If you are taking the ACT in June, you will be taking the last test with the ACT’s current essay format. The ACT essay’s format and scoring will change slightly beginning next school year. On the current ACT essay, students often struggle to pick good reasons to support their theses. The ACT graders don’t want some vague discussion of why you think schools should limit lunch options to healthy foods or why student should be required to participate in community service. They want to see an essay with specific and clearly articulated reasons.
To help you think of good reasons remember the 3 F’s:
- FAIRNESS
- FREEDOM
- FUTURE
For almost every essay topic you can talk about how your stance enhances the 3 F’s or how your opponent’s stance hurts the 3 F’s.
Let’s use the example of schools requiring community service. You plan to write an essay arguing that students should have to complete community service. Here might be your reasons:
FAIRNESS: Community service exposes teenagers to people less fortunate than themselves and shows them how they might make the world a better place for others.
FREEDOM: While it might seem like forcing community limits students’ ability to use their free time however they choose, schools can offer a variety of community service options so that students have the freedom to choose activities that interest them.
FUTURE: Encouraging adolescents to volunteer their time now can instill a lifelong desire to give back to their communities.
You now have three concrete and persuasive reasons to support community service. Plus you have a clear outline of what to talk about in each of your 3 body paragraphs. There are a few other ways to focus your reasons, but using the 3 F’s is a great way to get started.
