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PSSA Writing Assessment Selfpreparation
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Title: PSSA Writing Assessment Selfpreparation
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PSSA Writing AssessmentSelf-preparation
- Mt. Lebanon High School
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Introduction
- This test is required by state law
- There are three test days
- February 13, 14 15 800 am in homeroom
- 20 multiple-choice questions (Conventions)
- Informational Essay
- Persuasive Essay
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Introduction
- Scorers will use two rubrics for each essay one
is mode-specific (Informational or Persuasive)
the other is for conventions - Based on the curriculum youve followed at MtLHS,
youre already prepared! This self-test is
designed to remind you of what you already know.
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Function Informational
- Present information through reporting,
explaining, directing, summarizing, and defining - Organize and analyze information through
comparing, contrasting, and relaying cause/effect - Evaluate information through judging, ranking, or
deciding
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Features Informational
- A single point made through content organized in
a way that meaningfully supports that point - Content that has been sorted into categories of
ideas that explain the point through examples,
anecdotes, details, and facts - Analysis that includes explanation
- Conventions, tone and voice appropriate to the
point
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Function Persuasive
- State and support a position, opinion or issue
- Defend, refute, or argue
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Features Persuasive
- A single point argued through content organized
in a way that meaningfully supports that point - Content that has been sorted into reasons that
support the argument through specific examples,
anecdotes, details, and facts - Analysis that includes explanation
- Conventions, tone and voice appropriate to the
point and the audience
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Sample Prompt Informational
- Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, Self-trust is
the first secret of success. - Why is it necessary for a person to trust him or
herself to succeed? - Write an essay that explains your understanding
of this quotation.
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Sample Prompt Informational
- What does the prompt require the writer to do
(key words, task)? - What evidence might you use to write this essay?
- How would you arrange that evidence?
- Write a sample thesis statement.
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Informational Rubric
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Sample Prompt Persuasive
- Some people feel that there is always a best
way to do something. - Others feel that a variety of solutions exist for
every problem. - Is there always a right answer?
- Write an essay to persuade others that your
opinion is a valid one.
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Sample Prompt Persuasive
- What does the prompt require the writer to do
(key words, task)? - What evidence might you use to write this essay?
- How would you arrange that evidence?
- Write a sample thesis statement.
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Informational Rubric
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Persuasive Practice
- One of the major differences between persuasive
writing and informational writing is that
persuasive writing is much more audience-linked. - Who needs to be convinced?
- Is the writers goal that the reader think and/or
act differently? - What does the writer want the reader to do/think?
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Persuasive Practice
- FOR EXAMPLE
- A local school board plans to change the school
year from 10 to 12 months. The school board
wants to know what students think of this plan.
Write a letter to persuade the school board to
support your point of view.
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Persuasive Practice
- Persuasive writing also differs from
informational in that informational writing
relies on facts and logic to support its
argument, whereas persuasive writing uses facts
and logic along with emotional and ethical
appeals to be convincing.
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Persuasive Practice
- Logos Most of the students I eat lunch with
earn most of their money through summer jobs such
as life guarding or camp counseling. - Ethos As a college- bound student, my learning
is at stake. (NOTE Ethos usually appeals to the
audiences sense of compassion rather than
juvenile reasons like this is stupid.) - Pathos My mother has recently returned to work
and counts on me to babysit for my younger
siblings during the summer. OR My parents count
on my summer job to contribute to my college
education. - Considering the audience, what kind of appeal
would be most effective in this case? What
evidence would you use?
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Conventions
- Conventions are not a part of your score on the
persuasive or informational essays, but rather
are a separate score. - Your conventions score is based on both your use
of conventions in the essays youve written and
your responses to the multiple-choice questions.
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Conventions
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Conventions
