ACT Essay Format and Templates You Can Use

ACT Essay Format and Templates You Can Use SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Most of the ACT is entirely multiple choice. All you have to worry about when answering the questions is that you’re filling in the correct answer bubble! But then there’s that (optional) Writing section, which requires you to give your answer in words. How are you supposed to write a persuasive essay in 40 minutes? What format should your essay have? Is there an ACT essay template that can guarantee you a high score? We'll answer these questions in this article. feature image credit: homework ritual by woodleywonderworks, used under CC BY 2.0/Cropped from original. What Does Your ACT Essay Need? 5 Key Elements In order to do well on ACT Writing, your essay will need to have the following five elements (not necessarily in this order): 1. An Introduction The first thing the grader will see is your opening paragraph, so you should make a good impression. Don't just jump right into the meat of your essay - introduce your perspective (your thesis statement) and how it relates to the other perspectives given by the essay prompt. You don't necessarily have to start out by writing your introduction (you can always leave a few lines blank at the top of your essay and come back to it after you've written your example paragraphs), but you MUST include it. 2. Your Thesis Statement (should be in your introduction) You must take a perspective on the issue presented in the prompt paragraph and state it clearly. I advise using one of the three perspectives the ACT gives you as your position/perspective; you can come up with your own perspective, but then you have more work to do in the essay (which is not ideal with a time constraint). Your thesis statement (the statement of your perspective) should go in the introduction of your essay. 3. A Discussion of All Three Perspectives In your essay, you must discuss all three perspectives the ACT gives you. Make sure to discuss pros as well as cons for the perspectives you don’t agree with to show you understand the complexities of the issue. 4. Examples or Reasoning to Support Each Point To support your arguments for and against each perspective, you need to draw on reasoning or specific examples. This reasoning should be in the same paragraph as the arguments. For instance, if your argument is about how globalization leads to greater efficiency, you should include your support for this argument in the same paragraph. And it's not enough to just say â€Å"Because freedom† or â€Å"Because Stalin† or something like that as your support and leave it at that. You need to actually explain how your reasoning or examples support your point. 5. Clear Organization Avoid discussing multiple points in one paragraph. Instead, our recommended strategy is to discuss one perspective per paragraph. This organization will not only make it easier for you to stay on track, but will also make it easier for your essay's scorers to follow your reasoning (always a good thing). Ketty by Elena Gurzhiy, used under CC BY 2.0/Cropped from original. Pro tip: To gain motivation to make your essay easier to follow, imagine your essay graders with sad puppy eyes. ACT Essay Outline The 5-paragraph structure might seem boring, but it is a good way to keep your points organized when writing an essay. For the ACT essay, you'll need an introduction, three body paragraphs (one paragraph for each perspective), and a conclusion. You should state your thesis in your introduction and conclusion (using different words in your conclusion so that you're not repeating yourself exactly). So how do you write in this five paragraph structure on the ACT? I'll show you how to put the plan into action with an essay template that can be used for any ACT essay question. First, here's the prompt I'll be using: Public Health and Individual Freedom Most people want to be healthy, and most people want as much freedom as possible to do the things they want. Unfortunately, these two desires sometimes conflict. For example, smoking is prohibited from most public places, which restricts the freedom of some individuals for the sake of the health of others. Likewise, car emissions are regulated in many areas in order to reduce pollution and its health risks to others, which in turn restricts some people’s freedom to drive the vehicles they want. In a society that values both health and freedom, how do we best balance the two? How should we think about conflicts between public health and individual freedom? Read and carefully consider these perspectives. Each suggests a particular way of thinking about the conflict between public health and individual freedom. Perspective One Perspective Two Perspective Three Our society should strive to achieve the greatest good for the greatest number of people. When the freedom of the individual interferes with that principle, freedom must be restricted. Nothing in society is more valuable than freedom. Perhaps physical health is sometimes improved by restricting freedom, but the cost to the health of our free society is far too great to justify it. The right to avoid health risks is a freedom, too. When we allow individual behavior to endanger others, we’ve damaged both freedom and health. Write a unified, coherent essay in which you evaluate multiple perspectives on the conflict between public health and individual freedom. In your essay, be sure to: analyze and evaluate the perspectives given state and develop your own perspective on the issue explain the relationship between your perspective and those given Your perspective may be in full agreement with any of the others, in partial agreement, or wholly different. Whatever the case, support your ideas with logical reasoning and detailed, persuasive examples. Next, I'll break down the ACT essay into its individual parts (introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion) and give examples for what each should look like. Because I'm writing in response to a specific prompt, some of the information may not translate exactly from essay to essay; instead, focus on the structure of the paragraphs. I've bolded key structural words and phrases for you to focus on. Introduction (2-3 sentences) Begin your introduction with a general statement about the topic that draws the reader in; should provide some context for what you’ll be discussing in the essay. Can be omitted if you’re short on time (1-2 sentences). As society progresses into the 21st century, there are some pundits who create a false two-sided fight between individual liberty and complete dependence on the government. Next comes your thesis statement that includes a clear position on the issue. For highest score, you should also mention the other perspectives in contrast to the position you’ve chosen (1 sentence). While individual freedom is essential to society, I believe that the freedom to avoid health risks supersedes freedom of the individual when individual behavior endangers others. Sample ACT essay introduction: As society progresses into the 21st century, there are some pundits who create a false two-sided fight between individual liberty and complete dependence on the government. While individual freedom is essential to society, I believe that the freedom to avoid health risks supersedes freedom of the individual when individual behavior endangers others. Body paragraph 1 (Opposing perspective) (5-7 sentences) Open with a transition to one of the other two perspectives (1 sentence). Perspective Two espouses the view that â€Å"[t]hose who give up freedom in order to gain security deserve neither.† Provide an example of how this perspective is somewhat true and explain why (2-3 sentences). This perspective is true to some extent. For instance, in the Civil Rights movement, schools were integrated at the cost of both the mental well-being of racists, who had to deal with the blow to their world view, and the physical and emotional well-being of those being integrated, who had to deal with the abuse flung upon them by said racists. The freedom to attend any public school was deemed more important to society than the temporary mental, emotional, and in some cases physical health risks caused by that freedom. Provide an example of how this perspective is mostly false when compared to the perspective you agree with and explain why (2-3 sentences). I do not believe, however, the Perspective Two is always a useful way to think about the world, particularly when life and death is at stake. During the Civil Rights movement, parents who were afraid their children might incur physical or even fatal harm from being forced to integrate still had the freedom to homeschool; the same goes for parents who were racist and did not wish their children to interact with children of â€Å"lesser† races. While the government pushed the issue of freedom of all people to attend all public schools, it could not make it mandatory for every child to attend a public school (rather than being homeschooled, or attending private or church school) and risk physical injury or worse. Sample Body Paragraph (Opposing Perspective): Perspective Two espouses the view that â€Å"[t]hose who give up freedom in order to gain security deserve neither.† This perspective is true to some extent. For instance, in the Civil Rights movement, schools were integrated at the cost of both the mental well-being of racists, who had to deal with the blow to their world view, and the physical and emotional well-being of those being integrated, who had to deal with the abuse flung upon them by said racists. The freedom to attend any public school was deemed more important to society than the temporary mental, emotional, and in some cases physical health risks caused by that freedom. I do not believe, however, that Perspective Two is always a useful way to think about the world, particularly when life and death is at stake. During the Civil Rights movement, parents who were afraid their children might incur physical or even fatal harm from being forced to integrate still had the freedom to homeschool; the same goes for parent s who were racist and did not wish their children to interact with children of â€Å"lesser† races. While the government pushed the issue of freedom of all people to attend all public schools, it could not make it mandatory for every child to attend a public school (rather than being homeschooled, or attending private or church school) and risk physical injury or worse. Body paragraph 2 (Opposing perspective) (5-7 sentences) Same as above, except with the other perspective you disagree with/don't entirely agree with. Make sure to use transition words so that the change of topic (from the previous perspective) isn't abrupt or unexpected. The Spanish Inquisition, Torture Chamber, Loket Castle, Czech Republic. by Jim Linwood, used under CC BY 2.0/Cropped and resized from original. To make your example of the Spanish Inquisition less unexpected, make sure to use transitions. Body paragraph 3 (Your perspective) (5-7 sentences) Acknowledge the value of the other two perspectives, but affirm that your perspective is the truest one (1-2 sentences). As can be seen from the examples above, sometimes the greater good means individual freedom is more important than personal health. For the most part, however, allowing individual behavior to harm others damages both freedom and health. Provide one final example of why this perspective is true (3-5 sentences). Some parents worry that vaccines contain toxic chemicals and so have fought for the right to not vaccinate their children against once deadly diseases like measles. By being allowed this freedom, however, these parents are not only putting their children at risk of catching these virulent diseases, but are risking the life of anyone with a compromised immune system who comes into contact with a non-vaccinated child. The results of the anti-vaccination movement can be seen in cases like the recent measles outbreak at Disneyland and the mumps outbreak at a New York City daycare company; both of these outbreaks unfortunately led to fatalities. When the health risks caused by personal freedom reach life-and-death stakes, it is necessary to restrict individual freedom in favor of freedom to avoid preventable health risks. Sample Body Paragraph (Your Perspective): As can be seen from the examples above, sometimes the greater good means individual freedom is more important than personal health. For the most part, however, allowing individual behavior to harm others damages both freedom and health. Some parents worry that vaccines contain toxic chemicals and so have fought for the right to not vaccinate their children against once deadly diseases like measles. By being allowed this freedom, however, these parents are not only putting their children at risk of catching these virulent diseases, but are risking the life of anyone with a compromised immune system who comes into contact with a non-vaccinated child. The results of the anti-vaccination movement can be seen in cases like the recent measles outbreak at Disneyland and the mumps outbreak at a New York City daycare company; both of these outbreaks unfortunately led to fatalities. When the health risks caused by personal freedom reach life-and-death stakes, it is necessary to restrict indivi dual freedom in favor of freedom to avoid preventable health risks. Conclusion (1-2 sentences) Transition into restating your thesis, using different words (1-2 sentences). Sample ACT Essay conclusion: America was built on the idea that there is a fundamental right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness – in that order. When individual behavior puts others’ lives at risk, it must be curtailed. Putting Your Essay Together Here is my final ACT essay template (excluding the second body paragraph): As society progresses into the 21st century, there are some pundits who create a false two-sided fight between individual liberty and complete dependence on the government. While individual freedom is essential to society, I believe that the freedom to avoid health risks supersedes freedom of the individual when individual behavior endangers others. Perspective Two espouses the view that â€Å"[t]hose who give up freedom in order to gain security deserve neither.† This perspective is true to some extent. For instance, in the Civil Rights movement, schools were integrated at the cost of both the mental well-being of racists, who had to deal with the blow to their world view, and the physical and emotional well-being of those being integrated, who had to deal with the abuse flung upon them by said racists. The freedom to attend any public school was deemed more important to society than the temporary mental, emotional, and in some cases physical health risks caused by that freedom. I do not believe, however, that Perspective Two is always a useful way to think about the world, particularly when life and death is at stake. During the Civil Rights movement, parents who were afraid their children might incur physical or even fatal harm from being forced to integrate still had the freedom to homeschool; the same goes for parent s who were racist and did not wish their children to interact with children of â€Å"lesser† races. While the government pushed the issue of freedom of all people to attend all public schools, it could not make it mandatory for every child to attend a public school (rather than being homeschooled, or attending private or church school) and risk physical injury or worse. [Body paragraph two on the other opposing perspective would go here] As can be seen from the examples above, sometimes the greater good means individual freedom is more important than personal health. For the most part, however, allowing individual behavior to harm others damages both freedom and health. Some parents worry that vaccines contain toxic chemicals and so have fought for the right to not vaccinate their children against once deadly diseases like measles. By being allowed this freedom, however, these parents are not only putting their children at risk of catching these virulent diseases, but are risking the life of anyone with a compromised immune system who comes into contact with a non-vaccinated child. The results of the anti-vaccination movement can be seen in cases like the recent measles outbreak at Disneyland and the mumps outbreak at a New York City daycare company; both of these outbreaks unfortunately led to fatalities. When the health risks caused by personal freedom reach life-and-death stakes, it is necessary to restrict indivi dual freedom in favor of freedom to avoid preventable health risks. America was built on the idea that there is a fundamental right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness – in that order. When individual behavior puts others’ lives at risk, it must be curtailed. Even though there are some minor grammatical issues in this essay, because they don't significantly affect the readability of my essay they don't matter. There are also some factual inaccuracies in this essay (as far as I know, there haven’t been any reports of a mumps outbreak in NYC daycare facilities), but that doesn’t matter for the ACT as long as the facts are persuasive and make sense in the context of the essay. Adding false information about a mumps outbreak added to the persuasive impact of the essay, so I put it in, whereas I couldn’t figure out a way to work dinosaurs into this essay, and so they were not included. Velociraptor by Tomi Lattu, used under CC BY 2.0/Resized from original. Next essay, my velociraptor friend. Next essay. How Do You Write Essays In This Format? Now that you have a structural template for your ACT essay, how and when do you use it? An essay template is most helpful during the planning phase of your essay. Whether you're writing a practice essay or taking the test for real, it's important to take the time to plan out your essay before you start writing. I personally believe 8-10 minutes is a good amount of planning time to start out with, although you may get faster at planning as you practice, leaving more time for writing and revising. It might be tempting to leave out this planning stage so that you have more time to read the prompt or write. Don't fall into this trap! If you don’t take the time to plan, you run the risk of writing a disorganized essay that doesn't really support your argument or omits one of the perspectives. If you’re struggling with decoding the prompts, be sure to read my article on how to attack ACT Writing prompts; it'll help you break down every ACT Writing prompt so that you can extract the information you need to write your essay. In addition to using this essay template when you're planning out your essay, you also need to make sure you practice writing this kind of essay before you take the real ACT Plus Writing. Don't expect to just memorize this outline and be good to go on test day - you'll need to practice putting the template to good use. Practice with as many ACT Writing prompts as you can - our complete guide to ACT Writing prompts will get you started. ACT Essay Format: A Quick Recap Remember, your essay should be in the following format: Introduction (with your thesis) - 2-3 sentences Your point of view on the essay topic (should be the same as one of the three perspectives the ACT gives you). Body paragraph 1 (Opposing perspective) - 5-7 sentences Reason why it's true (with reasoning or examples for support) Reason why it's not as true as your perspective (with reasoning or examples for support) Body paragraph 2 (Other opposing perspective) - 5-7 sentences Reason why it's true (with reasoning or examples for support) Reason why it's not as true as your perspective (with reasoning or examples for support) Body paragraph 3 (Your perspective) - 5-7 sentences One last reason why your perspective is true (with reasoning or examples for support). Conclusion (with your thesis restated) - 1-2 sentences What’s Next? Want to learn more about how to write a top-scoring ACT essay? Watch as I construct an ACT essay, step-by-step. Looking to put the icing on your ACT essay cake? Check out our top 15 ACT Writing tips and strategies. Wondering how much you have to write to do well on ACT Writing? Read this article on essay length and your ACT Writing score. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this ACT Writing lesson, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get your ACT essays hand-graded by a master instructor who will give you customized feedback on how you can improve. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial:

Gun Control in US

Gun Control in US Introduction All year round, approximately 30,000 people are reported to die from gunshot wounds in the USA. In 2010, the US reported gun violence as the leading cause of premature mortality, with young people falling victims.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Gun Control in US specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, it is such a pathetic state for a developed country as the US to have such high mortality rate due to the high prevalence of gun violence. Among all the developed countries with high crime prevalence rate, the situation was termed as the worst in the US, which associates to the high firearm homicide rate. The high prevalence of ownership of guns accompanied by less restrictive laws underscored some of the reasons contributing to violence and high rate of crime in the country. Various economic costs are linked gun violence. For instance, the country spends approximately $30 billion annually on settling me dical bills in relation to treatment of firearm injuries and deaths. The incurred costs could be spent in expansion of other productive economic activities. However, the cost of owning and using a gun goes beyond this point since there are other adverse effects and outcomes. In addition, violence and other forms of crime cause a reduction in revenues collected from taxes, and these elements are some of the challenges that the federal government should address. Policies regarding control of gun in the United States There have been several debates concerning the gun control policies. The proponents of gun control policies hold that the control measures counter the prevalence of crime incidences by ensuring that firearms are taken away from the wrong hands.Advertising Looking for essay on political sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, most people assume that they must either support or oppose the gun contr ol policy, which is not the case. Policies or laws on gun control stipulate the types of the firearm to be purchased, qualities of the purchaser and the holder, and safety restriction concerning the storage and use of guns. Although there were laws to ban the possession of guns, this move was overturned by a court order that was passed by the supreme court of Columbia and Chicago. Currently, the implemented policies do not fully disarm adults as long as they are over the age of 21 years. This requirement seeks to control the rates of prevailing crimes since fewer people would be in a position to own guns. In order for the gun control to ensure a reduction in the rate of crimes, there should be an evaluation of the impact of the gun control policy on availability and accessibility to firearms, especially for the case of handguns. On the other hand, the effect of the prevalence of guns on the commission of a crime should also be evaluated. Many researchers justify the gun control laws due to the evidence of high crime rate that calls for political support of these laws. Currently, gun control laws focus on the definition on conditions that prohibit an individual from owning a gun or firearms, implementation of laws and regulations to prevent prohibited individuals from illegal possession of firearms and guns. In addition, these laws stipulate restriction to carrying concealed guns outside one’s home and regulations on the design of these guns in order to enhance individual safety and that of the members of the public.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Gun Control in US specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Rationale for the prohibition of gun possession The law prohibits certain categories of individuals from purchasing or even owning guns and firearms. They include fugitives, those served with restraining orders due to domestic violence, persons convicted of domestic crime, felons, people who a re mentally ill, illegal aliens, ex-soldiers dismissed from the military and person below the recommended age of 21 years. However, the laws stipulate that 18 years is the minimum age at which possession of a handgun could be transferred from one person to another, especially for unauthorized gun dealers. The move to ban some people from owning or carrying a firearm hinges on research results, which showed that the ever-increasing crime cases were due to access to firearms by some individuals. For instance, a felony convict stands a higher chance of committing violent crimes in the future as compared to non-felons. In addition, most domestic homicides are directly linked to availability and ownership of gun within the family household. Based on some researches carried out, researchers concluded that quite a substantial percentage of perpetrators of domestic violence are likely to extend their abusive tendencies to other people in the society. Drug and substance abuse are linked to t he increased rate of domestic violence within American families, violent crimes, and actual or suicidal attempts. Researchers established that homicide offenders are more likely to abuse drugs as compared to non-offenders. However, a small percentage of people suffering from mental illness are associated with some form of violence, as others with disorders such as stress and depression are likely to harm others or even themselves.Advertising Looking for essay on political sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More On the case of the minimum age limit, it was established that the minimum age restriction on possession of firearms and guns was a crucial move. Policy makers decided on the age limit after researchers established that there had been an increment in the prevalence of violent crimes amongst the adolescents. This aspect was attributed to the brain structures at that age, which embrace risk-taking impulses, hence contributing to heightened risk of violent behavior amongst youths at this age bracket. The debate on gun control policies Over the years, legislative proposals to restrict the availability of guns to the members of public yield different reactions from people. In the recent years, proponents of gun control laws hold to the fact that proper implementation of federal laws can be quite successful. However, the only challenge arises where states with few legal restrictions on guns tend to supply them to the states where comprehensive bans are implemented. Various issues arise fro m this constitutional provision as stipulated by the proponents. First, with the presence of professional police forces, this provision stands to be obsolete. The provision was in favor of the military officers to guard them against suppression, hence posing a restriction only to the military officers. In addition, the right to owning a gun is not absolute, but can be limited within reasonable requirements. The proponents also seek to know why a common citizen would own a gun not designed for the purpose of authorized sporting or hunting activities. With regard to reasons stipulated above, proponents for the policy on gun control advocate some changes on the prevailing policy on gun control to deter criminal activities and risks posed to the public. Since 1930, machine guns and short-barreled rifles remained under strict regulations, but they were banned completely from private ownership in 1980s. Currently, small handguns, ammunitions feeding devices and assault weapons among other s are some of the arms to be included in the control regulations. Gun control legislations meet opposition in different dimensions, but opponents maintain that gun control policies fail to meet the intended purposes. In argument laid by this group, they stipulate that acquisition of weapons by high-risk individuals can hardly be controlled, even after implementation of federal laws. They also add that stringent laws would impose more difficulties to law-abiding individuals to abide by the new laws. Such a move leads to frustration and probably a threat on the rights of citizens and even their safety. They also note that even in countries where the rates of violent crimes are low, it is not necessarily due to gun control policies; actually, tolerance and community policing amongst other social integration strategies contribute largely to the low crime rates. The antagonists of gun control policies are not fully convinced that private gun ownership is meant for recreational activities exclusively. However, they call for the need for people to have effective means to defend themselves for security purposes. In addition, the opponents point out that possession of guns would help in reducing the rate of crime. Conclusion To the proponents of gun control legislations, propositions by the opponents comprise a misinterpretation of the provisions of the constitution regarding possession of guns. Gun control legislations should be put in place if the Federal State is to deal with the prevalence of high crime rate comprehensively. However, a comprehensive study of the effects of various gun control policies can help people in making an informed conclusion on whether these policies can really help curb violent crimes prevailing in the US.

Have social movements been successful in achieving their objectives in Essay

Have social movements been successful in achieving their objectives in Latin America - Essay Example The good thing about these social revolts is their capacity to bring forward advantages on the part of various social movements which continue to evolve, making them more sophisticated and expert on achieving their objectives. In this paper, the proponent tries to explore significant proofs which substantially points out social movements in Latin America to have been successful in achieving their objectives. The case of Rural Landless Workers Movement The Rural Landless Workers Movement (MST) is a case of how a social movement has been successful in Latin America based on the achievement of its objectives. There are specifically two important points MST has substantially done in order to fulfill its objectives. The first point is its ability to maintain strong level of leadership towards its members. It has become a highly structured group knowing that it involves thousands of members. In groups like this, a modern approach in leadership is necessary in order to unite the team with o nly one vision and goal. Furthermore, MST learned enough the power of taking advantage on achieving allies. As a result, MST was able to combine forces with other social movements in Brazil. The very presence of these various social movements in Brazil alone is a substantial proof that people have seen them as potential tools in achieving objectives through a specific social transformation. All of these proved that social movements in Brazil can be the best and powerful way on how the masses of people substantially can achieve their personal claims in a society where everyone seems to have varying social, political, and economic needs. The (MST) in Brazil, having more than 300,000 members and consisting of 350,000 peasant families, is a highly organised social movement in Latin America with allies in other social movements such as urban Homeless Movement, the Catholic Pastoral Rural (Rural Pastoral Agency), sectors of the trade union movement (CUT), the left-wing of the Workers Part y (PT) and academic faculty and students (Petras, 2009). This social movement is capable of organising effective tactics in allocating land for their thousands of landless rural workers and their families on the lands of giant latifundistas, plus being able to succeed in placing their agrarian reform on the national agenda, and elected â€Å"Lula† Da Silva of the Workers Party in the 2002 presidential elections (Petras, 2009). MST is a picture of a highly sophisticated social movement having been able to penetrate the core foundation of social transformation. Its ability to create a better foundation for its entire movement is a specific proof that it has substantially created a remarkable way on how to obtain its specific objectives. Its ability to organise a large social group of 300,000 members and 350,000 peasant families was enough to create a strong allies with other social movements. What is depicted in this issue is the thought that in Brazil alone, social movements h ave become so widely considered and even have created a powerful force to influence the ongoing social transformation. This is the very reason why MST for instance was substantially able to penetrate and influence