Instructions For Writing An Effective ACT Essay

Pedagogical control is an integral part of the education and training process. It should be in organic connection with other elements of the pedagogical system, not replacing didactic teaching aids, but helping to identify the achievements and shortcomings of this process. Control is an interrelated activity of the teacher and the subject of study – student, entrant, pupil, etc. Control and assessment of knowledge perform both the function of checking the assimilation and practical application of the subject of knowledge obtained during the educational process, as well as the function of stimulation, moral encouragement through participation in a kind of intellectual competition.

The practice has shown that a test is the correct means of measuring the basic level of knowledge of a subject. In some countries, tests have completely eliminated traditional forms of control – oral and written examinations and interviews. According to experts, the test can be considered as a set of interrelated test tasks that allow assessing the conformity of student knowledge to the expert model of knowledge. Taking this into account, we can say that test questions allow testing knowledge quite reliably, but the level of practical skills, professional thinking of the future specialist can be checked only indirectly in such a case. But tests have many more advantages. In particular, it can be argued that test exams increase the quality of valuation of knowledge of the subjects of the study and raise the level of educational and methodological work of the department.

Therefore, the importance of tests in assessing the level of student knowledge can hardly be overestimated. In this article, we will dwell on the ACT test in detail, briefly characterize it and consider the features of creating an ACT essay.

General Characteristic of ACT Test

Beginning in 1959, most prestigious educational institutions in the United States introduced the so-called ACT test, which determined the level of knowledge in general education disciplines.

From that moment, ACT began to be applied as a standard test for admission to college and university, as well as for transfer from one university to another. It tests the general knowledge of a person entering high school and the ability to perform different college-level tasks in various fields of knowledge. Applicants from the Midwest and Southern regions of the country most often take the ACT, while the SAT is widely used in the eastern and western regions of the United States.

ACT usually includes four subject tests: reading, scientific thinking, English, and math. Each test is evaluated using a scale from 1 to 36 points. It should be indicated that English, math, as well as reading tests also have additional results from 1 to 18 points (they are not related to the overall score for the separate subject test).

Guidelines for Writing and Arranging ACT Essay

Applicants are encouraged to write an essay to pass the ACT test successfully. This task should be taken as responsibly as possible in order to get good points and complete the work.

Below we will tell you what ACT essay should look like and how to write it without mistakes.

Main Content of ACT Essay

In this type of written work, one’s own thoughts, and the ability to substantiate and prove them are welcome. In the process of writing the ACT essay, the author learns to reflect, prove his own opinion, and express it in writing. In the computer age, modern students are beginning to lose these skills. It seems to many that it is much easier to find the right thought on the endless Internet, and then transfer it to the necessary file. Sometimes this is true. But at the same time, lovers of computer technology do not seek to train their memory, their thinking potential. Reason gives way to acquired skill; other people’s, borrowed thoughts form a personality that is easy to direct along a path determined by someone, and not chosen independently.

However, the ACT essay shouldn’t look like a set of thoughts. It should have a circular structure. ATC essay, like any written work, must have an introduction and a conclusion, in which the problem is posed (introduction), and the results are summed up (conclusion). Sometimes it is logical to include the conclusion in the main text, and then the conclusion becomes a lump-sum statement of the entire topic. The main part is the thoughts (condensed to a short thesis or an aphorism) that the author expresses. The expressed thought is supported by an argument that confirms the correctness of a statement.

You can preliminarily (for yourself) build a scheme for your ACT essay in the form of a thesis, supported by arguments, and connected by strong logical connectives. And then transfer it into a coherent text. This method will help you not to deviate from the topic to clearly formulate your thoughts.

ACT Essay Style

ACT essay should surprise – with style, idea, way of thinking, but it should be built correctly in the logical sense, and retain the meaning that the author puts into each phrase, revealing a particular theme.

ACT essay should be small in volume – from two to five to six sheets of paper. The text is usually divided into paragraphs. The content of the ACT essay reflects the title of a specific topic, only one version of it. This version needs to be developed without deviating from the topic. The title is the question, and the ACT essay is the specific answer.

The presentation style is free, literary, bright. There is no restrictive framework. At the same time, you can show your level of language proficiency, your vocabulary. But there is no need to complicate sentences with unnecessary constructions. It is advisable to alternate long and short sentences. It is recommended not to use slang, vernacular, excessive terminology, and formulaic phrases. Punctuation marks will help you express your mood more accurately, so feel free to use them.

If the introduction should interest the reader (listener) in your work, then the conclusion is intended not only to summarize but also to remind you if the ACT essay turned out to be successful. Try to think through the last phrases and even the last sentence!

Of course, don’t make spelling mistakes. Their presence reduces not only the grade but also the impression of your work, no matter how interesting it turns out to be.

ACT Essay Design

Almost no references are made to sources in the ACT essay since you are expressing your own thoughts. But quotes, statistical information, confirming your reasoning, facts that you should mark with a link are welcome. Sometimes there is the opposite opinion of other authors. If you mention it, then argue your point of view, explain why you do not agree with other views. In this case, it is desirable to make a link to the works of another author.

Applications to work are also not practiced, but sometimes they can be provided.

When the work is ready, try to re-read it. If you are preparing an ACT essay at home, then you must do this. You will understand if everything worked out right for you: is the content clear, if there are repetitions in the text, if there are random clues. Emotional expression of your thoughts often leads to such moments, but you can always eliminate the shortcomings in the process of rereading the text.

What Mistakes Should Be Avoided?

In the course of creating the ACT essay, applicants may make a number of mistakes. Try to take into account the information below and avoid these omissions in your writing:

• Stylistic (parasitic words; monotony in the construction of sentences; the use of stamps, that is, expressions with faded lexical meaning and erased expressiveness; unmotivated repetition in a narrow context of the same word or words of the same root);
• Structural errors (lack of basic structural elements; incorrect division of the essay text into separate paragraphs);
• Semantic (non-disclosure of the theme; inconsistency of conclusions; inconsistency of argumentation with the stated thesis (opinion); lack of detailed argumentation; inability to formulate the problem at the beginning of the statement (just repeating the wording of the task) and draw a conclusion at the end);
• Logical (violation of the sequence of the utterance; lack of connection between parts of the utterance; unjustified repetition of the previously expressed thought; fragmentation of the micro theme by another micro theme; disparity of the parts of the utterance; violation of the logical-compositional structure of the text; topic substitution);
• Spelling (various violations of spelling rules (checked and unchecked spellings, hyphenation rules, rules for reducing words, etc.));
• Punctuation (missing punctuation marks, using the wrong punctuation marks, unnecessary punctuation marks, replacing conjunction with a punctuation mark, and vice versa).

So, we have shared with you the basic rules for writing the ACT essay. We hope you find them useful. In conclusion, we want to note that it is important not to forget that the ACT essay primarily evaluates the author’s worldview, his thoughts, and feelings, and is always intended for a specific reader. This will help you create an original paper. But in case of any difficulties, you can look for help on this site. Our writers are ready to provide you with quality assistance.