DOC Thematic Essay Questions - St. Francis Preparatory School



Thematic Essay Questions

How to Write

There will be one Thematic Essay question on the Regents exam. It will count for 15 % of the exam grade.

Thematic Essay questions tests your ability to understand, interpret and explain a key social studies theme or concept by giving specific facts to support it. You will be required to write a well organized essay that includes a topic or introductory paragraph several body paragraphs as explained in the task, and conclusion.

Most thematic essay questions will have the following parts.

1. The “Theme” identifies the social studies topic or concept the essay will be about and the general statement about it.

2. The “Task” identifies instructs you on what you have to write about concerning the topic or concept.

2. The “Suggestions”- provide helpful examples you might use in your essay to support the topic. But, you are not limited to those examples.

Sample Thematic Question

Theme: The Impact of Revolutions

Task

You may use any example from Global History. You might consider the French Revolution, Russian revolution, Chinese Revolution, Cuban Revolution and Iranian Revolution.

You are not limited to these suggestions

Keep the following strategies in mind as you respond to thematic essay questions:

1. Read the entire question first

2. Breakdown or analyze the “Task” to identify what you have to include in your response.

✓ Circle the question or request words (Define, Show how [why, what etc] Discuss, Describe, Explain. Compare. Contrast, Evaluate, Analyze, Examine)

✓ Underline the areas that you must cover (this will suggest the number of body paragraphs the essay should have)

✓ Box the number of examples you must include, (i.e. "Describe three changes..."; "Describe two beliefs...)

✓ Look for "and" or "or" in the Task.

AND = write about both or all

OR = choose one to write about

Task:

(Define “revolution".

(Show how revolutions in two countries had a regional OR world wide impact.

3. Create a chart or block to breakdown and identify the different parts of the Task and help you organize information that you will include in your response.

Example:

Theme: The Impact of Revolutions

Writing the Essay

1. Opening Paragraph

o Opening or First Sentence: Identify the main idea of the essay. You can take the generalization in the "Theme" part of the question and express it differently.

o The next sentence is your topic or thesis statement. Use the “Task" to write a sentence that states more specifically what the essay will be about.

o Define or identify terms or concepts that you have stated so far.

o The next sentence is a transition statement that connects the topic or thesis to the main body of the essay. This sentence should make general reference to the example that you will write about in the body paragraphs to support the "Theme of the essay.

2. Main or Body Paragraphs

o Each paragraph should deal with one aspect or part of the "Task".

o Each paragraph should start with a general statement or topic sentence that states the part of the "Task" that will be addressed in that paragraph.

o The remainder of the body paragraph should provide your factual support, details, and examples.

Remember:

+ develop you paragraph logically

+ do not merely list facts - analyze and evaluate the information, and compare

and contrast.

+ do not respond with general statement - give specific facts or examples look

for any person, concept, place, idea that you need to identify, explain or define

+ make sure that you have completed each of the items in the "Task" section

3. Closing Paragraph

✓ Rewrite the "Theme" sentence (from the opening) as a conclusion

("Therefore, it can be seen that. . ." or "In conclusion, it can be can seen that... or thus, it is clear that...")

✓ Respond to the question or request word from the task. IF IT IS---?

✓ Discuss Describe or Explain - add a short summary of what you have already written to reinforce your case.

✓ Evaluate - make a judgment (positive or negative) about the subject and summarize your evidence

✓ Analyze - summarize the main parts of the subject

✓ Compare and / or Contrast - summarize the similarities and / or differences of the subject.

✓ Show how / Explain how - summarize "how" something works, -how" it relates to something else, or "how" something happened

✓ Show why / Explain why- summarize the causes

-----------------------

Revolutions are great events that not only change conditions within a single, country, but whose impacts are often felt world wide.

➢ Define: “Revolution”

➢ Show how revolution in two countries had a regional or world wide impact

Define

Revolution

#1 Country Describe Rev Impact region or world Details / Support/Examples

#2 Country Describe Rev Impact region or world Details / Support / Examples

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