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STAAR WRITING GUIDELINES. What students should KNOW:. Two-day test; time limit of 4 hours per day Day 1–All 40-48 multiple-choice questions and first composition. Day 2–Second and third compositions Compositions will be PERSONAL NARRATIVE AND EXPOSITORY ESSAY forms
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What students should KNOW: • Two-day test; time limit of 4 hours per day • Day 1–All 40-48 multiple-choice questions and first composition. • Day 2–Second and third compositions • Compositions will be PERSONAL NARRATIVE AND EXPOSITORY ESSAY forms • Students may use dictionaries for the entire test (multiple-choice section and written compositions) • Compositions/Essays must be no longer than one page—a maximum of 26 lines for each composition
STAAR Writing Performance • Score Point 1—VERY LIMITED • Score Point 2—BASIC • Score Point 3—SATISFACTORY • Score Point 4—ACCOMPLISHED • On-Level: Your goal should be score 3 or 4 for each composition. • Pre AP: Your goal should be score 4 for each composition.
DO’S • DO read and understand ALL PARTS of the prompt: • “Read” • “Think” • “Write” • “Be Sure To…” • DO focus upon the “Write” for your MAIN WRITING GOAL.
DO’S, continued… • Read the WRITING GENRE listed at the top. • There will be a label stating either “Personal Narrative” or “Expository Essay”. • KNOW YOUR PURPOSE! • WRITE ACCORDING TO YOUR PURPOSE! • STAY FOCUSED UPON YOUR PURPOSE!
DO’S, continued… BEFORE WRITING ON THE 26-LINE PAPER: • BRAINSTORM IDEAS under the writing prompt. • PLAN by creating an ORGANIZER on a blank page of your booklet. • WRITE A ROUGH DRAFT on a blank page in your booklet. • WRITE A ROUGH DRAFT 3-PART THESIS STATEMENT for your EXPOSITORY ESSAY / CONTROLLING IDEA Purpose Sentence for your PERSONAL NARRATIVE Story.
DO’S, continued… • Write STRONG SENTENCES. • Use COMPOUND and COMPLEX SENTENCES. • Use specific, elevated WORD CHOICES (Dictionary). • Use images, metaphors, interesting ideas.
DO’S, continued… • Write interesting/clever EFFECTIVE INTRODUCTIONS that don’t exceed 3 lines. • Write REFLECTIVE CONCLUSIONS that contain the LESSON LEARNED and don’t exceed 3 lines.
DO’S, continued… • Use the dictionary to locate correct spellings and elevated, precise synonyms to make your writing sound more mature and sophisticated. • FOCUS UPON HIGH QUALITY WORDS AND IDEAS! • Think QUALITY over QUANTITY!
DO’S, continued… • Ask the teacher or test administrator to read the prompt aloud to you if you need to hear it.
DO NOT’S • DO NOT Forget to REREAD the prompt as you write. • DO NOT forget to reread your PURPOSE.- Is your entire composition FOCUSED on the TOPIC in the Prompt? • DO NOT forget to reread the Prompt, your PLANNING SHEET, and ROUGH DRAFT to make sure you are CORRECTLY addressing the PROMPT AND PURPOSE.
DO NOT’S, continued… • DO NOT forget to REREAD your THESIS STATEMENT as you are planning and rough drafting BODY PARAGRAPHS AND THE CONCLUSION. • DO NOT just list your ideas—make sure to DEVELOP your writing with QUALITY IDEAS, EXAMPLES, IMAGES, ETC.
DO NOT’S, continued… • DO NOT skip the PLANNING AND ROUGH DRAFT. You MUST FIT YOUR ENTIRE FINAL DRAFT ON THE 26 LINES. • Without careful planning and prewriting, your essay may not meet the 26 line requirement. • DO NOT forget to EDIT for capitalization and proper punctuation! - REREAD • If your ideas don’t make sense because of missing or improper punctuation, your score will be greatly reduced.
DO NOT’S, continued… • DO NOT waste words by repeating them or by using poor quality words. • DO NOT ramble on and on about the same thing. Use only FRESH, INTERESTING, IMPORTANT IDEAS.
DO NOT’S, continued… • DO NOT forget that you may have the prompt read aloud to you if you wish.
BEFORE THE STAAR WRITING TEST • REVIEW your PERSONAL NARRATIVE STRUCTURE and guidelines. • KNOW your purpose for Personal Narrative writing. • REVIEW your EXPOSITORY ESSAY STRUCTURE and guidelines. • KNOW your purpose for EXPOSITORY ESSAY writing.
