15 Writing Benchmark and Next Steps
Learning Objectives
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Practice the skills needed for the writing portion of the RLA GED exam through a writing benchmark.
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Create multiple drafts of extended and short answer responses to prompts to correct and refine one’s writing.
Chapter & Discussion
This chapter includes presentations that can be navigated in a classroom setting or independently. You can access the presentations via the links below.
Bonus Chapter: Next Steps Activity
Work through the different sections of the chapter and discuss ideas and topics as they arise. If you’re working independently, take notes instead. Notes and active discussion will be helpful in navigating this week’s assignments.
GED Writing Overview
The writing portion of the GED RLA test gives you 45 minutes to write an argumentative essay. For this process, they will give you:
Two Articles with opposing viewpoints about a topic
Your Thesis: They will ask you to choose which article makes the better argument and explain why (with evidence)
All the evidence you need to build your case
Today, we’ll discuss what they’re looking for in your response, how to make the best use of your time, and what to focus on when you practice.
By the Numbers
The writing portion of the GED RLA test is worth 20% of your overall score.
It is graded on a 6-point scale:
Up to 2 points for creating arguments and using evidence
Up to 2 points for organization
Up to 2 points for conventions
That means each of these elements is worth 6.66% of the overall test if you do it well (3.33% if it’s just okay).
A complete, four-paragraph essay with 500 words of copy will always score at least 3/6. If it has a clear thesis and is organized, it will score at least 4/6.
Content
The purpose of this essay is to choose which article makes a better argument and explain why. You are not intended to comment on the topic itself.
Here are some reasons that an argument might be more effective:
It might be more logical and less emotional
It might be more clear
It might have more and/or better evidence
It might avoid misleading arguments and information
Your thesis should be something like this: Article A makes the better argument because it’s clearer and provides less misleading information than Article B.
Organization and Format
The two most important factors of this essay are how much you write and how you organize it.
Your essay must have:
1. An introduction that gives background information, states your thesis, and two big reasons that it’s true (these are your claims)
2. Two discussion paragraphs: one for each big reason (claim) that your thesis is true.
3. A conclusion that summarizes your case and tells the audience what to do with this information.
Use This Format
1. Introduction
Background information
Thesis statement
Two claims for your thesis
2. Discussion Paragraph About Your First Claim
Say your claim
Go deeper
Provide an argument
Provide evidence from the text
3. Discussion Paragraph About Your Second Claim
Say your claim
Go deeper
Provide an argument
Provide evidence from the text
4. Conclusion
Summarize your case
Explain how this info is useful
Keep in Mind
You need four paragraphs and a total of at least 500 words (more writing is better).
You must make a case for why one of the articles makes a better argument. That’s your thesis. It goes at the end of the first paragraph.
Your essay must have a clear pattern of organization, including an intro, two discussion paragraphs, and a conclusion.
A discussion paragraph is about one big reason that your thesis is true.
A discussion paragraph states your claim, goes deeper, provides an argument, and provides evidence from the text.
Assigned Reading
Here are this week’s readings. Additionally, please read for your own personal enjoyment for 1/2 hour each day. This will be called your “Reading Zone” reading and it will coincide with many upcoming activities.
Papers and Essays by Thomas Frank (via Crash Course)
Assignment: GED Writing Benchmark (500 Words)
The following two articles have opposing viewpoints about how large animals (like mammoths) went extinct in the Americas after the last ice age.
Megafauna Extinction by Michael Slezak (via New Scientist)
The Megafauna Massacre by Nassir Isaf (via Salon)
Read both of these articles and decide which author made a better argument (make sure not to write about your opinion on the topic). Write a four-paragraph response that makes a case for who had a better argument. Each paragraph should be 5-7 sentences.
Some examples for why an argument might be better:
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It might be more logical
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It might be more clear
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It might present better evidence
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It might avoid misleading arguments or information
Organize your response as follows:
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Introduction paragraph. Tell the audience what they need to know to understand your response. Then say your position and two reasons it’s true.
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Body paragraph: first claim. Tell us the first big reason your position is true. Go deeper. Provide an argument. Provide evidence from the text (like a quote).
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Body paragraph: second claim. Tell us the second big reason your position is true. Go deeper. Provide an argument. Provide evidence from the text (like a quote).
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Conclusion: Remind us of why your position is true. Tell us why that might matter or what we could do with that information.
Assignment: Reading Zone Response (250 Words)
For Reading Zone, you must find a novel that is interesting to you and enjoyable to read. If you need help finding a Reading Zone book, please ask. Please read your Reading Zone book for a half-hour each day. On class days, there will be time in class dedicated to reading.
Create a response to this week’s reading that addresses the following prompts:
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In one paragraph, summarize what you’ve read this week
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In a second paragraph, ask a question that might be answered by further reading. Why did this question come to you? What might it tell us about your book’s themes?