How to Write a Top-Scoring ACT Essay

How to Write a Top-Scoring ACT Essay In the fall of 2015, the ACT underwent quite a bit of a change. The single prompt and response essay task of the past was  replaced by a single, somewhat controversial prompt with three different perspectives on the Enhanced ACT Writing Test. The ACT writers also started including probing writing questions and pre-writing space to help inspire thoughtful, organized, and analytical essays by ACT test-takers across the United States. So, how do you nail this thing? How do you ensure a top score on the ACT Essay? Well, first, go back and read through the Enhanced ACT Writing Test details and click on a few of the writing prompts so you know what Im talking about below. Then, get back here and keep reading.  Ã‚   Enhanced Writing Test Expectations Your essay will be graded on whether you can complete these three tasks: â€Å"evaluate and analyze† the given perspectivesâ€Å"state and develop† your own perspectiveâ€Å"explain the relationship† between your perspective and those given 1. Critique as You Read the Prompt (5 minutes) Read the prompt with your pencil in your hand. Evaluate means to judge or critique and analyze means to break down into parts. So, basically, youre going to need to find the strengths and weaknesses of the initial argument and the three perspectives quickly before you write anything. Here are some easy ways of doing just that: Underline the premises of each perspective. Premises are the statements that present the evidence.  Since President Jones raised taxes on businesses, business owners have had to fire employees because they cant afford to pay both.Circle the conclusions of each perspective. Conclusions are the claims the perspectives are making. Its what they say will or did happen because of the premise.  Since President Jones raised taxes on businesses, business owners have had to fire employees because they cant afford to pay both.Poke holes in each perspective as you read. Familiarize yourself with logical fallacies like post hoc, appeal to pity, etc., so you can accurately determine if the logic is sound within the perspectives.   Some perspectives will be logically inaccurate and you can use that as fuel for your own ideas. (Do business owners rely on the President for all financial decisions? Where is the personal responsibility of management? Fiscal responsibility? The President is not r esponsible for a small business owners poor budgeting skills.)    Create alternatives instead of the conclusions offered by the premises. (Instead of firing people, business owners could reduce bonuses, stock options and salaries of top executives. Instead of firing people, business owners could offer buy-outs to dissatisfied employees as incentives to leave voluntarily.) 2. Create a Supportable Thesis (1 minute) Now that youve thoroughly evaluated and analyzed the initial issue paragraph and each of the three perspectives, its time to state your own idea. Its important that you come up with a firm thesis or main point, here. Your perspective may completely agree with an offered perspective, partly agree with a perspective, or be completely different. Whatever the case, you must choose. You may not, under any circumstance, write an essay where you waffle back and forth between agreeing and disagreeing and end up saying nothing at all. 3. Sketch a Quick Outline (10 minutes) Heres where you get organized so your essay develops your idea and explains the relationships between your perspective and others, both of which youll be scored on. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP. Youll dip into your personal experience, knowledge and values to prove your points. In your quick outline, youll scratch out where those points will go so you have a roadmap for your essay. Youll also make sure to add in the strengths and weaknesses of the given perspectives, adding in that analysis and evaluation you did when you read the prompt.   It does not have to, but your outline could look something like this: Introduction with thesis A. Point 1 which strongly supports my thesis. My support for Point 1 - development of your ideaHow Perspective 3 supports Point 1 with a strong argument, but Perspective 2 potentially weakens it until you realize that Perspective 2 is using faulty reasoning.   Ã¢â‚¬â€œ explanation of the relationship between their ideas and yours B. Point 2 which strongly supports my thesis. My support for Point 2 – development of your ideaHow Perspective 1 opposes Point 2, but Perspective 1 fails to consider my stellar personal experience and values. – explanation of the relationship between their ideas and yours   Conclusion with challenge 4. Write Your Heart Out (25 minutes) Go for it. Take your outline and dig deep into the task using your very best language and grammar. Vary your sentence structure and language. Make your introduction stand out. (For heavens sake, dont start with a question.) For the body, present just two arguments instead of the standard three youre often taught in the five-paragraph-essay format. Why? Because you need to get into those perspectives to present counterarguments, implications and complicating factors. Youll need to use facts, experience, and authority. Logic. Appeal to emotions. Youll need to move between general statements and specific reasons, examples and details with transitions. You simply do not have enough time to do all that for three separate ideas! 5. Proofread (4 minutes) Try to set aside a few minutes at the end of your essay to proof your essay. I know its tough, but youll save yourself some points if you catch a major logical flaw and have a chance to rewrite a few sentences.Youll be scored on your  ideas and analysis, development and support, organization, and language use on a 2-12 point scale. Ensure you get every point you deserve. Practice Your Essay There is no better way to prepare for this exam than by practicing for it. Try a few of these prompts with your timer on so you know what youll face on test day.   Enhanced ACT Writing Prompts

Aluminum Essays - Aluminium Alloys, Aluminium, Aluminum Wire

Aluminum Essays - Aluminium Alloys, Aluminium, Aluminum Wire Aluminum Aluminum is one of a number of soft metals that scientists call poor metals. It can be shaped and twisted into any form. It can be rolled into thick plates for armored tanks or into thin foil for chewing gum wrappers. It may be drawn into a wire or made into cans. Aluminum is a generally popular metal because it does not rust and it resists wear from weather and chemicals. (Bowman, 391) Aluminum is an element. Its atomic number is thirteen and its atomic weight is usually twenty-seven. Pure aluminum melts at 660.2C and boils at 2500C. Its density is 2.7 grams per cube centimeter. Aluminum is never found uncombined in nature. (Bowman, 391) Aluminum is a very useful metal that is light, easy to shape and can be strong. This makes aluminum one of the most used metals in the world, right behind iron and steel. (Geary, 185) In its pure state, aluminum is quite weak compared to the other metals. However, its strength can be greatly increased by adding small amounts of alloying elements, heat-treating, or cold working. Only a small percentage of aluminum is used in its pure form. It is made into such items as electrical conductors, jewelry, and decorative trim for alliances and cars. A combination of the three techniques has produced aluminum alloys that, pound for pound, are stronger than structural steel. Some common metals used in alloys for aluminum are copper, magnesium and zinc.(Walker, 31) The added elements give the aluminum strength and other properties. (Newmark, 41) Aluminum is one of the lightest metals. It weighs about 168.5 pounds per cubic foot, about a third as much as steel which weighs 487 pounds per cubic foot. (Neely, 214) As a result, aluminum has replaced steel for many uses. For example, some parts of airplanes, automobiles and trucks are now made of aluminum rather than steel because lighter vehicles use less fuel, making the aluminum alloy container much cheaper to move. (Geary, 185) To make aluminum alloys even lighter, the lightest metal, lithium, is added to aluminum. Products packed in aluminum cost less to ship because the containers weigh less than those made with other metals. The same is true with automobiles the engine block, drive shafts, radiator, wheels and body panels can all be made of aluminum alloys. The car thus weighs less, and, again, the fuel consumption improves. Unfortunately, the price also increases, which is why cars and trucks today are still made of mostly steel. (Advantages to Aluminum) Although pure aluminum is weak, certain aluminum alloys are as strong as steel. Such alloys are used in airplanes, automobiles, guardrails along highways, and in other products that require strength. Aluminum alloys loose some strength at high temperatures. Unlike many other metals, however, they get stronger at extremely low temperatures. Aluminum alloys are widely used in equipment for processing, transporting and storing liquified natural gas, which can have a temperature of -260 F. (Walker, 36) Some metals wear away if exposed to oxygen, water, or various chemicals. When exposed to them a chemical reaction causes most metals to rust or become discolored. When aluminum reacts with oxygen, however, the metal forms an invisible layer of a chemical compound called aluminum oxide. This layer protects aluminum from corrosion by oxygen, water and many chemicals. It makes aluminum especially valuable for use outdoors where the metal is exposed to, and must resist the effects of wind, rai n and pollution. (Knapp, 9) Aluminum is a good conductor of electricity. Aluminum and copper are the only common metals suitable for use as electrical conductors. Aluminum conducts electricity two thirds as well as copper; however aluminum weighs a third as much. (Aluminum Facts) Aluminum wire can carry the same amount of electric power as copper wire with a lot less weight. In addition, aluminum can be drawn into wires more easily than copper. Today, more than nine out of every ten miles of large- diameter electrical cable are made from aluminum, rather than traditional copper. This is because aluminum is cheaper and, lighter requiring less pylons to hold up the cables. (Advantages to Aluminum) Like all metals, aluminum conducts heat and can be used either to carry or