Watch the video or read the transcript of the video on page 5 of Unit 8 Lesson 8. Summarize the video below
A STUDENT sits on a couch working on a laptop. A LEARNING COACH walks into the room and sits down on the couch beside the STUDENT.
STUDENT: I did it.
LEARNING COACH: Alright! Wait, what did you do?
STUDENT: I think I’m done with my essay.
LEARNING COACH: Awesome! Did you write a good conclusion?
STUDENT: Conclusion? Why do I need that? I already gave all my reasoning and evidence, and I think it was pretty convincing the first time. Why do I have to go over it all again?
LEARNING COACH: Well, by the time readers get to the end of the essay, they might not remember everything you said at the beginning. Your conclusion helps to reinforce all the points you made before, and make it even stronger.
STUDENT: Okay, first I’ll copy down this sentence that I used to state my claim: our country should stop having Daylight Savings Time.
LEARNING COACH: Well, maybe don’t copy it down.
STUDENT: Why not?
LEARNING COACH: It’s a good idea to re-word it, and connect it to all that you’ve already said.
STUDENT: Okay, how about: based on all the evidence, Daylight Savings Time is no longer a good idea?
LEARNING COACH: That’s a good one!
STUDENT: Then I’ll rewrite, or restate, my first reason: many people have difficulty adjusting to the time change. Then, I’ll include some of the evidence and quotations about people losing sleep and missing important appointments.
LEARNING COACH: Well, that sounds like a lot to include in a conclusion. Maybe you can just sum up what the evidence says in a few words, and not restate it all.
STUDENT: I know, I’ll change my reason to: many people have difficulty adjusting to the time change, losing sleep and missing appointments.
LEARNING COACH: Excellent! Then you can sum up the rest of your reasons and add something at the end that brings it all together or gives the reader something to think about.
STUDENT: Awesome! Thanks for your help.
LEARNING COACH: That’s what I’m here for!
The STUDENT starts typing on her laptop.
In the video, a student is working on her laptop when a learning coach joins her on the couch. The student reveals that she believes she has completed her essay. However, the learning coach explains the importance of a conclusion in reinforcing the main points made throughout the essay. The student then begins to revise her conclusion by rephrasing her claim and summarizing her reasons and evidence. The learning coach provides guidance on how to condense the information while still making it impactful. The student appreciates the help and continues working on her essay.
For any writing assignment, you need to make a plan. That is especially true when you are writing for a timed test. Suppose that you have 25 minutes to write a short persuasive essay. How would you plan your time? Here is one possibility: 5 minutes to brainstorm and write an introduction and claim 15 minutes to draft the reasons and evidence 5 minutes to write a conclusion and read over the essay The conclusion is important because it is the part of the essay where you summarize your ideas. For persuasive writing, a good conclusion restates the claim, reviews the key reasons, and ends with a strong sentence that ties your ideas together
When faced with a timed writing assignment, it is crucial to plan your time effectively. In the case of a 25-minute short persuasive essay, one possible time allocation could be as follows:
1. Five minutes dedicated to brainstorming and writing the introduction, including crafting a clear claim or thesis statement. This sets the foundation for the rest of the essay and establishes the writer's stance.
2. Fifteen minutes allocated for drafting the body paragraphs, which should include the reasons and evidence supporting the claim. It is essential to make these paragraphs concise but impactful, providing sufficient evidence to back up each reason.
3. The remaining five minutes should be devoted to crafting a conclusion. This concluding section is critical as it summarizes the main ideas of the essay persuasively. It involves restating the claim, reviewing the key reasons, and concluding with a strong sentence that unifies the presented ideas.
Additionally, during these final minutes, it is advisable to take a quick moment to read over the entire essay, ensuring clarity, coherence, and correct grammar and spelling usage.
By planning and sticking to this time allocation strategy, the writer can effectively utilize the given time frame to produce a well-structured and persuasive essay.