Introduction
The Common Core State Standards outline key criteria for students to meet in English Language Arts from kindergarten through 12th grade. One of the main focuses of the standards is developing students’ ability to craft effective written arguments and informative/explanatory texts. This guide provides an overview of the Common Core writing standards and recommendations for how students can meet those standards when writing essays.
Developing a Strong Thesis Statement
One of the most important elements of any essay is the thesis statement. According to the Common Core standards, students should be able to “introduce a topic; organize complex ideas, concepts, and information so that each new element builds on that which precedes it to create a unified whole; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.” In other words, the thesis should clearly introduce the overall argument or perspective that will be developed throughout the essay. It should be focused and specific, rather than broad and general. Students should aim to craft a thesis that can be supported with several solid reasons, examples, or pieces of evidence. For example, a thesis like “bullying is a serious issue” is too broad, while “bullying negatively impacts student achievement in school due to increased absenteeism, lower test scores, and poor classroom participation” presents a more defendable position with some initial support.
Using Evidence to Support Claims
After introducing the thesis, an effective essay will support the main argument or perspective with well-researched evidence. The Common Core standards emphasize “developing the topic with well-chosen, relevant, and sufficient facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of the topic.” This means students must look beyond their own opinions and go deeper than surface level arguments. Strong essays will integrate relevant facts, statistics, examples, and quotes from experts rather than relying primarily on personal experiences or anecdotes. Quotes and examples should always be properly cited according to academic citation style (e.g. MLA, APA, Chicago). Each piece of supporting evidence should clearly connect back to and help substantiate the overall thesis. Together, the evidence forms a cohesive case for the student’s position on the topic.
Organizing the Essay Logically
In addition to presenting well-researched content, essays must be logically organized for readers to easily follow the argument. The Common Core standards state students should demonstrate the ability to “provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented.” This emphasizes the importance of structure. Most essays follow a basic introduction, body, conclusion structure. Within the body, information should be grouped into organized paragraphs, with each paragraph focused on one key aspect of the overall thesis. Effective transitional phrases help weave the discussion from one topic to the next in a coherent flow. Likewise, internal paragraphs should have a clear topic sentence that is then supported by several additional details, facts, examples, etc. Logical organization of content makes the essay easier for readers to digest and enhances the overall impact of the argument.
Using Precise Language
The wording students use to convey their ideas is also evaluated by the Common Core standards. Students are expected to “Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences…Write routinely over short and extended time frames for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences…Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts.” In other words, vocabulary, sentence structure, style, and tone should be tailored to the specific rhetorical context or type of writing task. Rather than being simplistic or overly casual, academic language demonstrates the knowledge and critical thinking involved. Words are chosen precisely and purposefully to effectively convey meaning. This could involve incorporating subject-specific vocabulary or using more sophisticated diction and syntax compared to everyday conversational language. Overall writing style and flow need to be professional yet engaging for the target audience.
Revising and Editing for Polish
Even with strong content and organization, essays need revising and editing to catch any lingering issues. The standards outline that students should “develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience.” This highlights the recursive process of refining and polishing writing. After drafting, students should take time away and then reread their work through a critical lens, checking for ways to tighten arguments, eliminate redundant or extraneous information, improve coherence, vary sentence structures, correct any lingering errors or typos, and generally enhance readability. Getting feedback from peers, teachers, or writing tutors can help identify any remaining areas to address before final submission. Multiple drafts are typically required to identify and remedy issues to craft a strong final product meeting all targets of the Common Core standards.
Conclusion
Following the guidelines of the Common Core writing standards promotes the development of essential skills applicable across subjects and occupations. When crafting academic essays, applying best practices like establishing a clear thesis, utilizing well-researched evidence, maintaining logical organization, choosing precise language, and thoroughly revising and editing helps produce cohesive, persuasive compositions. Mastering these techniques empowers students to effectively convey complex ideas through written communication, which is a key outcome of the standards. Adhering to the comprehensive instructions laid out in this Common Core guide facilitates creating high quality student essays meeting all evaluated criteria.
Andrew Stroud