知识点 3

Plan reasoning, examples, and an overall structure before drafting.

Make a short argument map with reasons, examples, and comparison points before drafting.

核心知识

Before drafting, build a simple argument map.

You need:

  • main reasons
  • usable examples
  • a paragraph order that makes the logic easy to follow

深入理解

Plan the logic, not a five-paragraph cage

ACT prewriting should help you make decisions quickly: what you will claim, why it is convincing, which example fits each reason, and where comparison with another perspective fits naturally.

A strong plan usually includes four notes, not a full outline:

  • claim: the thesis in working form
  • reason path: the 2-3 points that actually differ from one another
  • example bank: the most usable example or scenario for each point
  • comparison point: where another perspective will be addressed

What this looks like on a real prompt

Suppose the issue is whether schools should limit phone use during class.

A useful prewrite might look like this:

  • Thesis: schools should restrict phones during instruction, but not ban them from every school setting
  • Reason 1: constant access weakens attention during direct teaching
  • Example 1: a class discussion breaks down when notifications keep splitting attention
  • Reason 2: common limits make expectations fair across classrooms
  • Example 2: students should not gain an advantage by texting answers or filming others
  • Compare: qualify the freedom-first perspective by arguing that student choice matters more outside direct instruction than during it

That is enough. You do not need a sentence-by-sentence template.

What to avoid

  • collecting examples before you know what they prove
  • repeating the same reason in two different phrasings
  • saving the perspective comparison for a rushed final sentence
  • forcing every essay into the same paragraph recipe even when one reason deserves the comparison built into it

The best ACT plans are brief, flexible, and argumentative.

分步讲解

  1. Write a working thesis that already points toward your reasoning.
  2. List 2-3 genuinely different reasons, not three versions of the same claim.
  3. Match each reason with a quick example or scenario you can actually explain under time pressure.
  4. Decide where relationship analysis will do the most work instead of assuming it must appear in one fixed paragraph.

常见误解

  • Good planning means filling in a rigid paragraph template before you know your logic.
  • More examples always make the essay stronger, even if they prove the same point.
  • The comparison with another perspective can be tacked on at the very end without affecting the body of the essay.
题目

示例解析

A student is preparing for an ACT essay about whether colleges should make some courses fully online. Which prewriting plan is strongest?

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