Here are the content of this Document

1. Article in full2. Sample scores with rubrics

a. 1/1/1 (3 points times 2 graders = 6 points total)b. 2/1/2 (10 points)c. 3/3/3 (18 points)d. 4/3/3 (20 points)e. 4/4/4 (24 points – perfect score. We had one student with a perfect score last summer)

3. Essays students submitted last week4. The Template

Adapted from Peter S. Goodman, “Foreign News at a Crisis Point.” ©2013 by TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc. Originally published September 25, 2013. Peter Goodman is the executive business and global news editor at TheHuffingtonPost.com.

1. Back in 2003, American Journalism Review produced a census of foreign correspondents then employed by newspapers based in the United States, and found 307 full-time people. When AJR repeated the exercise in the summer of 2011, the count had dropped to 234. And even that number was significantly inflated by the inclusion of contract writers who had replaced full-time staffers.

2. In the intervening eight years, 20 American news organizations had entirely eliminated their foreign bureaus.3. The same AJR survey zeroed in on a representative sampling of American papers from across the country and found that the space devoted to foreign

news had shrunk by 53 percent over the previous quarter-century.4. All of this decline was playing out at a time when the U.S. was embroiled in two overseas wars, with hundreds of thousands of Americans deployed in

Iraq and Afghanistan. It was happening as domestic politics grappled with the merits and consequences of a global war on terror, as a Great Recession was blamed in part on global imbalances in savings, and as world leaders debated a global trade treaty and pacts aimed at addressing climate change. It unfolded as American workers heard increasingly that their wages and job security were under assault by competition from counterparts on the other side of oceans.

5. In short, news of the world is becoming palpably more relevant to the day-to-day experiences of American readers, and it is rapidly disappearing. Y6. et the same forces that have assailed print media, eroding foreign news along the way, may be fashioning a useful response. Several nonprofit outlets

have popped up to finance foreign reporting, and a for-profit outfit, GlobalPost, has dispatched a team of 18 senior correspondents into the field, supplemented by dozens of stringers and freelancers. . . .

7. We are intent on forging fresh platforms for user-generated content: testimonials, snapshots and video clips from readers documenting issues in need of attention. Too often these sorts of efforts wind up feeling marginal or even patronizing: “Dear peasant, here’s your chance to speak to the pros about what’s happening in your tiny little corner of the world.” We see user-generated content as a genuine reporting tool, one that operates on the premise that we can only be in so many places at once. Crowd-sourcing is a fundamental advantage of the web, so why not embrace it as a means of piecing together a broader and more textured understanding of events?

8. We all know the power of Twitter, Facebook and other forms of social media to connect readers in one place with images and impressions from situations unfolding far away. We know the force of social media during the Arab Spring, as activists convened and reacted to changing circumstances. . . . Facts and insights reside on social media, waiting to be harvested by the digitally literate contemporary correspondent.

9. And yet those of us who have been engaged in foreign reporting for many years will confess to unease over many of the developments unfolding online, even as we recognize the trends are as unstoppable as globalization or the weather. Too often it seems as if professional foreign correspondents, the

people paid to use their expertise while serving as informational filters, are being replaced by citizen journalists who function largely as funnels, pouring insight along with speculation, propaganda and other white noise into the mix

10. We can celebrate the democratization of media, the breakdown of monopolies, the rise of innovative means of telling stories, and the inclusion of a diversity of voices, and still ask whether the results are making us better informed. Indeed, we have a professional responsibility to continually ask that question while seeking to engineer new models that can channel the web in the interest of better informing readers. . . .

11. We need to embrace the present and gear for the future. These are days in which newsrooms simply must be entrepreneurial and creative in pursuit of new means of reporting and paying for it. That makes this a particularly interesting time to be doing the work, but it also requires forthright attention to a central demand: We need to put back what the Internet has taken away. We need to turn the void into something fresh and compelling. We need to re-examine and update how we gather information and how we engage readers, while retaining the core values of serious-minded journalism.

12. This will not be easy. . . . But the alternative—accepting ignorance and parochialism—is simply not an option.

Sample score of 1/1/1 (3 points x 2 graders = 6 points total)

In the Article, “Foreign News at a Crisis Point” by Peter S. Goodman ©2013 by TheHuffingtonPost.com, the author builds up an argument to persuade his audience. He provided information about American Journalism Review to let people in the community know how it started.

“we need to embrace the present and gear for the future.” This means that the author wants to find new ways of communicating with the community now, that will help later on in the future. This is important because the author wants better media to transmit to the public.

“We all know the Power of Twitter, Facebook, and other forms of Social media to connect leaders in one Place with images and [unfinished]

Sample 1 Scoring Explanation: This response scored a 1/1/1.Reading—1: This response demonstrates little comprehension of Goodman’s text. Although the inclusion of two quotations from the text (“we need to embrace the present . . .”; “We all know the power of Twitter, Facebook . . .”) suggests that the writer has read the passage, the writer does not provide any actual indication of an understanding of the text. The writer fails to show a clear understanding of Goodman’s central claim, saying vaguely that the author wants better media to transmit to the public. The response is further limited by vague references to details from the passage that are largely unconnected to the passage’s central idea, such as when the writer states that Goodman provided information about American Journalism Review to let people in the community know how it started. Overall, this response demonstrates inadequate reading comprehension.Analysis—1: This response demonstrates little understanding of the analytical task. The writer makes few attempts to analyze the source text. What attempts are offered either repeat the prompt without elaboration (the author builds up an argument to persuade his audience) or merely paraphrase the text in a general way (This means that the author wants to find new ways of communicating). The brief response consists mostly of quotations taken from the passage, with very few of the writer’s own ideas included. Overall, this response demonstrates inadequate analysis.Writing—1: This response demonstrates little cohesion and inadequate skill in the use and control of language. While the writer does include a very basic central claim (the author builds up an argument to persuade his audience), the response does not have a discernible progression of ideas. Much of the brief response is comprised of quotations from Goodman’s text, and the language that is the writer’s own is repetitive and vague. For example, the writer states that Goodman shares information with his readers to let people in the community know how it started, with no clear indication of what “it” refers to. Overall, this response demonstrates inadequate writing.

Sample score of 2/1/2 (5 points x 2 graders = 10 points total)

In the article “Foreign News At a Crisis Point”, Peter S. Goodman argues that the news orginizations should increase the amount of Foreign news coverage offered to the Americans.

Peter S. Goodman offers many explanations of why the American public needs more profetional Foreign news covarage. He appeals to our emotions when he states that it’s seen very often that when news orginization ask for a review by a reader/viewer they might end up to feel marginal. Goodman gives an idea to fix that problem and says, “Crowd-Sourcing is a fundimental advantage of the web, so why not emdrace it as means of piecing together a broader and more textual understanding of events?” He talks about this because he believes that the news should add what the people want to hear and not what the reportors want to talk about.

He also states a fact from the American Journalism Review, the AJR sampled many news papers from across the country and they observed that the space of which belonged to foreign news had shrunk by 53% over the previous quarter-century. Goodman took this into consideration and noticed that the decline was talking place around the time in which America was in the middle of two wars overseas. It was also around the time the government viewed the consequences and merits of global war on terrorism.

Peter S. Goodman offered many reason for which Foreign news should be in creased so the American public could view it and they all have great support and add relavence to the viewer.

Reading—2: This response demonstrates some comprehension of Goodman’s text. The writer shows an understanding of Goodman’s central idea, stating that news orginizations should increase the amount of Foreign news coverage offered to the Americans. While the writer includes some details from the source text (it’s seen very often that when news orginization ask for a review by a reader/viewer they might end up to feel marginal); Goodman . . . noticed that the decline was talking place around the time in which America was in the middle of two wars overseas), these details are, for the most part, unconnected to the central idea. The use of textual evidence is limited, and therefore it is unclear whether the writer understands how important details relate to the central idea. Further, the writer demonstrates some evidence of having misinterpreted the argument, stating that Goodman talks about this because he believes that the news should add what the people want to hear and not what the reportors want to talk about. Overall, the response demonstrates partially successful reading comprehension.Analysis—1: This response demonstrates very little understanding of the analytical task. The writer does identify an argumentative strategy in Goodman’s text when the writer says Goodman appeals to our emotions; however, the writer does not analyze this moment further or provide elaboration about how the example appeals to the audience’s emotions. Instead, the writer reverts to summary and writes that Goodman gives an idea to fix that problem. Throughout the rest of the response, the writer only describes Goodman’s use of evidence by summarizing parts of the text rather than providing analysis. Overall, this response demonstrates inadequate analysis.Writing—2: This response demonstrates limited cohesion and writing skill. The writer includes a central claim, but the introductory paragraph is not effective. Individual paragraphs display some progression of ideas, but there is little to connect ideas between paragraphs or in the response as a whole. The writer’s word choice is general, and sentence structures follow a simple, repetitive subjectverb structure (Peter S. Goodman offers; He appeals; Goodman gives; He talks). Some language errors (emdrace; talking place) detract from the quality of writing throughout the essay but do not seriously impede understanding. Overall, this response demonstrates partially successful writing.

Sample score of 3/3/3 (9 points x 2 graders = 18 points total)

Logic, reason, and rhetoric create a strong persuasive argument. Peter S. Goodman utilizes these tools in his article “Foreign News At a Crisis Point”. Goodman presents a cause and effect argument as well, by presenting the facts and revealing their consequences. What truly persuades his audience is his use of logic, reasen, and rhetoric. These occur in forms of examples, explanations and conclusions, and persuasive and rhetorical statements.

Goodman’s use of logic occurs throughout his article, but is most prevelant in the beginning. Examples and statistical presentations initially draw interest from readers. Goodman begins with a census from year 2003 and year 2011 that reveals the major decline of foreign correspondents employed by newspapers based in the United States. The numbers themselves raise a concern in the audiences mind, but may not capture their attention. Goodman then presents more apalling examples, including the sharp decrease of space devoted to foreign news over a quarter century, in order to further capture the reader’s attention and raise concern. The connection between the decline in foreign news and increased American involvement overseas heightens curiosity for the reader. Goodman employs logic, basic reasoning and evidence presentation in order to raise concern, curiosity, and questions from the reader.

Goodman’s use of reason is present throughout the entire article. After Goodman’s presentation of his statistics and facts, he raises more concern about how to increase these statistics and factual numbers. Goodman uses reason to recognize that it would be more “genuine” and better informing for readers to hear of first hand experiences. The reader of his article begins to wonder how Goodman plans to increase the amount of professional foreign news coverage for Americans, and Goodman utilizes reason to draw a simple solution. Social media sites provide an outlet for individuals to have a voice “electronically” speaking. Goodman uses reason to reveal to the reader that first-hand knowledge is best and social media sites provide easy access, so why not create an outlet for people who know more to say more? Goodman also utilizes reason to present the problem of inaccurate information on social media sites. He further builds and enhances his argument when he states that there must be a way to “engage readers, while retaining the core values of journalism.” Goodman also uses reason to evoke agreement within the reader’s mind when he draws simple conclusions and presents simple solutions. Reason allows Goodman to construct upon his solid foundation of evidence that creates his argument.

Reading—3: This response demonstrates effective comprehension of the source text. Although the central idea is never explicitly stated in the introduction, the writer accurately captures the main focus of Goodman’s argument: his concern for the major decline of foreign correspondents employed by newspapers based in the United States. The writer also accurately paraphrases (Goodman begins with a census from year 2003 and year 2011) and directly quotes important details from the source text, demonstrating effective comprehension. In the second body paragraph, for example, the writer demonstrates understanding of Goodman’s discussion of the benefits and drawbacks of social media, effectively tracing Goodman’s argument from the value of first-hand knowledge to the problem of inaccurate information on social media sites. Overall, this response demonstrates proficient reading comprehension.

Analysis—3: This response demonstrates an understanding of the analytical task and offers an effective analysis of the source text. The writer discusses how various elements of the text are used to build Goodman’s argument and how they contribute to the text’s persuasiveness. For example, the writer discusses Goodman’s use of statistical evidence as well as Goodman’s use of reasoning in the analysis of the social media argument (He further builds and enhances his argument when he states that there must be a way to “engage readers, while retaining the core values of journalism”). The writer then discusses how Goodman makes effective use of rhetoric toward the end of paragraph 7 of the passage by posing a rhetorical question (Goodman utilizes rhetoric after he presents the fundamental advantage of crowd-sourcing on the web, when he asks a rhetorical question). Although the response occasionally relies upon assertions about the elements of persuasive arguments (Goodman’s use of logic occurs throughout his article; Goodman employs logic, basic reasoning and evidence presentation in order to raise concern, curiosity, and questions from the reader; Reason allows Goodman to construct upon his solid foundation of evidence; Rhetoric seals the deal), the writer provides effective support in other places (for example in the discussion of Goodman’s use of rhetoric in the third body paragraph). Overall, this response demonstrates proficient analysis.

Rhetoric seals the deal in Goodman’s argument. After presenting the facts using logic, and making connections using reason, Goodman utilizes rhetoric to place the cherry on the top of his argument. Rhetoric is crucial in an argument because it determines how the reader feels after reading an article. Goodman utilizes rhetoric after he presents the fundamental advantage of crowd-sourcing on the web, when he asks a rhetorical question. Goodman presents obvious and exciting information that seems more than reasonable, and asks whether this great idea should be practiced or not. A rhetorical question is meant to evoke either disagreement or agreement of the author’s purpose. In this case, Goodman’s use of rhetoric evokes agreement from the reader. In his final stanza, after presenting all methods of reform, Goodman utilizes rhetoric to once again state the obvious. Goodman presents his solutions, then asks if it is better to stay ignorant and parochial; the answer to his statement is obvious, and causes the reader to agree with him.

Great persuasive essays utilize the tools of persuasion. Goodman began his argument with logic, combined in reason, and finalized with rhetoric. A flow of examples to connections, to solutions, and consequences propels the reader into agreement with the author. Goodman solidifies his argument and builds his argument with logic, reason, and rhetoric, allowing for a reader to be in more agreement and satisfaction of his argument.

Writing—3: This response is generally cohesive and demonstrates effective use of language. The writer provides an effective introduction that lays out in broad strokes the ways in which Goodman builds his argument (What truly persuades his audience is his use of logic, reasen, and rhetoric. These occur in forms of examples, explanations and conclusions, and persuasive and rhetorical statements). The response also includes a summarizing conclusion. The three body paragraphs are structured around the three features the writer has chosen to focus on: logic, reason, and rhetoric. Within each paragraph, there is a clear progression of ideas, though there are few transitions between paragraphs. Although the response sometimes demonstrates awkwardness and repetitive phrasing (Goodman’s use of reason; the writer’s word choice is generally effective. The response demonstrates some variety in sentence structure and also maintains a formal style and objective tone. Overall, this response demonstrates proficient writing.

Sample score of 4/3/3 (10 points x 2 graders = 20 points total)Media presentation from across the globe is vital to the upkeep and maintenance of our society. How this information is obtained and presented, if presented at all, is a different story, however. Goodman builds an argument to persuade his audience that news organizations should increase the amount of professional foreign news coverage to the Americas through the presentation of statistics, connections to social media as well as using specific diction to establish his argument.

Goodman uses statistics and facts, as presented by the AJR, in order to show the loss of foreign correspondents reporting to the U.S. in order to persuade his audience that there is a need for more professional coverage. He begins his essay with the statistic saying that the level of professional foreign correspondents dropped from 307 full-time people to 234. This conveys that the

Reading—4: This response demonstrates thorough comprehension of the source text and shows an understanding of the relationship between the central idea and the important details in Goodman’s piece. The writer includes the central claim of Goodman’s text (news organizations should increase the amount of professional foreign news coverage to the Americas) and even paraphrases the claim in broader terms (Media presentation from across the globe is vital to the upkeep and maintenance of our society). The writer also exhibits an understanding of the details in Goodman’s text (He begins his essay with the statistic saying that the level of professional foreign correspondents dropped from 307 full-time people to 234; if you want unbiased foreign media people must turn from social media such as Twitter and Facebook and turn toward professional foreign media presentation). The

number of people providing legitimate and credible information to news services in the U.S. is going down, thus alluding to the overall decrease in foreign Media. Goodman uses this to build his argument by envoking his audience to think that they may not be getting all the true media and facts presented. He uses the statistic of the shrinking correspondents to establish the fact that if this number is continually decreasing, there may be in the future a lack of unbiased media presentation, asking his audience to consider the importance of foreign news coverage.

Goodman connects to the vast implications of bias presented via social media to further build his argument. Reporters “know the power of Twitter, Facebook and other forms of social media” and, as they continue to rise in popularity in the distribution of media, are enabling the genesis of “citizen journalists who function largely as funnels . . . pouring white noise into the mix”. Goodman further builds his argument here in order to persuade his audience by showing how with the rise of social media, more biased and superfluous information can be projected and wrongly viewed.

Goodman says this to evoke a concern within his audience about the truth in media. Blatantly put, Goodman accounts for that if you want unbiased foreign media people must turn from social media such as Twitter and Facebook and turn toward professional foreign media presentation. Presenting this idea of a possible falacy within social media greatly establishes his purpose as well as affirms his audience on weather they agree with him or not.

Also, Goodman uses specific diction to further establish his argument to persuade his audience. Goodman uses personal prounouns such as “we” to show that he personally is a part of the media presentation community, not only establishing his credibility on the subject, but also aiding in his persuasion of his audience by allowing them to think he is an expert in the field. Through his word choice, Goodman further establishes his argument by ascribing the need for more foreign reporter not as a burden but as a challenge. This adds in the persuasion of his audience by showing them that this is a real problem and that there are people rising up to it, and so should they

Goodman’s use of up-to-date references as well as connections to social media, use of statistics, and diction establish his argument of the need for more foreign reporters as well as persuading his audience of the need to do so.

response is also free of errors of fact or interpretation. Overall, this response demonstrates advanced reading comprehension

Analysis—3: This response demonstrates good understanding of the analytical task by offering an effective analysis of the source text. Focusing on the most relevant features of Goodman’s argument, the writer thoroughly discusses, for example, the use of Goodman’s opening statistic (the drop from 307 full-time foreign correspondents to 234), how it conveys that the number of people providing legitimate and credible information to news services . . . is going down, and how, therefore, Goodman [is] . . . envoking his audience to think that they may not be getting all the true . . . facts. The writer then follows up the point by saying that Goodman is asking his audience to consider the importance of foreign news coverage. The writer also competently selects relevant textual evidence from Goodman’s argument about the dangers of social media, citing the evocative quotation “citizen journalists who function largely as funnels . . . pouring white noise into the mix.” Additionally, the writer analyzes the diction in Goodman’s text by discussing the author’s deliberate choice of personal pronouns such as “we” to establish credibility on the subject. Overall, this response demonstrates proficient analysis.

Writing—3: This response demonstrates cohesion as well as effective use and command of language. The response includes a precise central claim (Goodman builds an argument to persuade his audience that news organizations should increase the amount of professional foreign news coverage to the Americas through the presentation of statistics, connections to social media as well as using specific diction to establish his argument). The focused introduction establishes context for the writer’s analysis and provides the framework for the response’s organizational structure. The writer then follows that framework faithfully in the body of the response, progressing clearly from idea to idea. The response displays variety in sentence structure and some precise word choice (vital to the upkeep and maintenance of our society, vast implications of bias, superfluous information), although the writer sometimes uses infelicitous phrasing and vocabulary (envoking his audience to think; a possible falacy within social media greatly establishes his purpose). Overall, this response demonstrates proficient writing.

Perfect Score 4/4/4In the article “Foreign News at a Crisis Point,” Peter S. Goodman eloquently argues the ‘point’ that news organizations should increase the amount of professional foreign news coverage provided to people in the United States. Goodman builds his argument by using facts and evidence, addressing the counterarguments, and couching it all in persuasive and compelling language.

     Goodman begins the article by bombarding the reader with facts and statistics. He states that, according to a census conducted by the American Journalism Review, the number of full-time foreign news correspondents in the United States dropped from 307 in 2003 to 234 in 2011. In addition, the AJR survey also discovered that “the space devoted to foreign news [in American papers] had shrunk by 53 percent” in the last 25 years.

Beginning the article with all of these facts and figures has a couple of strengtheing effects on Goodman’s argument. First, by starting out with hard evidence, Goodman lays the groundwork of his own credibility. He’s not just writing an opinion piece—his opinion is backed by the truth. This will bring the readers onboard and make them more likely to trust everything else he says. Second, because Goodman presents these facts without much explaining/interpreting, the reader is forced to do the math herself. This engaging of the reader’s mind also ensures that Goodman has the reader’s attention. When the reader does the math to find a drop of 73 full-time foreign news correspondents employed by US papers in just 8 short years, she will find herself predisposed to agree with Goodman’s call for more professional foreign news reporting.

In addition to employing facts to his argument’s advantage, Goodman also cunningly discusses the counterargument to his position. By writing about how social media and man-on-the-ground reporting has had some positive impact on the state of foreign news reporting, Goodman heads off naysayers at the pass. It would have been very easy for Goodman to elide over the whole issue of citizen reporting, but the resultant one-sided argument would have been much less convincing. Instead, Goodman acknowledges things like “the force of social media during the Arab Spring, as activists convened and reacted to changing circumstances.” As a result, when he partially refutes this counterargument, stating the “unease” many longtime profession correspondents feel over the trend of ‘citizen journalism’ feel, the reader is much more likely to believe him. After all, Goodman acknowledges that social media does have some power. Knowing that Goodman takes the power of social media seriously will make the reader more inclined, in turn, to take Goodman’s concern about the limits of social media seriously.

AdvancEd vocabulary is written in blueIntroduction paragraph clearly leads into and include thesis. Of the 8 CREWSAID (Contrast, Repercussion, Emotion, Word Choice, Similarity, Authority, Imagery, Data) , This student uses Data and WordChoice+Imagery. This student also uses “counterarguements”, which is part of the introduction of our template. It is not one of the most populate 8 argumentation tools; however, it still works well in this essay.

Transition from thesis to first example

The student quotes from the article to provide examples of “facts and statistics”

A few grammar “strengtheing” are okay as long as they don’t make it too hard to understand your meaning.

Here the student descibes the effects that “all these facts and figures” have on the reader

Transition from example 1 to example 2

The student goes into detail not only describing the way Goodman builds his argument (by presenting a countergargument and refuting it), but the effect this has on the reader.

Paraphrasinginformation from the article shows the student has read and understands the passage

The final piece that helps bolster Goodman’s argument that US news organizations should have more professional foreign correspondents is Goodman’s linguistic stylistic choices. Goodman uses contrasts to draw the reader deeper into his mindset. By setting up the contrast between professional reporters as “informational filters” that discriminate good from bad and amateur, man-on-the-spot reporters as undiscriminating “funnels,” Goodman forces the reader to view the two in opposition and admit that professional filters are to be preferred over funnels that add “speculatio, propaganda, and other white noise” to their reporting. In addition, Goodman drives the reader along toward agreeing with his conclusion in the penultimate paragraph of the article with the repetition of the phrase “We need.” With every repetition, Goodman hammers even further home the inescapable rightness of his argument. The use of “We” more generally through the article serves to make the readers feel sympathetic towards Goodman and identify with him.

By employing the rhetorical techniques of presenting facts, acknowledging the other side, and using persuasive language, Goodman convinces the reader of his claim.

Transition from example 2 to example 3

Conclusion is short but still present and refers back to the thesis, creating a smooth preogression of argument from start o finish

What Makes This SAT Essay an 8 Rather Than a 6?

Maybe you get the theory behind what makes an essay an 8/8/8, but how can you tell the difference between a 6 and an 8 in practice? Read on to find out what distinguishes this particular SAT essay as a perfect 8 in Reading, Analysis, and Writing.

Precise LanguageSAT graders are big on clarity, and clarity requires precise language and obvious, sound logic. In this essay, vivid language is used effectively and appropriately:

Goodman is described as bombarding the reader with facts and figures The writer describes Goodman as arguing his point using not just language but persuasive and compelling language: The effect of Goodman’s argument is not just that it convinces the reader, but that "the reader…will find herself predisposed to agree with Goodman’s

call for more professional foreign news reporting."

All of this clear and precise language helps support and explain the author's point (just as Goodman’s language supports his point in the text!).

Effective Analysis and OrganizationThe writer's clarity extends to her logic as well. Sufficient background is given to make it clear the writer read and understood the text. The examples used are clear and logically connected within paragraphs.

The writer also makes sure to identify the what/why/what of the author's argumentative devices:

What are the techniques the author used to persuade the reader of his claim? Why did the author use them? What effect does their use have on the reader?

The organization of the essay follows the organization set out in the introduction: the writer first discusses facts and evidence, then the presentation and refutation of a counterargument, then compelling language. Organization in the essay is aided by transitions between all paragraphs, which create a smooth, consistent argument that is easy to follow.

Consistency ThroughoutThe clarity of the argument and the lack of errors remain consistent from start to finish. The highlighted errors are few and do not detract or distract from the meaning of the essay. The wording of the thesis statement in the introduction and the conclusion is similar but not identical, and the description of how Goodman builds his argument is the same.

VarietyThe author uses a variety of words (marked in blue) and sentence structures to convey similar ideas in different ways throughout the essay. For instance, social media, man-on-the-ground (or man-on-the-spot) reporting, citizen journalism, and amateur reporting are all different words and phrases used to describe the same phenomenon of non-professional foreign news correspondents.

In paragraph 4, there's also a good example of a skillfully executed variation in sentence structure. “Knowing that Goodman takes the power of social media seriously will make the reader more inclined…” could easily be the simpler “Goodman takes the power of social media seriously, which makes the reader more likely to agree…” This kind of linguistic "flourish" can be found in most top-scoring SAT Essays.

Note that all of the varied usage described above is effective as well as varied. SAT vocab words and differening sentence structures aren't thrown into the essay haphazardly—it's clear, effective writing like what you might read in the New York Times.

Detailed Support and LengthThe essay is long enough to detail three complex examples (discussing Goodman’s use of facts and evidence, a counterargument, and vivid language) and include introductory and concluding paragraphs.

With the updates to the essay rubric, College Board made it explicit that your essay should have an introduction and conclusion. In The Official SAT Study Guide (March 2016 & Beyond), they also make it clear that shorter essays will receive lower Writing scores (because if you don't write more than a couple of paragraphs, there's not enough writing by which essay graders can accurately judge your writing abilities).

But length means nothing if there isn't valuable information filling the space, so long SAT essays also need to be detailed—this author uses the space to give lots of context for her examples.

Dos and Don’ts for an 8/8/8 SAT Essay

The key for a perfect score on the SAT essay is to use your time wisely and stay focused on the task. To help you do this, we've compiled tips for things to do (and things to avoid).

Do spend time:Writing as much as you can without including repetitive or irrelevant information.Revising the first and last paragraphs (they stand out in readers’ minds).Making sure you have effective transitions for a seamless essay.Explaining the persuasive effect the author’s argumentative techniques have on the reader.

Don't spend time:Thinking of “smart-sounding" evidence—analysis of how the author used a personal anecdote is just as viable as a discussion of the author’s use of logos and other rhetorical strategies.Trying to correct every single error—the grammar and the spelling do not have to be perfect to score an 8 in Writing. This doesn't mean that you should just leave sentence fragments all over the place, but it does mean that accidentally leaving off the last letter of a word or making a small subject/verb agreement error won't be the end of the world (or of your perfect SAT essay score). Spend the extra time trying to write more and develop your points.Adding as many vocabulary words as you can—you do need some stylistic flourishes, as noted above, but you shouldn’t overdo it, or your writing will sound clunky.

How to Train to Improve Your SAT Essay ScoreAs I mentioned above, most anyone can train to reliably get a 6 on all sections of the essay, and many can move beyond that to consistently get 8/6/6, 6/6/8, or 8/8/8. Here’s a framework for how to do this:

Read through our complete list of SAT essay prompts.Memorize a list of persuasive techniques (CREWSAID) that you can find in most essay prompt articles.Start by practicing with extended time (80 minutes) so you can feel what it takes to get a top-scoring essay. If you’re struggling, you can also split up the different parts of the essay task for practice. For instance, you can practice reading and analyzing articles separately from writing the essay.Find a way to grade your essay. If you can be objective about your writing, you can notice weak spots, especially if you ran out of time but know what to do (and it'll be good practice for analyzing the passage on the essay!). Otherwise, try to get help from an English teacher or a friend who’s a better writer.Start narrowing your essay time down to 50 minutes to mirror the actual test.

Essay: Topic – Foreign News Comment

StudentID: 75. 2 R, 2, A, 3 W – between 14-18 points. Will be at least 18 points if memorize the template.

World news has gradually turned into American news as time passes. If this trend continues then knowledge about other countries will gradually come to a halt. Peter S. Goodman builds an argument persuading audiences that news organizations should increase foreign news coverage by identifying the lack and decline of foreign news coverage, introducing potential solutions and the consequences if action isn’t taken.

Goodman first builds his argument by introducing the problem, that foreign news coverage is declining. He first introduces the trend by giving data of the census of foreign correspondents. He notes the decline pointing out that in 2003 there were 307 foreign correspondents while in 2011 there were only 234. In addition he reinforces this dramatic decline by stating that even this figure is inflated. By doing this Goodman establishes that the problem he is fighting against existent and undeniable. Furthermore, he provides more data regarding newspapers stating their space for foreign news shrunk by as much as 53 percent. In doing this Goodman establishes that the fall news agency from papers to channels have a declining coverage in regards to foreign news coverage.

Goodman makes it clear that the issue is fixable, by the power of social media, and crowdsourcing. Goodman points out how powerful of a tool it is by referencing the Arab Spring. This allusion is intended to remind audiences of the power of social media, by referencing an event that was caused and supported by social media. Goodman describes social media platforms as a place rich with facts and insights ready to be harvested by literate correspondent. This statement is intended to let audiences know that news agencies have no excuse for not covering foreign information as it is available to them through social medias if only if they hired more foreign correspondents to collect these insights and facts.

Goodman brings to light the consequences to a lack of professional foreign news coverage. The first consequence he brings, is that if unbiased professional news agencies do not cover foreign news some other person will fill the void. The void will be replaced with news that is biased, used for propaganda or untrue. People deserve truthful and accurate news and the effect Goodman intends on audiences is outrage that they are left with inadequate news when professional news agencies are not providing when they are able to.

Overall, Goodman builds his arguement by acknowledging the problem he argues against solutions for the problem he argues against, solutions for the problem and the consequences if the problem isn’t heeded. If audiences want to remain informed with accurate and unbiased foreign news then they should support Goodman in his goals.

Not using the template but do have thesis

Good topic sentence

Two sources

Good concluding sentence.

Only one QIS but it is fairly detailed

Also a good paragraph. A little short.

Good conclusion

StudentID: 33 3 R, 2 A, 3 W. Probably score between 16-20 points. Good use of the template and vocabulary.

In the article “Foreign News at a Crisis Point,” Peter Goodman warns the reader of the rapid decline in the international news in American networks and newspapers and emphasizes the vitality of integrating foreign news into the average American’s news intake. Goodman persuades his audience that news organizations should increase the number of professional foreign news coverage provided to American citizens by utilizing data, word choice, and repercussions.

Goodman highlights the significant need to amplify the amount of international news that Americans take in through the use of data. The author provides studies by the American Journalism Review that show the number of full time foreign correspondents decreasing (paragraph 1). This statistic shows that Americans are receiving less and less access to foreign news as the number of foreign correspondents declines. Providing statistical evidence like this increases the credibility of his argument. The data used backs up his argument. All in all, Goodman uses data to bolster his argument and increase its credibility.

Along with using data, Goodman also employs word choice to convey the urgent need for more professional foreign correspondents and the effects of a decrease in foreign events coverage in the United States. Near the end of the article, Goodman begins to repeat the phrase “We need to,” following each with a goal to bring back foreign news coverage (paragraph 11). The word “we” makes Goodman a part of the audience and gives off a sense of unity; it puts Goodman on the same team as the audience. The unifying tone rallies the readers to action. The words “need to” convey a sense of urgency. It paints the reduction of foreign news coverage as disastrous and needing to be fixed as soon as possible. These word choices induce the readers to unite and respond to his call to action. Another wise word choice Goodman makes is when he uses words like “embroiled” and “under assault” to describe the international news that the United States is involved in (paragraph 4). These strongly charged words underscore the severity of current events and, therefore, convince the readers that they should be aware of such serious news. To sum it, Goodman’s use of word choice emphasizes the urgent need of more foreign news coverage and the graveness of international news.

A third tool that Goodman uses to build his argument is repercussions. He describes how a lack of professional foreign news coverage has led to non profit organizations and the common global citizen to provide news on social media platforms. Despite the benefits that this suggests, Goodman explains that such news is filled with “propaganda” and “white noise” (paragraph 9). This repercussion reveals that relying on foreign news on social media is unreliable and emphasizes the need of professional foreign news correspondents. Goodman brings up this consequence to warn the readers of negative effects of less coverage of foreign events: misleading, biased information. This consequence will convince the readers that getting more foreign news correspondents is important unless they want faulty reporting done by ordinary citizens. Another consequence Goodman mentions is the current news that Americans are missing out on, like the “two overseas wars” that the United States is “embroiled” in and the debate on world treaties involving climate change (paragraph 4). By bringing up current events that the United States is involved in but the citizens know nothing about, Goodman makes his readers realize that they and all American citizens are missing out on vital news relevant to them and their country. They realize the importance of foreign news

Good use of the template and vocabulary. Good Introduction that leads into the thesis.

Good connection. Only one Quote-Interpret-Significant (QIS). Need 3 QIS per paragraph; otherwise, will get low score on anlysis.

Better use of QIS than the previous paragraph

Good transition

Good amount of QIS

correspondents and how they are needed to keep Americans in the know of important events. In conclusion, Goodman mentions the consequences of a low number of foreign news correspondents to outline the dark, ignorant world that America will live in without them and to underscore their importance.

In summary, Goodman uses data, word choice, and consequences to persuade his readers that more professional foreign news correspondents are needed to keep the United States informed about international news relevant to it.

Try to memorize the template conclusion, which is only 3-4 sentences.

StudentID: 4 at least 3 R, 3 A, 3 W. This student uses the essay template and should get 18-21 points

In the article “Foreign News at a Crisis Point”, author Peter S. Goodman deftly creates an argument advocating for an increase of more foreign news.  Although critics believe that the limited cultural diversity of the media today is adequate, Goodman dismisses these romantic critics as much too dogmatic.  Rather, the author appeals that a solid foundation that covers a variety of foreign aspects is necessary for all news readers to be exposed to. Goodman crafts this substantial argument through utilization of data, repercussions, and contrast.

Foremost, Goodman proves that the quantity of foreign news is undoubtedly decreasing by depicting solid data.  In paragraph 3, Goodman reveals that “the space devoted to foreign news has shrunk by 53%”. By incorporating numerical data, Goodman is better able to portray the alarming decrease of foreign news in the media.  Such surprising numbers would certain widen the perspectives of Goodman’s readers and would heighten their curiosity as to why foreign news is disappearing, ensuring that they would listen to Goodman more. In addition, the author continues to highlight even more data to the disappearance of foreign news, disclaiming that “20 American news organizations had entirely eliminated their foreign bureaus” (Goodman 2). The combination of the words “entirely eliminated” and the statistical data of 20 whole organizations convey a more dramatic representation of data. These large numbers of complete elimination would emphasize the peril of foreign news to readers, who now regard Goodman with even more credibility after the presentation of data. By strategically implementing statistics at the very beginning of the article, Goodman ensures that readers would believe and acknowledge his opinion even more.

In addition to data, Goodman also utilizes repercussions throughout the article to convey the underlying importance of retaining foreign news.  The author first begins with a negative consequence, blaming that the news is becoming “palpably more relevant to the...experience of American readers” (Goodman 5).  Hence, the author is stating that recent news have become more censored to adhere to the wishes and lives of only Americans. His tone of shame indicate to the readers what a negative, selfish consequence the disappearance of foreign news has become in underrepresenting all nations, thus persuading readers to reverse this repercussion and embrace foreign news.  Switching off from largely negative consequences, Goodman then depicts the far reaching benefits if the world were to truly incorporate foreign news. In paragraph 7, Goodman indicates that

Excellent introduction (from the template).

Good topice sentence

2 excellent QIS

Another solid paragraph

by increasing foreign coverage, society could “piece together a broader and more textured understanding of events”. By depicting a full diversity of news coverage, Goodman highlights that all would come to a broader consensus regarding current events and come to understand one another.  This would particularly appeal to all readers, who share a common goal of understanding the true world around them, and hence would find more foreign news as largely beneficial for this purpose. It is through repercussions, therefore, that Goodman can convey the consequences of either having foreign news coverage of not, appealing to his readers the far-reaching benefits of adhering to his argument.

Lastly, Goodman also contrasts what proper foreign news coverage is with a more biased view to underlay the goodness of his argument.  Goodman exemplifies what an alternative to foreign news is, that it is “accepting ignorance and parochialism” (Goodman 12). The author once agains shames the audience that without foreign news, the world would be ignorant to the full diversity of current events.  Such negative impacts will persuade the reader away from this biased choice of news and more towards Goodman. Next, the author contrasts this undesirable alternative to his proposal of having more foreign news, that by doing so “we turn the void into something fresh and compelling” (Goodman 11).  Goodman contrasts foreign news as something wholesome and fascinating with the alternative idea that by not doing so we are subjugated to ignorance. Readers are compelled to listen to Goodman, feeling more swayed towards the benefits he had contrasted against a lack of foreign news.

Peter S. Goodman is no amateur author.  By developing data, repercussions, and contrast throughout his article, he ensures a proper substantial argument is built. Readers will surely now be more convinced that an increase of foreign news coverage is ideal for a better society.

Another good paragraph

Short and to the point. Good use of template.

StudentID: 02 2 R, 1 A, 2 W between 10-12 points. This student does not use the template and did not finish the essay.

In Peter S. Goodman’s article, “Foreign News at Crisis Point,” Goodman notes about the depletion of foreign news in the media. He further goes on explaining that the world’s news disappearance occured when America was already busy with other issues, such as the two overseas wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Goodman then finishes by explaining how and why international news needed to be brought back. This is during which he uses the problems of non-professional outlets spreading news instead of highly trained workers and specific wording that paints Goodman’s argument in a positive light, while his opponents in a negative one.

Goodman utilizes the cons of sources online to help him persuade his audience of the need for news outlets to write about foreign news. In his article, Goodman’s writes, “…those of us who have been [in foreign reporting] confess to unease many of the developments unfolding online, even as we recognize the trends are as unstoppable as globalization on the weather.” Here, Goodman brings up a rampant problem social media

platforms have now a days about wildfire like spread of unsafe or sometimes unsafe news outlets posting “fake news.” Later, Good brought up, “…professional foreign correspondents… are being replaced by citizen journalists who… [pour] insight along with, propaganda and other white noise into the mix.” Here Goodman properly uses people who would oppose his stance and reveal to the reader the dangers of not receiving information from non-professional outlets. Goodman is able to to further persuade the reader by bringing up more reasons why unchecked news outlets are dangerous, and also relating a constant problem the reader may have every time he/she may come across news online.

Through the article, Goodman chooses very specific wording that help him goad the reader to agree with his argument. Goodman uses words, such as, “

StudentID: 3 2 R, 2 A, 3 W (14 – 16 points) – This student remembers the introduction and conclusion but needs to go back and review the CREWSAID and the QIS to get higher score

In “Foreign News at a Crisis Point,” Peter Goodman synthesizes a compelling argument that news organization need to increases their coverage of foreign news.Although some opponents may claim that Americans do not need to the worry about the outside world and should only focus on domestic events, they only paint themselves to be ignorant.  One of the broader notions present in the essay is that the reader needs to work towards the prevention of light pollution. Goodman deftly delivers a cogent argument that sways his readers by utilizing a first person narrative and recounting events where the knowledge of what is going on in the outside world matters.

Throughout the article, Goodman continually writes in the first-person in attempt to invoke the reader with certain emotions. By speaking in first-person, it stimulates a sense of community and unity in the reader. This makes the reader feel that because they are being included, they are more likely to agree with Goodman and advocate for more coverage on foreign news. Not only does it create a sense of unity, it also ignites patriotism in the reader. This reminds the the reader that they too are part of America and that they are also being deprived of something. Goodman does this to incite anger within the reader as it is human nature to be angry when deprived of something. This will manipulate the reader to push for more coverage of foreign news. However, the use of first person is not the only technique Goodman uses to try to sway the reader.

Goodman also brings brings up examples where foreign news was not shown even though major world events were taking place. One of said event was the global war on terror where some experts believe that the funding of the war was one of the major causes for the Great Recession. Goodman implies that because a major world event could be the cause of domestic financial issues, the government attempted to hide the foreign news to maintain public support. According to Goodman, the government wants to warp the public’s point of view. By revealing this to the reader, Goodman puts the reader into a cautious state. He makes the reader become suspicious about what else the government could be hiding, all the while planting in the idea that the reader

Uses the template but not using the 8 CREWSAID

Good transition (from template)

Need to use QIS: Quote, Interprest, Significant

should try to be up to date with foreign news so that they will not have anything hidden from them. Goodman uses numerous devices, however first-person and the application of past examples seem to be the most prominent.

Undoubtedly, Goodman is no amateur author. Not only does he employ first-person and past examples to build a coherent argument, but he also depicts proficient and well-thought out rhetoric. Goodman’s adroit use of persuasive literary devices and tactics guarantees that readers will be convinced of his conviction that foreign news should get more coverage.

Good template conclusion

Essay Template