable to the simple word nor is the unusual word preferable to the everyday word. Clarity is your goal. Don’t confuse the reader by “overwriting.” Big words used inappropriately can mean fewer points for your essay. Use words with which you are comfortable.

Finally, avoid jargon — language that is so specialized that it may be misunderstood. You may know, for example, the specialized language that computer “techies” use every day, but assume that your reader does not.

Anticipating objections against your position

When you write the argumentative essay, consider what could be said against your view and prepare a strong retort. Recognizing opposing views strengthens your own. By refuting the opposite view, you make yours much stronger.

Ignoring a major opposing view weakens your position. Suppose, for example, you are writing in favor of banning certain books in the school library. Think about the opposing views and decide how you can refute them. Including counterarguments actually makes your own points stronger, not weaker, because it shows you clearly thought about the topic and are organized in your approach.

Understanding How the Essay Is Scored

Your essay will be evaluated by two scorers. Each will assign a point value of 1 to 6. If the points vary widely, your essay will be reviewed by a third evaluator.

The scorers issue points based on the following factors:

A 6-point essay demonstrates a high degree of competence. This is a winner! It takes into consideration all the advice given in this chapter. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but it does make the writer’s position clear, and it is well organized. In addition, a 6-point essay uses strong supporting details, displays sentence variety, and exhibits excellent grammar, competent word usage, and almost flawless mechanics.
A 5-point essay is just a step below the 6. Although it’s strong and displays some of the characteristics of the 6-point essay, the ideas don’t flow as logically, the sentence variety isn’t as effective, and the language use may not display as much facility.
A 4-point essay demonstrates competence. Although it is adequate, it’s not as well-written as higher-scoring essays. The thesis may not be stated as clearly as the higher-scoring essays. Relevant supporting details, examples, and reasons are not as well explained.
A 3-point essay is blemished but demonstrates some competence. The thesis and supporting ideas may only be implied instead of clearly stated. It may display errors in language use, grammar, and mechanics.
A 2-point essay has serious flaws. The thesis may be weak or nonexistent. The organization may be weak with few supporting details. It may have frequent errors in grammar, word usage, and mechanics.
A 1-point essay is sorely lacking coherence and development. No clear thesis or support is mentioned. This essay completely misses the mark.

The Praxis scorers are a diverse lot, but they have one thing in common: They’re looking for good writing. They don’t score essays based upon their own personal views, so don’t worry about writing your essay based on what you think the scorers want to hear. Although you never want to write anything that could offend anyone, you need not concern yourself with taking a particular view to please the scorer. Praxis scores are holistic, based on an overall assessment of your work.

Checking Out Some Practice Prompts

To better prepare for the essay-writing section of the Praxis, try writing an essay using one or all of these practice prompts. Remember to organize first. Then write. Time yourself.

Prompts for argumentative essays

DIRECTIONS: Discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with this opinion. Support your views with specific reasons and examples from your own experience, observations, or reading.

“Because students have so many extracurricular activities and so little time outside the school day, the majority of school hours should be limited to academic courses only.”

“The technology included in the latest model automobiles — weather reports, email access, GPS, and so forth — distracts the driver and should be eliminated.”

“Although learning to eat nutritious food is important, some leaders in our society have taken the matter of eating healthy too far.”

“Television reporting of news in the United States has begun to rely too heavily on ratings, leading networks to strive for entertainment and sensationalism rather than unbiased reporting.”

“All high-school and college students should be required to take regular drug tests.”

“Students with poor academic performance should be barred from all extracurricular activities.”

Prompts for informative/explanatory essays

Prompt #1

Directions: The following assignment requires you to use information from two sources to discuss the most important concerns that relate to a specific issue. When paraphrasing or quoting from the sources, cite each source by referring to the author’s last name, the title, or any other clear identifier.

Source 1:

Adapted from: Fitzpatrick, John R. “House and the Virtue of Eccentricity,” House and Philosophy. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2009. Print.

Diogenes of Sinope (404–323 BCE) was the most famous of the cynics. He distrusted the written word, and if he did write anything, none of it survived. But he was influential enough for others to record his life and views. Diogenes’s philosophy stressed living an ethical life, a life as nature intended. Thus, the conventional life of Athens was far too soft, and the polite life of civil society was far too dishonest. Diogenes believed that one’s private persona and public persona should be identical — what one says and does in private should be what one says and does in public. Diogenes is perhaps best known for walking the streets with a lit torch “looking for an honest man.” We are all aware of modern politicians who preach family values in public while privately divorcing their spouses, abandoning their children, or soliciting prostitutes. For Diogenes, if you’re going to talk the talk, then you’d better walk the walk; only by “walking your talk” can you live ethically and happily.

Source 2:

Adapted from: Malloy, Daniel P. “Clark Kent Is Superman: The Ethics of Secrecy,” Superman and Philosophy: What Would the Man of Steel Do? Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2013. Print.

The essential difference between secrecy and privacy is that privacy is often thought of as a right, whereas secrecy is a method. There are certain things we all have a right to keep to ourselves that do not require secrecy. The right to privacy has been somewhat controversial. Legally, at least in America, it has been established through precedent and interpretation, but cannot actually be found anywhere in the U.S. Constitution. Contemporary philosopher Judith Jarvis Thompson, along with some other philosophers, has argued that the right to privacy isn’t a moral right either. Instead, Thompson argues that what we take to be the right to privacy is actually an amalgam of rights that a person has over herself and her property. Still, privacy does have some moral grounding. Secrecy, on the other hand, is not morally grounded. We have no right to keep secrets. Secrecy, then, is morally neutral. It is not presumed to be immoral, as lying is. Nor is it presumed to be a moral right. Secrecy is a tool, and just like any other tool, its rightness or wrongness depends on the use to which it is put.

Prompt #2

Source 1:

Adapted from: Nielsen, Carsten Fogh. “World’s Finest Philosophers,” Superman and Philosophy: What Would the Man of Steel Do? Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2013. Print.

In Leviathan, one of the most influential books on political philosophy ever written, the British philosopher Thomas Hobbes claimed that human beings neither do nor should trust each other, and described the natural state of human association as a war “of every man against every man.” Hobbes recognized that many people might not agree with this somewhat depressing analysis, and that some might claim that human beings are not nearly as bad as Hobbes portrays them. In response to this, Hobbes asked those who disagreed with him to take a closer look at how they themselves actually behave: “Let him therefore consider with himself, when taking a journey, he arms himself, and seeks to go well accompanied; when going to sleep, he locks his doors; when even in his house, he locks his chest … Does he not there as much accuse mankind by his actions as I do by my words?”

Source 2:

Adapted from: Finkelman, Leonard. “Superman and Man,” Superman and Philosophy: What Would the Man of Steel Do? Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2013. Print.

The human nature optimist believes that the essence of humanity is selflessness. To quote philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712–1778), “men, being wild rather than wicked, and more intent to guard themselves against the mischief that might be done them, than to do mischief to others, were by no means subject to very perilous dissensions.” […] Rousseau wrote that mankind is “born free, and everywhere is in chains.” In the state of nature, you have compassion for your neighbor; however, your desire for compassion from her will compel you toward vanity, or the attempt to elevate yourself and diminish others.

Reviewing a Sample Essay

Take a look at a highly competent essay based on the following prompt: “Because students have so many extracurricular activities and so little time outside the school day, the majority of school hours should be limited to academic courses only.”

So much to do. So little time. The school day is packed with activity, much of it unrelated to academic coursework. Assemblies, pep rallies, class meetings, and the myriad of other activities packed into a school day break students’ concentration and fragment the day. Even so, most of these activities provide students with valuable learning experiences and hours of fun. To better serve students, the school day should strictly separate academics and extracurricular activities.
A typical school day lasts from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. During that school day, approximately five hours are devoted to academics, and those five hours are typically interrupted several times by nonacademic activities. For example, on a typical day at my school, the academic day is interrupted at least half a dozen times by announcements, guest speakers, club and class meetings, bake sales, pep rallies, assemblies… . The list goes on and on. Consequently, students often lose their concentration and focus. Students are continuously shifting from academics to nonacademics and back.
In addition, the time that students spend dashing to and from the classroom to extracurricular activities in the gym, auditorium, or other areas is time that could be better spent. Separating academics from extracurricular by moving all extracurricular activities to the end of the day would reduce transition time and valuable minutes would be added to study. Any appointments or obligations students might need to schedule outside of school could be attended to during the nonacademic hours, further increasing the time devoted to study. Once the academic portion of the day has ended, students would be free to enjoy the other side of school life: socializing, building relationships, attending events, listening to speakers, and, in general, participating fully in the school community. Students could catch their breath, stretch, smile, and look forward to the next few hours with friends, knowing the day’s most important work was behind them.
While five straight hours of academics would be quite grueling and certainly not the answer, these “academic hours” could be broken by short, nonstructured breaks and lunch. By placing uninterrupted academic study first, academics become top priority. With no extended interruptions and less time spent in transition, students would be more focused and academic performance would increase. Numerous studies show that emphasizing the importance of academics in the school day leads to increased student performance.
The typical school day can overwhelm students with the volume and variety of activities to which they must attend. They sprint from one activity to another, barely stopping to catch their breath or assimilate the impact of the last class. Simply rearranging and compartmentalizing the many activities will add productive time to the school day, increase students’ concentration and focus, and lead not only to better academic performance but also to more enjoyment of extracurricular activities.

Here is why this essay would receive a score of 6:

Introduction: The introduction catches the reader’s attention: “So much to do. So little time.” The introduction also sets the stage for what’s to come by mentioning the many activities in a school day and why these activities are a problem. The paragraph ends with a strong statement, a thesis.
Middle paragraph 1: Notice that the first paragraph begins to build the case for a separation of academic and nonacademic activities. The argument is strengthened through the use of a personal anecdote. Note the transition words like “for example” and “consequently” that move the reader smoothly through the paragraph.
Middle paragraph 2: The second paragraph continues to build the argument by presenting another benefit to the separation of academic and nonacademic activities: time saved. This idea is presented in the first sentence, the topic sentence. Notice the active verb, “dashing.” Notice the “word picture” created in the last sentence, “Students could catch their breath… .” Also notice that the final sentence is a strong one, further stressing the benefit.
Middle paragraph 3: In this paragraph, the writer recognizes and addresses an opposing argument: Five hours of academics would be too grueling. The writer continues to present further benefits to his suggested plan and ends with a strong sentence.
Conclusion: The conclusion sums up the argument, restates the thesis, and brings closure.

Evaluating Your Essay

After you have written your essay, use the following list to help you evaluate your writing.

Have you constructed a strong, narrow thesis that directly addresses the prompt? Does your essay proceed logically from paragraph to paragraph and idea to idea? Does the introduction lead smoothly to the conclusion? If your thesis is not clear, you will lose points. If your essay contains anything that doesn’t pertain to your thesis, you will lose points.
Does your introductory paragraph anticipate the rest of your essay? Does it easily hook to the thesis statement and link to the supporting details?
Are your supporting details relevant to the topic and closely aligned to your thesis? Be sure your evidence is specific. General, vague statements will cost you. Be sure each middle paragraph has a sentence (preferably at the end) that clearly connects to your thesis.
Do you use transitions to move logically from one idea to another? Examples of transitions include “consequently,” “in addition,” “however,” “conversely,” “in contrast,” and “similarly.”
Is your essay well organized? Make sure it contains an introduction, your thesis, supporting details, and a conclusion. It should consist of a clear beginning, middle, and end.
Have you paid attention to action verbs and specific language? Is your language natural or have you tried to impress by using language with which you’re not comfortable? Watch out for overuse of the verb “to be.” Try to substitute strong, active verbs wherever possible. Create “word pictures” with specific language.
Have you used a variety of sentences? Vary the length and structure. Use some short sentences and some long ones. Use some with introductory clauses and some without. Use simple sentences as well as complex and compound sentences.
Does your conclusion bring closure and drive your point home? The reader should leave with a clear understanding of your position and should completely understand why you hold that position.
Have you used correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation? Be sure you save a few minutes of the allotted time to proofread for careless errors. If you have two or three mistakes in punctuation, spelling, or grammar, they may cost you.
Have you correctly cited any outside sources? Be careful to cite any sources, whether you quote directly or paraphrase. If you have any doubt about whether to cite or not, cite!

How many points does your essay deserve? Read your essay again, placing yourself in that scorer’s shoes (refer to the section “Understanding How the Essay Is Scored” for more details on scoring).

Write, write, write. You can improve your score by practicing. Have others read your essay and make suggestions. The more you write, the more comfortable you’ll be on test day. Read your essay out loud. Doing so will help you notice areas where your thoughts may not flow smoothly. If possible, use grammar/spell check to help you catch any errors and learn from them.