extended response essay question examples

Essay questions are a more complex version of constructed response assessments. With essay questions, there is one general question or proposition, and the student is asked to respond in writing. This type of assessment is very powerful -- it allows the students to express themselves and demonstrate their reasoning related to a topic. Essay questions often demand the use of higher level thinking skills, such as analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.

Essay questions may appear to be easier to write than multiple choice and other question types, but writing effective essay questions requires a great deal of thought and planning. If an essay question is vague, it will be much more difficult for the students to answer and much more difficult for the instructor to score. Well-written essay questions have the following features:

Essay questions are used both as formative assessments (in classrooms) and summative assessments (on standardized tests). There are 2 major categories of essay questions -- (also referred to as or ) and .

Short response questions are more focused and constrained than extended response questions. For example, a short response might ask a student to "write an example," "list three reasons," or "compare and contrast two techniques." The short response items on the Florida assessment (FCAT) are designed to take about 5 minutes to complete and the student is allowed up to 8 lines for each answer. The short responses are scored using a 2-point scoring rubric. A complete and correct answer is worth 2 points. A partial answer is worth 1 point.

Extended Response

Extended responses can be much longer and complex then short responses, but students should be encouraged to remain focused and organized. On the FCAT, students have 14 lines for each answer to an extended response item, and they are advised to allow approximately 10-15 minutes to complete each item. The FCAT extended responses are scored using a 4-point scoring rubric. A complete and correct answer is worth 4 points. A partial answer is worth 1, 2, or 3 points.

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• Extended Response

How to do an extended response exam

In an extended response question, you will be given a topic or a question and be given specific instructions on how to respond.

Knowing what the question is asking for, and knowing how to structure your response, is crucial to obtaining the best results.

Understand the question

Read the question carefully to find the key word or phrase in regard to what you need to do.

The most common key words and phrases are listed below with a brief explanation of what you need to do:

Extended Response Structure

Your Extended Response paragraph should follow the same paragraph structure as an analytical essay body paragraph. Parts of a good body paragraph :

1. Topic sentence : The very first sentence that clearly states what you are going to be arguing in the paragraph.

2. Explanation sentence: provides a detailed explanation of what your topic sentence means, or the main points that your sources will focus on. This usually means provided details about a historical person, location or event.

3. Evidence from your  sources : Incorporate a number of good pieces (usually 3-4) of evidence from sources that prove your point for this paragraph. A typical evidence sentence has the following structure:

[Source name] says that [direct/indirect quote] which shows that [explanation] (in-text reference).

For example:

Smith says that "Romans were cruel soldiers", which shows that Roman legionaries had a reputation for excessive violence (1977, 186).

As you incorporate your quotes, ensure you provide analysis and evaluation of your sources. For examples for how to do this, proceed to this section of the History Skills website. 

4. Clincher : Make a clear statement about how all the evidence you provided helps prove what you had stated in your Topic Sentence.  

Example Extended Response

Example Extended Response Question:

How did the differences in Caesar’s and Pompey’s attitudes towards their defeated enemies effect how the Roman people reacted to the two leaders?

Example Extended Response Answer:

The difference between Caesar’s clemency and Pompey’s harsh punishments polarised the Roman populace, causing them to love one but hate the other. On one hand, Caesar spared the lives of the defeated Pompeian soldiers who had fought against him. His clemency was promoted throughout Italy, which increased popular opinion in Caesar’s favour. Caesar himself was reported have said to Cicero, a close political ally, that such a strategy was intended to “willingly win the support of all and gain a permanent victory…grow[ing] strong through pity and generosity” (Cicero, Atticus , VII.11). It must be noted that Cicero demonstrated a favourable opinion towards the future dictator at that point in time, so the senator may have produced this notion on behalf of Caesar. However, the indication is that the stratagem worked and Caesar gained substantial popularity in Italy as a result. In contrast to Caesar’s generosity, Pompey and the optimates were reputedly very harsh towards their enemies. They had announced that those who remained in Rome were to be regarded as enemies (Kamm, 2006, 106). This is confirmed by Goldsworthy, when he notes that after the victory at Dyrrachium, Pompey’s commanders were allowed to mock and execute imprisoned troops in front of Caesar’s army (2006, 421). The news of both Caesar’s and Pompey’s differing attitudes towards defeated enemies had a powerful effect on the Romans. The sharp contrast between the two policies of the two civil war generals impressed the Italians in Caesar’s favour and, as a result, Pompey lost most of his popular support on the peninsula.  

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Utilizing Extended Response Items to Enhance Student Learning

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"Extended response items" have traditionally been called "essay questions." An extended response item is an open-ended question that begins with some type of prompt. These questions allow students to write a response that arrives at a conclusion based on their specific knowledge of the topic. An extended response item takes considerable time and thought. It requires students not only to give an answer but also to explain the answer with as much in-depth detail as possible. In some cases, students not only have to give an answer and explain the answer, but they also have to show how they arrived at that answer.

Teachers love extended response items because they require students to construct an in-depth response that proves mastery or lack thereof. Teachers can then utilize this information to reteach gap concepts or build upon individual student strengths. Extended response items require students to demonstrate a higher depth of knowledge than they would need on a multiple choice item. Guessing is almost completely eliminated with an extended response item. A student either knows the information well enough to write about it or they do not. Extended response items also are a great way to assess and teach students grammar and writing. Students must be strong writers as an extended response item also tests a student's ability to write coherently and grammatically correct.

Extended response items require essential critical thinking skills. An essay, in a sense, is a riddle that students can solve using prior knowledge, making connections, and drawing conclusions. This is an invaluable skill for any student to have. Those who can master it have a better chance of being successful academically.  Any student who can successfully solve problems and craft well-written explanations of their solutions will be at the top of their class. 

Extended response items do have their shortcomings. They are not teacher friendly in that they are difficult to construct and score. Extended response items take a lot of valuable time to develop and grade. Additionally, they are difficult to score accurately. It can become difficult for teachers to remain objective when scoring an extended response item. Each student has a completely different response, and teachers must read the entire response looking for evidence that proves mastery. For this reason, teachers must develop an accurate rubric and follow it when scoring any extended response item.

An extended response assessment takes more time for students to complete than a multiple choice assessment . Students must first organize the information and construct a plan before they can actually begin responding to the item. This time-consuming process can take multiple class periods to complete depending on the specific nature of the item itself.

Extended response items can be constructed in more than one way. It can be passage-based, meaning that students are provided with one or more passages on a specific topic. This information can help them formulate a more thoughtful response. The student must utilize evidence from the passages to formulate and validate their response on the extended response item. The more traditional method is a straightforward, open-ended question on a topic or unit that has been covered in class. Students are not given a passage to assist them in constructing a response but instead must draw from memory their direct knowledge on the topic.

Teachers must remember that formulating a well written extended response is a skill in itself. Though they can be a great assessment tool, teachers must be prepared to spend the time to teach students how to write a formidable essay . This is not a skill that comes without hard work. Teachers must provide students with the multiple skills that are required to write successfully including sentence and paragraph structure, using proper grammar, pre-writing activities, editing, and revising. Teaching these skills must become part of the expected classroom routine for students to become proficient writers.

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100+ Short Answer Questions Across Bloom’s Taxonomy Levels

Ausbert Generoso

Short answer questions are a powerful tool for educators, yet many teachers find themselves struggling to craft questions that are both effective and engaging. Often, the challenge lies in creating prompts that accurately assess student understanding without being too vague or overly complex. This struggle can lead to frustration for both teachers and students, as poorly designed questions fail to achieve their educational goals.

By exploring targeted examples of short answer questions, educators can overcome these pain points and enhance their assessments. In this blog, we delve into a variety of short answer questions tailored to different levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy . These examples are designed to inspire and guide teachers in creating questions that not only test factual knowledge but also promote critical thinking and deeper understanding.

From basic recall to advanced analysis and creation, these short answer questions will help you engage your students and improve learning outcomes across the board.

Easily save these questions and use them for later by downloading this file for free!

What is a Short Answer and Why Is It Important?

Short answer questions are concise prompts that require students to respond with brief, yet thoughtful, answers. Unlike essay questions that demand lengthy, structured responses, short answer questions call for clear and direct answers that can range from a single sentence to a short paragraph. The key distinction lies in the depth and breadth of the response; essays allow for more extensive exploration and elaboration of ideas, while short answer questions focus on pinpointing specific knowledge or insights.

Differences Between an Essay and a Short Answer

Why Short Answer Questions Are Important

Short answer questions hold a critical place in the educational landscape for several reasons:

• Focused Formative Assessment : They help teachers quickly assess specific knowledge and understanding of key concepts.
• Encourages Clarity : Students must be clear and precise in their responses, which improves their ability to communicate effectively.
• Time-Efficient : Both creating and grading short answer questions is generally quicker than essays, making them ideal for frequent assessments.
• Versatile Usage : They can be used across various subjects and grade levels to test factual knowledge, comprehension, and critical thinking skills.
• Promotes Active Learning : Short answer questions encourage students to actively engage with the material and think critically about their responses.

Short Answer Questions for Bloom’s Taxonomy Level, Remembering

The goal of the “Remembering” level in Bloom’s Taxonomy is to assess students’ ability to recall facts, basic concepts, and information. At this foundational level, students are expected to retrieve knowledge from memory without necessarily understanding or analyzing it. This is crucial for building a solid base of knowledge upon which higher-order thinking skills can be developed.

• Question : “List the main components of a plant cell.” (Suggested Answer: Cell wall, cell membrane, nucleus, chloroplasts, vacuole, cytoplasm.)
• Question : “What is the capital of France?” (Suggested Answer: Paris.)
• Question : “Name the three states of matter.” (Suggested Answer: Solid, liquid, gas.)
• Question : “Who wrote ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’?” (Suggested Answer: Harper Lee.)
• Question : “What is the chemical symbol for water?” (Suggested Answer: H₂O.)
• Question : “Name the first president of the United States.” (Suggested Answer: George Washington.)
• Question : “What is the largest planet in our solar system?” (Suggested Answer: Jupiter.)
• Question : “Who painted the Mona Lisa?” (Suggested Answer: Leonardo da Vinci.)
• Question : “What year did the American Civil War begin?” (Suggested Answer: 1861.)
• Question : “What is the formula for calculating the area of a rectangle?” (Suggested Answer: Length × Width.)
• Question : “Name the three branches of the United States government.” (Suggested Answer: Legislative, Executive, Judicial.)
• Question : “What is the boiling point of water in degrees Celsius?” (Suggested Answer: 100°C.)
• Question : “Who is known as the Father of Computer Science?” (Suggested Answer: Alan Turing.)
• Question : “What is the main ingredient in traditional Japanese miso soup?” (Suggested Answer: Miso paste.)
• Question : “In what year did World War II end?” (Suggested Answer: 1945.)
• Question : “What is the capital of Japan?” (Suggested Answer: Tokyo.)
• Question : “Who discovered penicillin?” (Suggested Answer: Alexander Fleming.)
• Question : “What is the chemical symbol for gold?” (Suggested Answer: Au.)
• Question : “What is the largest mammal in the world?” (Suggested Answer: Blue whale.)
• Question : “Who wrote the play ‘Romeo and Juliet’?” (Suggested Answer: William Shakespeare.)

Short Answer Questions for Bloom’s Taxonomy Level, Understanding

The goal of the “Understanding” level in Bloom’s Taxonomy is to assess students’ ability to comprehend information and explain concepts in their own words. At this level, students are expected to interpret, summarize, and infer meaning from the knowledge they have acquired. This foundational comprehension is crucial for applying knowledge to new situations and advancing to higher-order thinking.

• Question : “Explain the significance of the Berlin Wall in your own words.” (Suggested Answer: The Berlin Wall separated East and West Berlin from 1961 to 1989, symbolizing the Cold War’s division between the communist East and the capitalist West.)
• Question : “Describe the process of the water cycle in your own words.” (Suggested Answer: The water cycle involves the evaporation of water, condensation to form clouds, and precipitation as rain or snow.)
• Question : “Summarize the main beliefs of Buddhism.” (Suggested Answer: Buddhism teaches the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path, and the concepts of karma and reincarnation.)
• Question : “What does the term ‘sustainable development’ mean?” (Suggested Answer: Sustainable development refers to meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.)
• Question : “Explain the impact of globalization on local cultures.” (Suggested Answer: Globalization can lead to the spread of international brands and cultural homogenization, but it can also encourage cultural exchange and diversity.)
• Question : “Describe how photosynthesis works.” (Suggested Answer: Photosynthesis is the process by which plants use sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen.)
• Question : “What are the main causes of climate change?” (Suggested Answer: Climate change is mainly caused by the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, and industrial processes that increase greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.)
• Question : “Explain the importance of the United Nations.” (Suggested Answer: The United Nations promotes international cooperation, peace, and security, and works to address global issues like poverty and human rights.)
• Question : “Describe the basic principles of democracy.” (Suggested Answer: Democracy is based on principles of popular sovereignty, political equality, and the protection of human rights and freedoms.)
• Question : “What is the function of the human respiratory system?” (Suggested Answer: The respiratory system takes in oxygen and expels carbon dioxide, facilitating gas exchange in the lungs.)
• Question : “Explain the concept of a free market economy.” (Suggested Answer: A free market economy is an economic system where prices are determined by supply and demand with minimal government intervention.)
• Question : “Describe the cultural significance of the Taj Mahal.” (Suggested Answer: The Taj Mahal is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in India, symbolizing the rich history and architecture of the Mughal Empire and a monument to love.)
• Question : “What are the main functions of the United Nations General Assembly?” (Suggested Answer: The General Assembly discusses and makes recommendations on international issues, approves the UN budget, and elects non-permanent members of the Security Council.)
• Question : “Explain the significance of Nelson Mandela’s leadership.” (Suggested Answer: Nelson Mandela led the struggle against apartheid in South Africa, became the country’s first black president, and worked towards reconciliation and equality.)
• Question : “Describe the process of mitosis.” (Suggested Answer: Mitosis is the process of cell division where a single cell divides into two genetically identical daughter cells.)
• Question : “What is the purpose of the Kyoto Protocol?” (Suggested Answer: The Kyoto Protocol is an international treaty aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions to combat climate change.)
• Question : “Explain the role of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).” (Suggested Answer: The IMF provides financial support and advice to countries facing economic instability, promoting global monetary cooperation and financial stability.)
• Question : “Describe the significance of the Rosetta Stone.” (Suggested Answer: The Rosetta Stone was key to deciphering Egyptian hieroglyphs, allowing scholars to understand ancient Egyptian language and culture.)
• Question : “What are the basic principles of Hinduism?” (Suggested Answer: Hinduism is based on principles like dharma (duty/ethics), karma (action/consequence), and moksha (liberation from the cycle of rebirth).)
• Question : “Explain the importance of the Amazon rainforest.” (Suggested Answer: The Amazon rainforest is crucial for biodiversity, climate regulation, and indigenous cultures; it acts as a major carbon sink and produces oxygen.)

Short Answer Questions for Bloom’s Taxonomy Level, Applying

The goal of the “Applying” level in Bloom’s Taxonomy is to assess students’ ability to use information in new situations. At this level, students are expected to apply their knowledge and skills to solve problems, demonstrate procedures, and implement concepts in practical contexts. This is crucial for bridging the gap between theoretical understanding and real-world application.

• Question : “Apply the concept of gravity to explain why objects fall to the ground.” (Suggested Answer: Gravity is the force that pulls objects towards the center of the Earth, causing them to fall when dropped.)
• Question : “How would you use the Pythagorean theorem to find the length of the hypotenuse in a right triangle with legs of 3 cm and 4 cm?” (Suggested Answer: Using the Pythagorean theorem, a2+b2=c2a2+b2=c2, the hypotenuse is 5 cm.)
• Question : “Describe how you would conduct an experiment to test the effects of sunlight on plant growth.” (Suggested Answer: Plant seeds in identical conditions, expose them to different amounts of sunlight, and measure their growth over time.)
• Question : “How can you apply the principles of healthy eating to plan a balanced diet?” (Suggested Answer: Include a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, proteins, and dairy, and limit processed foods and sugars.)
• Question : “Use the concept of supply and demand to explain why the price of a popular toy might increase before the holidays.” (Suggested Answer: Increased demand for the toy before the holidays can lead to higher prices as supply becomes limited.)
• Question : “How would you implement the steps of the scientific method to investigate a question about the effects of caffeine on concentration?” (Suggested Answer: Form a hypothesis, design an experiment, collect data, analyze the results, and draw conclusions.)
• Question : “Apply the principles of democracy to describe how a citizen can participate in their government.” (Suggested Answer: Citizens can vote in elections, attend town meetings, join political parties, or contact their representatives.)
• Question : “How can you use basic first aid principles to treat a minor cut?” (Suggested Answer: Clean the wound, apply an antiseptic, and cover it with a sterile bandage.)
• Question : “Describe how you would use a map and compass to navigate a hiking trail.” (Suggested Answer: Use the compass to find your direction, follow the map’s trail markers, and adjust your route as needed.)
• Question : “Apply the concept of renewable energy to propose a solution for reducing fossil fuel usage in your community.” (Suggested Answer: Implement solar panels on public buildings, encourage the use of electric vehicles, and promote energy-efficient practices.)
• Question : “How can you use the water cycle to explain the importance of conserving water?” (Suggested Answer: Conserving water helps maintain the balance of the water cycle and ensures a sustainable supply for all uses.)
• Question : “Use the principles of effective communication to resolve a conflict between classmates.” (Suggested Answer: Listen actively, acknowledge each other’s viewpoints, and find a compromise that satisfies both parties.)
• Question : “Apply the concept of ecosystem balance to explain the impact of removing a predator from an environment.” (Suggested Answer: Removing a predator can lead to overpopulation of prey species, which can disrupt the balance of the ecosystem.)
• Question : “How would you use budgeting principles to manage your monthly allowance?” (Suggested Answer: Track income and expenses, set savings goals, and allocate funds for necessities and discretionary spending.)
• Question : “Describe how you can apply time management strategies to improve your study habits.” (Suggested Answer: Create a study schedule, prioritize tasks, and set specific goals for each study session.)
• Question : “How can you use the concept of empathy to improve your interactions with others?” (Suggested Answer: Understand and share the feelings of others, listen without judgment, and respond with compassion.)
• Question : “Apply the principles of environmental conservation to suggest ways to reduce plastic waste.” (Suggested Answer: Use reusable bags and containers, recycle plastics, and avoid single-use plastic products.)
• Question : “How would you use critical thinking skills to evaluate the credibility of a news source?” (Suggested Answer: Check the source’s reputation, verify facts with other sources, and look for potential biases.)
• Question : “Apply the concept of cultural awareness to explain how you would interact with someone from a different background.” (Suggested Answer: Show respect for their customs and traditions, ask questions to learn more, and be open-minded and inclusive.)
• Question : “Describe how you can use the principles of teamwork to complete a group project successfully.” (Suggested Answer: Assign roles based on strengths, communicate effectively, set clear goals, and collaborate to solve problems.)

Short Answer Questions for Bloom’s Taxonomy Level, Analyzing

The goal of the “Analyzing” level in Bloom’s Taxonomy is to assess students’ ability to break down information into its components, understand relationships between parts, and recognize patterns. At this level, students are expected to compare, contrast, categorize, and identify causes and effects. This is crucial for developing critical thinking skills and deeper comprehension.

• Question : “Analyze the differences between renewable and nonrenewable energy sources.” (Suggested Answer: Renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind, can be replenished naturally and are sustainable, whereas nonrenewable sources, like coal and oil, are finite and contribute to environmental pollution.)
• Question : “Compare and contrast the leadership styles of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr.” (Suggested Answer: Both leaders advocated for nonviolent resistance, but Gandhi focused on India’s independence from British rule, while King aimed to achieve civil rights for African Americans in the United States.)
• Question : “Identify the causes and effects of deforestation.” (Suggested Answer: Causes include logging, agriculture, and urbanization. Effects include loss of biodiversity, climate change, and disruption of water cycles.)
• Question : “Analyze the impact of social media on modern communication.” (Suggested Answer: Social media has increased connectivity and information sharing but also led to issues like misinformation, reduced privacy, and superficial relationships.)
• Question : “Compare the economic systems of capitalism and socialism.” (Suggested Answer: Capitalism is based on private ownership and free markets, while socialism advocates for public ownership and equal distribution of resources.)
• Question : “Identify the key components of a persuasive argument.” (Suggested Answer: A persuasive argument includes a clear thesis, supporting evidence, counterarguments, and a conclusion.)
• Question : “Analyze the effects of colonialism on indigenous populations.” (Suggested Answer: Colonialism often led to the exploitation and displacement of indigenous peoples, loss of cultural heritage, and economic dependence.)
• Question : “Compare the themes of love and revenge in Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’.” (Suggested Answer: Love is portrayed through Hamlet’s relationships, while revenge drives the plot, leading to tragic consequences.)
• Question : “Identify the factors that contributed to the fall of the Roman Empire.” (Suggested Answer: Factors include political instability, economic decline, military defeats, and invasions by barbarian tribes.)
• Question : “Analyze the relationship between diet and health.” (Suggested Answer: A balanced diet provides essential nutrients, supports overall health, and prevents chronic diseases, while poor dietary habits can lead to obesity, heart disease, and other health issues.)
• Question : “Compare the impacts of the Industrial Revolution in Europe and Asia.” (Suggested Answer: In Europe, the Industrial Revolution led to urbanization and economic growth, while in Asia, it often resulted in colonization and exploitation by European powers.)
• Question : “Identify the main arguments for and against globalization.” (Suggested Answer: Arguments for include economic growth, cultural exchange, and technological advancement. Arguments against include loss of local cultures, economic inequality, and environmental degradation.)
• Question : “Analyze the role of women in World War II.” (Suggested Answer: Women took on roles in the workforce, military, and resistance movements, significantly contributing to the war effort and changing societal perceptions of gender roles.)
• Question : “Compare the political ideologies of liberalism and conservatism.” (Suggested Answer: Liberalism emphasizes individual freedoms, social equality, and government intervention for social justice, while conservatism values tradition, limited government, and free-market principles.)
• Question : “Identify the causes and effects of urbanization.” (Suggested Answer: Causes include industrialization and economic opportunities. Effects include population growth in cities, infrastructure development, and social challenges like housing shortages and pollution.)
• Question : “Analyze the significance of the scientific method in research.” (Suggested Answer: The scientific method provides a systematic approach to investigation, ensuring objectivity, reproducibility, and validity in research findings.)
• Question : “Compare the health benefits of aerobic and anaerobic exercise.” (Suggested Answer: Aerobic exercise improves cardiovascular health and endurance, while anaerobic exercise enhances muscle strength and power.)
• Question : “Identify the main characteristics of a dystopian society in literature.” (Suggested Answer: Common characteristics include oppressive governments, lack of freedoms, widespread surveillance, and a bleak or controlled environment.)
• Question : “Analyze the impact of technological advancements on employment.” (Suggested Answer: Technological advancements can lead to job creation in new industries but also result in job displacement due to automation and changes in required skill sets.)
• Question : “Compare the cultural significance of the Olympic Games in ancient Greece and modern times.” (Suggested Answer: In ancient Greece, the Olympics were a religious and athletic festival honoring Zeus, promoting unity among city-states. In modern times, they represent global unity, athletic excellence, and international cooperation.)

Short Answer Questions for Bloom’s Taxonomy Level, Evaluating

The goal of the “Evaluating” level in Bloom’s Taxonomy is to assess students’ ability to make judgments based on criteria and standards. At this level, students are expected to critique, justify, and support their opinions or decisions. This is crucial for developing critical thinking and decision-making skills.

• Question : “Evaluate the effectiveness of the United Nations in maintaining global peace.” (Suggested Answer: The UN has been effective in preventing large-scale conflicts and providing humanitarian aid, but it faces challenges like political bias and lack of enforcement power.)
• Question : “Justify the importance of renewable energy sources over fossil fuels.” (Suggested Answer: Renewable energy sources are sustainable, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and decrease dependence on finite resources, making them crucial for environmental conservation.)
• Question : “Critique the impact of social media on interpersonal relationships.” (Suggested Answer: Social media enhances connectivity and communication but can also lead to superficial interactions, cyberbullying, and decreased face-to-face communication skills.)
• Question : “Evaluate the arguments for and against the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in agriculture.” (Suggested Answer: Proponents argue GMOs increase crop yields and resistance to pests, while opponents raise concerns about environmental impact and food safety.)
• Question : “Justify the need for stricter environmental regulations.” (Suggested Answer: Stricter regulations are necessary to combat climate change, protect ecosystems, and ensure public health by reducing pollution and conserving natural resources.)
• Question : “Critique the effectiveness of standardized testing in measuring student performance.” (Suggested Answer: Standardized tests provide a uniform assessment method but may not accurately reflect a student’s abilities and can lead to teaching to the test.)
• Question : “Evaluate the benefits and drawbacks of remote work.” (Suggested Answer: Benefits include flexibility and reduced commuting, while drawbacks can be isolation, difficulty in collaboration, and maintaining work-life balance.)
• Question : “Justify the inclusion of arts education in the school curriculum.” (Suggested Answer: Arts education fosters creativity, critical thinking, and cultural awareness, contributing to well-rounded development and academic success.)
• Question : “Critique the role of multinational corporations in developing countries.” (Suggested Answer: Multinational corporations can boost economic growth and create jobs, but they may also exploit labor, harm the environment, and undermine local businesses.)
• Question : “Evaluate the impact of global tourism on local cultures.” (Suggested Answer: Tourism can promote cultural exchange and economic development but may also lead to cultural commodification and environmental degradation.)
• Question : “Justify the need for public healthcare systems.” (Suggested Answer: Public healthcare systems ensure equitable access to medical services, improve public health outcomes, and reduce overall healthcare costs.)
• Question : “Critique the effectiveness of international trade agreements.” (Suggested Answer: Trade agreements can enhance economic cooperation and growth but may also result in job losses in certain sectors and increased economic inequality.)
• Question : “Evaluate the role of technology in education .” (Suggested Answer: Technology enhances learning through interactive tools and access to information but can also lead to distractions and a digital divide among students.)
• Question : “Justify the importance of preserving endangered species.” (Suggested Answer: Preserving endangered species maintains biodiversity, ensures ecosystem balance, and supports the health of the planet.)
• Question : “Critique the impact of fast fashion on the environment.” (Suggested Answer: Fast fashion contributes to environmental pollution, waste, and the depletion of resources, highlighting the need for sustainable practices.)
• Question : “Evaluate the success of the Paris Agreement in addressing climate change.” (Suggested Answer: The Paris Agreement has increased global commitment to reducing emissions, but its success is limited by insufficient enforcement and varying national efforts.)
• Question : “Justify the need for financial literacy education in schools.” (Suggested Answer: Financial literacy education equips students with essential skills to manage money, make informed financial decisions, and achieve economic stability.)
• Question : “Critique the role of the media in shaping public opinion.” (Suggested Answer: The media can inform and educate the public but may also perpetuate biases, misinformation, and sensationalism.)
• Question : “Evaluate the ethical considerations of artificial intelligence .” (Suggested Answer: AI offers significant benefits but raises ethical issues such as privacy, job displacement, and decision-making transparency.)
• Question : “Justify the implementation of universal basic income.” (Suggested Answer: Universal basic income can reduce poverty, provide financial security, and stimulate economic growth, but it requires careful consideration of funding and potential disincentives to work.)

Short Answer Questions for Bloom’s Taxonomy Level, Creating

The goal of the “Creating” level in Bloom’s Taxonomy is to assess students’ ability to generate new ideas, products, or ways of understanding. At this level, students are expected to synthesize information, design solutions, and invent new approaches. This is crucial for fostering creativity, innovation, and advanced problem-solving skills.

• Question : “Design a marketing campaign to promote recycling in your community.” (Suggested Answer: Create posters and social media content highlighting the benefits of recycling, organize community events, and partner with local businesses for incentives.)
• Question : “Invent a new device that could help reduce plastic waste.” (Suggested Answer: Design a portable plastic compactor that can be used in homes to compress plastic waste for easier recycling.)
• Question : “Compose a poem about the importance of biodiversity.” (Suggested Answer: Write a poem that emphasizes the beauty of diverse ecosystems and the role of every species in maintaining environmental balance.)
• Question : “Develop a plan for a school garden that includes both vegetables and flowers.” (Suggested Answer: Outline the layout, list the types of plants, assign responsibilities for maintenance, and plan activities for students to learn about gardening.)
• Question : “Create a short story based on the theme of overcoming adversity.” (Suggested Answer: Write a story about a character facing significant challenges who ultimately triumphs through determination and support from others.)
• Question : “Design an app that helps students organize their homework and study schedules.” (Suggested Answer: Include features like a calendar, reminders, subject-specific notes, and progress tracking to help students stay organized and manage their time effectively.)
• Question : “Invent a sustainable energy solution for a small village without access to electricity.” (Suggested Answer: Propose a solar panel system with battery storage to provide reliable and renewable energy to the village.)
• Question : “Compose a song that teaches children about the water cycle.” (Suggested Answer: Write catchy lyrics and a melody that explain evaporation, condensation, and precipitation in an engaging way for young learners.)
• Question : “Develop a strategy for reducing food waste in your home.” (Suggested Answer: Plan meals carefully, store food properly, use leftovers creatively, and compost organic waste.)
• Question : “Create a board game that teaches players about world geography.” (Suggested Answer: Design a game with maps, trivia questions, and challenges that help players learn about different countries, capitals, and landmarks.)
• Question : “Design a public awareness campaign to combat cyberbullying.” (Suggested Answer: Develop educational materials, social media content, and workshops to raise awareness about the effects of cyberbullying and how to prevent it.)
• Question : “Invent a new type of packaging that is environmentally friendly.” (Suggested Answer: Create packaging made from biodegradable materials that can be easily recycled or composted after use.)
• Question : “Compose a letter to a local government official advocating for improved public transportation.” (Suggested Answer: Write a persuasive letter highlighting the benefits of better public transportation for reducing traffic, pollution, and improving community access.)
• Question : “Develop a curriculum for an after-school program focused on coding and robotics.” (Suggested Answer: Plan lessons that teach basic coding skills, build simple robots, and incorporate fun projects to engage students.)
• Question : “Create a vision board for your career goals and aspirations.” (Suggested Answer: Gather images, quotes, and items that represent your career aspirations and arrange them on a board to visualize your future path.)
• Question : “Design a new toy that encourages physical activity in children.” (Suggested Answer: Invent a toy that combines fun with exercise, like a dance mat with interactive games or a jump rope with a digital counter.)
• Question : “Compose a speech on the importance of mental health awareness .” (Suggested Answer: Write a speech that discusses the significance of mental health, common challenges, and ways to support mental well-being.)
• Question : “Develop a project plan for building a community library.” (Suggested Answer: Outline the steps for securing funding, selecting a location, gathering books and resources, and organizing volunteers.)
• Question : “Invent a new sport that can be played indoors during winter.” (Suggested Answer: Create a sport that combines elements of existing indoor activities, like indoor hockey with soft pucks and safe equipment.)
• Question : “Design a website that educates people about climate change and sustainability.” (Suggested Answer: Include sections on the science of climate change, practical tips for reducing carbon footprints, and ways to get involved in sustainability efforts.)

Creating Interactive Short Answers Quiz Questions in PowerPoint

Short answer questions can be a powerful tool for assessing student understanding, but they become even more engaging and effective when made interactive. With ClassPoint, you can easily transform your traditional short answer questions into dynamic, interactive experiences that keep students engaged and provide real-time feedback . Here’s a brief guide on how to do it:

• Open your PowerPoint presentation and create a question slide using the available question examples in this blog. Ensure that you’re having only one question per slide, as you are only allowed to have one interactive quiz question button in a single slide.
• Visit the ClassPoint website to download and install the add-in for free. ClassPoint integrates seamlessly with PowerPoint, so you don’t have to download additional tools for support.
• Once you have your question slide set up, navigate to the ClassPoint tab in your PowerPoint ribbon and choose the “Short Answer” quiz type from the quiz features. Once inserted, you’d have play options available so you can setup question settings depending on your assessment needs.
• In slide show, invite your students to join your class by giving them the unique code displayed at the top-right corner of your slide. Have them input this code at  classpoint.app  using any browser of any device. Then, start the quiz by clicking the embedded Short Answer button on your slide.
• As students submit their answers, you’d be able to see their responses coming in live via the active quiz window right on your screen. ClassPoint also has a real-time monitoring feature so you can see who has already submitted and who has yet to do so. This way, you can decide accordingly whether to close the submissions already or extend it.
• Keep the excitement high by showing a visual scoreboard after each question to give everyone updates on their current quiz performance. This visual representation of scores fosters a competitive and engaging environment.
• End your quiz by revealing the final leaderboard and recognizing the top performers. Top 3 will be showcased via a virtual podium with all others listed accordingly. This helps celebrate students’ achievements and encourages continued participation in future interactive quizzes.

For a full tutorial on how you can create Short Answer quizzes in PowerPoint, watch this video 👇

Bonus Tips: Use AI to generate short answer quizzes

Tired of brainstorming Short Answer quiz questions from the scratch? With an AI quiz generator , you can create short answer questions with suggested answers in just a matter of a few clicks. The AI will read your PowerPoint slide content and generate relevant questions according to your teaching material. How cool is it?

Food for Thought

Incorporating short answer questions across Bloom’s Taxonomy levels offers a structured approach to fostering various cognitive skills in students, from basic recall to creative thinking. These questions not only provide a clear measure of student understanding but also encourage deeper engagement with the material. By carefully designing and implementing these questions, educators can support holistic learning experiences that cater to diverse learning needs.

With tools like ClassPoint, making short answer questions interactive has never been easier. This integration brings a new dimension to traditional assessments, transforming them into engaging, real-time activities that captivate students’ attention and enhance their learning outcomes. By leveraging the power of interactive technology, teachers can create a dynamic classroom environment that motivates students and fosters a love for learning.

About Ausbert Generoso

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Extended written response questions

Written response questions require an extended answer from students.

These questions often address higher order thinking skills and require students to recall or research information and apply that information in different ways.

Advantages and limitations

• Limitations
• Tests for higher order thinking skills and application of key content
• Allows for different and original responses – students compose rather than select
• Less time consuming to construct compared to other forms of assessment
• Minimise guessing
• Tests student ability to organise thoughts
• Allows opportunities to provide feedback on student progress
• Stimulates more broad study
• Can favour students with skilful writing
• Limits the amount of course content covered
• Requires an extensive amount of time to grade
• Grading can be subjective and unreliable
• Susceptible to academic misconduct through generative artificial intelligence tools
• Generally does not provide an objective measure of student ability and/or achievement
• Opportunity for bluffing, rambling, or going off on tangents if questions are misunderstood

Links to Theory

Questions that require a longer response often require students to utilise higher order thinking skills and relate their knowledge to different contexts. Bloom’s Taxonomy and SOLO Taxonomy are two underlying frameworks that support this.

SOLO Taxonomy

SOLO Taxonomy demonstrates five stages of learning where students develop more complex and integrated ideas and can apply concepts in new contexts the further along students are in their learning.

Image: Biggs, J., (1982) The SOLO Taxonomy. John Biggs https://www.johnbiggs.com.au/academic/solo-taxonomy/

Written response questions relate to the fourth and fifth elements of the SOLO Taxonomy – relational, where students apply knowledge for a purpose and extended abstract and explore new ways and avenues of applying knowledge.

Bloom’s Taxonomy

Blooms Taxonomy is a framework comprising six learning domains, categorised by the level of thinking skills they require. Knowledge and comprehension involve lower order thinking and are typically addressed using other assessment methods, whereas higher skills such as application, analysis, evaluation and synthesis are well suited to an extended response.

Image: Scholarly Community Encyclopedia (2022) Bloom’s Taxonomy Visual Guide https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/30767

Guidelines for constructing written response questions

Content - what will be assessed

Select the content and subject learning outcomes you are assessing. Are there certain skills that need to be addressed? Have students been assessed at a lower level on this content previously?

Product - what will be made

Think about what you would like the students to produce. Think about; the length of the response, the time available to complete the question, how you would like students to respond (verbal, written, video, etc.), what type of text students are to produce, the intended audience (supervisor, potential client, peers, etc.) and academic integrity. Make sure to consider the marking workload in this step.

Process - how will it be made

Consider how the students will complete the assessment. Think about: ideal steps/process, how to state clear and explicit instructions and avoid ambiguous terms and intimidating terminology.

Grading - how will it be graded

Consider what the desired product is. Think about: what you would expect to see in terms of structure, content, and language, how to make marking criteria clear and obvious for students and graders and develop opportunities to show and work through exemplars with students.

Review - how did it go

Upon completion, review the process and results. Use any insights learned to refine your assessment design. Ensure to receive feedback from all involved in the process – markers and students can provide a unique point of view that you may not have considered.

Example of an extended written response question

Below is an example of an extended written response question.

• Create a lesson planning framework, incorporating the topics discussed in this subject. Your framework should be a workable template that clearly reflects your own perspective and desired future work context.
• Justify your choices made in the framework by referencing the learning materials and at least 2 peer discussions. (300-400 words)
• Predict the impact the framework could have in your desired future work setting. (200-300 words)

Combatting generative artificial intelligence (AI) use

This example question uses elements that support academic integrity against generative AI generators by

• asking students to create a framework, where AI will only list components
• reflecting on specific peer discussions, particularly if these are listed and verified
• linking to a specific desired work context

See below how this example was created through the five-step process:

In PowerPoint format:

Extended written response questions worked example

In H5P format:

General Tips

• State what you want the students to do clearly.
• Indicate the desired length, weighting and, where appropriate, time spent on an item.
• Combine a lower-level question and a higher-level question to scaffold a response. e.g. State three impacts on iron levels in women and devise a general action plan for a potential client.
• Use stimulus such as case studies, sets of data, multi-modal media and other real-world reference material.
• Contextualise responses through student personal experience or subject specific knowledge.
• Attempt to write a response to your question – is it easy to understand? Perhaps, use generative AI tool and see what comes back.
• Seek feedback from peers, often they can pick up when questions are difficult to understand or time consuming to grade.
• When giving options, ensure they are equitable and fair in the grading process.
• Outline the specific areas you would like the students to address.
• Anchor problems in real life settings that students have an interest in – situated learning theory.
• Use current issues in the media and industry.
• Make sure students understand their responsibility for academic integrity.
• Provide students with a list of key verbs, such as examine and justify that will be used in questions so there is a common understanding: Common Instruction Words

Boud, D. and Associates (2010). Assessment 2020: Seven propositions for assessment reform in higher education. Sydney: Australian Learning and Teaching Council.

5 Steps for Great Extended Responses

Tips to make writing effective, collaborative, and fun.

Cara Popecki

It’s on every major college readiness and state exam, and it also elicits the most groans from students and teachers alike: the dreaded extended constructed response. Students are generally asked to read and answer questions about two passages that share a common theme, and then they must write an essay that incorporates evidence and analysis from both texts.

On-demand writing, especially writing that requires students to understand multiple texts, can be really stressful and challenging for students. On this high school Smarter Balanced test , students must read two articles about mandatory financial literacy classes before writing an argumentative essay. Building these types of assignments is also challenging for teachers — where do you find all those paired texts?

At CommonLit, we have tried to make this as easy as possible! Use these five steps to create rigorous, high-interest cross-textual assignments that can be implemented all year long:

STEP 1: Pick Two Interesting Texts that Share a Common Theme and Genre

Extended constructed responses offer a great opportunity to expose students to high-interest fiction and informational texts.

We’ve made finding two texts that share a common theme and genre extremely easy. First, go to www.commonlit.org and select the library. Use the search filters to narrow the library to the particular grade level that you teach. You can also use the search filters to narrow your search by genre.

Once you’ve found a text that will pique your students’ interest, navigate to the “Paired Texts” tab to find a list of related texts. For example, the informational article “Fear Prompts Teens to Act Impulsively” (1090L) comes with a host of great paired text suggestions:

The informational text “Raising Elephants” (1020L) explains the social interactions that teenage male elephants must navigate in order to make the transition to adulthood. Students reading both texts will have fun uncovering the similarities and differences between the behaviors of teenage elephants and teenage humans.

Once you’ve selected your pair of high-interest texts, you’re ready to write the essay prompt.

STEP 2: Write an Aligned, Extended-Response Prompt

To write an aligned, extended-response prompt, start by reading an example extended-response prompt from a released state test. Here is a sample prompt from a 7th grade Smarter Balanced assessment:

Your Assignment: Now that you have completed research on the topic of sleep, the journalism club advisor has asked you to write an explanatory article about sleep and naps for the next issue of the school newspaper. The audience for your article will be other students, teachers, and parents.

Next, read the CommonLit suggested pairing prompt for the two articles you have chosen for inspiration:

Finally, craft a writing prompt that mirrors the style of the state assessment:

Your Assignment: Now that you have completed your research on the topic of social interactions during adolescence, the director of the zoo where you work has asked you to write an explanatory article comparing and contrasting the adolescent phase of humans and elephants for the next issue of the zoo’s newsletter. The audience for your article will be other students and adults who are thinking about visiting the zoo.

STEP 3: Create a Student-Friendly Rubric

Especially if your students are new to extended constructed response, they will likely get overwhelmed by a traditional teacher-centric rubric. Our recommendation is to introduce students to a student-friendly rubric and focus your lessons on helping students master one rubric row at a time.

How do you create a student-friendly rubric? CommonLit provides a rubric for short-answer responses that you can edit. You can also create your own student-friendly rubric based on the SAT, ACT, or your state test.

If you are showing students a rubric for the first time, don’t just hand them a complex rubric. Make time to go over each section using an actual essay as a model.

STEP 4: Help Students Internalize What Success Looks Like

If students are going to be successful, they need to develop a vision of mastery that is similar to the teacher’s. Letting students read and score sample student essays (both good and bad) by using the rubric is a wonderful way for students to internalize the goal. For each rubric row, ask students to explain why they gave the score they gave.

You can find sample essays either from your own students’ work (keeping them anonymous), from the college readiness exams (SAT or ACT), or from your state assessments (PARCC, Smarter Balance, FSA, STAAR, etc.).

Do this activity multiple times throughout the year to really drive it home.

STEP 5: Involve Students Through a Peer Revision Process

Especially if you have loads of students, it’s nearly impossible to give students thorough feedback on their drafts before grading their work. One great strategy to address this is through peer revision as a way to help students become more proficient writers.

To kickoff peer revision, first model some essential revision strategies through a think-aloud:

Give specific praise 3–4 times

• I like the way you…
• This [word/sentence] is really…

Write 1–2 specific suggestions for improvement

• I recommend that you…
• Have you tried…

Summarize your feedback

• To sum it all up…

Doing regular peer revision will help students understand that writing is a process, not just a product. Many students struggle with writing because they think they only need to attempt it once without revisiting their own work. It’s tough, but if you build the habit with peer revisions, students will become more self-sufficient over time.

Final Thoughts

These strategies are not just for test prep. The best way for students to build confidence as writers is not to just practice but to receive clear expectations, feedback, and assignments that compel them to think analytically.

Follow the 5 steps to improve student writing and let us know how it goes in the comments below.

Click the 👏 below to help spread this resource with the teaching community!

Written by Cara Popecki

Special Projects Manager, CommonLit. Former HS English Teacher.

Text to speech

Tips for writing a killer extended response

Sam Di Sano

Teacher and School Enablement Leader at Atomi

So, what makes a good extended response? Glad you asked. Be honest, how many times has your teacher pulled the old PEEL card trick out and you’ve just been sitting there in class thinking ‘wtf is this old guy going on about?’

Well I’ve gotta say - your teacher has a point. PEEL is the way to go if you want to write a solid extended response, with all the analysis, evidence and links that you need to get those top marks.

Let’s break it down

What is this PEEL concept all about? Pretty much it’s about breaking down your 4-6 sentence paragraphs into smaller chunks, which will help you write really concise statements that actually answer the question. To do this you need to include your P oint or topic sentence, a little E vidence with an E xplanation of that evidence and then finally a L ink sentence.

Let’s break these down some more:

Point or Topic Sentence

This is your opening statement where in one sentence you essentially answer the question (so address that key term, i.e. 'explain', 'discuss', 'analyse') by using the words of the question and by stating your position and formulating your own argument or thesis. This can then be followed by another sentence or two giving a little more information for those people who are still a little confused and need it to be explained a bit more.

This is where you start to bring in the proof you need to cement your position. Remember, you’re trying to argue your perspective so you have to be able to back up what you’re saying with actual evidence from the text or stimulus you’ve been given. Here you get the opportunity to bring in all those quotes or key dates you’ve spent the last 3 weeks trying to memorise. It’s also a good chance to show the marker that you’ve analysed the stimulus and have a good understanding of these.

Explanation

Your next couple of sentences now need to explain how that evidence is actually proving your point. This is your chance to really bring in those critical thinking and analysis skills that you’ve been practising. It’s also the perfect time to bring in any techniques that can also help you prove your point. Whether it’s the use of analogy in English, or the context of the source given in a History exam, these details can really bulk up your explanations and show the marker that you know what you’re talking about and are able to put together a really solid argument.

Like any good piece of writing, it’s all about structure. So, now it’s time to wrap it all up and bring it back to where you started. A little like public speaking I guess, you draw your audience back to the question and your point or topic. No, this does not mean you get to just restate your first sentence exactly. It’s all about summing up how every point you just made in that paragraph answers the question and reconfirms your point of view.

But it doesn’t stop there. Repeat these steps a couple of times per paragraph and that’s when you’ll get some really quality paragraphs starting to come together.

Why mine is better than yours

So if it is that simple, what makes one paragraph better than another? There are two things that will make your work stand out over the person next to you;

• The level of sophistication you put into the language you use.
• The level of sophistication you put into the techniques you use and facts you quote.

That’s where you can really develop an edge. Remember, you don’t want your extended responses to go over the word limit or be so long that you can't get the whole thing down in an exam, so make an effort to keep your writing really tight and succinct. You can't waste any time fluffing around with your words so choose every one of them carefully. Same with your evidence. Be well read and use a body of work to prove your point wisely. You don’t have to prove a theory is right - you need to prove your particular perspective is plausible and you do that by using sources of evidence that think the same way you do.

If it’s your first time writing out a paragraph using the PEEL method, a really good way to keep track of everything is to use different coloured pens or a different colour highlighter for each of your PEEL sentences. The more you do this, the easier it’ll become and before you know it you’ll be writing paragraphs that fit the structure without even trying.

See - it’s really not that hard to write a good extended response, but it does take heaps of practice to really sharpen and polish your work. The more you practice, the more sophisticated your writing will become. I see you band 6 👀!

Published on

July 18, 2018

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• How to Write an Extended Response in High School

It’s your first day in high school and your teacher has given you an extended response to write. But what is an extended response anyway?

We’re here for you! In this article, we will help you understand what an extended response is and how to write an amazing one to ace your assessments!

Plus, we’ve added in a downloadable   scaffold sheet for you!

So, let’s dive right in!

What is an Extended Response in High School?  Types of Extended Responses for High School How Long is a High School Extended Response? How to Start Your Extended Response How to Structure an Extended Response in High School Extended Responses VS Essay: What’s the Difference?

What is an Extended Response in High School? 

In short, an extended response is any piece of writing that is longer than one paragraph . 

Research , analysis and planning are important when writing an extended response. However, answering the question is key to excelling your extended response. 

To answer the question, avoid jotting down everything you know about the topic.  Instead, focus on the ‘key words’ in the questions.

Tip : A good way to remember your ‘keywords’ is to circle or highlight them before you start planning your extended response . 

An example of a key word would be an ‘action word’ , such as ‘describe, ‘explain’ and ‘evaluate’. This will give you an idea of how you should be answering the question. 

If the words ‘extended response’ sound scary, don’t worry ! In Year 5 or 6, you’ve already started to write longer answers to challenging questions.

In high school, you’ll work further on these same skills , so you’ll step up to the next level!

Also writing a feature article for high school English? Check out our ultimate guide and structure to writing a feature article here !

Types of Extended Responses for High School

In most subjects, your high school teacher can ask you to write an extended response. This means that the type and structure of extended response can be different depending on the subject !

The good news is, your teacher can help you plan your subject-specific extended responses by providing detailed, up-to-date instructions .

T his way, you understand exactly what you need to do! To give you an idea of what types of extended responses that you may be asked to write, here is a list : 

For discussions, you will explore two sides of the argument, otherwise known as “for” and “against” .

To contrast these arguments, you will learn how to use words such as “ however ”, “ nonetheless ” and “ in contrast ”.   

Critical Analysis 

For a critical analysis, you will need to show that you understand the text inside and out .

Oftentimes, this type of extended response is longer than the others . This is because you will need to write more than one paragraph per point .

Add some variety and spice to your critical analysis extended response and use our essential list of language features here ! 

Exposition or Persuasive 

For expositions and/or persuasive pieces, you will need to make a strong argument to persuade your reader to side with you. 

Looking for strong and convincing words in your exposition and persuasive writing? Read our extensive list of high modality words here !

Compare and Contrast

For this type of extended response, you will need to write about the similarities and differences between two texts .

It is important that you show how the two text are similar and different, rather than story-telling the text. 

Check out our breakdown and guide to using persuasive techniques here !

How Long is a High School Extended Response?

So, how long should an extended response be? 100, 200 or 500 words?

According to NESA , an extended response for high school should have an intro , at least 3 body paragraphs and a conclusion .

This means that your extended response will have at least 5 paragraphs in total with 3 to 7 sentences per paragraph , adding up to 300 to 500 words!

However, you can choose to write an additional body paragraph or two if you have more points to make to answer your question more effectively! 

How to Start Your Extended Response

Most students make the mistake of jumping right into writing without thinking about what they want to write. 

Instead, it is important to start an extended response by planning it out first ! 

You can start by asking yourself, “ What is the question asking me to do? ”.

A great tip is to circle or highlight the keywords in the question and define them . This helps to make sure you understand the question and in doing so, you’re able to decide on a key idea to answer the question directly. 

Next, you would want to create a list of ideas or facts that address the question . A mind map i s a great way to put your ideas on paper and make sense of it!

After this, you should find examples from your text that answer the question. These examples can be events, facts or quotes from your text which you may use to support your points.

Tip : A good trick is to try writing these notes down in your own words, to avoid copying other people’s work. 

Finally, plan the structure of your extended response! You can do this by arranging your points in a logical order so the ideas link well together. 

How to Structure an Extended Response in High School

Not sure how to structure your extended response in high school? 

It’s as simple as ABC! An extended response has the same basic structure as an essay — with an introduction , a body and a conclusion .

Here’s a breakdown on how an extended response should be structured: 

Access our comprehensive guide to our High School Extended Responses structure and template here!

Introduction

In the introduction, you will need to answer the question directly and introduce the points that you will make in your body paragraphs. 

Body Paragraph  

NESA recommends that you have at least 3 body paragraphs in your extended response.

At times, more complex ideas will need more than one paragraph and that is totally ok! 

However, try to separate your points into their own paragraphs , rather than mixing them all up in one paragraph. This is to make sure that your points are loud and clear for your teacher to understand!

Remember to back up your point in each paragraph with enough evidence — c heck out how to find and use quotes here !

Conclusion  

At the end of your high-school extended response, you will write a conclusion which summarises the main points you have talked about in your extended response.

It is important to not mention new points here!

And don’t forget to reference your resources at the end of each assignment!

Extended responses VS Essay: What’s the Difference?

Wait, isn’t an extended response and an essay the same thing?

Well, not really. An extended response and an essay share the same structure — with its introduction, body paragraphs and conclusions.

The process of writing an extended response is also similar to writing an essay , with its research, analysis and planning. 

So, what makes them different?

Think of extended response as a category , and this category is separated into its 4 types (ie. discussion, critical analysis, exposition/persuasive and compare and contrast). 

Also writing an essay for high school English? Check out our tips to writing a STEEL paragraph and acing your essay writing here !

Meanwhile, essays are a type of extended response that encompasses critical analysis, persuasive writing and at times, compare and contrast. 

Additionally, extended responses are also more flexible in terms of its length , as it may vary from 300 to 1000 words, depending on how many points and paragraphs you have to make.

On the other hand, essays tend to be 1000 words long . 

And, That’s It!

Don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter so you can receive free scaffolds for all 4 types of extended responses: discussion, critical analysis, exposition/persuasive and compare and contrast!

Want to improve your analytical skills for English? Check out why you should keep a reading journal for English here !

On the hunt for other useful resources?

Have another writing assignment? Here are our other writing guides:

• The Ultimate Guide to Writing a Feature Article
• The Ultimate Guide to Using Persuasive Techniques for English
• The Ultimate Guide to Writing a Recount in Primary School
• The Ultimate Guide to Writing a Persuasive Text

The Essential List of High Modality Words for Persuasive Writing

Are you looking for some extra help with writing your extended responses for high school.

We have an incredible team of tutors and mentors!

We can help you master your extended response writing and ace your upcoming assessments with personalised lessons conducted one-on-one in your home or online! We also have knowledgeable tutors in Western Sydney who can support you.

We’ve supported over  8,000 students over the last 11 years , and on average our students score mark improvements of over 20%!

To find out more and get started with an inspirational tutor and mentor,   get in touch today  or give us a ring on  1300 267 888!

Kate Lynn Law graduated in 2017 with an all rounders HSC award and an ATAR of 97.65. Passionate about mentoring, she enjoys working with high school students to improve their academic, work and life skills in preparation for the HSC and what comes next. An avid blogger, Kate had administered a creative writing page for over 2000 people since 2013, writing to an international audience since her early teenage years.

• Topics: ✏️ English , ✍️ Learn

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GED Essay Writing Guide

What is the ged rla “extended response” question.

The Reasoning Through Language Arts (RLA) section of the GED includes an Extended Response essay question. You will only have 45 minutes to complete this essay, so it is important to familiarize yourself with the nature of the prompt. Read through this guide to become more familiar with the prompt and how to write the best response possible.

If you follow the strategies and the template provided in this guide, you’ll be able to produce a high-scoring essay in the time allotted! 😀

GED Essay Overview

Since the GED Exam is administered on a computer, you will type your essay into a text box. You will first be presented with two Stimulus Passages and then you will be given an essay prompt. The Stimulus Passages will each have 4–5 short paragraphs that introduce an issue and take a stance on that issue, with one passage opposing the other. You will then be given the following prompt:

  ➤ Pro Tip: Remember that the 45 minutes includes the time you take to read the Stimulus Passages. Read the passages thoroughly, but quickly, and make note of any specific points that stand out to you so that you can easily reference them as you formulate your argument.

GED Essay Strategy

In order to maximize your 45 minutes, it’s important to decide ahead of time how much time you will spend on each step. We recommend following the guide below, but you should write some practice responses with a timer nearby to get a good understanding of how our guide can best serve you. Make sure you do not hand-write your practice essays, as it is always best to recreate test conditions as closely as possible when preparing.

Follow this strategy when writing your GED Essay:

Step 1 ► Read and Analyze the Stimulus Passages (5 Minutes).

Start by reading both of the passages. Make sure you understand the issue and the position that each passage is taking. Try to ignore your own personal feelings on the topic as you read. Ultimately, your job is to explain why one of the sides is better supported ; it is fine to completely disagree with the side you defend, so long as you adequately support your stance. You are not writing about who you agree with, you are writing about who supports their argument best .

Step 2 ► Select Your Position and Outline Your Ideas (5 Minutes).

Ask yourself: which side seems like it has more supporting details and/or examples? Your task with this essay is similar to that of a teacher grading an essay. It doesn’t matter if you agree with the position; it matters that the writer supported their position well.

Remember, “better-supported” does not necessarily mean “right.” You are not required to argue in favor of one of the positions; you only need to explain why one position is better-supported than the other position.

Passage 1 : argues that school lunches should be 100% vegetarian in order to improve the health of students and to tackle the obesity epidemic in schools. This passage provides:

• statistics showing that vegetables are good for children.

Passage 2 : argues that animal protein is crucial for superior athletic performance and sustained energy levels in children. This passage provides:

• quotes from a doctor who says that protein from meat keeps children alert in classes after lunchtime.
• scientific research that supports this claim.
• statistics from counties that switched to vegetarian lunches which show that test scores dropped after adopting vegetarian lunches.

Which side is “best supported?” Which side should you choose for your essay? If you said, Passage 2, you are correct. Even if you are a vegetarian, you should be able to see that there is more supporting evidence in the passages for the “pro-meat” side. You will not receive a bad score if you choose to support the side that has less evidence, but it makes your task harder.

You should spend approximately 5 minutes deciding your position and outlining your essay. You can simply type your outline at the top of the text box (and delete it after you finish your essay). We will discuss more specifics about how to outline our essay in the “Template” below!

Step 3 ► Write your Essay (30 Minutes).

At this point, approximately 10 minutes will have gone by. You have read the passages and outlined your position. Now, simply start with paragraph 1, and follow the outline you created. Remember to stop periodically and refer back to your outline at the top. Most GED Extended Response essays are between 4–7 paragraphs and each paragraph is composed of 3–7 sentences. We suggest that you aim for 5 paragraphs; doing so ensures that your argument is complete.

As you will see in the Template below, it’s okay if some paragraphs are shorter than others! Don’t feel like you have to write sentences to fill up space; always write with purpose. Once you’ve made your point in a given paragraph, add a concluding sentence and move on. You should spend approximately 30 minutes on your essay.

Step 4 ► Read Everything Over At Least Once (5 Minutes).

Proofreading can make a good essay great, and a great essay stellar, so don’t forget that you will need at least 5 minutes at the end to thoroughly read through what you have written. Go back to the outline and review your notes. Does the essay you wrote follow the outline? Is it well-organized? If you’re happy that you didn’t stray from your plan, delete your outline notes. This is very important! If you do not delete your notes, scorers will think it is part of your response and take points off.

If you have extra time, look for spelling and grammar errors. Do your verb tenses agree? Did you accidentally leave off the “s” on a plural noun? How are the transitions between paragraphs? Does the essay “flow?” Remember, you can re-type any sentences you dislike, and you can add additional sentences for clarity. This is a timed response, so it does not have to be perfect, but if you have the time to fix mistakes you’ll only be helping your chances.

GED Essay Template

In the four-part strategy above, you read about the importance of planning and making an outline for the position you selected. Your outline should follow this general format:

• Paragraph 1 — Introduction
• Paragraph 2 — Body Paragraph
• Paragraph 3 — Body Paragraph
• Paragraph 4 — Body Paragraph
• Paragraph 5 — Conclusion

★ Paragraph 1 — Introduction

The introduction and conclusion are short paragraphs that “bookend” your essay. Your introduction should:

• introduce the topic from the passage,
• explain both sides of the issue (showing that you understood what you read),
• and make a claim that one side is better-supported and thus, more convincing (this should be the final sentence of the introduction).

Below is a possible template for the introductory paragraph. When you are writing your essay, you can write a very similar introductory paragraph while replacing the underlined portions to fit the prompt that you are answering:

  ★ Paragraphs 2–4 — Body Paragraphs

The real strength of your essay lies in your body paragraphs. Each body paragraph must introduce and describe one reason why the position you chose is better-supported. There will be 3 reasons in total (if you follow the 5-paragraph format). Look for some of these common ready-made arguments when reviewing the passages:

Authority figure — Does the passage quote a reputable figure with specialized knowledge, such as a doctor, scientist, or other expert? Does the reference lend credibility to the overall argument?

History — Does the passage explain a historical event or a precedent to back up its claim?

Statistics — Does the passage provide any numbers or data? Does the data help the author’s position?

Logical reasoning — Is there a strong element of logic or “common-sense” to the argument, and is it presented in a clear, cohesive manner?

Ethics — Is a moral argument made? Does the author insist his or her position is correct because it is the “morally right” thing to do?

Emotion — Does the author appeal to the reader’s feelings? Does the argument evoke an emotional response?

Reasonable Assumptions — Does the author rely on assumptions to draw any conclusions? Are the assumptions reasonable?

Forceful Vocabulary — Does the author’s word choice add weight and importance to the argument?

Not all of these will be present in every passage, but you will only need 3, and it is likely that at least 2–3 of these will be used in each argument. If the passage you choose only has 2 of the above supports, consider writing more than one paragraph about each, using different support. Let’s look at how we can “plug” three of these examples into our thesis from above:

  When you outline your GED Essay, pre-write your thesis and decide on which three forms of support you will discuss to prove that your passage is better-supported. This will help you organize of the rest of your essay. Now that we have chosen our three examples, we can make a more specific outline:

• Paragraph 1 — Introduction (why Position X is better-supported)
• Paragraph 2 — Emotional Appeal
• Paragraph 3 — Authority Figure’s Opinion
• Paragraph 4 — Forceful Vocabulary
• Paragraph 5 — Conclusion (why Position Y is not well supported)

Let’s look at how we can “plug” some of these ready-made arguments into a body paragraph:

  Notice how this body paragraph introduces the example in the first sentence (“logical reasoning”), and then cites 3 specific examples from the passage that employ this logical reasoning. The final sentence reiterates and emphasizes the overall idea of the paragraph. This paragraph is only 5 sentences (if you include a quote), yet it does a great job (1) introducing the superiority of the argued position, (2) giving examples from the passage to support a specific idea, and (3) concluding the paragraph.

In each body paragraph, you must defend your assertion that ONE position is better-supported with at least one specific reference showing this support. If you choose, “authority figures” as an example, but there is only 1 authority figure mentioned in the passage, it’s okay to spend the entire body paragraph discussing that one figure. You do not need to make up anything that is not in the passage—in fact, you shouldn’t!

★ Paragraph 5 — Conclusion

Finally, let’s look at how we can structure the conclusion:

GED Essay Scoring

Three separate scorers will grade your response based on each of the three traits of your essay: (1) Analysis of Arguments and Use of Evidence, (2) Development of Ideas and Structure, and (3) Clarity and Command of Standard English. Notice that if you follow the strategy and template provided above, all of these traits will be accounted for, and you won’t have to worry about them on Test Day! 😀

GED Essay Practice

Now you’re ready to write a practice essay. Try our GED Essay Practice Question .

GED Extended Response Essay Prompts & Examples

A quick guide to writing an extended response for the ged language arts test.

GED® Reading & Writing Practice Test ( 25 Questions )

GED® Reading & Writing Practice ( Tons Questions )

GED® Reading and Writing Lessons ( 10 Lessons )

Check out our other Free GED© Practice Test

Many students fear the writing part of the GED test. And we understand. After all, it takes effort and time to organize your ideas, fix sentence structures, and ensure that grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling are correct. With only 45 minutes to complete your essay, how will you be able to finish your piece? Thankfully, there are ways to make this part easy for you. You don’t have to be a gifted writer to write succeed in writing a winning essay for the Extended Response portion of the GED writing test. There are tips to succeed in writing your essay.

Start reviewing with our helpful contents: GED Reasoning Through Language Arts Guide

What’s in the GED Writing Extended Response Portion of the Test?

This test will check how well you create arguments and use evidence. Also, it would also test your clarity and command of Standard English language.

Quick Tips to Remember When Writing Your Essay:

• Take a deep breath. Nervous about the test? Ease anxiety by taking deep breaths before writing your essay. Being stressed while writing might keep your focus away from the task and affect the quality of your essay.
• Read the two passages carefully . Make sure you understand each passage before choosing your position.
• Make an outline . Don’t write right away. Create an outline first. Choose a position that you can easily defend based on what you’ve read, then list down the main points to support this position.
• Your essay should have:
• 1. An introduction that states your main argument 2. At least 3 paragraphs with your supporting evidence 3. A conclusion that restates your main argument and main points.
• Focus on the first and last paragraphs first . This will help you stick to your argument and main points.
• Be clear . The paragraphs in between your first and last paragraphs should clearly explain your main points. Start each paragraph by stating the main point that you want to talk about.
• Proofread your work . Check your work for grammar and spelling errors. Improve sentence structures with the time that’s left.

Keep in mind that the saying, “practice makes perfect” applies here. Mastering essay writing takes a lot of practice and reading. Begin practicing your writing as well improving your comprehension skills with our Free GED Practice Tests for Language Arts. We also recommend reading high-quality newspapers, publications, and literary pieces to help build your English writing skills.

Related Topics:

• 7 Top Jobs For GED Graduates: Earn Six Figure Income Without A College Degree
• GED Reading Practice Test
• Reasoning Through Language Arts
• GED Reasoning through Language Arts
• GED Reasoning through Language Art PRACTICE TEST
• GED Math Practice Questions | Fractions
• GED® Reasoning Through Language Arts Practice Tests
• GED Science Practice Questions | GED Study Guide

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How to Pass the GED

Extended Response: Example 1

Basics The second section of Reasoning Through Language Arts evaluates your ability to integrate reading and writing by way of a 45-minute Extended Response. GED guidelines specify that you will be asked to write an essay about the best-supported position—the most persuasive side of an argument—presented in two passages with opposing points of view.  Accordingly, you will need to produce evidence supporting the most convincing position from either Passage I or Passage II.  Attention to specific details within the passages will help you find the necessary pieces of evidence.

GED.com has excellent resources to help prepare for the Extended Response as follows: • poster • videos • guidelines – english • guidelines – spanish • quick tips – english • quick tips – spanish • practice passages – english • practice passages – spanish

Here, at HowtoPasstheGED.com, a five-paragraph essay will be used as a framework for writing an Extended Response.

Five-Paragraph Essay – Outline Paragraph 1:  Introduction of your position with three supporting points. Paragraph 2:  Discussion of first point. Paragraph 3:  Discussion of second point. Paragraph 4:  Discussion of third point. Paragraph 5:  Summary and Conclusion of your position and its three supporting points.

Five-Paragraph Essay – Choose (Before You Write) • Read Passage I and Passage II. • Choose the best-supported position. • Select three points supporting this position.

Five-Paragraph Essay – Beginner Level (You’re Up and Running!) • Write the first sentence of each of the five paragraphs. • In paragraph 1, introduce your position and its three supporting points. • In paragraph 2, put down the first point. • In paragraph 3, put down the second point. • In paragraph 4, put down the third point. • In paragraph 5, restate your position and its three supporting points.

Five-Paragraph Essay – Intermediate Level (You’re Adding On!) • In paragraph 1, introduce your position and its three supporting points. • In paragraph 2, write at least three sentences about the first point, including mentioning something from the other side. • In paragraph 3, write at least three sentences about the second point, including mentioning something from the other side. • In paragraph 4, write at least three sentences about the third point, including mentioning something from the other side. • In paragraph 5, restate your position and its three supporting points, including coming to a conclusion about them.

Five-Paragraph Essay – Advanced Level (Polish Your Essay If You Have Time) • In paragraph 1, introduce your position and its three supporting points. • In paragraph 2, write at least three sentences about the first point, including mentioning something from the other side. • In paragraph 3, write at least three sentences about the second point, including mentioning something from the other side. • In paragraph 4, write at least three sentences about the third point, including mentioning something from the other side. • In paragraph 5, restate your position and its three supporting points, including coming to a conclusion about them.

The example below goes over the process of writing a five-paragraph essay as an Extended Response to Passage I versus Passage II.

Passage I Working from Home is Beneficial

Some experts say there’s no going back now that both employers and workers have learned that telework can be effective.

“The pandemic has radically changed how we view telework or remote work,” said Timothy Golden, a professor of management at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. “Many individuals and companies have realized that we can work remotely effectively. And so, I think remote work is here to stay.”

“We are going to err on the side of letting more people work remotely for longer periods of time,” said Ravi Gajendran, chair of the Department of Global Leadership and Management in the College of Business at Florida International University.

“When that’s not working as well,” added Gajendran, “the pendulum will sort of swing slightly back towards the office. It’s not going to come back to what it was previously, but what we’re going to find is, as new employees join, as new teams form, and as people who have not worked together before are now working remotely, things are not going to be as smooth.”

But, said Golden, “We know that many employees have been highly productive during the pandemic and have been able to carry on their work in a fashion that was consistent with their productivity before the pandemic.”

According to Cathleen Swody, an organizational psychologist at Thrive Leadership, remote work has led to more authentic moments between co-workers who’ve ended up meeting a colleague’s pets or families online, as the pandemic provided a virtual window, and therefore greater insight, into a co-worker’s personal side than working at the office ever did.

“You’ve seen many large companies, and in different industries, make announcements about the future of their workforce in how it is likely to be hybrid. And some workers will be working remotely on a permanent basis, and others will be in a hybrid form,” pointed out Golden. “Companies that do this right and do this in the right way, will have a competitive advantage over those who do not.”

Increased telework could free employees from having to live close to where they work. That could also benefit employers who won’t have to be limited to the local talent pool. More jobs could go to places with lower costs of living and ultimately, overseas.

“It could go to Asia or Africa or South America,” said Gajendran.

With more employees working remotely from home, employers could reduce their costs further by cutting back on office space. – adapted from VOA (04/09/2021, 04/12/2021, 04/29/21)

Passage II Working from Home is Harmful

The benefits of working from home—including skipping a long commute and having a better work-life balance—have been well documented, but employees are literally paying for the privilege, according to a study from the National Bureau of Economic Research.

“People need to dedicate space to work from home,” said Christopher Stanton, an Associate Professor at Harvard Business School who co-authored the study. “For many folks who lived in small apartments or houses before the pandemic, working from home wasn’t a a realistic long-term solution unless they could upgrade to larger apartments or houses.”

The researchers analyzed data from the U.S. Census Bureau to reach their conclusions. They found that between 2013 and 2017, households with at least one teleworker spent on average more of their income on rent or a mortgage to pay for the extra room needed to work from home.

“A household that was spending about $1,000 a month on rent would be spending around $1,070 on rent. So, it’s about a 7% increase, on average, across the income distribution,” Stanton said.

The researchers estimate that about 10% of people who worked in an office before the pandemic could permanently transition to working from home full time. A recent Upwork survey suggests that 36 million Americans will be working remotely by 2025—an 87% increase over pre-pandemic levels, and these workers could potentially take on the additional costs.

The added expense is easier for high-income households to bear but puts an increased burden on workers who earn less money.

“You might have gotten an increase of 20-ish percent in housing expenses for lower-income households with remote workers compared to lower-income households without remote workers,” Stanton said. “That’s a pretty big chunk of expenditure for those households in the bottom half of the income distribution.”

Kristen Carpenter, chief psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at Ohio State University, added that at-home, remote work causes more work to be performed outside normal business hours, so it’s hard “to draw a boundary that prevents work from being ever-present,” including nights and weekends.

Cathleen Swody, an organizational psychologist at Thrive Leadership, also pointed out that when people work from home, “they kind of get stuck in this little place,” whereas going back to the office leads to more interpersonal interaction and innovation. – adapted from VOA (04/09/2021, 04/12/2021, 04/29/21)

Prompt Passage I finds working from home to be beneficial; Passage II finds working from home to be harmful. In your response, analyze the positions presented in Passage I and Passage II to determine which passage is best supported. Use relevant and specific evidence to back your choice. You have 45 minutes to plan, type, and edit your response.

Five-Paragraph Essay – Choose (Before You Write) • Read Passage I and Passage II. • Choose the best-supported position. In this example, Passage I is chosen as the best-supported position. • Select three points supporting this position. (1) Working from home is productive. (2) Working from home improves employee interaction. (3) Working from home saves money.

Passage I is the best-supported position because working from home is productive, improves employee interaction, and saves money.

Working from home is productive.

Working from home improves employee interaction.

Working from home saves money.

In summary, Passage I is the best-supported position because working from home is productive, improves employee interaction, and saves money.

Working from home is productive.  Passage I uses the pandemic to make the relevant observation that individuals and companies realized they could work remotely effectively.  Many employees have been highly productive this way and can stay this way.  Passage II admits in its very first sentence that the benefits of working from home have been well documented. 

Working from home improves employee interaction.  Passage I is persuasive when it notes that remote work has led to “more authentic moments” between co-workers.  However, workers still have the option of working at the office, as well as at home, in a hybrid form.  Thus, Passage II is incorrect when it claims remote workers get stuck in one place.

Working from home saves money.  Passage I makes a convincing argument for freedom.  It asserts that remote work frees employees from having to live close to office buildings.  It also frees employers from having to pay for as much office space.  Passage II says employees need to spend some money to outfit a home office, but this is less costly than commuting.

In summary, Passage I is the best-supported position because working from home is productive, improves employee interaction, and saves money.  In conclusion, there is no place like home.

Working from home is productive.  Passage I uses an authority—Timothy Golden, a professor of management at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute—to make the following relevant observation: “The pandemic has radically changed how we view telework or remote work.  Many individuals and companies have realized that we can work remotely effectively.  We know that many employees have been highly productive during the pandemic and have been able to carry on their work in a fashion that was consistent with their productivity before the pandemic.  And so, I think remote work is here to stay.”  Passage II admits that at least some of what Golden said is true by stating in its very first sentence “the benefits of working from home—including skipping a long commute and having a better work-life balance—have been well documented.” 

Working from home improves employee interaction.  Passage I effectively uses another expert—Cathleen Swody, an organizational psychologist at Thrive Leadership—to state that remote work has led to “more authentic moments between co-workers who’ve ended up meeting a colleague’s pets or families online, as the pandemic provided a virtual window, and therefore greater insight, into a co-worker’s personal side than working at the office ever did.”  Although Passage II says people who work from home “kind of get stuck in this little place,” Golden affirms that workers aren’t really stuck, because some will be working in a hybrid form, meaning partly at home and partly in an office.

Working from home saves money.  Passage I makes a convincing argument for freedom.  Remote work saves money by freeing employees from having to live close to office buildings and freeing employers from having to pay for as much office space.  According to Christopher Stanton (Associate Professor at Harvard Business School) in Passage II, employees need to spend some money to outfit their apartments or houses with a home office, but this is a small price to pay compared to avoiding a costly daily commute.

In summary, Passage I is the best-supported position because working from home is productive, improves employee interaction, and saves money.  In particular, Passage I leads to the conclusion that working from home is beneficial in that it leaves nobody out: Both employers and employees stand to gain.

Remember, the RLA Extended Response is based on what YOU determine to be the best-supported position presented in either Passage I or Passage II. In order to demonstrate that YOU have room to maneuver, the example below goes over the process of writing a five-paragraph essay as an Extended Response to Passage I versus Passage II with a different choice.

Prior to the pandemic, about 5 million Americans worked remotely. But COVID-19 forced U.S. employers to allow telework on a massive scale, resulting in an estimated 75 million people working from home over the past year.

Five-Paragraph Essay – Choose (Before You Write) • Read Passage I and Passage II. • Choose the best-supported position. In this example, Passage II is chosen as the best-supported position. • Select three points supporting this position. (1) Working from home is unproductive. (2) Working from home hampers employee interaction. (3) Working from home costs money.

Passage II is the best-supported position because working from home is unproductive, hampers employee interaction, and costs money.

Working from home is unproductive.

Working from home hampers employee interaction.

Working from home costs money.

In summary, Passage II is the best-supported position because working from home is unproductive, hampers employee interaction, and costs money.

Working from home is unproductive.  Backed by facts, Passage II is able to make a strong statement when it says working in small setups at home ultimately ends up in fatigue and less productive employees.  In fact, fifty-four percent of home workers feel overworked and 39% are exhausted.  Passage I has no numbers to back up its claim that people can work remotely effectively.

Working from home hampers employee interaction.  Passage II cleverly notes that when people work from home, they get stuck.  Going back to the office leads to more interpersonal interaction and innovation.  Passage I even admits that working from home doesn’t always work well, meaning that people end up back in the office.

Working from home costs money.  Passage II convincingly has money in mind when it states that households with at least one teleworker have to spend some of their income to pay for the extra room needed to work from home.  Lower-income households need to spend even more of their income to set things up at home.  Passage I offers no solutions for employees paying out of pocket to work from home.

In summary, Passage II is the best-supported position because working from home is unproductive, hampers employee interaction, and costs money.  In conclusion, there are places other than home.

Working from home is unproductive.  Passage II comes out swinging with Christopher Stanton, an Associate Professor at Harvard Business School, who asserts having nonergonomic setups in small places [at home] ultimately ends up “leading to fatigue and wear and tear and less productive employees in the long run.”  In fact, “fifty-four percent of people who’ve worked from home this past year feel overworked, and 39% say they’re downright exhausted.”  Although Timothy Golden (professor of management at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute) claims in Passage I that “many individuals and companies have realized that we can work remotely effectively,” he has no real numbers to back him up.

Working from home hampers employee interaction.  Passage II cites another authority—Cathleen Swody, an organizational psychologist at Thrive Leadership—to point out that people who work from home “kind of get stuck in this little place.”  She goes on to convincingly argue that “going back to the office leads to more interpersonal interaction and innovation.”  In Passage I, Ravi Gajendran, chair of the Department of Global Leadership and Management in the College of Business at Florida International University, even admits that working from home doesn’t always work well, such that “the pendulum will sort of swing” back towards the office.

Working from home costs money.  Passage II hits home with data from the U.S. Census Bureau, which found that “between 2013 and 2017, households with at least one teleworker spent on average more of their income on rent or a mortgage to pay for the extra room needed to work from home.”  Stanton adds that “you might have gotten an increase of 20-ish percent in housing expenses for lower-income households with remote workers compared to lower-income households without remote workers, a pretty big chunk of expenditure for those households in the bottom half of the income distribution.”  Passage I offers no solutions for employees “literally paying for the privilege” of working from home.

In summary, Passage II is the best-supported position because working from home is unproductive, hampers employee interaction, and costs money.  In particular, Passage II leads to the conclusion that working from home can be so harmful that it never stops, becoming an “ever-present” task performed outside normal business hours without a boundary.

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• Essay Editor

How to Write a Response Paper: A Step-by-Step Guide with Examples

In academic settings, teachers often ask students to write response essays. These essays require you to think carefully about things you've read, watched, or listened to. Writing a good response essay means organizing your thoughts and explaining them clearly.

This guide will help you write a strong response essay. We'll go through each step, from understanding why you're writing to giving real examples. By the end, you'll know how to share your thoughts on any topic you're given.

What Is a Response Paper?

A response paper is a type of schoolwork where you share what you think and feel about a certain topic or idea. It's different from just summarizing a book or movie. In a response paper, you dig deeper into your own thoughts and reactions.

The main parts of a response paper are:

• Summing up ideas from what you read or saw
• Telling what you think about those ideas
• Connecting the topic to your own life or to bigger issues

Why Write a Response Essay?

Writing response essays helps you grow as a student and thinker. When you write these essays, you learn to look carefully at what others say and form your own opinions. Response essays also teach you to explain your ideas clearly, which is important in many jobs. They push you to think about why you agree or disagree with something instead of just accepting what you read or hear. By writing response essays, you become better at understanding complex topics and seeing different points of view. This can help you make smarter decisions and have more interesting conversations with others.

Response Paper Types

There are different kinds of response papers, depending on the assignment and material:

• Responses to books or poems
• Thoughts on movies, documentaries, or news articles
• Looking at research papers or scientific theories
• Connecting course materials to your own experiences
• Examining arguments in scholarly or journalistic pieces
• Writing about a lecture or show you went to
• Sharing your take on a painting, sculpture, or other artwork

Each type is different, but they all follow the same basic rules.

How to Start a Response Essay

Starting your response essay can be the hardest part. Here's how to begin:

• Read or observe the thing you're responding to carefully. Take notes on important points and your first thoughts.
• Come up with your main idea or argument.
• Draft a plan for your essay to keep your thoughts in order.
• A hook to grab the reader's attention
• A quick explanation of what you're responding to
• Your main idea

Here's an example of how to start a response essay:

"In 'The Yellow Wallpaper' by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, the author presents a haunting portrayal of mental health treatment in the 19th century. The story makes you think about old-fashioned ideas and asks important questions about what it means to be sane and how important it is to express yourself. As I read Gilman's story, I found myself feeling uncomfortable but also very interested in what it means for how we talk about mental health and gender roles today."

Writing Your Response Paper

When you write your response paper, use this structure:

• Introduction: Tell readers what you're responding to. 
• Summary: Briefly explain the main points of what you read or watched. 
• Analysis: Look at what's good and not so good about the material. 
• Personal response: Share what you think and feel about it. 
• Conclusion: Sum up your main ideas and say your main point again.

Use examples from what you read to back up what you say. For instance:

"Gilman describes the wallpaper as 'repellent, almost revolting; a smoldering, unclean yellow.' This shows how the main character's mind is deteriorating and helps us see her growing obsession and worry."

Make sure you don't just summarize. Your own thoughts should be the most important part, backed up by details from what you read.

Response Essay Example

Here's a short response essay example about George Orwell's book "1984":

George Orwell's book "1984" shows a scary future where the government controls everything. The story makes people think about what could happen if those in power get too strong and start manipulating what's true. Even though it was written a while ago, many readers resonate with it today.

The main character, Winston Smith, fights to be himself in a world that wants everyone to be the same. He falls in love with Julia when he's not allowed to and he tries to join others who want to change things. This shows how people want to be free and connect with others, even in the toughest of circumstances.

Orwell's idea of "doublethink" — believing in two opposite things simultaneously — is really important today. We hear about "alternative facts" and see a lot of false information. This makes us think hard about what we read and hear and who we should trust.

Personally, I found "1984" to be a profound and unsettling read. The parallels between Orwell's fictional world and certain aspects of our modern society are striking. This book made me realize how important it is to have privacy and to be able to think for ourselves. It also shows how dangerous it is when any group, whether it's the government or a corporate entity, has too much control over information.

To sum up, "1984" is a powerful book that makes readers question people in charge, care about their privacy and fight to keep the truth and freedom for each person.

This example shows how to mix summary, analysis, and personal thoughts in a clear, interesting way.

Key Points to Remember

To write an exceptional response paper, you need to:

• Understand what you're responding to
• Clearly explain your own thoughts and reactions
• Balance summary, analysis, and your own ideas
• Use examples to support what you say
• Keep your essay organized from start to finish

Remember, the goal is to show that you've thought hard about the material and can think critically about it. If you follow these steps and practice a lot, you'll get better at writing response essays.

Aithor's writing tools can assist you throughout the process of writing your response essay, from generating ideas to polishing your final draft. With practice and the right tools, you'll be crafting insightful, well-structured written responses in no time.

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