Essay+Writing

In general, what are the key characteristics of excellent writing? What are additional keys to excellent writing in social studies?
 * Activity #1 **
 * Good topic sentence
 * Answering the question
 * Engaging
 * Staying on topic
 * Using key terms
 * Reference to text

15 keys to excellent (social studies) essay writing: I think that reading the question carefully, directly answering the question, and proofreading are the most important characteristics to excellent writing. It is important to read the prompt/question/directions carefully and precisely so that the prompt can be understood. Without understanding what is going to be written about, the essay will be inaccurate. It is also important to Acknowledge and disapprove other POVs because that can strengthen the argument that you sided with. Finally it is important to proofread and revise any work that was written. This is to make sure there was no incorrect grammar and fix any mistakes in the essay.
 * Activity #2**
 * Be knowledgeable about your content (I think this includes the use of textbooks, notes, and online research.)
 * Read the directions / prompt / question carefully
 * Brainstorm & Outline
 * Have an appropriate title
 * Directly answer the question / respond to the prompt
 * Use a strong, clear thesis statement
 * Prove your thesis statement throughout the essay
 * Make sure your arguments are presented in an organized way (I think that it is best to organize ideas into paragraphs. How long are the essays on the exams/Is there a certain number of paragraphs someone has to write?)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Include evidence/examples //and// analysis of them
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Include key terms, academic vocabulary, appropriate research/documents/sources (What would be considered good sources to use for research besides a textbook?)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Provide context (Context means what is around something, like Context clues.)
 * <span style="background-color: #ffee00; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Acknowledge other POVs / opposing arguments (and disprove them, if possible)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Use correct grammar and spelling
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Make sure the paragraphs and sentences flow together, that it’s a smooth read
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Finish with something profound
 * <span style="background-color: #ffff00; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Proofread and revise*

As a social studies essay writer I have more weaknesses than strengths. One weakness I have is stating my thesis statement and introduction paragraphs. Also, although I have good ideas and structure when I brainstorm any ideas, my writing can get off topic. Another weakness in my writing is that I have short closing paragraphs without much details and I don't do good at researching. However my strengths about my writing besides having good organization is that I can provide evidence, key terms, and appropriate documents. Also I have good vocabulary and can integrate strong supporting details.
 * Activity #3**

//Some of the excellent writing characteristics that I also saw in the rubric were://
 * Activity #4**
 * Be knowledgeable about your content.
 * Read the directions carefully.
 * Directly answer the question/prompt.
 * Have a strong clear thesis.
 * Develop the thesis
 * State information in an organized way.
 * Use evidence, academic vocab, key terms, and analyze them.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;">__[]__ I can analyze a document. For this particular prompt I don't remember back to Revolutionary War. I also don't know what the word diplomatic means, so for those reasons I would not score high on this essay.
 * Political reasons for winning the war; Treaties and/or any other documents.
 * Military tactics/strategies/battles for winning the war
 * Diplomatic Reasons for winning the war; Where there any attempted solutions?

There are several differences in the scores of 8-9 and 5-7. An essay that scores a 8-9 is a lot more organized and well-written than an essay that scored a 5-7. The thesis of an essay that scores a 5-7 is also less developed, less clear, and less supported with evidence than a thesis of an essay that scored a 8-9. Overall an 8-9 is a more developed essay than a score of 5-7.

I think that the essay would have scored a 8-9. They explained what had led up to the Revolutionary War. They also explained any key battles and any key historical figures. I think that the essay was well developed. Sample 2A recieved a score of an 8, which was what I had predicted. I agree that the essay was well-written but the scorer added that the thesis could have been more meaningful. The scorer also included the pre-1775 actions which was what I also noticed.
 * Activity #5**


 * Activity #6**
 * **Intro**
 * **Body Paragraph #1**
 * **Body Paragrpah #2**
 * **Body Paragrpah #3﻿**
 * **Conclusion**

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Essay Structure <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Title__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">– always have a title that you have created (I never used to include titles in my essays before.)

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">2) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Intro Paragraph__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">:
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Introduce the topic with a general topic sentence.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Include a year or time frame.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Provide context: explain key background and related info for the time period and topic.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Transition into a brief, general mention of the specific topic of the essay.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Provide a <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Thesis Statement__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> that clearly responds to the essay question or topic. (In my opinion, this is the most important thing in an intro paragraph.)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Make sure the sentences connect, that the paragraph flows.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">3) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Body Paragraphs__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">:
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Break the essay into specific subtopics (which should have been mentioned in your thesis statement)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Begin each body paragraph with a TOPIC SENTENCE that is basically a thesis statement for that paragraph’s subtopic
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Topic sentences should bridge the previous paragraph (may require only one word to make a bridge (e.g. “also”))
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Follow general topic sentences with specific details, examples, evidence (from documents/research if applicable)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Include key terms, names, dates, events, and data (#s)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ANALYZE your evidence and examples - why are they important? what do they show? So what?! (I think this is going to make up most of what the paragraphs consist of.)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">PROVE YOUR THESIS throughout each paragraph

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">4) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Conclusion Paragraph__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">:
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Summarize some of the most important information from the essay.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Acknowledge opposing arguments (and refute, if possible). (Can this step be done during the main body paragraphs?)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Restate your thesis in different words.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Explain why your topic is important in the big picture of history (so what?) and/or give a preview of what is or may be next to come...give your audience something strong to leave with.

I learned a lot more about the structure of essay writing than I knew before. For one I need to remember to make titles for my essays. As for my strengths and weaknesses. I can organize and develop good ideas but I need to improve on transitioning from each different paragraphs in my essays. Also I need to have more clear and meaningful thesis statements.
 * Activity #7**

What is a thesis statement? Why are thesis statements so important? A thesis statement is the most important sentence in an essay, like the main idea. It's important because it states the writers position in an argument.
 * Activity #8**

What is the thesis statement used in that essay? What is your evaluation of that thesis statement? "A myriad of political, diplomatic, and military advantages all eventually produced a Republican experiment that would shake the balance of power for centuries." The student says that it was a great deal of all three aspects that affected the nation. The prompt was more directions than a question therefore there is no side for the writer to choose.

a. What is my topic? b. What argument am I prepared to make? c. How can I state my argument as clearly and powerfully as possible? d. Is my statement a direct answer to the question or response to the prompt or claim about the topic?
 * Activity #9**
 * 1) A thesis statement is an argument. It is a 1-2 sentence statement of the purpose of your essay: what will you be proving to the reader in the essay?
 * 2) It should be toward the end of an introductory paragraph and include enough specifics that the reader has a general idea of the key points you will make to support your biggest claim.
 * 3) Your thesis statement should likely be a compound sentence, including a preview of the major points you will make to support your big claim. So, instead of writing a simple thesis statement like "The end of World War II brought about major consequences" you should probably write something like "When World War II ended in 1945, the major consequences included the division of Germany, the start of the United Nations, and the beginning of the Cold War."
 * 4) To write your thesis, ask yourself 4 questions:

A compound sentence is a sentence composed of at least 2 independent clauses that are joined together by a coordinator or a conjunction. I think that the second one is better than the first one because it is more indepth. Instead of just stating that there was major consequences, it includes what the consequences were in a more detailed way.

Prompt A: Choice 1 is the better thesis statement. It explains the advantages and allies that led to a victory during the American Revolution instead of just restating the question.
 * Activity #10**

Prompt B: Choice 1 is the better thesis statement. It mentions how America was divided but also included that there was different goals, tactics, and opinions that people viewed on abolition.

Prompt C: Choice 1 is the better thesis statement. It mentions Jackson's reputation regarding his actions towards Native Americans and it also mentions what he had actually done during his presidency (expanding voting rights and economic policies).


 * Activity #11**
 * 1) Immigrants should be allowed in the United States even if they can not speak basic English. English can always be taught or translated, and there are many reasons why someone may want to leave the country they live in such as poverty, crime, or war.
 * 2) Unites States should only attack another country, if that country poses as a threat. Wars cost money, people need to be willing to serve, and wars can be fought for many years before it is won.
 * 3) There are ratings on video games to inform people about the content of the game they are going to purchase. The need for ratings is to protect children from violence, crime, profanity, and nudity that they would encounter while playing adult rated video games.
 * 4) Applebees is the best fast food restaurant operating today. They have a wide variety of food to choose from and the meals are delicious.
 * 5) Teenagers drop out of school for their own personal reasons. They may think school is not for them because they do not get the best grades, or not have the encouragement, motivation, and support to finish school, or they just do not like school enough to care about going and would rather be doing other things with their time.


 * Act ﻿i vit ﻿y #12 **

__Good Enough Education?__

Nowadays there are many teenagers who choose to drop out of high school. Every teen has their own personal reasons for why they decided to drop out of high school. They may possibly feel as though school is not for them because they are not "naturally" smart, maybe they just really do not like school enough to care if they go or not, or maybe teens drop out because they have no support or encouragement from the people around them.

Most teens would rather be hanging out with their friends than being in school. Teenagers need to be motivated to go to school because school can be difficult. Without the push from their parents/family it can be even tougher because teens may not have the urge to graduate. Although a teen can get a GED, there is always the potential for all teens to succeed.


 * Activity #13**
 * 1) Learn the commonly misspelled words: their vs. there vs. they're, are vs. our, led vs. lead, etc...and then pay attention to these in your work! Confusing Words.com!might be a helpful site for you.
 * 2) Don't use don't: DO NOT use conjunctions (don't, can't, won't, etc). Use do not, can not, will not, etc.
 * 3) Use __ACADEMIC LANGUAGE__: always use key terms AND words like significant, important, aspect, factor, etc. instead of words like big, thing, etc. and use the vocabulary of your topic, including key terms.
 * 4) Learn to write mostly in __compound sentences__, they are usually required in order to write thoughtfully.
 * 5) Become adept at using words and phrases such as: because, however, though, including, along with, for example, similar to, different than, etc...which help create compound sentences and good arguments.
 * 6) Avoid absolutes. Try not to use the words such as never, always, all, none, etc. Instead, use words like most, some, few, almost all, many, etc.
 * 7) Don't use "etc." Instead use "and others" or "and many more" or something similar.
 * 8) Use the __past tense__. Start in the past tense. Stay in the past tense. (You may need to write in another tense, but the key is to not jump around among tenses).
 * 9) Call historical figures by their full name once and then by their last name. Abraham Lincoln should be discussed as Abraham Lincoln once and then called Lincoln after that.
 * 10) Call Americans Americans. Don't call Americans "us" or "we".
 * 11) The United States is a country. Americans are people. A country is "it" whereas a people is "they."
 * 12) Don't use "I" or "In my opinion" or "The two topics I am choosing are _". Just write what you would write after those items.
 * 13) Learn the difference between "between" and "among." Between is for two items, among is for more than two.
 * 14) Every time you make a general point, support it with at least one example or piece of evidence.
 * 15) Recognize (and refute, if possible) at least one argument that opposes the one(s) you are making.
 * 16) Based on the 2008 election map, there was more Demorcratic representatives voted into the House of Representatives than Republican representatives. By 2010 the voters changed their opinions and the amount of Republicans was greater than Democrats.
 * 17) Daniel Kutzman drew his "Two Modes of President Obama" because he thinks that Obama does not do as much as he says he can.
 * 18) There are five different aspects on how to judge a President.
 * 19) Based on the documents about President Obama, the critics all have different opinions on if he is a good president or a bad president.
 * 20) William McGurn's opinion on Obama is different than Shepard Fariey, McGurn doesn't support Obama but Fariey does.
 * 21) Most Americans voted for Obama in the 2008 election which is why he is president.
 * 22) During Bin Laden's raid Preisdent Obama, Vice President Biden, and many others gathered in the Situation Room to deliberate.
 * 23) In Obama's Inaugural Speech, he acknowledged the crisis that America was in. He had also gave hope that America can change.
 * 24) George Washington was the first president of the Unites States. Washington was elected in the 1700s.
 * 25) During presidential elections, Americans vote for who they want as their president.
 * 26) United States is one of the freest countries in the world. It has citizens who have rights that are protected. They are never denied anything that prevents them from freedom of sppech, freedom of religion, and many others.
 * 27) Obama is a good preisdent because he is attempting to fix the problems that the president before him left behind.
 * 28) Between John McCain and Barack Obama, Obama had more voters. However among all the presidents, there could have been a record set with the most voters.

Thesis: The main view points on President Obama are if he is a good president or a bad president, this relates to a critics personal opinion of him.
 * Activity #14**
 * **__Intro Paragraph:__**
 * Background on Obamas Campaign
 * Include documents but without much detail to support reasons*
 * State Thesis
 * **__Paragraph 1: Positive view points__**
 * Focus on Hope poster, view point is that Obama can help change America for the better.
 * His Inaugural Speech, admits Americas issues but focuses on how they can and will be fixed. Obama's view is that ther is hope for America.
 * __**Paragraph 2: Negative view points**__
 * Daniel Kutzman's "Two Modes of Preisdent Obama", view point is that Obama is not doing much as preisdent.
 * William McGurn's "Are you better off", Obama is not as good as a preisdent as he set out to be. The point is that he was supposed to do all of these things for Americans but he has made bad choices (economy).
 * **__Paragraph 3: Changed view points__**
 * The election maps from 2008 and 2010, more Republicans than Democrats means that there is less people to most likely side with Obama. People's opinions on him are changing.
 * Norm Smallwood's "Judging Obama as a leader", connect Obama's presidency to those used in the document (Jimmy Carter & Bill Clinton). Maybe he could possibly start doing more than he says he can?
 * **__Closing Parapgraph__**
 * Restate my thesis: The main view points of Obama are based on the bias of critics.
 * There are both negative and positive things about Obama as a president, and for each critics different reason.
 * Restate reasons: They don't think he is an effective president, they don't think that he has done as much as he claimed he could. & Obama has set America in the right direction to fix problems (Change, hope, progress).


 * Activity #15**

[|DBQ Obama]