Transcript The MoJo of Writing

The MoJo of Writing
Understanding the prompt

All AP essays are written in response
to an essay “prompt.”
Understanding what this prompt asks
you to do is the first important skill
you need to acquire.
Two Examples
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Sample DBQ prompt:
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How successful was organized labor in improving the
position of workers in the period from 1875 to 1900?
Analyze the factors that contributed to the level of
success achieved.
Sample free response prompt:
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Compare and contrast United States foreign policy
after the First World War and after the Second World
War. Consider the periods 1919-1928 and 1945-1950.
MOJO’s TIP #1
The first thing you need to do is to read the
WHOLE prompt, every word of it. This is
especially true if the prompt is in two
sentences like this one…..

How successful was organized labor in improving the
position of workers in the period from 1875 to 1900?
Analyze the factors that contributed to the level of
success achieved.
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The first mistake that many students make
is in reading and answering only part of
the prompt.
MOJO’s TIP #2

Having read the prompt, circle or
underline the VERBS. These words will
give you your task.
 How
successful was organized labor in
improving the position of workers in the
period from 1875 to 1900? Analyze the
factors that contributed to the level of success
achieved.

The important verb, and thus your task, is
in the second sentence: ANALYZE
MOJO’s TIP #3
After finding the verbs, look carefully and mark
any CONJUNCTIONS and circle or underline
them. For instance
 Compare and contrast United States foreign
policy after the First World War and after the
Second World War. Consider the periods 19191928 and 1945-1950.
 You must compare AND contrast these periods
to successfully complete the task. Doing only
one or the other will lower your score.
MOJO’s TIP #4
Go back and look carefully at the VERB in
the prompt.
 This word will tell you what you are
expected to do.
 The following is a list of commonly used
verbs and explanations for the tasks they
indicate. These are verbs the College
Board has used recently.

Commonly used verbs and verb
phrases
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ANALYZE
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Explain how AND why something occurred. Any
question that uses “how” and/or “why” is an analysis
question even if the word “analyze” is not in the
prompt.
ASSESS THE VALIDITY
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How true is the statement. The statement doesn’t
have to be all true; it can be true in one instance or
circumstance and false in another.
Commonly used verbs (cont.)
EVALUATE
 Which factor was most important. You
usually need to rank several events or factors
and specify which is most and which is least
significant.
TO WHAT EXTENT
 This prompt frequently requires you to specify
a cause and effect relationship and then state
which causes were more important.
Verbs cont.
Compare AND contrast
 To do this correctly you need to discuss BOTH
similarities AND differences between two
events or periods. It is important to both in a
balanced way without shortchanging either.
Discuss or Consider
 These are frequently used in free response
prompts. They should be written as analysis
essays.
MOJO’s TIP #5
Define any terms in the prompt that you need to
explain.
 For instance, a recent essay prompt asked
students to assess the validity of this statement:
“Reform movements in the United States sought
to expand democratic ideals.”
 Jot down some “democratic ideals” and be
prepared to explain how they are democratic.
Failing to do this will lower your score.

MOJO’s TIP #6
Clearly understand the time period in the
prompt.
 If the prompt asks you to discuss reform
between 1865 and 1900, you must include
information for the WHOLE time period.
 You can help yourself do this by listing
information from the last 10 years of the
time period in the prompt FIRST, then
working backward with your details.

MOJO’s TIP #7
After you are clear as to your task (analyze,
evaluate, etc.) sketch out a quick, informal
outline of how you are going to proceed. This is
very important to guaranteeing that you cover
the whole prompt.
 For instance, if you were writing the following
prompt. . .
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Compare and contrast United States foreign policy
after the First World War and after the Second World
War. Consider the periods 1919-1928 and 1945-1950.
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You might jot down a
simple “outline” like the
one at the right.
You would list things that
were similar in BOTH
periods,
Then list the differences
in BOTH periods.
Your essay would then
have either four body
paragraphs as indicated
by the circles
1919-1928
similarities
differences
1945-1950
1919-1928
1945-1950
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similarities
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differences
Or you might have two
longer and more involved
paragraphs as indicated
by the two ovals.
In either case, you would
have organized your
thinking so that you cover
all of the material you
need to cover to address
the prompt completely.
Lesson on writing– Mojo says:
Read the WHOLE prompt!
 Mark the VERBS and the CONJUNCTIONS
in the prompt.
 Think about that verb. What, exactly, are
you being asked to do. Consider the
whole prompt.
 ORGANIZE your thinking BEFORE you
begin writing.
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