NAME:
DATE:
When you first get any writing prompt, you MUST break down the prompt to understand fully what you are writing
about. There have been many instances where students do not have their essay scored because they wrote about the
wrong topic! This is because they did not breakdown the prompt. After reading the prompt MULTIPLE times, use P. A. T.
to help you understand what to write.
Task: What is your task? If you have determined that you are writing an argumentative piece, what are you arguing for
or against? If it is informative, what exactly are you informing your audience about? Does your writing have to fit a
specific structure? (Essay, proposal, blog, article, etc.)
Example
Prompt: What are qualities you deem important in a good teacher? What do
you believe about students? Your answers to these questions form the basis
of your teaching philosophy is an articulation of your attitudes and beliefs
about teaching and learning. Write an essay in which you describe your
teaching philosophy, being sure to support your ideas with specific examples.
Task:
What is a thesis statement? Write down ANYTHING you know about a thesis statement in the space below:
All in all, online schooling has many advantages, including fostering independence and
tech-savviness, while also having the disadvantages of little socialization to encourage
peer and instructor relationships.
Based on the type of essay that you have to write, the setup of your essay will look different.
Below is an example of how I envisioned the essay for the example prompt:
Prompt: Online schooling has expanded to include even the primary and secondary level, while some still
believe that it cannot provide everything that traditional instruction can. Analyze the advantages and
disadvantages of online schooling.
Thesis: All in all, online schooling has many advantages, including fostering independence and tech-savviness,
while also having the disadvantages of little socialization to encourage peer and instructor relationships