Writing on Demand:
The Essay Question, Communication and Literacy Test (01)
The essay question on the MTEL follows the same pattern from test to test: the writer is asked to take a stand, pro or con, on a particular issue of general civic interest. In other words, the topic is one that a reasonably-informed citizen with some familiarity with how government and democracy work in the United States and who has a sense of current social issues as they are debated in the American media should be able to answer.
· Read the essay question first, before starting the rest of the test. Return to the question often as you work through the exam.
· Strategize before you begin. Think about your writing habits, and decide in advance how best to use your time.
· Read the essay question carefully. Look for words like describe, define, analyze, discuss, evaluate, and explain that will give you a sense of what you are expected to do.
· Think and plan before writing. Should you brainstorm or jot down a short outline before beginning? Decide how much time you will need to write the essay, and spend at least 10 percent of that time planning. Decide what major points you need to make and in what order to present them. (Plan on one paragraph for each major point.) Brainstorming or outlining will help you develop your thesis.
· Rephrase the essay question in your introductory paragraph as a statement. Doing so will keep you on the topic, give you an organizing strategy, and, along with brainstorming and outlining, help you to pin down your thesis. First impressions count: make sure your introductory paragraph clearly and concretely signals what is to follow.
· Address the question directly, accounting for all parts of the question.
· Respond critically to the question. You are not being asked simply to supply information, but to take a position and argue it.
· Support your major points with specific examples.
· Reread after making each of your major points. This strategy may remind you of other ideas while you still have time to include them.
· Don't forget to use transitional phrases and cues such as "for example," "for instance," "on the other hand," "similarly," "in addition," "finally." Such words will keep you on track and make clear the connections among your main points.
· Write neatly.
· Leave time to revise and edit. Keep in mind the following questions:Is the thesis clearly stated?
Are all the major points covered and adequately developed and supported?
Is each sentence complete?
Are spelling, punctuation, and syntax correct?
Is the handwriting legible?
Adapted from The St. Martin's Handbook, 2nd ed. Andrea Lunsford and Robert Connors. New York: St Martin's Press, 1994.
Sample essay question (1)
Should the federal tax on gasoline be raised significantly to help pay for public transportation and road improvements? Opponents argue that significantly higher gas taxes will hurt business by raising costs and will decrease the freedom of mobility of the general public. Proponents say that we need the additional revenues to finance public works projects and that U.S. citizens pay less for gasoline than do citizens in other industrial nations.
Your purpose is to write an essay, to be read by a classroom instructor, in which you take a position on whether or not young men and women between the ages of 18 and 25 should be required to perform one year of military or civilian service. Be sure to defend your position with logical arguments and appropriate examples.Click here for sample responses.
Sample essay question (2)
Should all young men and women between the ages of 18 and 25 be required to perform one year of military or civilian service? Proponents assert that such a requirement would provide young people with socially useful roles, while the larger society would benefit from their skills and energy and from the encouragement of social responsibility among all citizens. Opponents of mandatory national service, on the other hand, argue that such a program would constitute unacceptable infringement on personal freedom, that it would be just as likely to breed resentment as idealism, and that it would require creation of a cumbersome and expensive federal bureaucracy.Your purpose is to write an essay, to be read by a classroom instructor, in which you take a position on whether or not young men and women between the ages of 18 and 25 should be required to perform one year of military or civilian service. Be sure to defend your position with logical arguments and appropriate examples.
Sample essay question (3)
Should there be a cap on the salaries of professional athletes? Opponents argue that salaries should be set by the athletes and the owners, and any interference in that process would be an infringement on both the athletes' rights as free agents and the owners' rights to set hiring policy in a free market society. Proponents say that the rising cost of tickets to see these games prevents many people from attending, making sports games available only to the wealthy. In addition, proponents argue that the staggering amount of money spent on salaries is destroying the true spirit of the games.
Your purpose is to write an essay, to be read by a classroom instructor, in which you indicate whether you agree or disagree with the position that there should be a cap on salaries of professional athletes.
