Informational Writing Notes (7 Point Eoct)

Informational Essay Writing

From Mrs. Warren

This page includes notes, samples, and resources to help you succeed on the Georgia End of Course Test for American Literature and Composition. On this test, you will either have to write an informational, or argumentative essay using two texts as sources.

Resources

Essay rap: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRpPHylKFCQ
Thesis v topic Shmoop: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nx2-PcBzZjo
Hook Shmoop: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rkefst9D6n0
Link to BiblioTech: https://bexarbibliotech.org/

SAMPLE INFORMATIONAL ESSAY AND NOTES (7-point EOCT)

Read through these notes before writing your informational essay. The informational essay is organized almost the same way as the argumentative essay. The only difference is your paragraph four is not the pooh pooh paragraph. It’s just additional information on your topic from your second (or other) passage.

You still use the quote/source sandwich method of writing your body paragraphs.

Your VOICE/style should be like a reporter informing your reader. You should express energy toward your topic. You do not pick a side though!

Your introduction and conclusion are easy places to add literary technique to help move your score from a 6 to a 7.

PARAGRAPH 1

This is your introduction paragraph of between 3 and 5 sentences.

Hook: Use a ‘hook’ to draw your reader in. Remember, you are a reporter and you want to catch your readers’ attentions. Choose a hook strategy: Rhetorical Question; Startling Statistic; Interesting Quote; Paint a Picture/Set a Scene.

Thesis: Your thesis is always the last sentence of your introduction. For an informational essay reuse key words from the prompt): Libraries are changing and adapting to meet the needs of 21^st century readers……

INTRO SAMPLES: (2-5) sentences. *Rhetorical Question. Have you ever been to a library with no books? How about a library on the side of the road? No? Well, these types of special libraries are becoming popular across the United States. Readers today need easy access to books because of their busy lives. Therefore, libraries are changing and adapting to meet the needs of 21^st century readers.

*Set a Scene (imagery): Imagine driving down your neighborhood street and seeing a whimsical looking cottage the size of a birdhouse with children gathering all around. These children are all excitedly exchanging books. Smiles and laughter surround the little cottage. You pull over to the side of the road to check it out. You realize that the little cottage is actually full of books—a Little Free Library has come into your neighborhood! This is one new type of library that is helping readers young and old get back into books. Libraries today are changing and adapting in more ways than just popping up as small free libraries, all in an effort to meet the needs of 21^st century readers.

*Dramatic use of Repetition and Parallel Structure: Imagine a world where readers don’t have to worry about turning in their library books; a world where people looking to increase their intellect and vocabulary skills no longer have to stress over losing their books and paying a fee for them; a world where children and adults alike can get back into books. Imagine a world just like ours, where libraries are changing and adapting to meet these needs of our 21^st century readers.

PARAGRAPH 2 (Pick a passage--any passage).

Start with a topic sentence (top of the bun). The topic sentence shows the main point of the paragraph and should be in your words. Then move into introducing your first source: In the article titled “A New Twist on Libraries,” the author describes how modern libraries are incorporating more technology to help readers today. (You can think of the introduction of the source as the cheese on top of the hamburger). Then get into the evidence (the meat). Use transition words and phrases and signal phrases like: For example, the article says …. Explain your evidence, always connecting back to your main purpose. At this point, add more evidence/detail (more meat). Lastly, conclude this paragraph/wrap it up (bottom of the bun).

SAMPLE PARA 2: Libraries are changing today to be more accessible to readers. One way libraries are changing is seen in passage 1 titled “A New Twist on Libraries.” In this passage, the author talks about a new bookless type of library called BiblioTech. The passage says that BiblioTech helps readers access books by making them all digital. For example, “Children can even take home e-readers that have been preloaded with more than one hundred titles just for their particular age group’s abilities and interests.” This is just one way this bookless library is meeting the needs of 21^st century readers, and just one way libraries are changing.

PARA 3 (more passage 1) Repeat the process for paragraph 2, but now add just a little more evidence to support your ideas. You don’t introduce your source again, but you do use signal phrases that show you are still using evidence from the same article:

Additionally, this new bookless library is changing and adapting to meet cost and space savings. For example, the passage points out that this library “requires less space and structural strength” because it doesn’t have to store and hold books. With less space and structure comes less cost. This 21^st Century technology helps readers as more money can be spent on a better variety of titles.

PARA 4 (need to include other passage) Use a transition to signal that you are about to talk about the other passage. Be sure to then introduce your second source:

Another way libraries are changing is they are becoming more convenient by popping up in many places. These other new types of libraries are described in passage 2, “Take One, Return One.” These Little Free Libraries are small, birdhouse sized boxes that are set up in neighborhoods and communities along sidewalks and streets. The passage says that the first one popped up in 2009, and since that time, thousands more have popped up all over the country. These libraries meet the needs of 21^st century readers.

PARA 5 (Conclusion): Overall, there are different ways libraries are changing today. Some libraries are becoming more high tech and some are actually becoming more low tech. Either way, libraries today are adapting to meet the busy schedules and today’s readers.

**This is a basic essay. It would be a 6 out of 7. It could be more interesting/spicy.

Self/Peer-Assessment for 7 point EOCT Informational Essay

GRADE: ______

NAME: __________________ PEER NAME: __________________

CONTENT/DEVELOPMENT (4 pts Total): ____ LANGUAGE: (3pts Total): ____

INTRO PARAGRAPH:

____ Did I include 3 to 7 intro sentences that introduce the topic and work to “Hook” the reader?

What type of hook did I use? ________________________________________

____ Did I avoid talking about the articles? (Save specifics for the body paragraphs)

____ Did I include a clear thesis statement as the last sentence of the first paragraph?

____ Does my thesis show what my whole essay will be about? Does is use words from the Writing Task prompt? UNDERLINE and LABEL your thesis, and circle the KEY words from the prompt.

____ Do I set up a formal (but energetic) tone (and avoid “I” (first person)?

PARAGRAPH 2 and BODY PARAGRAPHS:

____ Did I indent to show a paragraph break between all paragraphs?

____ Did I write a topic (summary type) sentence as the first sentence of EACH body paragraph? UNDERLINE and LABEL your topic sentences. (Top of the hamburger bun)

____ Did I introduce the first source I’m going to use? Did I use a phrase like: In the first source titled “A New Twist on Libraries,” the author says….? (The cheese on the hamburger)? Label the cheese.

____ Did I put quotation marks around the title AND capitalize the title?

____ Did I use my own words to introduce textual evidence BEFORE just dropping in a quotation mark. (Meat). Label the meat.

____ Did I explain AND connect evidence to my thesis? (This shows that…)

____ Overall, did I use more of my own words than just direct quotations? * USE more of your own words!

____ Did I start a sentence with a quotation mark? If I did, I need to FIX it. Never start a sentence in this type of writing with a quotation mark. Only start sentence with quotation marks in narratives where its used for dialogue.

PARAGRAPH 3

Repeat paragraph 2, but don’t give the full title again. *Remember that the more details, the better. Use at least three for the first source overall.

PARAGRAPH 4

Repeat paragraph 2, but for the OTHER ARTICLE/passage. Give the title of the other article.

WHOLE PAPER

____ Did I use signal phrases like the article says or the author says…. CIRCLE all of your signal and transition phrases in your paper.

____ Did I use transition phrases like for example, additionally, however, while, another point, but, on the other hand.

____ Did I follow the hamburger/sandwich model of developing my body paragraphs?

____ HIGHLIGHT and LABEL the hamburger model you used in one of your paragraphs. LABEL the top, middle and bottom.

_____ Did you use both source texts?

_____ Did I include a conclusion of 3 to 7 sentences and start the conclusion with a transition word like overall? *Restate the thesis, but in different words. Show energy.

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