The CUNY Assessment Test in Writing:
What do you have to do?
1. “Read the passage above and write an essay responding to the ideas it presents.”
2. “In your essay, be sure to summarize the passage in your own words, stating the author’s most important ideas.” 3. “Develop your essay by identifying one idea in the passage that you feel is especially significant, and explain its significance.”
4. “Support your claims with evidence or examples drawn from what you have read, learned in school, and/or personally experienced.”
5. “Remember to review your essay and make any changes or corrections that will help your reader follow your thinking.”
Standard writing directions:
“Read the passage above and write an essay responding to the ideas it presents. In your essay, be sure to summarize the passage in your own words, stating the author’s most important ideas. Develop your essay by identifying one idea in the passage that you feel is especially significant, and explain its significance. Support your claims with evidence or examples drawn from what you have read, learned in school, and/or personally experienced.”
What do you have to do?
1. “Read the passage above and write an essay responding to the ideas it presents.”
2. “In your essay, be sure to summarize the passage in your own words, stating the author’s most important ideas.” 3. “Develop your essay by identifying one idea in the passage that you feel is especially significant, and explain its significance.”
4. “Support your claims with evidence or examples drawn from what you have read, learned in school, and/or personally experienced.”
5. “Remember to review your essay and make any changes or corrections that will help your reader follow your thinking.”
Standard writing directions:
“Read the passage above and write an essay responding to the ideas it presents. In your essay, be sure to summarize the passage in your own words, stating the author’s most important ideas. Develop your essay by identifying one idea in the passage that you feel is especially significant, and explain its significance. Support your claims with evidence or examples drawn from what you have read, learned in school, and/or personally experienced.”
Plan! Plan! Plan! How to plan your essay. This video addresses the ACT test, and not the CATW specifically, but all the challenges and issues are very similar.
http://www.sophia.org/tutorials/act-writing-test-how-to-plan-your-essay
http://www.sophia.org/tutorials/act-writing-test-how-to-plan-your-essay
Developing your paragraphs http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/paragraphs/
Help with organizing your paper: http://depts.washington.edu/owrc/Handouts/How%20to%20Structure%20and%20Organize%20Your%20Paper.pdf
See below for practice exams.
Below, you have practice exercises containing sample readings and sample student responses. Very helpful! At the bottom is the CATW Handbook, with extensive information on the test and even more help!
Link to CATW Handbook: http://www.ccny.cuny.edu/testing/upload/StudentHandbookCATWWeb.pdf