How to Ace the ACT Writing Section

How to Ace the ACT Writing Section ACT SAT Prep and College Admissions Blog Writing an essay in 40 minutes can be a daunting task. The ACT graders expect you to write a well-developed, coherent essay about a topic that you may not be familiar with. However, knowing more about the ACT Writing section, and what graders are looking for can help you to prepare for this task effectively. The ACT Writing section is graded on the following four parameters: Ideas and Analysis Development and Support Organization Language Use and Conventions Ideas and Analysis: Scores under this parameter are based on your ability to produce relevant and engaging arguments on a specified issue. By writing about the issue at hand, you communicate to the ACT graders that you understand the issue that you have been asked to address. Tip: Rephrasing the prompt in your own words, and making it specific to your argument demonstrates to the ACT graders that you understand the prompt that they have invited you to write about. Development and Support: Scores under this parameter are based on your ability to rationally discuss and support an idea or argument. Rational argument development, as well as the use of examples to support your claim, help communicate your ideas to the ACT graders. Tip: Using a variety of specific examples will help to bolster your argument. Try pulling examples from history, art, politics, science, as well as your own personal history. Organization: Scores under this parameter are based on your ability to clearly and logically order the structure of your essay. Here, the ACT graders are looking for you to guide them through your argument in a logical, step-by-step fashion. Tip: Since you are allotted only 40 minutes to write a coherent essay, it is best to use the 5-paragraph essay structure. Introduction: It’s your job to grab the ACT graders attention, articulate your thesis or position, and include three supporting examples that bolster your thesis. 3 Supporting Paragraphs: Each paragraph should start off with a topic sentence, which acts as a thesis statement for your paragraph. The following sentences in your paragraph should discuss an example that bolsters your main argument. Conclusion: It is important to restate your argument, while expanding on it a little bit. One way of expanding your argument is to of future implications of your argument and what positive effects can stem from your argument. Language Use and Conventions: Scores in this domain are based on your ability to clearly articulate your argument while correctly and strategically using grammar, syntax, and word choice. The ACT graders are also taking into account your writing style and tone. Tip: Creative and varied sentence structure and word choice help keep the ACT graders engaged! It’s important to demonstrate your command of the English language and use it effectively to prove your argument. Use transition words, robust word choice, and varied sentence structure to aid the logical progression of your essay, and to make your essay stand out. It can be stressful to read a short prompt, and plan and write an essay in 40 minutes. Because you are granted little time to write a coherent, and well-developed essay, it is important that you pace yourself and budget your time wisely. The Essay Timeline below breaks down how you should spend your time organizing and writing your essay. Essay Timeline: 1. Read the Prompt 2 Minutes 2. Develop your thesis and brainstorm supporting examples 3 Minutes 3. Outline your essay 4 Minutes 4. Write your essay 28 Minutes 5. Proofread and edit your essay 3 Minutes Tip: If you find that you are running out of time while writing your essay, drop one of your three example paragraphs. It is preferable to have two well-written supporting paragraphs than three poorly written supporting paragraphs. Final Thoughts The best way to prepare for the ACT Writing Section is to practice writing essays within a time limit. The more familiar you become with how to organize your time within the essay timeline through practice, the more likely you feel confident about organizing your time efficiently and writing a stellar essay when your test date arrives. There are many pitfalls that test-takers fall into on the ACT Writing section. These pitfalls are more likely to occur when a test-taker has spent little or no time practicing writing essays or fails to use the Essay Timeline. Some of these common missteps are: Writing on a different topic than the one specified in the ACT Writing prompt. Not having a clear argument or thesis statement about your position in regards to the ACT Writing prompt. Using overly complex sentences, or overly florid words in your essay to “show-off” to the ACT graders. Poor spelling and grammar mistakes. Placing more weight on quantity instead of quality. Many test-takers fall into these pitfalls because they want to impress the ACT graders, and obtain a high score. Though it may seem that having a longer essay with florid or “big” vocabulary words, often times such attempts to impress the ACT graders end up confusing the graders about your argument and your ability to write a coherent essay. Consequently, test-takers end up with a low score for attempting to impress the ACT graders. It is important to remember to keep your essay clear, concise, and simple. Essays that are clear, concise, and simple standout on their own because they are easy to read and understand. BankeAbioye is a Managing Tutor with MyGuru and frequently helps students prepare for High School College Entrance Exams.

All About Personal Job References and Letters of Recommendation

All About Personal Job References and Letters of Recommendation Image via Pixabay First, HR managers are simply too busy to sift through every single paper on every single application. Nor do they have time to discern whether to believe everything applicants say [at least on paper] about themselves. HR managers want to hear the truth about applicants and it can usually be given to them through a few sentences from someone else. Second, a letter of recommendation or a good reference will automatically make you stand out. It will elevate a great candidate to the top list of picks and could drop an equally great candidate to the won’t-be-hired stack. It’s important to gather quality recommendation letters and keep them on file. In the fast hiring process, you want to turn these around quickly while at the same time giving yourself a good shot of getting to the top. So here are some additional tips about personal job references and letters of recommendation that just might be the clincher for you getting that dream job. Who To Ask On average, employers will ask for three references when applying for a job. So you need to have at least three professional people (not family members or friends) who can honestly vouch for you. It doesn’t hurt to have more than three and if you have them, certainly provide them on the application if there’s space available. It is best to select people who know much more than that you exist and worked for them. The people you ask need to know something about your character, work ethic, and overall attitude and ability for the job to which you’re applying. Select Strong Endorsers A recommendation is like a human stamp of approval. This is why it is important to know previous managers and supervisors and get their permission to use them as references. You need someone who is responsive to requests and can confirm details about you such as your responsibilities, position, reason for leaving and other details. It is also a good idea to know what the endorser is going to say about you. Some employers will simply ask for contact information and then contact them on their own. If this is the type of application you’re filling out, be sure the recommenders know that the request is coming. Ensure you’ve done a good job and are leaving with no beef with your boss so there is no choice but to be positive about your performance. Make sure the information you give to a potential employer and what your references say is consistent and can be corroborated. Inconsistent, or worse, inaccurate information can hinder your chances of a job offer. All In Writing When leaving one position for another or one company for another, ask for a recommendation in writing from the boss. This is a more reasonable request especially if you’ve had a good working relationship. As time passes and people get older and more forgetful or move to different positions or locations themselves, what they remember about you and your performance may fade. So if you obtain letters at least two weeks before you make your move, you will have everything documented in writing and you’ll be good to go. If you ask a supervisor for a letter of recommendation long after you’re gone, you may need to kindly refresh their memory about who you are and what you did during your time with them. How To Ask This goes without saying, but be polite when asking. Take into consideration the recommender’s time and his or her responsibilities. It is best to ask in an email and then follow up after about a week if there is no response. If you see him or her every day or regularly, if you feel comfortable, you may ask them politely whether they got your email to remind them of it. Do not ask “Can you write a recommendation letter for me?” Assume they can. The thing is they may not know what to say about you. Instead ask “If you feel you know me well enough and feel I’ve done a good job here, would you mind writing a good recommendation letter for me?” With wording like this, the recommender can think about what to say and whether it will be good. You can also be certain that those who agree to write a letter will give you a good recommendation. If your recommender asks for additional information such as a resume, be sure to provide it. Additionally, not every supervisor has written a letter of recommendation before. If this is the case and they ask for help, provide a few samples to your employer to help in the process. How To Know It’s Good Strong recommendation letters and references should show your skills and work ethic in a positive light. There are a few other clues you can look for to see whether it will benefit you. First, it should reflect who you are as a person and why you’re qualified. Second, it should be customized to fit the new job position in that it should show how you’ll benefit the new company. Third, it should provide at least one to two examples of what you’ve done to benefit the company you’re leaving. Finally, the letter should look and sound professional and include contact information for the recommender. Don’t Forget Yes, one last thing. Don’t forget to express your thanks. Regardless of whether you get the job you’re applying for or not, let your recommenders know what happens and be sure to sincerely thank them for taking the time and putting in the effort to produce a letter for you. And when you get the job, be sure to send another note of appreciation. After all, they were at least a small part of your success.