Timed Writings

1
Timed Writings

• What? When? Where? Why? How?

2
Journal Writing

• Please respond to the following questions in
  complete sentences
• What is a timed writing?
• Are timed writings a fair and effective way to
  measure student writing ability?

3
What is a timed writing?

• A timed writing is a composition that must be
  completed within set time limits.
• Every test that you take in this course will
  feature some kind of timed writing
• What are the two major kinds of timed writings?

4
Which standardized tests have timed writings?

• The New SAT (11th-12th grade)
• The PSSA (11th grade)

5
Things to keep in mind when writing a timed essay

• 1 Relax
• You know what an essay is. You know that it has
  an introduction, several body paragraphs, and a
  conclusion. Thus you know what kind of
  organizational structure is required.

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A word about structure

• Introduction
• Brings reader in (this is the A essay)
• Focuses essay
• Tells reader the direction youll be moving
• Features a thesis statement
• Outlines your essay
• Gives your position
• Gives your justifications

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Things to keep in mind when writing a timed essay

• 2 Read the Question Thoroughly
• Underline important words to ensure that you are
  answering all parts of the question being asked.
  For example Give three reasons for. . . Compare
  and contrast two heroes. . . Analyze the
  structure of the hero's journey. Make sure you
  understand what the question asks. If not, ask
  your instructor to clarify this for you.

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Things to keep in mind when writing a timed essay

• 3 Remember that you should always remember the
  modified steps of the writing process
• A. Prewriting
• Even more important when time is short
• Prewriting covers everything from thinking about
  the question to outlining your essay
• The general principles for brainstorming and
  outlining are the same
• B. Drafting
• C. Proofreading/Editing

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Things to keep in mind when writing a timed essay

• B. Brief Introduction
• You don't have time to develop the perfect
  introduction. Develop a brief introduction that
  summarizes the background information and
  clearly states your thesis. You don't have enough
  time to worry about that perfect first sentence
  (though if you have time at the end, go back and
  add one!)

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Things to keep in mind when writing a timed essay

• C. Follow Your Outline
• You have taken the time to develop your plan,
  so follow it. Be sure that each paragraph has
  clear, descriptive, specific examples to
  illustrate the point. Be sure that each paragraph
  has a topic sentence and a smooth transition into
  the next idea.

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Things to keep in mind when writing a timed essay

• D. Conclusion
• Write a brief conclusion that summarizes your
  main points and/or provides some insight on your
  topic.
• Don't introduce any new ideas
• If you find yourself running short on time at the
  end, be sure you have a conclusion of some kind,
  even if its just one or two sentences
• The essay that just stops and doesn't have a
  conclusion is considered incomplete.

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Things to keep in mind when writing a timed essay

• E. Edit
• Try to allot 5-10 minutes at the end to edit your
  essay.
• Check your punctuation, spelling (take a
  dictionary), and word choice, and make any
  necessary changes.
• This should be the last thing you do.

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Things to keep in mind when writing a timed essay

• 4 Time Management
• Pay attention to the time.
• Don't spend all of your time on your
  introduction and first paragraph and then skimp
  on the rest. Do your best to give equal time to
  each paragraph.

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Finally

• Timed writings are going to continue to be a part
  of your academic reality, so learning to deal
  with them is important.