Writing Free Response - Do:– read the question more than once – copy a question’s outline in your response (put

numbers and/or letters at left side – even a short title can help)

– look for the verbs in the question that tell you what to do: “describe, explain, list, predict” and do what it says

– be specific; each detail = points– balance - response to all parts of q.– be clear (use correct grammar, but don’t worry so

much as to go back and correct small errors)– Write, Write Write!!! - even if facts seem unrelated

1. a. write

b. write

c. write

Writing Free Response - Don’t:

• use dead words “it, they” or any other generality –these lose meaning

• write an introduction or repeat the question – this won’t get you any points

• skip any required part of a question – most multi-part questions require you to score at least one point in each section or part

• write nothing for a question – each q. accounts for roughly 10% of your overall grade!

• give up – you probably know something that can answer at least part of the question

10 minute prep. period

• You are given a 10 minute prep period in which you can write anything down on the booklet, but none of this writing will be scored with your essays – what should you do with this time?– outline – if the question includes choices, make you

choices during this time and put them in order; you should organize your response according to the format of the question

– use a cluster, outline, flow chart, Venn diagram, or whatever works best to get ideas out of your head and onto paper

10 minute prep. period

– write down any vocabulary terms that come to mind – these can be golden points

– jot down the name/idea for a diagram you might use

– get a few ideas down for all 4 q’s

Writing tips

• Before you start writing, read the question again; you may see something in the q. – a particular verb or direction, that hints at how to answer the q.

• start with the easiest q. – they don’t have to be answered in order, in the meantime you might think of more material for that harder q.

• don’t spend a lot of time on one point – unless that’s what the q. is asking for; generally points are given for the most different points of information you can come up with

Writing tips

• connect all details back to the question – you may include a correct biological principle that has nothing to do with answering the q. if you include a diagram, label it and write about it or give descriptive labels– don’t spend a whole lot of effort on a diagram; it

doesn’t have to be pretty and usually it can only get some of the maximum points possible (you cannot gain all the points for a section from a diagram)